The Gulag Archipelago Volume 3: An Experiment in Literary Investigation

Talk about an eye opening experience. How did we not learn any of this in school? Shame. The imagery of the sewer system flushing the perceived worthlessness of life is a heartbreaking one. I'm a third of the way through the book. It's hard to read but entirely necessary.

This is a must read and should be required reading at the universities. Young people need to understand that it is important to truly understand the ideologies that you latch on to as they have very real consequences.

Already knew a lot of this history but Gulag is on Jordan Peterson's reading list so.... Gulag is not the story of Aleksandr Solzhenitsy, nor is it a history book- it is much more than that. The real value, and I think a main reason its on JP's list, is in the underlying message that this is not the story of Russia, or the Russian people, or Stalin- or anyone- but of everyone. Every single one of us, every day, in ways big and small, acts in ways that serve to bring forth either a better world, or the hell of the Gulag Archipelago. Be warned, this is some very unpleasant reading. No one wants to think of being imprisoned indefinitely in a "cell" too small even to sit or lie down in, let alone in one with so many bedbugs they are falling off the ceiling and crawling from everywhere, so many you cannot kill them all even if you could stomach the stench. But it will be worth it to absorb the lesson that this is the cost and end result of lies. Speak the truth. At whatever cost. If you want to know how high the cost of lies can be, read the Gulag Archipelago.

One of the greatest tragedies in the history of mankind, period. The Soviets outdid Hitler and imprisoned and killed around 14 million of their own people. It's mind boggling! And it's true. Sadly, it's still happening, on a much smaller scale, but this system is still in use to this day. Solzhenitsyn has done a wonderful job of collecting numerous prisoner accounts and turning them into a very readable series of literature, despite the danger it brought to him and those close to him. He will always be a hero of mankind, in my eyes.

I LOVE history, but was surprised I had such little knowledge of the events that transpired in Russia during this time period. I am just stupified as to why this is not taught in schools...well maybe not these days. While it is a somewhat difficult to read book, you will still get the idea as to what is happening. I accidentally bought 2 of these books when I made my purchase. It will certainly go to someone who also enjoys history. I do not regret my purchase at all!!! And it is just too good of a price to pass up. Even if you don't finish it, you will at least get an idea as to what was going on. And honestly, those who don't learn from history, are bound to repeat it. I could see this sort of thing happening again...in one way or another. Thanks to the great Jordan Peterson for recommending this book!!!

Wow!! This book is a real eye opener on the communist utopia of the Soviet Union. The author was a prisoner in the Gulags for many years. This should be taught in high school history class. Most all know about the horrors of NAZI Germany. Few know about the horrors of Communist USSR. That is one reason kids are so easily indoctrinated to the wonders of socialism and other Marxist ideologies. The author won a Nobel Peace Prize for the book. It is well worth the read. I don't feel like I missed much by reading the abridged version. The chapters that were left out were done so with consultation with the author and are marked and titled in the book.

What communists did to Russians was as bad or worse than what Nazis did to Jews. I would add this practical piece of advice: Solzyenitsyn points out that almost all the people hauled away to the Gulag were done so not via forced round-ups of many people at once, but by being picked off by the security forces one by one. In other words, you, the victim, would be stopped in the street, the office, school or in his apartment/flat by one or two men with a car waiting nearby and told, sometimes even politely asked, to "come with us" (remember the scene in Godfather I when Tom Hagen was stopped by "the Turk" while exiting a store after X-Mass shopping and quietly told to "get in the car"?). And you'd go. This method has the virtue of being relatively quiet and hard to notice so that no would be rescuers really noticed the incident and no crowd would ever gather. You went quietly into the night. So, the advice? Always make a BIG stink if anyone tries to take you away. A crowd will gather or someone will record the incident with a phone, perhaps even intervene. Thats your best hope. Someone has to see and bear witness.

this personal account has begun to help me understand my own capacity for evil. Alexandr Solzhenitsyn says 'The battleline between good and evil runs through the heart of every man' i think it has helped me recognize the types of things i have to do to spot evil thoughts and to know how to contend with them. the things i read in this book have made me sick, such that i think about the gulags often. i think about how people starved to death and how they lived or survived by labor or being a 'stoolie'. Despite the horrors of this book i think it has made me a better person. it will make you one as well. please buy this book for your own sake and sakes of those you love.

This is a 500 page summary version which excludes references, of the 1600 page original. I thought 500 pages should be enough for soviet camps but I was wrong. Halfway through I dumped this paperback and started reading the original version. Not just because it was packed with more information, not because it was a good read but because abridging it is a serious insult on all those millions of people who were exiled, tortured, and killed.

