Borrowed from my wife, this is the account of Alexei Navalny, who challenged Putin and made the ultimate sacrifice. We’d watched the Oscar winning documentary previously but this first hand account of his motivations, thoughts, and philosophy gives additional insights into this remarkable man.
The story jumps immediately into the aftermath of the Russian State’s assassination attempt on Navalny, poisoning him with the nerve agent Novichok. He then takes us back to his earlier life and the steps that led him to be the figurehead of the opposition.
Whether his style or the translation, the prose isn’t the slickest but the quite incredible story and bravery make such criticisms irrelevant. Navalny’s single-mindedness and strength of character are almost superhuman. His belief in his cause carries him through an appallingly cruel, callous, and vindictive penalty system; even with little-to-zero hope, he continues to spread his message whenever and however he can.
The book ultimately challenges you as the reader to consider what you would do, how brave you would be, and how far you would be willing to go. I, like most people, perhaps shy away from that question as we may not like the answer.
