Customer Rating:  
Summary: Leaves many questions unanswered
Comment: I think it suffers from the fact that Abramovich is very secretive and also seems to ensure that none of his associates or employees will speak much about him. Yes Abramovich bought Sibneft but how did he find $50 million to fund his share? That was an incredible amount of money at the time when Russia was virtually bankrupt. More than 90% of Russians would have struggled to raise even $1000 in cash. And contrary to what the book suggests it wasn't easy to make money in a respectable way trading oil in Russia in the 90s, cargoes were stolen and trading companies placed into liquidation owing millions having been bled dry of funds beforehand. What did Abramovich do exactly? The book certainly doesn't tell us.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Abramovich: The billionaire from nowhere
Comment: Very good book and well written. Gives a good insight into the workings of the man and a breif description on how he obtained a vast wealth, should definately be read by people who come out with the "he earned his money through the mafia rubbish" the account of the russians in the south of france and their "easy life" is particularly interesting if not in great detail. Some minor points let it down though, if you are looking for an insight into his personality or the exact movements in wealth from a young age this is the wrong book, at one stage he jumps from obtaining export leases on oil to owning major shares in RusAl in a matter of a few pages. Best bit: chapters when putin is involved (more detail)
Worst bit: a chapter that rambles on about the jews and tsars (goes on about 5 pages too long)
good read
Customer Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly Recommend reading this..
Comment: This was bought for me as a present and I haven't put it down yet. I know nothing about the man, chelsea (or football in general really) nor Russian politics. If you'd like to know more about all these things then its a great read. It does tend to stay clear of Abramovich himself for a significant amount of the book by discussing the circumstances around him. However, still very interesting. Only half way through, but very good.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Got me singin' the blues
Comment: Great read even for an Arsenal fan. Loved the stuff about Abramovich and the Kremlin. Best football book I have read this year.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Comment: Although most of the bits about Abramovich I didn't know were interesting I was alarmed about the number of factual errors relating to Chelsea FC. Adrian Mutu has never played for Real Madrid (and is definately not 30) and Frank Lampard was not purchased during the Abramovich era (these errors stand out amongst others). I was left wondering that if the authors couldn't get these simple (and easily checked) facts right then how am I to trust everything else they've written. Maybe it's just a lack of attention to detail but it's still disappointing.
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