Solzhenitsyn's autobiography of his experience in the Soviet slave labor camps, an "experiment in literary investigation", stands as a thundering condemnation of the entire rotten enterprise of Bolshevik-Soviet Communism. A great book, which opened tsunamis of controversy and adulation when it was first published, it was abridged magnificently in the 1980s, with the author's full endorsement, losing none of its original titanic force. Anyone and everyone today who would like to understand how and, maybe why a government that promised human liberation, equality and emancipation would begin to enslave its own people, and to consign them to the nothingness of savage internment in remote slave camps where human life was worth nothing at all should read, and re-read this magnificent book.

Talk about an eye opening experience. How did we not learn any of this in school? Shame. The imagery of the sewer system flushing the perceived worthlessness of life is a heartbreaking one. I'm a third of the way through the book. It's hard to read but entirely necessary.

This is a must read and should be required reading at the universities. Young people need to understand that it is important to truly understand the ideologies that you latch on to as they have very real consequences.

Already knew a lot of this history but Gulag is on Jordan Peterson's reading list so.... Gulag is not the story of Aleksandr Solzhenitsy, nor is it a history book- it is much more than that. The real value, and I think a main reason its on JP's list, is in the underlying message that this is not the story of Russia, or the Russian people, or Stalin- or anyone- but of everyone. Every single one of us, every day, in ways big and small, acts in ways that serve to bring forth either a better world, or the hell of the Gulag Archipelago. Be warned, this is some very unpleasant reading. No one wants to think of being imprisoned indefinitely in a "cell" too small even to sit or lie down in, let alone in one with so many bedbugs they are falling off the ceiling and crawling from everywhere, so many you cannot kill them all even if you could stomach the stench. But it will be worth it to absorb the lesson that this is the cost and end result of lies. Speak the truth. At whatever cost. If you want to know how high the cost of lies can be, read the Gulag Archipelago.

One of the greatest tragedies in the history of mankind, period. The Soviets outdid Hitler and imprisoned and killed around 14 million of their own people. It's mind boggling! And it's true. Sadly, it's still happening, on a much smaller scale, but this system is still in use to this day. Solzhenitsyn has done a wonderful job of collecting numerous prisoner accounts and turning them into a very readable series of literature, despite the danger it brought to him and those close to him. He will always be a hero of mankind, in my eyes.

I LOVE history, but was surprised I had such little knowledge of the events that transpired in Russia during this time period. I am just stupified as to why this is not taught in schools...well maybe not these days. While it is a somewhat difficult to read book, you will still get the idea as to what is happening. I accidentally bought 2 of these books when I made my purchase. It will certainly go to someone who also enjoys history. I do not regret my purchase at all!!! And it is just too good of a price to pass up. Even if you don't finish it, you will at least get an idea as to what was going on. And honestly, those who don't learn from history, are bound to repeat it. I could see this sort of thing happening again...in one way or another. Thanks to the great Jordan Peterson for recommending this book!!!

Wow!! This book is a real eye opener on the communist utopia of the Soviet Union. The author was a prisoner in the Gulags for many years. This should be taught in high school history class. Most all know about the horrors of NAZI Germany. Few know about the horrors of Communist USSR. That is one reason kids are so easily indoctrinated to the wonders of socialism and other Marxist ideologies. The author won a Nobel Peace Prize for the book. It is well worth the read. I don't feel like I missed much by reading the abridged version. The chapters that were left out were done so with consultation with the author and are marked and titled in the book.

What communists did to Russians was as bad or worse than what Nazis did to Jews. I would add this practical piece of advice: Solzyenitsyn points out that almost all the people hauled away to the Gulag were done so not via forced round-ups of many people at once, but by being picked off by the security forces one by one. In other words, you, the victim, would be stopped in the street, the office, school or in his apartment/flat by one or two men with a car waiting nearby and told, sometimes even politely asked, to "come with us" (remember the scene in Godfather I when Tom Hagen was stopped by "the Turk" while exiting a store after X-Mass shopping and quietly told to "get in the car"?). And you'd go. This method has the virtue of being relatively quiet and hard to notice so that no would be rescuers really noticed the incident and no crowd would ever gather. You went quietly into the night. So, the advice? Always make a BIG stink if anyone tries to take you away. A crowd will gather or someone will record the incident with a phone, perhaps even intervene. Thats your best hope. Someone has to see and bear witness.

this personal account has begun to help me understand my own capacity for evil. Alexandr Solzhenitsyn says 'The battleline between good and evil runs through the heart of every man' i think it has helped me recognize the types of things i have to do to spot evil thoughts and to know how to contend with them. the things i read in this book have made me sick, such that i think about the gulags often. i think about how people starved to death and how they lived or survived by labor or being a 'stoolie'. Despite the horrors of this book i think it has made me a better person. it will make you one as well. please buy this book for your own sake and sakes of those you love.

This is a 500 page summary version which excludes references, of the 1600 page original. I thought 500 pages should be enough for soviet camps but I was wrong. Halfway through I dumped this paperback and started reading the original version. Not just because it was packed with more information, not because it was a good read but because abridging it is a serious insult on all those millions of people who were exiled, tortured, and killed.

