PATRIOT: The Life Story and Secret Prison Diaries of Putin’s Most Feared Opponent

The death of Alexei Navalny was such a painfully sad and tragic waste of a person whose humanity, fundamental decency, sense of humour, irrepressible empathy, effortless intelligence and unbreakable fearlessness in standing up against unspeakable evil shine brightly throughout his book. It is remarkable how, even when the vindictive repression of the Putin regime escalated towards its inevitable conclusion, Alexei continued to record his experience in such a measured, dispassionate and sanguine narrative. People like Alexei are rare and we are fortunate to have had such a towering champion in the struggle in the name of democracy and basic human rights. I am so glad to have read this book. In a post-truth world seemingly dominated by amoral, unscrupulous, cowardly politicians, it is refreshing to learn so much about a politician of raw courage, true convictions and sincerity. And to end on a trivial note - I have been so lucky to have read this book at all - it certainly did not arrive with me as trumpeted by the email and photo from Amazon - I have no idea where it went but, later that week and after trying in vain to tell Amazon I hadn't received it, the package turned up at the edge of the road where I live!! Fortunately it hadn't rained in the meantime. So, a minor distraction from what has otherwise been a wonderful reading experience.

How I love this man. This posthumous memoir by Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader, published after he was murdered on Putin’s orders in February, is sad, inspiring, hilarious and idiosyncratic, like the man himself. It starts with an electrifying recollection of what it was like to be poisoned (unsuccessfully) with novichok on an internal flight in Russia, then switches to an autobiography starting in his childhood, then some recollections of his campaigning days, and finally memoirs which he was quite remarkably allowed to write in prison and which even more remarkably his lawyer or wife was allowed to take away after his death. The title he chose, ‘Patriot’, is striking. But perhaps not, in the light of the great tradition of Russian oppositionists who chose to remain in Russia even if it meant prison and death, one thinks of Akhmatova’s poem ‘Not under foreign skies’ or those who returned to the Soviet Union after the civil war, unable to bear being outside Russia. For a Russian, to be outside Russia is to be outside life, it seems. Navalny’s fierce integrity, enormous courage, his refusal to flinch or compromise, we knew about these already. What is new here is his insight, a rare thing, a public figure who sees himself clearly, his doubts and mis-steps, and who is not fond of his portrait as hero. And his wonderful sense of humour, often self mocking, sometimes mischievous and anarchic - as when live on his Oscar-winning documentary he rings the FSB man in charge of of murdering him, posing as FSB investigator berating him for his incompetence, before revealing who he really is. Or the immense lengths he went to sort out of the genealogical context of the War of the Roses, there in his isolation cell in his freezing Arctic prison, not long before his death. Above all, his mockery of Putin and clear sighted contempt for the murderers, thieves and liars who surround him. Mockery he says is to them like sunlight to vampires. He focuses in on truth as the bedrock of everything else, just as lies are the foundation a tyranny. I did not know that in his last months he became a kind of Christian. But it is no surprise that in doing so he focussed not on rituals and masses but on the Sermon on the Mount. Blessed is he who hungers and thirsts for righteousness sake. Indeed. He talks interestingly about fear, how Putin and his like count on it, how the one thing they fear is those who are not cowed. He describes how fear comes and goes, how you might keep out of trouble because you're afraid, but then it becomes too great and you’re terrified, and then you suddenly overcome it. How courage is not the absence of fear, but simply taking a decision that it will not define you: interesting. His treatment in prison became progressively harsher as it was clearer to Putin that he could not be broken. His conditions and treatment became a form of torture, psychological as well as physical, in the end it was clearly designed to kill him, and it did. Or was it a bullet in the neck or Putin’s favourite Novichok again? Poison, the coward’s favourite. What we know for certain is that he was unflinching in his commitment to his course of action right to the end, in that lonely cell in that lonely prison, cut off from everybody, even his lawyer. I mourn this man three times over. I mourn his loss to his lovely wife and two children, of whom there are such beautiful photographs here, and not the least of his commitment was the knowledge what it would do to them, though his wife Julia fiercely supported and does support all that he did. The children lost their father in their teens, difficult enough time. To have lost such a man as your father... I hope they’re doing ok. I mourned him on behalf of Russia, which so much needed a man like this, a great patriot and believer in Russia’s rich future, beyond all lies and killing and corruption. (But then Russia has always murdered its best). And lastly I mourn him for myself, because I always felt comforted by knowing he was alive somewhere, he represented hope in a darkening world. But then if he had that effect on me, and on you, he achieved what he wanted, did he not?

