Patriot: A Memoir

Witty and Inspirational
I’ve read hundreds of memoirs. This one is in the Top Ten. I read it on Kindle. I am back to buy a hardback as the pictures included are wonderful and deserve a place in my library.The story seemed a bit disjointed to me. First comes the part written by Alexei and finished by his wife. Then more of the prison days, his last few years – IG posts and the prison diary. Why were these after the main story? Was it added by his wife at the last moment? No matter. It still shines.Some of the activities permitted in prisons abroad seem like luxuries, such as cooking in a cell. But then there is the torture…Navalny’s wit and charm, his love for his family, his idealism, his dedication to stand by his word, even at the cost of his life – all of these come through in this brilliant memoir. I especially enjoyed reading about his childhood as that part of his life was unfamiliar to me. I found myself laughing out loud a few times.He was a great human being. His death was a tragedy, yet not unexpected. The fact that those responsible will never pay is outrageous. Navalny didn’t think Putin would kill him while incarcerated as it was too “public”. But he did. And no one did a thing about it.Alexei is missed.

Incredible, absolutely true purpose
Stunning, heart rending and inspiring. I hope we all can keep his fight close in our hearts and help our fellow humans (Russians) in any way we can but mostly by understanding they are just as we are.

Power and important
This memoir is powerful, important, and flawed. I got a great sense of what it was like to be brought up in modern Russia in the first part of Navalny’s memoir. I was very interested in that. His anti-corruption and anti[-Putin campaign and fight for freedom was powerful, as was his prison diary. I am so glad that I listened, and recommend this book. That said, this fell short of the great memoirs because I never felt that I got to know Navalny THE PERSON. I just got to know Navalny THE PATRIOT, and he was an inspiring patriot. The last quarter of this book is his prison diary, which was fascinating and a little boring at the same time. Knowing that he is killed at the end adds to the power of this memoir.

Very insightful re: authoritarian governance
Easy to read, and very human. Navalny gives a clear picture of the downside of years of authoritarianism, including corruption and losing freedom of speech and factual information. Also, the cost of basic goods and services, which becoming increasingly harder to come by. A true cautionary tale, told by a brave patriot gone too soon, essentially murdered for truth-telling and loving his country.

If you’ve seen the Oscar-winning documentary “Navalny”, you’re already familiar with the gripping story of the Russian opposition leader who survived poisoning by the nerve agent Novichok. This film hooks you from the start, holding your attention like a well-crafted political thriller. But since this is a documentary, the suspense isn’t the work of screenwriters — everything you see actually happened.Imagine this: the president of a nuclear superpower, terrified of losing power, orders his intelligence agencies to eliminate the most prominent opposition politician. By sheer luck, the attempt fails, and the target survives. While recovering in Germany, this dissident investigates the plot against him, exposing eight agents involved in the operation. As if that weren’t enough, he pulls off a prank call to one of the agents, posing as a senior intelligence official. What follows is shocking: the agent confesses to the crime, offering a detailed account of how it all went down.The documentary culminates with Navalny’s return to Russia, fully aware that he will be arrested upon arrival — and likely killed.On February 16, 2024, the horrifying news broke: the assassination of Russia’s opposition leader had been completed. His death devastated everyone who dreamed of a democratic future for Russia. Even now, it feels unreal that such a brilliant, courageous, and charismatic figure is no longer with us.The full force of the Russian state was mobilized to prevent Navalny from becoming the opposition’s leader. The police, prosecutors, courts, and state media were all turned against him. But Navalny was always one step ahead, outsmarting those who spent public money trying to silence him. Even their first attempt to kill him failed.Patriot — as simple as it may sound — is truly a book about a patriot. Yes, we all have beliefs and political preferences. Yes, most of us love the country we were born and raised in. But how many of us would sacrifice our lives for a better future for that country? This is the essence of true patriotism: not blind loyalty, but the courage to fight for what is right, even when it means standing against injustice at the highest levels — and even when the cost is your own life.Rest in peace, Alexei. A piece of you now lives within each of us. Thank you for everything.

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A true hero’s story