Solzhenitsyn's autobiography of his experience in the Soviet slave labor camps, an "experiment in literary investigation", stands as a thundering condemnation of the entire rotten enterprise of Bolshevik-Soviet Communism. A great book, which opened tsunamis of controversy and adulation when it was first published, it was abridged magnificently in the 1980s, with the author's full endorsement, losing none of its original titanic force. Anyone and everyone today who would like to understand how and, maybe why a government that promised human liberation, equality and emancipation would begin to enslave its own people, and to consign them to the nothingness of savage internment in remote slave camps where human life was worth nothing at all should read, and re-read this magnificent book.

This should still be required reading for all secondary and post secondary schools. Especially those kids protesting for communism. Find out what it’s really like. More people died under communism than under Hitler’s national socialism.

The author won the Nobel Peace prize for this landmark literary work, the one book more responsible for the end of the ex-Soviet system of brutality in Russia under Lenin and Stalin. After HEARING about the horrors of Siberia, after reading this tome, you'll feel like you've LIVED in it. It was a tough read, but a brutal and true morality tale to remind us of what can happen when freedom is replaced by a monstrous and repressive governmental system.

Okay I know this is a silly gripe but the edition I got is hot pink instead of red cover as pictured. Maybe its a stupid gripe but it's not as advertised.

Great read.

The classic description and critique of the Soviet labor camp system, particularly under Stalin. For me this abridged version allowed me to read in one longer book the original three books. It does this by removing the contents of the less important chapters. Reading this made me feel lucky to live in a free society where one can openly say things critical of the government. I understand more now why Western democracies were so against this type of socialist dictatorship. He won the Nobel Prize for his earlier novel but otherwise would have won it for this for sure.

Multiply your impression of the communist gulag prison system by five times and you are still not even close to how bad it really was. The author won the 1970 Nobel Prize in Literature for this incredible account of his time in gulag. Should be required reading for all high school students everywhere. Anyone with Socialist/Communist leanings will read this and revaluate their belief system. Some (e.g. Noam Chomsky) even credit this book with being a major factor in the collapse of the USSR.

Horrifying book. What if someone told you that 1984 actually happened somewhere? and did it in blistering prose? Every high school student should have to read excerpts, if not the whole thing.

Difficult but essential reading for every citizen in the West.

It’s a gripping acount of the devastating ideology of Communism. The author gives an incredible insight on the inner workings and how this diabolical system was implimented. It's a humanitarian shame that such ideology still permeates countries around the world.

I don't understand why this book is not mandatory in schools. If you think you know how far ideologies and political autoritarianism can go, then you probably never read Gulag Archipelago. The viciousness of the communist ideology really well represented in what was the sotry of the Soviet Union. So overwhelming that I couldn't read more than one chapter in a row.

Everyone should read this book. It reads well. Solzhenitsyn's book of his time in the Gulag Archipelago does a phenomenal job of shedding light on how fanaticism of any flavor inevitably leads to the suffering of the opposition.

One of the greatest non-fiction books of the 20th century. Solzhenitsyn's masterful and profound examination of the soviet state's annihilation of the individual. A historical retelling of immense tragedy that went unnoticed by most of the outside world until its release. More then recommending this book, I believe this book should be required reading for all who hold freedom and independence as something worth defending.

The book I received was some kind of knock-off version. The printing on most pages was slanted and the cover art was pixelated and stretched. Seems unlikely that Harper would produce a book in this quality.

Often when one reads about an outrage of history the account is dry, numerical, and one sided. What is truly unique about Gulag is that it takes us inside the the minds of the victims and the perpetrators, revealing the central yet unspoken theme of the book. This is a story of human nature, revealed in the most extreme circumstances imaginable. As you read ask yourself, "What would I have done?" The answers may horrify you. On the political side of things Gulag reveals that the Soviet system elucidated the evil in people. Gulag is a call for us to see politics in a different way. Beware of those advancing class envy/warfare. The Soviets adjusted their definition of "rich" down as the people became poorer. The freedom possessed does not seem near as valuable as freedom lost. Gulag demonstrates that faith is the only useful possession that can not be taken. Gulag cites many examples of superhuman courage, toughness, and triumph by those of deep religious devotion. An unspoken theme is that the Soviet system could not exist amongst nation of the faithful. Read this book. I would recommend these books a well for the reader interested in Communism.

Should be required reading for all high school students. A captivating account of life in communist Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. I didn’t realize how ignorant I was until I read this book.

The book is great so im still giving a 5 star but when it came it had a rip on the cover. Not a big deal but worth noteing..

