The idea that Kemalism drew inspiration from fascist Italy and Bolshevik Russia, and that there are general similarities between these regimes, has always been of interest. Historian Stefan Plaggenborg, who examines the history of the three periods from primary sources in their original languages, delves deep into these similarities. The book is written with extraordinary meticulousness, keeping a distance from established assumptions, devoid of sentimentality, yet at the same time with a passionate curiosity and literary flair. It perfectly demonstrates the possibilities and instructional value of comparative history. How did Kemalism in Turkey, fascism in Italy, and Stalinist socialism in Russia come to power and establish themselves there? What kind of state and society designs did they possess? Where can we place the oppressive regimes they implemented on the authoritarian-totalitarian spectrum; what do the differences in the degrees of violence of these three oppressive regimes show us? What do we see when we compare the three leader cults and the halos placed upon the heads of Stalin, Mussolini, and Atatürk? How did the three regimes resolve their issues with religion, and what religious policies did they pursue? Finally, how did they experience their transitions out of dictatorship, where did they arrive, and what kind of legacy did they leave behind?