We Need to Talk About Putin: How the West gets him wrong

The best explainer of Putin. Written by Russia expert Marc Galleoti. Essential if you want to understand modern geopolitics

Very good light reading into the mind of Putin. It works as a fantastic introduction to the mind and inner working of Putin and his political circle. The author's writing style means that the concepts explored are accessible and the layout of the book is logical and clear, complete with glossaries to help you grasp all of the minutiae. The only slight drawback is that at times it can feel a bit light, rather than gritty and packed with unforeseeable details, but that may be more about my own expectations.

Galeotti has written a brilliant, thematic assault on the assumptions and clichés that dominate much of media coverage of Putin and Russia in the West. He demolishes the notion of a Bond villain Putin and instead offers a nuanced portrait of a man who, while certainly ruthless and deeply unpleasant, is not the unhinged, psychopathic killer of Western media lore. Today's Putin emerges as a tired autocrat no longer sure what to do with power he has accumulated and yet frightened to let it go. Galeotti apologises to his academic colleagues for the tone and brevity of the book, as well as for the absence of footnotes. These are the very things that make it such a great read for the layman. The tone is breezy and informal, laced with sardonic humour. As for the brevity, I can't remember reading a book with quite so many revelatory and quotable passages per page.

This is reminiscent of a chat in a bar rather than an incisive look at Vladimir Putin, which I think is exactly what Galeotti is aiming at, making it accessible to a wider audience. Despite its appeal however, its teasing brevity wound me up after a while. Galeotti is an interesting analyst however, so do take a look at some of his other material concerning Russia which shares some common ground with others such as Fiona Hill and Keir Giles.

Illuminating. This is another bookmarked newspaper review that I decided I had time to read. The author knows his stuff and expertly describes the phenomenon of Putin, and Russia today. What I liked was his explanation of the political processes and Russian society. If anything he could offer just a little more detail about ordinary Russians and how they interact with society and the state. All too often commentators are what I learnt as an undergraduate, ethno-centric, and view the world through a prism of values from their home cultures. Or they tailor their outputs to pander to the prejudices and cultures of their audience. He doesn't pretend to be objective, but is very clear about what he has studied over the last 30 years, and what he makes of it. Interesting, informative and I think terribly relevant for the world in 2020. It's not dense and each chapter has merit as an essay in its own right. Read, and keep a copy of it.

This is a really important short book, which one can read at a sitting. It argues that Putin has a distinctive leadership style. He improvises rather than executing some grand plan, and his regime is characterized by lots of (well-funded) agencies guessing what he and others in leadership positions might like to occur. Galeotti also documents the way in which he has tended to work with - and to reward - cronies, and to take revenge on people who where part of this 'inner circle' who have then opposed him. Galeotti also argues that there is nothing profound behind his approach, and that he is motivated by a kind of Russian patriotism and a concern for the esteem in which Russia is held. Oddly, his position comes over as being like that of a Tsar, in the sense of his being personally respected even when people disagree with what his government is doing. If Galeotti is right - and it is important that there be discussion of this - then it suggests that how, currently, the activities of Russia are often looked at in a way that incorporates a massive misunderstanding. Too much is treated as if there was a grand strategy behind it, as if Putin was a master chess player, when, in fact, as Galeotti stresses, his background is in judo, where one uses others' strengths against them. Where Russia is posing problems, this analysis would be important in discussions of how to respond. It would be tempting to simply think of things that would annoy Putin (e.g. cartoons which play on his small size and personal insignificance, which it would be easy to get to get to go viral). But it might be more mature to think in terms of measures in which honour and recognition could be paid to Russia's legitimate achievements - but in ways which, then, make it less pressing for Putin and his henchmen to have to engage in various forms of international adventurism.

Highly informative and well written. Read over an afternoon, fascinating to see how Mother Russia operates and makes decisions. Overall an outstanding book for anyone with an interest in Putin and modern day Russia.

This little book is an excellent introduction to the man whose actions have dominated the world in 2022. Mark Galeoti is a renowned authority on Putin and his worldview. It is not a detailed biography but is highly recommended as a guide to what drives him.

The book was published in 2018. Galeotti actually predicted everything about events which we are going through right now. Just wow!

In a few short pages, Mark Galeotti helps understand Putin’s personal characteristics and how they might impact Russia and the world. Also, make sure you listen to his weekly podcast: In Moscow’s Shadows. It’s brilliant

Es ist kein akademisches Buch (der Autor macht das deutlich) aber es erklärt gut und einfach wie Russland funktioniert bzw. vor dem Ukrainekrieg funktioniert hat. Es gibt viele anschauliche Beispiele und die Struktur ist sehr klar.

Many pertinent facts and anecdotal material. One can read and read, but still one is left with frustration with all that needs to be known on this subject, especially during these critical times. This author certainly made a very good effort to bring all the info that he could muster to the fore, but he probably knows better than many what still needs to be known.

I've read most if not all of Galeotti's publications and even exchanged a few emails with him. He is far and away my favorite Russian specialist. Although this is not an "academic" piece, his presentation of Putin and what we in the west get wrong about him is an important read for any would be academic specializing on Russia. I have recommended this book to many a friend and colleague. Even if you think you know who Putin is, or what he's all about, this book will challenge your perceptions of the man and the system which he overseas. 5 star easy.