The New Tsar is an interesting retelling of Vladimir Putin’s life, from childhood through his current position as absolute dictator of Russia. It’s a cautionary tale, describing how someone who had patriotic ambitions converted those goals into a self-serving pursuit of power and riches; how political manipulation and intimidation became the jailing of opponents, theft of corporations, the annexation of sovereign lands, and murder; and how the farther Putin went building power and enriching himself, the more frightened, paranoid, and ruthless he became. As an American I see this as a cautionary tale; I don’t know if our current leadership will end up in the same place Putin has created for himself, but we’re definitely on the same road.