"Stalin and the Scientists tells the story of the hugely gifted scientists who worked in Russia from the years leading up to the Revolution through the death of the 'Great Scientist' himself, Joseph Stalin. It weaves together the stories of scientists, politicians, and ideologues into an intimate and sometimes horrifying portrait of a state determined to remake the world. They often wreaked great harm. Stalin was himself an amateur botanist, and by falling under the sway of dangerous charlatans like Trofim Lysenko (who denied the existence of genes), and by relying on antiquated ideas of biology, he not only destroyed the lives of hundreds of brilliant scientists, he caused the death of millions through famine. But from atomic physics to management theory, and from radiation biology to neuroscience and psychology, these Soviet experts also made breakthroughs that forever changed agriculture, education, and medicine" --Inside jacket.

"First published in 2016 in Great Britain by Faber & Faber Ltd."--Verso of title page. "First published in 2016 in Great Britain by Faber & Faber Ltd."--Title page verso.

Prologue: Fuses (1856-1905) -- Part one: Control (1905-1929). Scholars ; Revolutionaries ; Entrepreneurs ; Workers ; Exploring the mind ; Understanding evolution ; Shaping humanity -- Part two: Power (1929-1941). 'Storming the fortress of science' ; Eccentrics ; The primacy of practice ; Kooperatorka ; The great patron ; 'Fascist links' ; Office politics ; 'We shall go to the pyre' -- Part three: Dominion (1941-1953). 'Lucky stiffs' ; 'Can I go to the reactor?' ; 'How did anyone dare insult Comrade Lysenko?' ; Higher nervous activity ; 'The death agony was horrible' ; Succession -- Epilogue: Spoil.