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El Zorro Rojo: La Vida de Santiago Carrillo
El fallecimiento de Santiago Carrillo el 28 de octubre de 2012 puso fin a noventa y siete años vividos intensamente y en primera fila de la política. Hijo de Wenceslao Carrillo, dirigente socialista, su primer recuerdo era visitar a su padre en prisión. Aún adolescente participó en la huelga de 1934 y pasó por la cárcel, donde se radicalizó. Tras un viaje a Moscú logró unificar las juventudes del PSOE y del PCE en vísperas de la Guerra Civil, para a continuación unirse a los comunistas. Durante la guerra ocurrió uno de los episodios más oscuros de su vida, la matanza de presos rebeldes en Paracuellos, cuando era responsable de seguridad en Madrid. Tras la guerra permaneció treinta y ocho años exiliado, siempre en la dirección comunista, que ejerció con mano de hierro. Su giro hacia el eurocomunismo y su papel fundamental en la Transición aliviaron su figura. Paul Preston, el historiador más importante del siglo XX español, autor de las biografías definitivas de Franco y de Juan Carlos I, dedica su nuevo libro a uno de los personajes más fascinantes e inasibles de la historia reciente de nuestro país.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2013
14 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Paul Preston
122 books258 followersPaul Preston, author of Franco and Juan Carlos, holds the Príncipe de Asturias Chair of Contemporary Spanish History at the London School of Economics. He lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 7, 2022
Amazing book on a historical figure that I have never heard of. An enigma for sure, but a man who shaped political life in Spain for at least 4 decades. A complex figure who lived two different lives, Mr. Preston tells the story in full detail from Mr. Carrillo's early days to the time of his death.
However, there were three minor issues that bugged me.
1) This book was 337 pages of text, but only 6 chapters. I feel that this book could have been 12-14 chapters which would have made them more digestible. I felt that there were clear areas in the chapters that could have been starting points for smaller chapters.
2) Paul Preston is THE GUY regarding Modern Spanish history, but I felt reading this that you needed to read The Spanish Holocaust to get some of the history that was discussed in this book. Maybe a small primer as to why the Spanish Civil War broke out would have been helpful
3) Mr. Preston does this thing that some historians do which is not explain new concepts when they are first introduced. It is always annoying when this happens, because, again, not everyone is well versed on the concepts that the author is explaining.
Minor issues because this was an interesting book however, I would recommend.
However, there were three minor issues that bugged me.
1) This book was 337 pages of text, but only 6 chapters. I feel that this book could have been 12-14 chapters which would have made them more digestible. I felt that there were clear areas in the chapters that could have been starting points for smaller chapters.
2) Paul Preston is THE GUY regarding Modern Spanish history, but I felt reading this that you needed to read The Spanish Holocaust to get some of the history that was discussed in this book. Maybe a small primer as to why the Spanish Civil War broke out would have been helpful
3) Mr. Preston does this thing that some historians do which is not explain new concepts when they are first introduced. It is always annoying when this happens, because, again, not everyone is well versed on the concepts that the author is explaining.
Minor issues because this was an interesting book however, I would recommend.
July 12, 2017
Splendid. What a total arsehole (democratic transition aside). Timeless reminder of the viciousness, pathological bullshitting, fantasism, self-delusion and Scout Leader hobbyism of the extreme left (my favourite line in this was "He likes meetings like most people like sex").
Slow going at times (when we get to the Nth Congress in Prague and the Nth feud) but generally pretty gripping. As ever, the Russians also emerge as total shits. I was amused to read that Pasionaria lived in Ufa. I was doubly amused to read that none of them learned Russian - the glory of it (you fucking saps!).
Good to see the subtle demolition of an eventual National Treasure. It happens, when they start greying and losing inches. They start seeming avuncular and sweet. Forget ye not, they're nasty people.
Slow going at times (when we get to the Nth Congress in Prague and the Nth feud) but generally pretty gripping. As ever, the Russians also emerge as total shits. I was amused to read that Pasionaria lived in Ufa. I was doubly amused to read that none of them learned Russian - the glory of it (you fucking saps!).
