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4mon
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Recommendations for Biographies of Stalin?

Finally planning to read Lusardo's history and critique of a black legend, but thinking its best to read a biography of Stalin before I begin. Is that necessary/fair? if so, Any recommendations?

ThanksObama5223 [he/him] - 4mon

awesome thoughtful reply. Kotkin was the the frontrunner but I was weary for obvious reasons. I'm not super keen on reading a dry academic text, so it seems like Service's Stalin is a better candidate

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TrippyFocus @lemmy.ml - 4mon

I’m actually planning on reading that at some point this year as well.

Right now I’m listening to the Proles Pod series on Stalin since I heard good things about it. I’m on episode 3 and it’s been pretty good.

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ThanksObama5223 [he/him] - 4mon

I hadn't considered the podcast route. Maybe that's the way to go so I don't have to put up with the obligatory condemnations and accusations that seem to exist in every western biography

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ThanksObama5223 [he/him] - 4mon

I hadn't considered the podcast route. Maybe that's the way to go so I don't have to put up with the obligatory condemnations and accusations that seem to exist in every western biography

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GoodGuyWithACat [he/him] - 4mon

I didn't finish Losurdo so take this with a grain of salt, but I don't think I'd recommend it as a biography of Stalin. It doesn't start with his life, but his death. It's more of a historiography about the critiques of Stalin that a recounting of his life. It's good scholarship, but wasn't what I was looking for.

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