First published 2008
From the ruthless conquests of Genghis Khan to the genocidal mania of Stalin, "Monsters" lays bare the chilling true stories of history's most infamous tyrants. Chronicling the ascent and reign of 101 despots, Sebag-Montefiore reveals the shocking acts that cemented their infamy - massacres, torture, and the ruthless amassing of power. Yet beneath the shocking violence lies a deeper exploration of the human condition, as we are forced to confront the darkness that can take hold when ambition, ideology, and unchecked authority collide. "Monsters" is a sobering reminder that the greatest horrors of the past still echo in our present.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: power-dynamics, true-crime
Setting: Russia, Soviet Union
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
320 pages · Hardcover · Quercus Publishing
Content warnings: murder, torture, violence