
Stalin: The Tyrant as Editor - striking
https://chronicle.com/article/Stalins-Blue-Pencil/142109?hn=
======
hownottowrite
Another interesting take on Stalin's affairs with the world of words is told
in "The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden
Book" [http://www.amazon.com/The-Zhivago-Affair-Kremlin-
Forbidden/d...](http://www.amazon.com/The-Zhivago-Affair-Kremlin-
Forbidden/dp/0307908003)

~~~
hownottowrite
I thought I added more to this comment, but I guess not. The book shows a
different side to Stalin with respect to writers. He is unsure of himself,
perhaps even afraid. In any case, I thought it was an interesting
juxtaposition not to mention the fact that both books show the power of words.

------
fatihpense
I was expecting to see some new text-editor with strict rules...

------
atmosx
> "The editor is the unseen hand with the power to change meaning and message,
> even the course of history. "

What editor? Stalin was _general secretary of the central committee of the
communist party of the Soviet Union_.

The fact that he was a fishermen, magazine editor or something else at any
point in time, doesn't make fishermen, editors or what-you-will able to
_change history_ the way Stalin did, because most of them are not in any
position to do so.

People can change (and do change) the course of history by perpetuating ideas
that sometimes fall into the right ears/eyes. But other than that, I don't see
other connections.