What an eye opener! It describes the dispair and horror of stalin's russia. If you want an insight as to why the USA is so staunchly and fanatically anti-communist, read this book! Stalin and his communists tried to build their workers paradise through slavery. Millions were arrested and sent to labor camps because the commies needed slaves, so they arrested them and condemned them for at least 10 years ('a tenner'). A stunning, very well written, page turner that shows there are things worse than death! They crammed 40 people into cells designed for 2 people. Torture, arbitrary doubling of your sentence (from 10 to 20 years), sadistic guards, all for no crime whatsoever! Makes the West look like heaven on earth. And Solzhenitsyn keeps it interesting, even humorous. Like when a crowd was applauding Stalin, and everyone was afraid to be the first one to stop applauding because they knew they would be arrested! So the applause went on for 1/2 hour, with nobody daring to stop! Finally, a brave soul stopped, and he was arrested and sent away the next day. It's a great book. I highly recommend it, especially to lefties who need to see what marxism turns into.

This should be mandatory reading to understand how wonderful our government (even as it is) is compared to other countries .

The Gulag Archipelago should always be five stars. There were a few things that I wanted that were not included, but that's always the case with abridgements. If you haven't read anything by Solzhenitsyn, this is the place to start if you want nonfiction. It's approachable, not too long, and retains the unique nature of the "Archipelago." The inclusion of the Nobel acceptance at the end was a nice touch as well. You might even find yourself inspired to read the unabridged version. For a man who did not have access to primary documents, he did a fantastic job putting together the facts, but this book really isn't about numbers and statistics. If you want a more 'historical' version, you might try Applebaum's "Gulag: A History," but this book is more about the human condition. We can learn a lot about ourselves as human beings and what we are capable of from Solzhenitsyn.

Those who will not face history are doomed to repeat it. 2/3s of Millenials in America do not know what Auschwitz is. This is deliberate brainwashing, and this book is the cure. Give it to a brainwashed Neo-Marxist when you are done.

An amazing, depressing, enlightening book about the horrors witnessed first hand by the USSR and the horrors that socialism brings any country that dares embrace ideologies that inevitably lead to tyranny, corruption, murder, enslavement, torture, and so much more. Recommended for ANYONE who’s intellectually honest and mature enough to embrace such a depiction.

This is a very important book and should be required reading in schools.

It's harder to find unabridged copies of this book than I thought, so I appreciate that this book is new and arrived promptly.

This book was an excellent read. I bought it so I could speak more intelligently about the issues of the ideology of communism. As a side note: The content is pretty dark, so if you don't want to read about torture, oppression, and brutality, this isn't the book for you.

I somehow knew the Marxist philosophies adopted by the Russian government in the 1920's-1940's were absolutely devastating and corrupt, but I did not fully understand how absolutely debase and EVIL this system of government can lower itself to. If you read this book be prepared to have your senses assaulted, your intellect abused, and your emotions crushed. What happened in Russia, and maybe still is, violates EVERYTHING we know to be good, decent and human. It makes the Holocaust pale in historical perspective. How can America be flirting with socialism, knowing when you begin to implement these kind of structural changes in how one governs themselves, the results have been proven time and time again, beyond horrible things happen.

The Gulag Archipelago should be required reading in every school in America. It details the terrifying prison system in the Soviet Union and puts the lie to the Leftist academics that praised the alleged "worker's paradise" in that country. In reality, Soviet communism oppressed its people mightily, arrested them on a whim and kept them confined and working in Siberian temperatures and work conditions. Above its historical importance, Solzhenitsyn's epic shows how the power of the state can so easily terrorize the citizens if not adequately controlled. This powerful book should make all free peoples fall on their knees and thank God that such tyranny was not their fate and then we should strive to make sure of our liberties and thus prevent this from happening to us.

great book should be required reading

This should be standard reading as early as high school. Too many are ignorant to what communist regimes did to the roughly 100 million of their own people they killed in the 20th century. As it is said, "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it."*

This is a historical document and fills in the gaps of Mother Russia's treatment of its enemies. It is also such a sad book, I couldn't finish it. After a third of the way, I was done. I know how the book ends by the way Russia treats its 'problem people'. Finished.

My Favorite part was When they strapped the Convict to the Log then Rolled him off the Cliff. He was smashed to Death on the Rocks below. 5 stars!

The book itself is great but the paper cover was so bent and damaged that I've had to keep it face down to try to straighten it out. I'm not happy about that.

buy this for your communist friends. terrifying story

I have only about 100 pages more to read before the book is over. The depiction of GULAG life is uncomfortable at times. The artistry of the writing makes the details that much more vivid. Overall, good book. Takes devotion to read and you may have to Google something to clearly make sense of a scene.

As I read "Gulag. . . " I kept thinking of the old cliche, "those who do not study history, are doomed to repeat it." It has been difficult to read of a society so evil, so base that it views human beings as mere things--disposable assets. It is an amazing story that any human being has experienced this and lived, and smiled. I find it incredible that Solzhenitsyn still loved his Russia despite his imprisonment. This is an excellent book, difficult to read at times, but well worth the effort. It should be on the required reading list for every high school-aged child. It should be required reading by every senator, congressman, etc. This book is too valuable to simply be placed on the back of a shelf.

It's amazing that there is an entire section of recent history that will never have a Hollywood movie made about it.

