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View Full Version : Solzhenitsyn's One Day: The book that shook the USSR

Gerald
11-20-12, 07:17 AM
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/7477/64241820deniscomp3.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/4/64241820deniscomp3.jpg/)

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Alexander Solzhenitsyn's classic novel, was published 50 years ago this month. A short, simply-told tale about a prisoner trying to survive the Gulag - the Soviet labour camp system - it is now regarded as one of the most significant books of the 20th Century.

It was still dark, although a greenish light was brightening in the east. A thin, treacherous breeze was creeping in from the same direction. There is no worse moment than when you turn out for work parade in the morning. In the dark, in the freezing cold, with a hungry belly, and the whole day ahead of you. You lose the power of speech...

In November 1962, one story shook the Soviet Union.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn described a day in the life of a prison camp inmate, Ivan Denisovich Shukhov.

The Gulag
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/9918/sovietprisonerlabor.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/641/sovietprisonerlabor.jpg/)
Fact:
Name derived from initials of body which ran camps - Glavnoye upravleniye ispravityelno-trudovykh lagerey i koloniy (Main directorate of corrective labour camps and colonies)
Estimated 14 million people were imprisoned from 1929-53, 1.6 million of whom died there
Camps began to be closed after Stalin's death in 1953 - the Gulag was officially liquidated in 1960

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20393894

Note: 20 November 2012 Last updated at 00:16 GMT
Gerald
11-20-12, 09:06 AM
I remembered the book from school,:yep:
nikimcbee
11-20-12, 09:54 AM
Most depressing book I ever read.:dead:
Gerald
11-20-12, 10:36 AM
Well, not much humor in the book,:doh:
nikimcbee
11-20-12, 01:13 PM
Well, not much humor in the book,:doh:

That is a true statement:dead:.
Bilge_Rat
11-20-12, 02:06 PM
I had read parts of the "Gulag Archipeligo", most of the first two books as I recall, years ago. At the time, it was shocking and very interesting.

Since then, the Soviet Archives have opened and I have read many more books on Soviet history.

From my further reading, it is obvious that Solzhenitsyn had an ax to grind, understandibly, with the Soviet Regime. While the broad strokes of the story are true, I suspect he exaggerated a lot of stories for dramatic effect.
Garion
11-20-12, 02:29 PM
One of my favourite books, wot we dun at big skool:know:

The most depressing book I have ever read is "On The Beach" by Neville Shute:ahoy::lurk:

Cheers

Gary
Red Brow
11-20-12, 02:36 PM
Ah, he's dead anyway. More Succinct.
CCIP
11-20-12, 02:48 PM
I don't think Solzhenitsyn's personality discredits what he had to say about the Gulag - what he wrote is a pretty good reflection of the worst of Stalinist abuses, which were of course widespread, terrible and must be learned from. I agree with the comment that blames post-Soviet leaders for failing to have a proper de-Stalinization in Russia following the breakup of the USSR. It's true. To this day, with the exception of some brave researchers and activists, most of Russia has really failed to face up to the Red Terror's legacy.

So, Solzhenitsyn's work needs to be respected and credited - noone says you have to respect the man himself, though. What I've learned about his personality (his incredibly conservative social views, archaic nationalism and anti-Semitism) are reasons that I really rather dislike the man, but it does nothing to reduce the impact and general truthfulness of his writings about the Gulag.
Penguin
11-20-12, 03:38 PM
@CCIP and the rest who read this book and also The Gulag Archipelago: Would you recommend to read "One Day in the Life" before "Archipelago"?
The latter is still on my "want-to-read-when-I-have-the-time"-shelf.
Bilge_Rat
11-21-12, 09:57 AM
"one day in the life" is the superior book IMHO. I would read that one first.

"Gulag Archipelago" is non-fiction and a lot drier. Its a tough slog. As I recall, volume 1 is the most interesting.

Another novel of his which I read is "The first circle". Also very good, as I recall.

Another similar Russian novel which I would highly recommend is "Life and Fate" by Vasily Grossman, which is set in WW2.
Gerald
11-21-12, 01:24 PM
Life and Fate I have not read,thanks for the tip :yep:
Penguin
11-21-12, 02:35 PM
"one day in the life" is the superior book IMHO. I would read that one first.

"Gulag Archipelago" is non-fiction and a lot drier. Its a tough slog. As I recall, volume 1 is the most interesting.

Another novel of his which I read is "The first circle". Also very good, as I recall.

Another similar Russian novel which I would highly recommend is "Life and Fate" by Vasily Grossman, which is set in WW2.

thanks for the tips :salute: I think I'll start with "One day". I've heard of Grossman, but never read stuff by him, looks interesting, too.
*sigh* man, even more Russian books who say "rrread me"...:)
Garion
11-21-12, 04:56 PM
There was a film made of the book in the 1970's.

http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0067530/

Cheers

Gary
Gerald
11-21-12, 05:18 PM
^That I have not seen, great tip :yep:
Garion
11-21-12, 06:00 PM
There was a film made of the book in the 1970's.

http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0067530/

Cheers

Gary
Gerald
11-21-12, 06:03 PM
^another? Or the same...
Garion
11-21-12, 06:55 PM
Sigh... My apologies.. I blame the cat :woot:

Cheers

Gary
Gerald
11-21-12, 07:01 PM
Do so,no harm :)