Review
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"[All the Kremlin's Men] is absolutely riveting. I have the sense that Mikhail Zygar has gone more profoundly
than any other into the deep roots of the Putin Empire. The work is truly brilliant!" --David Andelman, Editor and
Publisher, World Policy Journal
"Mikhail Zygar's voice remains one of the most important ones in the rapidly deteriorating media freedom environment in
Russia. As a reporter and later as editor-in-chief of Dozhd-TV, Mikhail has been a true advocate for quality journalism
and high ethical standards. Anyone interested in journalism and free media should listen to his ins and vast
experience. --Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on the Freedom of the Media
"[All the Kremlin's Men] is based on profound research, dozens and hundreds of interviews, and many years of attentive
and thoughtful observation. All of that is deep within, and what the reader sees immediately is a 230-page story,
bright, well-written, excellent text, truly an exciting piece of non-fiction adventure." --Galina Yuzefovich, literary
critic, Meduza
"I read this book in one night, truly a page-turner. It leaves a profoundly y impression: that's real 'House of
Cards.'"--Lev Lurie, writer and historian
..".fascinating...[Mikhail] Zygar takes us deep into the secret world of the courtiers whose task is to shape Mr.
Putin's access to information so that he makes the "right" decision..." --The Wall Street Journal
"Of the many accounts written about the Russian president, Mikhail Zygar's insider's guide to his court is one of the
most compelling...The book charts not just the machinations of the various players...It also acutely traces the
evolution of Putin's mind." --The Guardian
"A tale of Russian politics based on personalities, ego and ambition, rather than policy, convictions or ideology...The
stream of court intrigue gives 'All the Kremlin's Men' the juicy allure of a Russian thriller." --The Economist
"To those who believe that Vladimir Putin's rise to power followed an inexorable master plan of control, this book will
come as a shock. Mikhail Zygar, editor-in-chief of Russia's only independent TV station, says everything that happens in
Putin's Russia is tactics: 'a real-time response to external stimuli devoid of an ultimate objective.' Based on
interviews with members of Putin's inner circle and with key actors in Russia today, Zygar charts the evolution of
Vladimir Putin from a fan of the West to the West's nemesis, from reformer to what Zygar calls a 'hurt and introverted
outcast.' Fifteen years after Putin came to power, many still are trying to answer the question 'Who is Mr. Putin?'
Mikhail Zygar has some answers." --Jill Dougherty, Former CNN Anchor and Foreign Affairs Correspondent
"Mikhail Zygar is one of the heroes of Putin's Russia, courageously trying to practice honest journalism in a country
where honesty increasingly has become an occupational hazard. He is uniquely qualified to take on the subject of Putin
and his entourage, and he presents the story of the past 15 years in a way that punctures myths and opens our eyes to
events we only thought we understood. He does so with inside reporting, inful analysis and a cheerful refusal to
treat pomposity with respect. --Fred Hiatt, Washington Post
"Outside observers, especially those in the West, chronically and routinely overestimate Vladimir Putin's control over
the system he runs. We look for grand strategy instead of immediate, considerations. We look for a single,
organizing mind instead of a hive of voices competing for his attention. Mikhail Zygar, one of Russia's smartest and
best-sourced young journalists, provides a necessary corrective with his new book, All the Kremlin's Men: A Court
History of 21st Century Russia. Mr. Zygar, editor of the independent news station TV Rain, obtained rare access to
Kremlin insiders, piecing together a portrait of a 'collective Vladimir Putin' that is both less calculating-and more
dangerous-than the singular strongman of our imagination."--Ellen Barry, New York Times
"Mikhail Zygar is a rare Russian journalist, objective, refusing to follow the herd, still holding the Putin era to
account despite the obvious dangers. Knowing he could always follow many colleagues and activists into jail, hospital,
or into the graveyard, Zygar persists nonetheless. He gets behind the propaganda machine in a unique series of in-depth
off-the-record interviews with leading Russian politicians, policy makers and oligarchs including some from Putin's
inner circle. A must read if anyone is to understand what Putin's game is." --Christiane Amanpour, CNN Chief
International Correspondent
Book Description
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An extraordinary behind-the-scenes portrait of the court of Vladimir Putin since his ascent to the Russian
presidency in 2000, and the many moods of modern Russia, from the country's most visible and independent journalist.