Book Review: "Putin's Labyrinth"
Posted by Susie Kopecky on Jan 25, 2009 - 12:27:06 AM
A dark, menacing and entrancing look at the Russia we all thought we knew, but may not have known at all. Welcome to a world of intrigue, and things that never are what they seem...
The title says it all: "Putin's Labyrinth." The full title of Steve Levine's chronicle of the power struggle within Russia is "Putin's Labyrinth: Spies, Murder and the Dark Heart of the New Russia." Interestingly, the title suggests a new, and formerly unknown land, while Levine's book actually concisely traces the history of an only-too-familiar story of constant power grabs, brutal leaders and seemingly apathy from a general populace.
Levine's book carefully traces the author's maturation of his view on Russian affairs, and how he has come to the rather indelicate but clearly thought-out position on Russia: thugs rule, while the population turns a nearly blind eye, in return for relative safety. Levine's finished product is chocked full of information and insights gleaned from numerous one-on-one interviews with those who he deemed important power players in Russian affairs, who would actually speak to him, aka those generally in opposition to the current Russian government, under Vladimir Putin. Prominent players include the late journalist Anna Politkovskaya, the enigmatic was-he-or-wasn't-he-a-spy, Alexander Litvinenko, and of course, the eponymous subject of the book, Vladimir Putin.
Covering topics from polonium poisoning, Chechnya, vengeance and a Russian present dominated by dark ideas from the past, Levine charts a course through the murky and ambiguous waters of Russian politics, as he attempts to explain a continuous chain of seemingly random and hypocritical events that compose Russian politics. Both a useful history lesson and a cry against familiar apathy, no one can accuse Levine of not being passionate about his subject matter. Levine's work will certainly make readers think.
"Putin's Labyrinth" is published by Random House, under the ISBN number 978-1-4000-6685-8. This is an engaging and provocative read, great for anyone interested in current events, Russian history, and the intersection of the two, to explain the modern state of Russia, as controlled by an age-old phenomenon. If passion is the mark of a successful book, then Levine has certainly succeeded in his newest telling of the intricacies of modern life.
Photo courtesy of Random House.
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