I'd say we all enjoy political comedy now and then. Whether it’s making fun of Hillary Clinton dabbing or making fun of anything Donald Trump tweets, nothing feels as good as teasing those in power.

Maria Veniaminovna Yudina: [in a note] Josef Vissarionovich Stalin, you have betrayed our nation and destroyed its people. I pray for your end and ask the Lord to forgive you. Tyrant.

Fitzpatrick, a preeminent historian of the Soviet Union, offers a concise account of Joseph Stalin’s rise to supreme power, his tyrannical rule, the black comedy surrounding his death, and his legacy ...