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The danger in writing a biography on someone like Ivan the Terrible is to psychoanalyze and read too much into the turbulent times and events. While Payne offers some explanations for the erratic and awful behavior of the Grand Prince of Muscovy, he certainly doesn't try to explain away, apologize or revise the life of Ivan.
There is also a tendency in biography to get mired down in political intrigues and military minutae of the times. While there is certainly plenty of intrigue and military history, the book never wanders far from the subject matter which is Ivan, a man possessed by history, demons and angels.
This book may not satisfy the specialist, who might yearn for more detail and more footnotes, but it is certainly a good, solid starting point for someone wanting to know more about Ivan the Terrible.
Payne has done a great service for Russian history buffs.
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I've often wondered how this situation came to be and Ivan Scott has provided the answers in his brilliant book "Jew vs Arab: Sibling Rivalry of the Ages". Mr. Scott's premise is crystal clear: The tragedy that is the Middle East didn't begin ten years ago with the Intifada, or fifty years ago with the founding of Israel; this conflict has been going on for thousands of years.
Mr. Scott takes us back to ancient times, citing biblical and historical events to explain how one people diverged into two. Without getting into the mutual finger-pointing that passes for journalism today, Mr. Scott describes the events that have brought these peoples to the present situation.
If nothing else, this book proves that there is plenty of blame to go around, there are no angels on either side. Both groups have learned to manipulate the US media and politicians to great effect. Both sides have a LOT of blood on their hands. From Ben Gurion's plan to take Eretz Israel at any cost (and "resettle" the natives) to the machinations of Egypt's Nasser and the other arab leaders who wanted to destroy Israel and take the land for themselves (and "resettle" the natives...).
Today's headlines are too often filled with news of the latest "terrorist" suicide bombings. Ivan Scott reminds us that in the years prior to the founding of Israel, many Jewish "patriots" made very good use of bombings, murder, and other terror tactics. Menachem Begin's Irgun, the Stern Gang, and others committed innumerable acts of violence against the Palestinians, the British, and anyone else who got in their way. Mr. Begin would later justify his actions in his memoirs by stating that "by definition the term "terrorist" cannot be applied to anyone fighting for his home land".
This book is refreshing in its straight forward style. There's plenty here to raise the hackles of both sides, which tells me that Ivan Scott must know what he's talking about. Enjoy.
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