Putin's Rise: The Evolution of an Authoritarian Modernizer

Understanding any political leader is a challenging task, and this is perhaps especially true when it comes to Vladimir Putin. Donald Kelley meets the challenge as he traces the Russian president's evolution from cautious reformer to authoritarian leader in the context of Russia's political system. Review: "Kelley's distinctive narrative helps us to understand what drives Putin, while taking into account the changing settings within which he has operated across nearly a quarter-century in power." — Rura Sil, University of Pennsylvania.