First Person: An Astonishingly Frank Self-Portrait by Russia's President

By Vladimir Putin

Categories: Biographies & Memoirs

First Person: An Astonishingly Frank Self-Portrait by Russia's President (2000) is a book of interviews with Vladimir Putin conducted by Russian journalists at the start of his presidency. The conversations cover Putin's childhood in Leningrad, his KGB career, his years in Dresden and his unexpected rise in Moscow. The book became an early primary source on how Putin wanted to present himself to Russians and the world.

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• Fareed Zakaria: “This week's book of the week is "First Person," an astonishingly frank self-portrait by Russia's president. If you've heard lots about Putin in recent months and weeks and wondered what would he say in response, what does he think, this is about as close as you'll get. It's the product of six interviews with Russian journalists and Vladimir Putin. It is a revealing picture of his world view.”