Blind-Spot Politics

‘Lendvai draws on his vast experience and clear, crisp prose to skewer the naïve, duplicitous and hypocritical politicians of our age. He is a shining beacon for anybody who cares about democracy and truth.’ -- <b>Misha Glenny, author of <i>McMafia</i> and <i>The Fall of Yugoslavia</i></b> ‘A major reckoning with Western Europe’s policies towards Vladimir Putin … [There is] recognisable emotion behind [Lendvai’s] analysis—densely packed with facts, figures and quotes … Why did it take so long for the West to understand the true nature of Putinism? Lendvai reaches far into the past in search of answers … he shows … the world as it is.’ -- <b><i>Süddeutsche Zeitung</i></b> ‘Lendvai has a rare journalistic gift: not only can he analyse a situation, but he can tell a story. After decades of brilliant foreign policy journalism, he vividly describes his many experiences … showing their significance in context … Why were so many Western politicians and intellectuals, from left and right, so mistaken about the nature of the Russian regime, and especially Putin? Lendvai provides a profound explanation … The chapter on … the Yugoslav state collapse is … well worth reading—and a treat for those who worshipped Sebastian Kurz.’ -- <b><i>Der Standard</i> (Austria)</b> ‘Lendvai doesn’t just castigate political parties; he also takes aim at … leading businesses … [in] his panorama of hypocrisy … Lendvai has no remedy. Nevertheless, he is … a [seasoned] traveller of the turbulent twentieth century, [who] knows that people want to be deceived. This was already the case in 1580, when Montaigne wrote: “What we call truth today is not what is true, but what one can persuade others to believe.”’ -- <b><i>Neue Zürcher Zeitung</i></b>