Patriot, by Alexei Navalny is a a truly inspiring book. In case you have forgotten, he was the amazing man who set up an Anti Corruption Party in opposition to Putin who had him killed in response. He carried out investigations into corruption, in particular he made a film about Putin's palace. He clearly felt a burning anger at the level of corruption throughout the Russian State and the fact that people in a state position with any level of authority used their position to become wealthy while the rest of the population lived in poverty and with shortages. Putin and his circle have accumulated unbelievable wealth which certainly does not come from their salaries. Putin must have feared him and his thousands of followers because there had been several failed attempts to kill him before he was poisoned with Novichok and almost died. Angela Merkel intervened and he was transferred to a hospital in Germany, where after many months of treatment and physiotherapy he was more or less recovered. He had to learn to speak, write and walk again and required intensive physiotherapy. He was left with long term back problems. When he was well enough he returned to Russia with his wife and two children. I think he is the most courageous person I have ever come across. He knew that Putin would not be satisfied until he was dead but he returned anyway. In fact, he was arrested straight off the plane and imprisoned on trumped up charges. He was finally killed three years later. Putin regularly thought up new false charges when there were farcical show trials and more time was added to his sentence. The book is both interesting and moving. Navalny’s love of his country and its people together with his anger at the way time and again those in power have reduced them as individuals and the country as a whole to poverty and backwardness. When I told my son about it he responded by sending me links to 3 articles critical of Navalny. After reading the man’s book, however, I am convinced that his death is a tragic loss to Russia. He started writing it while he was convalescing in Germany and the first part of the book contains a lot about his childhood and early life. One of his parents was Ukrainian and he spent his summers on his grandparents' farm. The rest of it is in the form of a prison diary. I don’t know how he got his writings out of prison. He must have had help. What impresses me particularly is that throughout the book there is not the slightest hint of self-pity neither about his situation and the knowledge that he would never be freed nor about his painful back; he writes with a wry humour which I found wonderful, given the circumstances. A truly great man in my opinion. I only hope the people he inspired to oppose Putin don’t just give up without his leadership.

After finishing this book I sat in silence for five minutes. It's that powerful. And for anybody that believes in freedom and democracy, the almost 500 page journey here alongside Navalny himself will be inspiring. He was a gifted writer - passionate about the cause, charismatic, dedicated, truthful and filled with the light of humanity. He retains his sense of humour right until the end. His bravery is staggering. His defiance is both logical and balanced, rarely despairing. The more he suffers, the more beneficent he seems to become. I don't think he'd want this book to break hearts - although, of course, it does. It stands more as a record of his life's purpose, his compassion for others, his love for his family, his hopes for the future and his concept of what Russia could be if it was given a chance. The message is: Don't be afraid, that's what they want. Act. Of course, from the start we know how the story ends. Navalny didn't, not completely, though he guessed what was likely. His words from prison come to an end and, combined within the book he had already begun during his time in Germany, have been edited into an incredible story that can be read with the pace of a novel. The tragedy is that it is all true, and what might have been is all too clear. Patriot has to be one of the books of the year.

A fascinating history or the fall of the Soviet Union as well as an inspirational account of one man’s fight against corruption, injustice and authoritarianism. The message in the fight for democracy is one of action- Navalny makes it clear having values and beliefs are meaningless without the willingness to do the right thing and make personal sacrifices.The democratic world owes much to brave men of action like Alexei who refuse to except defeat and a corrupt status quo. It is their sometimes ultimate sacrifice and stubborn courage that underpin the hard won values of the civilised world. In these times of rising populism, division and authoritarianism it is also a warning that these values cannot be taken for granted. Democracy and personal freedoms are fragile and ‘staring at the table’ in glum acceptance when changes occur that put them under threat cannot be an option. His message is ultimately optimistic, expressing faith in the goodness of the majority of humanity.

Having watched news reports from Russia when Novalny was presenting his counter thrust against the the regime in Russia, one thought that here is a man who might be a "game changer" and bring about a new political reality based on the democratic principles that the West goes on about. When he was poisoned and ended up being taken to the West for treatment, I guess nobody was surprised as this kind of antic was not unknown. In reading this memoir one can get a better understanding of his motives but wonder what "power base" , if you could call it that, he believed he had apart from well wishers. It is almost a year (February 24) since he died in the Arctic Gulag where his memoir finishes. Given the searches and the brutal regime he encountered I wondered how his jottings were smuggled out of prison, especially latterly in prison where contact with his lawyers and others was forbidden. Nevertheless, the book as it stands is a compelling read and my thoughts are that he was always fighting a losing battle and he should have stayed in the West, although that may not have given the safeguards he might have needed. We only only have to witness certain events in the UK over a period of time. He made his wife a widow and orphaned his children for a cause that he was never going to win. He does allude to the fact that he may not live that long in his circumstances, but did not fear the possible inevitable. He was a stoic but stoicism was never going to produce the Russian State he and his followers desired. It is a sad story and deserves to be read so as to understand his ideas and the difficulties he experienced in the final two years of his life in prison which in some parts are Kafkaesque. The book is in translation and I cannot find fault with that aspect. There are one or two "americanisms" where you might call someone a douchebag which is not normal parlance in the United Kingdom, say.

Why did Navalny return to Russia after his poisoning? Maybe many readers will be searching for the answer to that question. Navalny’s response lies at the heart of this book. It reveals a down-to-earth, razor-sharp political thinker with extraordinary courage and resilience, for whom Russia’s future was more important than personal freedom. Instead of being muffled into submission by the oppression of his brutal incarceration, Navalny’s calls to action remain strong and clear throughout. He addresses his followers directly, unveiling the farcical and hypocritical nature of the increasing number of charges against him, understanding both their tactical purpose and their implications. There are so many life lessons in his candid, chatty and funny writing. These pages aren’t laced with impenetrable dogma. The strength of Navalny’s warmth and his humanity as a politician, even as he endures the most appalling conditions, makes his writing ever more compelling. Compiling and publishing Patriot was a triumph for those involved and it is a fitting legacy to an incredible man (he even predicted that it might well be). It’s a passionate call to action for his followers, and a reminder for the rest of us that freedom of expression is to be fought for and cherished.

brilliant book

A true hero’s story

What dedication to his homeland and its people. One of the best books I have read and a damming indictment to Putin and his cohorts .