Good to see the subtle demolition of an eventual National Treasure. It happens, when they start greying and losing inches. They start seeming avuncular and sweet. Forget ye not, they're nasty people.
May 24, 2018
Bagaje por la historia de España desde antes de la Guerra Civil hasta la actualidad centrada en la persona de Santiago Carrillo .
Interesante y recomendable.
😉
Interesante y recomendable.
😉
December 2, 2018
Carrillo was born to a working-class family in Gijón in 1915 and moved with his family to Madrid in 1924. Thanks to his father, Wenceslao (a full-time official for the UGT trade union and a member of the PSOE), Carrillo got a job in the printroom of the PSOE’s newspaper. Carrillo joined the UGT and the PSOE’s youth group the FJS and by age 15 was already publishing articles in El Socialista. He would go on to bring the Socialist youth movement into the Communist Party, be on the Public Order Committee in Madrid during the Civil War, lead the PCE through he years of exile, be instrumental in the peaceful transition to democracy, and hen destroy the PCE. Paul Preston takes a critical look at the historic figure of Carrillo.
While Preston’s incredulity at Carrillo’s later insistence that he had little or nothing to do with the liquidation of the fifth column is understandable, there is little space given to develop the likely thoughts of those in charge of the defence of Madrid, including the build up of tension and paranoia during a war.
Of the period 1939-1975, Preston describes the PCE as “the most determined opponent of the Franco regime”. However, there is a lack of context for the general reader. For example, someone who is new to the topic would be unlikely to know what was happening or how people were thinking in Spain, Europe or the world during the period.. There is also a lack of interrogation of what the USSR meant to Communists during this period – a place of refuge, a source of funds, a hope for the future – which could have in part explained their connection to it. As well as this there is little of no explanation of how the PCE or other organisations operated, which has an impact later when Carrillo and the PCE are equally revered and reviled when they reappear on the scene after the death of Franco. Preston describes this period as Carrillo’s ambitious move into power, with the necessary denunciations (including his father) and assassinations (there is a strange passage about the death of Carrillo’s first wife). A typical issue during this period is Carrillo having members expelled, only to later take on their ideas and make them his own. Another recurring issue is the differing ideas of those in exile and those living under the dictatorship.
Despite the references to the impact of the crushing of the Prague Spring as part of Carrillo’s ideological move away from Moscow – along with the growth of Spanish movements reducing the need to rely on the USSR – the movement to Eurocommunism still seems a jump in Preston’s telling of it. It does fit in with Preston’s summing up of Carrillo as demonstrating “a poisonous cocktail of vaulting ambition, supreme self-confidence and irresponsibility” but still seems somewhat weak. It is interesting to see the importance that Carrillo was given on the Spanish Left seemingly because of his past and the appearance of a steady resolve.
The book also could have done with some more thought about the end of Carrillo’s political career and what it meant for the Spanish left to have the PCE split, its vote dropping from 11% to 3%. Did it mean the end of ambition for the Spanish left or was that space taken by another faction? Although an interesting take on an important historical figure, The Last Stalinist misses out by not engaging with the broader public.
While Preston’s incredulity at Carrillo’s later insistence that he had little or nothing to do with the liquidation of the fifth column is understandable, there is little space given to develop the likely thoughts of those in charge of the defence of Madrid, including the build up of tension and paranoia during a war.
Of the period 1939-1975, Preston describes the PCE as “the most determined opponent of the Franco regime”. However, there is a lack of context for the general reader. For example, someone who is new to the topic would be unlikely to know what was happening or how people were thinking in Spain, Europe or the world during the period.. There is also a lack of interrogation of what the USSR meant to Communists during this period – a place of refuge, a source of funds, a hope for the future – which could have in part explained their connection to it. As well as this there is little of no explanation of how the PCE or other organisations operated, which has an impact later when Carrillo and the PCE are equally revered and reviled when they reappear on the scene after the death of Franco. Preston describes this period as Carrillo’s ambitious move into power, with the necessary denunciations (including his father) and assassinations (there is a strange passage about the death of Carrillo’s first wife). A typical issue during this period is Carrillo having members expelled, only to later take on their ideas and make them his own. Another recurring issue is the differing ideas of those in exile and those living under the dictatorship.
