In Memoriam Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1918-2008

It would have been hard to miss today's coverage of the death of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the Soviet dissident who opened a door on the world of the Soviet Communist regime with his groundbreaking Gulag Archipelago. While many of us read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich in school, if you, or your book group, are curious about the Gulag, a great place to start is with Solzhenitsyn's own authorized abridgement, which also includes an introduction by Anne Applebaum, who wrote about how the Gulag changed the world on Slate today. For those who want the whole story, the Gulag is available in three unabridged editions as well.

Comments

[Cynthia]

I loved The Cancer Ward and actually have managed to get both The Cancer Ward and the Gulag in first editions.
A huge loss to the literary world.

[marie]

Reading The Gulag Archipelago in high school was life-changing for me. He changed the way I looked at the world and his death is a great loss, but at least he had a long life full of accomplishments.

[Julie E.]

Thanks for letting me know about this abridgement. I'll have to pick it up.

[Melissa]

I remember The Gulag, very memorable. Since then I have realized that I want my reading to contain historical importance and entertainment at the same time. Only a few have crossed my path that I would recommend, with my top of the list being "Bear Any Burden" by Ellis Goodman. This mystery/book contains considerable historical information based on fact and takes place during the height of the Cold War, when Poland was under Martial Law and ruthlessly clamping down on the burgeoning Solidarity Movement.

http://www.bearanyburden.com/

[Laura]

"The Gulag" brings back memories.

I read the comment about "Bear Any Burden" by Ellis Goodman. I recently read this novel, by the first time author, and thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of historial facts and details make this mystery, thriller, espionage a great read.