Very readable and interesting! He gives a very good introduction into the madness and depths of depravity of the communist system. Very eye opening. Every SINGLE person who involves themselves in the political arena should READ.

What is the future...if you don't want trouble...read history.....

Easy to read chronicle of time and experience in an era that challenges reason and belief.

Great book but tough read. Really depressing what people had to go through and the fear they lived in. Being born in the USSR this book really hit close to home. Would recommend it but would advise that it's a tough book

I started reading the book and thought finishing it on a 10 hour drive via Audible would be ideal. I couldnt muster through an hour before turning it off.

A great book for anyone who thinks communism is a good idea. Should be a must read for college students now days.

Hard to get through but tells an unbelievable story. The epitome of true, deadly farce: when men become their own gods, and reality in the Soviet Union, and to a lesser degree, its satellites. Insanity ruled. More than tragedy, what no one could make up, only men could create, and where it leaves us.

Thanks to Jordan Peterson

Must read if one wants to understand the true horror of socialism and communism. Would be eye opening to anyone who thinks Marxist doctrine is harmless, or worse, good ideas.

Nobel laureate, classic book, eye opening. On par with Frankl's 'Man's Search for meaning'.

One of the greatest books of our era. I cant believe it took me this long to get started on it.

A difficult but important read. Probably one of the most important and necessary nonfiction works ever. Sometimes I felt like beating my chest at the madness recounted in this tragic omnibus. If people were honest, and if they read this book, there is no way society would countenance socialism and the political left’s love affair with Marxist ideology. It would treated the same as Nazism is treated on the right. The abridged version also makes it easier to go through. Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. And here’s how.

This is the non-fiction 1984. It is a must read to have any understanding of the 20th century. Alex wrote more than a book his legacy advances mankind for the better.

Intense recount of the Soviet Communist rule in Russia and occupied countries. Should be a required reading for everyone on the planet, so no one has to experience that absolute misery ever again. Exposes the ease of manipulation of an ideallic (in theory) governing style.

Excelente read. Interesting, on edge, revolutionary

Solzhenitsyn dissects the judicial system carefully of the soviet union. Describes the marxist legislation passed in russia during the early 20th century that led to the deaths of millions. Very good read

Really good book, it cuts out the not so necessary parts of the book and keeps you reading

Anyone wanting to participate in 21st century political debate should be required to read this book to remember what is at stake and how fragile political systems can really be. It is a testament to how dangerous political ideology is and what it can do to millions of lives if left unchecked. Would recommend to anyone, democrat or republican. We can all learn from the mistakes of the past.

The fact that we were never taught this is school is criminal and must surely be intentional. Every freedom loving parent should have their high school aged kids read this before sending them off to college. More relevant than ever and an absolute masterpiece.

Can't wait to read this

A very in depth analysis of the terror of a dictator.

This book really makes you look at people different. Not sure if it's a good different yet.

About this book to read because my brother told me communism was looking better and better everyday. I'm halfway in and I'm convinced he's never read anything like this.

Great book. Wish i had read this in high school. It would have definitely shaped my ideals and overall look of life in a whole different way.

Just as advertised. Arrived on-time.

A classic and historic book that undercovers one of the evilest pages of our history. A must-have and must-read type of book

Unbelievable book.

A great read. Solzhenitsyn tells what communism really is like , from an insiders point of view.

excellent book

I should have read this years ago . . . now I want to read everything Solzhenitsyn wrote . . . because this stuff is still going on today in Czar Putin's Russia. Look out Europe, here it comes . . . again! MOD

"A stone is not a human being, and even stones get crushed." This was an absolutely brutal, yet enlightening read. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was a young, decorated Red Army officer who served bravely during the war, only to be arrested, tortured, and sent to the Gulag Archipelago (the forced labor camp system) to do a ten year sentence, followed by permanent internal exile. This book is a combination of his own personal experiences, and a general history of the gulag system which he has gathered from research as well as other personal stories sent to him by other inmates. For privately criticizing Stalin, the author was clearly guilty of being a dangerous "enemy of the people" worthy of torture and death,(Solzhenitsyn writes with a brilliant sense of sarcasm) but the fact is, many were arrested quite arbitrarily, many simply because of a need to fill quotas. I'm reminded of a quote by Stalins right hand man Molotov, when speaking about the randomness of arrests, years after the war: "a man could have been a right-winger, and not realized he was a right-winger. We had to be sure." Or something to that effect. These enemies of the people would feed the "sewage disposal system" of the Soviet state. In his sarcastic, metaphorical writing style, the author describes all the horrors of the system, beginning with arrest and torture, *ahem* interrogation, and all through the stages of the camp system where death and cruelty became the only certainties. Ruthlessness, Solzhenitsyn writes, was the measure of a Bolsheviks worth. The more single-mindedly cruel he was, determined his dedication to the state. Any form of kindness toward the accused was seen as a sign of weakness and lack of zeal. Most disturbing was his descriptions of the torture, he claims that there were 52 different methods at the interrogators disposal, to ensure they don't become bored of course! 14 hour work days in subzero temperatures with inadequate clothing and pitiful food rations were also the norm. People were often beaten, terrorized and shot out of hand for the smallest infractions, or occasionally for the mere amusement of the guards. Such is life in the Archipelago! Although some have accused Solzhenitsyn of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, i.e. condemning communism as a whole because of Stalinism, he is absolutely right when he claims that the brutality and terror were started under Lenin and Trotsky. While one can split hairs and argue that things might have turned out differently without Stalin, I see no reason to believe that things would have been THAT different. He also makes a consistent point of comparing the Soviet state to that of the Tsars, claiming that whatever their faults, life in Imperial Russia was never even close to this harsh. I specifically appreciated how he pointed out how easy the Bolshevik revolutionaries had it when they were arrested under the Tsar. Two, maybe three years in lenient exile for trying to overthrow the state! Yet under the Soviets, you would get 10, maybe 25 years of hard labor for practically nothing, which you would probably not survive anyway. All in all, this is a disturbing but brilliant and essential read for understanding the Soviet state. 5 stars.

