The other angle to Gessen’s book is it punctures the aura of Putin. In many ways his backstory is boring (like his probable adoption) and he’s a mundane KGB guy who just happens to be the most ruthles

The other angle to Gessen’s book is it punctures the aura of Putin. In many ways his backstory is boring (like his probable adoption) and he’s a mundane KGB guy who just happens to be the most ruthless thug. At other times, Putin seems almost like a petty sociopath when he handles public appearances or stole the Patriot’s owner’s super bowl ring. So in many ways Putin is just a bad dude who exploited a system that was democratically corrupt and eager to reenact the Stalin years—so while this doesn’t diminish how evil or brazen Putin is, it melts the myth that he’s some brilliant strategist.