Stalin: Russia's Man of Steel

Joseph Stalin ruled the Soviet Union for more than a quarter of a century, overseeing its transformation from a backward nation to a superpower. Creator of the most vast and inhuman prison system in world history, Stalin was a one-time invaluable ally to democracy in World War II. He quickly turned into its most feared enemy with the fall of the Iron Curtain. His death ended a reign of terror, yet his spirit still overshadows the pieces of his dismantled empire.

A very well-written biography of Joseph Stalin and a recounting of the horrors surrounding his era. Most people think of Hitler when thinking of historical terrors, but this book brings to life Stalin, who was easily on the same level, if not higher.