Book is in good condition and includes dust jacket. No splitting on spine and minor wear on corners. Please examine photos to assess the condition yourself. ISBN: 0-8147-5443-0 About Book: This is a comprehensive biography of Stalin. It is based on years of research by author Robert McNeal and on extensive work in previously unexplored and untapped Soviet and Western sources. Excitingly as well as accessibly written, the book offers a great wealth of fresh information on Stalin and provides the reader with a particularly vivid portrait of Stalin's character and his imposing and - McNeal argues - his underestimated political talents. The story opens with important evidence that as a youth Stalin was deeply committed to Christianity, dropping his faith for the Marxism to which he devoted the rest of his life. He shows that Stalin operated successfully in a relatively democratic setting with the Communist party following Lenin's death, and that he played a moderating role in the disastrous collectivism that the party sponsored at the end of the 1920s. For local pick up, this item is in North Huntington Beach (area code 92649). For small items, I can also meet along the 405 Freeway between Huntington Beach and LAX if needed.