Despite the references to the impact of the crushing of the Prague Spring as part of Carrillo’s ideological move away from Moscow – along with the growth of Spanish movements reducing the need to rely on the USSR – the movement to Eurocommunism still seems a jump in Preston’s telling of it. It does fit in with Preston’s summing up of Carrillo as demonstrating “a poisonous cocktail of vaulting ambition, supreme self-confidence and irresponsibility” but still seems somewhat weak. It is interesting to see the importance that Carrillo was given on the Spanish Left seemingly because of his past and the appearance of a steady resolve.
The book also could have done with some more thought about the end of Carrillo’s political career and what it meant for the Spanish left to have the PCE split, its vote dropping from 11% to 3%. Did it mean the end of ambition for the Spanish left or was that space taken by another faction? Although an interesting take on an important historical figure, The Last Stalinist misses out by not engaging with the broader public.
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October 11, 2021Preston is maybe the top scholar of 20th century Spain. I called Magus Books and asked if they had any Preston and this is what I got. Santiago started as a socialist in the PCOE but by the end of the civil war had formed the PSE - communist party. It folllows his life in exile, loudly to Stalin etc..he is brutal and cruel to opposition. Rules the party with a iron fist, but like many politicians adapts to the times and moves towards Eurocommunism. In the end he futures to Spain and sets up their democracy. You cal also read this book as a history of communism. After Stalin’s death in 1953 the rule of the USSR over European communism slowly began to fade. I really enjoyed this book - a little history off the beaten path
November 21, 2018
A compelling account of a fascinating life. If anything it stays a little too close to the character of Carrillo, I wouldn't have mind more extraneous details of the historical setting. Still very enjoyable though. A must for anyone interested in a detailed case study of the rise and fall of High Stalinism in Europe,and emergence of Eurocommunism.
This book may be a bit arcane for those not already well versed in the history of communism and/or the Spanish Civil War.
This book may be a bit arcane for those not already well versed in the history of communism and/or the Spanish Civil War.
August 4, 2023
Una biografía muy bien narrada por uno de los más grandes historiadores, la vida de Santiago Carrillo, uno de los personajes más polémicos de la historia reciente de España, líder comunista que pasó casi 40 años exiliado en la U.R.S.S.
Responsable de la matanza de Paracuellos pero también fue parte del desarrollo de la Constitución del 78, fue un hombre de muchas luces y muchas sombras.
Responsable de la matanza de Paracuellos pero también fue parte del desarrollo de la Constitución del 78, fue un hombre de muchas luces y muchas sombras.
October 28, 2023
Entertaining and insightful biography of a deeply flawed individual whose main achievement was assisting the transition to democracy. This peak of political skill contrasts with a career of cruelty and absolution. This tells us much about the nature of communism and the evolution of Spain.
February 17, 2025
Paul Preston is a very good historian but this book reads like a book from the cold war. how anyone can claim a social democrat is a "Stalinist" is beyond me. As a biography its good but its ruined by the constant use of words like "Stalinist" and "slavish".
September 2, 2018
It rolls for thou
October 29, 2021
Impresionante lo maquiavélico que se puede llegar a ser gracias a la sed de poder, wow…
May 27, 2015
Takes a while to go over the life of its subject before and during the Spanish Civil War, which I found to be a bit tedious as there was a lot of technical politics involved; but in the last few chapters describing the transition to democracy in the 1970s, the earlier parts of the book begin to deliver their reward. Worth reading as a character study (a proper biography!), less so if you're looking for a straight-up history.
October 22, 2014
Biografía de Carrillo, pero una biografía diferente, como todo lo que escribe Paul Preston, sin casarse con nadie y metiendo caña hacia Carrillo cuando es necesario.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews