About the Author

Michel Eltchaninoff is Editor-in-Chief of Philosophie magazine and a former lecturer in philosophy at the University of Burgundy and Pantheon-Sorbonne University. This book won the Prix de La Revue des Deux Mondes in its original French edition.

Reviews

'Riveting … This book unveils a fascinating reality. It seems that Putin has read, chewed over and fed into his discourse a number of conservative Russian intellectuals and philosophers. This reading … has played a major role in what Eltchaninoff calls Putin’s `conservative turn’ … The rigor of his extremely well-informed research is rare. … his book is an absolute must-read for those wanting to understand the ideological roots of this man, disturbing and fascinating in equal measure.' - Le Figaro; ; '[In his] enthralling foray `inside the mind’ of the Russian president, … [Eltchaninoff] has decrypted his writings, speeches and encounters to unearth the intellectual roots of the `new Russia’.' - Philosophie magazine; ; 'In this book, as probing as brain surgery, philosopher Michel Eltchaninoff reveals what lies `inside the mind’ of Vladimir Putin.' - Sylvain Tesson, Le Point; ; 'This highly original approach to illuminating Putin's troubling personality shows just how far literature and philosophy can influence the exercise of power.' - Jean-Marie Durand, Les Inrockuptibles; ; 'On the plane to Moscow, François Hollande buried himself in a fascinating little new book: Inside the Mind of Vladimir Putin. Michel Eltchaninoff, a great connoisseur of Russian history and literature, traces the spiritual and political journey of the `master of Moscow’, who forces his oligarchs to read 19th century thought.' — Midi Libre; ; 'The fundamental question addressed by Michel Eltchaninoff in his excellent book [is this]: what is the Kremlin chief thinking? And will the 21st century be the Putin century, as the 20th century belonged to Lenin and Stalin?' - Les Echos; ; `Eltchaninoff’s book could not be more timely, stripping us of our scornful generalizations and ignorant clichés. A highly enjoyable read.' - La Vie;