The way it’s written is hard to follow and understand

Powerful. A must read by everyone. This abridged version was authorized by Alek himself.

The Gulag Archipelago is catalyst to moral consciousness. Very eye opening. Should be required reading for every individual.

I mean I'm super depressed now but it was a good book I guess

Somewhat hard to follow..but the content and stories laid out in this book give a very disturbing account of communist rule in Russia, and what life looked like behind the iron curtain.

Fast ship for book. Amazing it took so long for the truth to get published.

Recommended. Page 75 has one of the most powerful sentences you'll ever read. This story must be told over and over again and must never be forgotten.

A must read (listen?) to anyone interested in politics and wanting to know where socialism leads.

Good quality paperback. Good price.

Will turn you off socialism for ever!

Depressing.

This book is awesome, should be read by everyone. Deserved the Novel Prize it won.

A recommended book. Interesting to get a perspective on the time and place. Becomes a chore to read at around 300 of the 450 pages.

Very satisfied.

I bought the book as a Xmas gift for my little brother. I had previously bought him the other three books in the series and was worried that if I bought a used copy that I might get one with a different cover (that has happened to me before). The book was exactly what the picture showed though, and he was very happy to get it on Christmas. The book was in prime condition and arrived when it said it was supposed to, which was great as holiday shopping online can be a little scary when timelines come into play.

Thumbs up

Everyone needs to read a version of the gulags. Especially if you’re concerned with the news that you’re seeing on the television today

This is a great book, since it is for an intellectual heavy weight...I won't be recommending it to my ex-husband....I mean that in the nicest way possible!

Easy to read and captivating

As a field administrator of the Republic of Viet nam prior to 1975 with 10 years in the Communist reeducation centers in North Viet nam, I highly appreciate the narratives and analyses of the great Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. By perusing this book, I acquire the useful comparative views that lead to the final and basic policy of the communists around the world. Minh H. Do

Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

Absolutely great book. Arrived a lot quicker then expected and with plenty of time to read it through the summer holiday period.

Should be required reading in the US as it is in Russia

Still reading but great so far

Every student in college should have to read this. Every person not in college should read it anyway. Wow.

awesome, great book... sad scary truth, but everyone needs to read, thank you!

Emotionally difficult read.

This book is damned depressing but does offer hope that human beings can endure and overcome almost anything short of being killed. It is a deserved Nobel prize winning book, and the writer writes in a prose that makes it easier to read about all the injustices and suffering under the communist regime. Should be required reading for all college students who are being brainwashed with Marxism by their professors.

Fast shipping. Thank you!

Read it. Dont tell old Russian ladies you are reading it. It makes them cry to think about it.

Great introduction, Must buy all three volumes

The value of this book is really how it unwraps the systemic terror of "good people doing bad things".

This is the kind of book that you wonder how people can live without! It's life-changing and sobering. A very excellent read.

Eye opening

:)

Eye-opening

Terrific condition of the book. The read is an interpretation and is a bit easier than a traditional documentary or a historical biography. Very interesting.

There is no way to understand Russian History or the Soviet Union (Which does still exist) without reading this book!

WOW! Eye-opening & gut-wrenching book. I wish a fraction of this was told in high school history classes.

What can i say. It's Solzhenitsyn

In the condition expected.

Great read

A classic. Read to learn just how nasty communism is, and how lucky you are (assuming you haven't lived under the tyranny of communism). Everyone should be required to read this (and Man's Search for Meaning).

Excellent book. Should be a must read for everyone in the west. Gripping insight into the Soviet system.

Great book so far. Very Detailed

came in a day or so early looks good

This is vintage Solzhenitsyn; his brilliant mind shines forth splendidly. A book that is difficult to put down, places one inside his mind to see what he describes, so much from having spent hours memorizing while in the camps so he could later give us a glimpse of the horror that millions upon millions of human beings endured.

