A hard read due to its length and its content but worthwhile if you are interested in Russia’s gulag history. It’s less of a narrative and more of a historical text. If you do get to reading it, it is quite distressing for a large portion but there were a couple of chapters which were strangely uplifting. However, if you prefer historical fiction rather than a solely historical text that involves gulag by the same author, I suggest Solzhenitsyn’s “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich”.
Yes! It’s fascinating, heartbreaking, moving and….very long.
Heartbreaking.
Yes, years ago, and found it a very good read.
Worth reading. Consistently intelligent and moving. I think some historians believe it to provide ideologically slanted coverage of the topic.
It was excellent–Solzhenitsyn is a skilled and compelling author; as Shirley Devine noted previously though, the book(s) was heartbreaking!
Thanks everyone
“Cancer Ward” was also an excellent read.
A hard read due to its length and its content but worthwhile if you are interested in Russia’s gulag history. It’s less of a narrative and more of a historical text. If you do get to reading it, it is quite distressing for a large portion but there were a couple of chapters which were strangely uplifting. However, if you prefer historical fiction rather than a solely historical text that involves gulag by the same author, I suggest Solzhenitsyn’s “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich”.
@Elizabeth thank you ?
Sad, sad, heartbreaking read.