Gail Chord Schuler's Review of First Person: An Astonishly Frank Self-Portrait by Russia's President
I have an updated version of this review at the amazon.com site for Vladimir’s First Person, that amazon.com has allowed. What you read here is a previous review that Amazon removed, so I edited the review, removed invitations to visit my website (which is what amazon.com objected to) and made the review acceptable to amazon.com. Actually, Vladimir didn’t help me at all with this review, and his real wife died and Lyudmila (as Vladimir’s wife) is a performance. I know this, because I’m brilliant. But Jesuit criminals never like exposure, especially when their brilliant lies have fooled the world for years. So, when someone like me comes along, who uncovers Jesuit lies and facades and exposes them, Jesuits have to come up with all sorts of alibis, like they’re a victim of a conspiracy, to cover their butts. You’re reading the forbidden (and earlier) version here.
INTERESTING, BUT DOES NOT SHOW PUTIN’S SOUL, March 30, 2010
I’m Gabrielle Chana (Gail Chord), the author of Silver Skies and Catherine of King David (my website). Silver Skies is featured here at amazon.com, Silver Skies Part One and Silver Skies: Part Two Of Two. I find this account of Vladimir Putin interesting, but shallow. In my website memoir, I discuss Vladimir Putin and my account of him brings some understanding of who this man is, based on my own relationship with him. I believe that Vladimir was constrained (for political and personal reasons) from exposing to the world his heart and soul. It’s a shame, because Vladimir’s a great man. I just wish his self-portrait could have shown the world what a pioneer he is, and what a trailblazer he is, this is why he is so attacked by the Western press. He is a very passionate and direct lover, but not a womanizer, and was good to his wife. What I most dislike about this portrayal is that he is depicted as a man so devoted to his career and ambitions that he would neglect his wife. The book claims that his wife cried a whole day when she learned he became Russian President, because she knew her private life with him would be over, and that Vladimir himself didn’t tell her that he became President, that she found out from her girlfriend. She really cried because she was dying and knew she wouldn’t be alive when Vladimir became President. You may say, but Vladimir wrote this book. Not really. Others wrote this book. I think he was pressured by American political leaders to release this version of his life story. The most inaccurate parts of this book are about his family life. Some depictions about his family life are absurd and absolutely unfair to Vladimir. Come now. Why would a wife cry when she learns her husband has become President? Doesn’t that strike you as strange? The most accurate part of the book (in my opinion) are his political views and his views about Chechnya. Go to my website for what I think really happened to his wife when she heard he became President. I would describe Vladimir as very direct, passionate, highly intelligent, full of depths and longings, and who blazes his own trail in love and in life. Though he’s very pragmatic, underneath it all he’s a dreamer and can be very romantic with unabashed directness and daring, and with a devotion that many think him incapable of. This man has inner depths that he only reveals to his woman. I think there’s some bad translation in this book. For instance, his family is described as talking frankly about their father’s temper. And yet, his wife mentioned that he never raised his voice, though he could answer sharply. He’s never lost his temper with me, though he has been abrupt with others. To sum it up, the average person who had to deal with all he deals with, would be far worse than Vladimir. I don’t believe Vladimir has a temper. He’s very direct and has a “take it or leave it” approach to how he presents himself, this could be misconstrued as a temper. He doesn’t play games (unless he’s intimidated)–he’s incredibly honest for a politician. And I don’t respect Vladimir when he’s intimidated. When he’s brave, it gets him in trouble, but a head of state is garbage (like most of them are), if all he cares about is to pander to public opinion and the press. If you try to cage Vladimir in (especially if you’re up to no good), you’ll see his bad side (I like this about him). I almost gave this a three-star rating, but, because Vladimir wrote this (sort of), I decided to give it a four-star. But the Vladimir I know is not portrayed in First Person. For my interpretation of Vladimir Putin (that goes much deeper into his heart and soul), go to Silver Skies Part One or Silver Skies: Part Two Of Two, mouse down to the bottom and read my author biography at “Visit Amazon’s Gabrielle Chana Page” to get the address to my website (where I’ve made a presentation about my life).
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