I wish Amazon sold the full version in English -- the abridged version here leaves a lot out

Great read! It's historical and honest.

If you think political correctness is dangerous, if you think it's a slippery slope to being arrested for what you say, or don't say, or how what you say is perceived, even what you are thinking, then this book should be on your reading list immediately. It is an ugly story about a grossly sick man who made himself and his insanity the measure of all things. Hitler, the one so many see as the Anti-Christ took notes on Stalin's implementation of brutality. Every American should read this book. We ignore it and its lessons to our peril.

As listed

Had always wanted to read this book since puberty but waited for nine years so that I could read with mature understanding. It fills me with energy and renews my youthful conviction. Finally I can discuss communism with people with sophistication.

If you don't think communism is evil at its core, read this. A compelling and penetrating look at the brutal Soviet system from one that has experienced it firsthand.

This is just to clarify that this is an Abridgement. I wish it had been more clear in the description that this edition was an abridgement and not the entire work. Fortunately, I Amazon refunded my money as I wish to read The Gulag in all its glory.

Its a very good book, but I should've gotten the unabridged version. maybe I'll try to find it later this summer.

This book is brutal. It is a must-read for today's generation who have this repugnant idea of socialism and communism. The first-hand accounts of people who suffered in the gulags will sharpen your understanding of humanity and hopefully tear off those rose-colored lenses in which we view worldwide political events.

This was an interesting and detailed read my only problem is they cut out most of the personal stories I was getting into most. A little dry at times and there is very little about it that is uplifting, but it is an important book that I got a lot out of, I just wish it was edited differently.

VERY IMPORTANT BOOK FOR ALL

Unreal what we were never, and will never be told in school. Undeniably pervasive and powerful! A must read for any person that may or may not know that freedom is a fickle creature that can insidiously fade away, initially cloaked as political rhetoric and ending with indiscriminate slavery and torture.

I received this book on a Wednesday and by Saturday I was finished. This is addicting and a good look at what we are headed for hear in the USS of Amerika.

Consider this fact: Putin has just made this book required reading in Russian schools. In American schools, nobody has ever heard of it, or seen it, or speaks of it. "It is a puzzlement!"

This account is not fiction. This was the Soviet Union, a detailed portrait of an Atheistic society. This book portrays moral relativism in real life: whoever holds the power, makes the rules, taken to its logical extremes. The advantage of this book over imaginary books such as Orwell's "1984" is that this is not a fictional account. It's very hard to keep remembering: this actually happened!

Amazing book. They should be required reading everyone in America and abroad, especially those who believe Marxist Doctrine is beneficial and not devastating to humanity.

Excellent abridged version of Solzhenitsyn 3 books on the Gulag.

Indispensable historical account of marxist ideology unleashed in the real world. Needs to be on every AP history reading list.

Arrived on time as advertised.

arrived on time as advertised

Can't wait to read this book, I am glad I was able to find it. This is one of the most important works in Soviet Prison Camps and the nightmares that pervaded them. Political dissidents, Theives and many innocent people spent many grueling years serving at the whim is the Paranoid Madman Stalin and then Kruschev. An important work of the 20th century.

When is there going to be a decent copy of this on kindle? This book is a great work and should have a proper version in the digital kindle library

Great book great seller

Great book

This book is arguably the most important book of the 20th Century. I had put off reading it, but wish I had not. This is a description of the Russian prison system, developed due to the Soviet system of political injustice, which flowed naturally out of its adoption of naturalistic and materialistic atheism. How far are we in America from this sort of thing? It happened in modern Russia and in modern Germany, and it is still happening around the world. When the government is the supplier of our needs, and when average people lose their moral courage to speak, to suffer, and even to die for what is right, this is the result. Does not matter what the geographical location is, this book tells us about ourselves. True Christianity in America holds this at bay, but as we walk away from Christ as a nation, this book reveals what our future could be.

Not the best printing quality.

After seeing comments from others about the wretched ebook conversion of the first couple of volumes of this work, I took Amazon's advice to "Look Inside"... and the "Engli.rh Translotion" [sic] is equally wretched. It looks like OCR via an early iPhone.

Im still trying to figure out which books Amazon prints. This was one of them. I'm not a fan. I liked the content though.

Purchased as a gift. Arrived quickly and without any damage to the book itself.

After reading #3 to #5 books a week for the last 45 years, its hard to find a new theme or story that i like!

