The Last Days of Stalin

April 15, 2016

In portraying the period of Soviet history during Joseph Stalin's (1878-1953) final years, Rubenstein (associate director of major gifts, Harvard Law Sch.; Leon Trotsky: A Revolutionary's Life) successfully pens a fascinating work of the conflicts among Stalin's team; a group aware of their leader's serious physical and mental health issues. There is much emphasis on the rise of anti-Semitism during this time, along with details of the Doctor's Plot, an alleged conspiracy of prominent medical specialists to murder leading government and party officials. Rubenstein also considers a wide variety of historical sources concerning a plan to remove Soviet Jews from the country. More historical background on Stalin's later period and the tensions within his inner circle are covered in Sheila Fitzpatrick's On Stalin's Team: The Years of Living Dangerously in Soviet Politics. Yet, the strength of Rubenstein's discussion is the impact of Stalin's death on the West. The author details the conflicts faced by president Eisenhower's administration, informing readers of the larger historical forces of the time. VERDICT With this brief work, Rubenstein adeptly covers an interesting period of history with clear writing and rich source material. Recommended for readers of world history.--Amy Lewontin, Northeastern Univ. Lib., Boston

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