"And don't you be afraid!" This is one of Alexei Navalny's most famous quotes. There is a song about him under the same name and several people remember him by this quote. That's why, perhaps, it is unsurprising that his book talks of a life that has simply one lesson for everyone - And don't you be afraid. It is part memoir, part autobiography and part prison diary, all the way peppered with the author's indefatigable dark humour. It has four parts- The first - Alexei’s near-death, the second - his childhood and everything that drove him towards politics, the third - his political work as the sole face of Russian Opposition and the fourth - his prison diaries. By far, the last part is an emotionally difficult and moving read. Not because his cheeriness or good-humour fail him in those conditions that are as close to hell as can be humanly replicated, how desperately Putin tries to break the spirit of the most influential Leader of the Opposition. And yet, for all that Putin did, he failed. Alexei’s cheeriness and faith in humanity and his belief that Russia will be free and happy last all through his life. Never once does he lose that belief and that is seen all through his prison diaries. The first part starts with the line "Dying really didn't hurt" and in it he describes, down to the most minor detail, the day when he nearly died after collapsing into a coma mid-flight between Tomsk and Moscow. By the end of the first part, you are hooked to the fantastic writing style and the gripping plot, infinitely better than the best thrillers - and completely true as well. The second part talks about his childhood and college days, against the backdrop of the political upheavals that defined the latter third of the 20th century, namely; he presidency of Gorbachev, The Afghanistan War, The 'August Putsch', The Fall of the USSR, Yeltsin assuming the position as the President of Russia and so on. He talks of how he was once a starry-eyed Yeltsin supporter and how the purchase of his first car changed his political opinions radically. Part two ends with him recounting how he met his wife, the now Leader of Russian Opposition, Yulia Navalnaya. Part three is the story of his work against trumped-up court cases, (notably the Kirovles and Yves Rocher scandal), his brother's (Oleg Navalny) imprisonment (also thanks to the completely fabricated Yves Rocher case), his own house arrest and the ups-and-downs of the two-decade-plus Putinist tyranny. It's a tale of a political miracle under one of the most repressive conditions on the planet. A figurative rose in a bleak and hopeless political desert. The section ends with him explaining what motivates him to fight for the country, why he no longer fears for his life and why he loves Russia. He puts forth his vision for a Russia, a Beautiful Russia of the Future. This part ends with the line ‘The future is ours’, a belief that Alexei lived and died for and one that millions of Russians cling onto for succour in these dark times. The fourth and last part is a challenging read, and certainly takes emotional involvement to read. His prison diaries, the posts he wrote from prison and his final words on the several court hearings he was subject to during the period of his imprisonment are what constitute this part of the book. The prison diaries are easily the most heartbreaking part of a book and really are not for the faint of heart. He talks of the absolute madness of regulations and searches by authorities, his own hunger strike and sickness, of solitary confinement and punishment cells and of the general vindictiveness of a massive system that uses its entire machinery to break the spirit of one man – and fails. It is a glimpse into a mind that is constantly thinking of the best things for his country. I was half-expecting them to charge him with ‘excessive charisma’ or ‘threatening levels of integrity’. In summary, this is a fantastic book that somehow is heartbreaking, humorous and inspiring, all at the same time. On the day I post this book review, it is the 16th of February 2025, exactly one year since Alexei’s murder, and I feel that everyone should honour his memory by picking up a copy of this book. It will be impactful and the full force of it will hit you straight in the face, but it will be unforgettable. It is impossible to condense a life as eventful as Alexei’s into a single book and the book does not attempt to do so. Instead, it offers us a glimpse into Navalny’s mind-not just the opposition myth and the poisoned legend, but also an insight into the mind of a man who simply wants the best for his country, a man with a humour so black it makes Vantablack jealous and a man who simply thinks that Russia deserves better than Putin-and gave Russians a choice. It is a once in a lifetime book, and it is unlikely you’ll read anything like it ever again. The book does not have a straight plot-line but rather jumps between places and events, starting off in a flight out of Siberia, into Berlin and the Black Forest in Germany and then back into Russia, rushing between prisons and ending in Kharp, Siberia where, on the 16th of February exactly one year ago Alexei would be murdered under mysterious circumstances. It is Alexei’s parting farewell to the burning world he left behind, not just the story of his less-than-fifty–years long life but also the dream he left behind-if he laid the foundation for The Beautiful Russia of the Future, it is up to us to build the road towards it. Five stars are nowhere near enough for this book, I’d give a whole constellation! Simply put, I will recommend to everyone this 400-odd paged part-memoir, part-thriller

Too short a life. What vision and integrity. Such an interesting book and life. A man of depth both intellectual and emotional. A person of immense strength and energy. What a great president of Russia he would have made. This book has been put together with the material available and well reflects Navalny’s situation. A fascinating read.

…and one of the very few times I posted a review here. If you like at least some of the basics of the “western” world, this book will make it immediately clear to you that we constantly need to fight for them.