The Infernal Library: On Dictators, the Books They Wrote, and Other Catastrophes of Literacy

Examines writings of 20th century dictators. 

• Introduction: Tradition and the individual tyrant
• Phase 1: The dictator's canon Lenin Stalin Mussolini Hitler Mao
• Phase 2: Tyranny and mutation Small demons Catholic action Disembraining machines Eastern approaches Dead letters Another green world
• Phase 3: Dissolution and madness Midnight in the garden of ultraboredom North Korea: the metafictions of Kim Jong-il Cuba: Castro's maximum verbiage Iraq: the historical romances of Saddam Hussein Post-Soviet: Comrade Zoroaster Turkmenistan: post-everything
• Phase 4: Death is not the end Conclusion