I thought I added more to this comment, but I guess not. The book shows a different side to Stalin with respect to writers. He is unsure of himself, perhaps even afraid. In any case, I thought it was an interesting juxtaposition not to mention the fact that both books show the power of words.
> "The editor is the unseen hand with the power to change meaning and message, even the course of history. "
What editor? Stalin was general secretary of the central committee of the communist party of the Soviet Union.
The fact that he was a fishermen, magazine editor or something else at any point in time, doesn't make fishermen, editors or what-you-will able to change history the way Stalin did, because most of them are not in any position to do so.
People can change (and do change) the course of history by perpetuating ideas that sometimes fall into the right ears/eyes. But other than that, I don't see other connections.
