One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich

[Eagle_Syr]

Has anyone read this? It is hailed as a hallmark of Soviet literature; it was written in criticism of the Soviet Union, and the writer, Alexander Solzhenytsin, was opposed to communism because of the "gulags" and the "hundred million dead".

I think his criticism of the Soviet Union is a bit absurd, but it is an interesting book, especially in light of socialist history.

Thoughts?

[Pricey]

It is an excellent book, that manages to paint a vivid picture of what life was like in the gulags. It it written engagingly and with a deceptively simple style. The man is, however a Putin fan and a historical revisionist so I would take what he writes with a pinch of salt.

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

His opposition is always explained by his revulsion at the Soviet Union's violence towards it's citizens. But he advocated violence on a huge scale himself, particularly regarding Vietnam.

I do like this book a great deal however, in spite of it's author it paints a very bleak but moving picture of life under such conditions.

[MarxSchmarx]

It's also written in an confessional style, and touches a lot on the little things of daily life in the gulag like the food that makes it uniquely accessible. It's very conducive to visualization.