Yeltsin had a flair for the dramatic — like standing on a tank as he defied a 1991 coup — and loved the stage. But his injudicious impulsiveness ruined his time in office.
The Great Introverts and Extroverts of Our Time
Herewith, TIME's unscientific survey of loud (and quiet) giants — it takes both kinds to make history. Read the related TIME cover story, "The Upside of Being an Introvert," available to subscribers here.
Boris Yeltsin, President
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Introverts