Although I’m quite sure that a survivor of any concentration camp from any totalitarian regime would recognize the horrors that are being magnificently described with utmost skill by Solzhenitsyn. The dehumanization is clear since the moment of the arrest till the release and exile to a remote backwater. And the fear is ever present…including the high probability of being considered a recidivist and going back to the Gulag. From the legal procedures (completely Kafkian), instruction of the process, prison and tortures, the transportation in unbelievable conditions, the secrecy of all procedures (to avoid that the people know the magnitude of these arrests), the life in the camps and the sheer brutality that killed the majority of the political prisoners; the fact that assassin’s, rapists and professional criminals could do whatever they wanted to the women and men arrested by the feared article 58 (and you could be arrested for trying to pick a few grains of cereal who fell from a transportation truck – you were stealing cereal from the state! Agricultural sabotage!). You will experience the daily life in the Gulags not only from the authors experience but also from hundreds of other citizens who suffered that horrid fate and managed to heroically send their memories to the author. This should be essential reading in school, not only in Russia but also everywhere. Although you can easily miss the brilliance of the writing by this Nobel Laureate because I assure you that you will be completely focused in the content of the essay and not how amazingly well it is well written. I must end this review with a sincere message of respect and gratefulness not only to the author, to all persons who survived the Gulags and also to the brave men and women which published this book, especially when you could be arrested for publishing it. For the millions who died, this book will keep your memory alive so that it never happens again.

This is not going to be another review about Solzhenitsyn's genius and the utter relevance and importance of this work as a historical document. That's a given. I just wish to make a couple of points: 1. Those reviewers who complain that the book is boring or too long, or that the author is biased, or that Communism wasn't really all bad... you know, you are all correct. I agree. This isn't something that one would read for fun, and it requires an attention span beyond a quick soundbite or a post on Twitter, and of course Solzhenitsyn had a definite agenda (you would too if you had to tell the world what he did), and yes, absolutely, not everything in Soviet Russia was evil and horrible. Still, if comments like that are the main point of your review, you should honestly be force-fed this book in its entirety until you have absorbed and understood it. You wouldn't have lasted two minutes in THAT world with such naivete. And you should just be thankful that you never had to. 2. The name of the translator is Thomas P. Whitney. You might wish to seek out his own autobiography, "Russia In My Life". Whitney spent time in Russia during the Stalin era as a correspondent, and married a Russian woman, the singer Yulya (whose recordings are also worth seeking out). It's a harrowing and fascinating story in its own right.

Spine was broken and book was in rougher condo room than I had anticipated.

The Gulag Archipelago Volume I Solzhenitsyn stated, “Power is a poison well known for thousands of years. If only no one were ever to acquire material power over others! But to the human being who has faith in some force that holds dominion over all of us, and who is therefore conscious of his own limitations, power is not necessarily fatal. For those, however who are unaware of any higher sphere, it is a deadly poison. For them there is no antidote” (147). In “Witness,” Whittaker Chambers a communist and a soviet spy for fourteen years explains it this way, “the communist vision is the vision of Man without God.” “Communism restores man to his sovereignty by the simple method of denying God.” I think in this first volume, Solzhenitsyn describes a nation, where the leaders and many of its people, sold their souls to the forces of pure evil. Millions of innocent children, women and men would pay the ultimate price, in war, starvation or the gulag. Very depressing book, hard to read at times. Just heard on the news that 40% of the millennials are in favor of Socialism. If only they would read this book and understand how propaganda is in full force in this country for a reason. How we “the people” have been divided between classes, races, political parties, and how so many have been enslaved by government hand-outs in order to increase power of government.

The powers that be in the good old USA seem to have read this book and borrowed a few tricks from it. Like coming into people's houses in the middle of the night, when they are most disoriented and the neighbors cannot see what is going on, and dragging them away from their families. Yes, it is being done to immigrants all the time.

I've read the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer at least three times. I knew nothing of this book before I knew about Dr. Jordan Peterson. I am in the process of sorting myself out and Dr. Peterson recommended this book. When I went into a used book store to buy it there were a couple of guys who were working there with dyed black hair and became visibly annoyed when i asked if they carried the book. One man said, "yeah, it's in the fiction section." When I asked why the store keeps it in fiction one man immediately became condescending and said to his coworker, "Can you explain to this guy why the Gulag Archipelago is in fiction? I'm assuming that both guys are social justice warriors. Either way the book is great, very sad and huge eye opener. I knew the Soviet Union was awful but I had no idea how bad it really was under Stalin. This book and Dr. Peterson have changed my life for the much better. Huge thumbs up.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is one of the heroes of the Cold War. He was imprisoned in the Gulag, the horrific prison system in the Soviet Union, for eight years. The toll it took on prisoners is starkly shown by the 'before' and 'after' pictures taken of Solzhenitsyn. The Gulag was likened to a separate country within the totalitarian dungeon that was the Soviet Union in its entirety. Solzhenitsyn lived to write about the experience, contributing "The Gulag Archipelago" to the list of works describing the evils of Communism. The experience of the Gulag began with arrest, and Solzhenitsyn describes the experience and the brutality that accompanied it. He looks back at some of the major waves of imprisonments from the 1920s onward and the types of people that were arrested. There was surprising naivete on the part of some who were arrested, even though they knew they lived in a totalitarian society. The all-encompassing Article 58 is discussed, and as in all dictatorships, many were sent to prison as a result of denunciation by acquaintances (or, worse, family members in some cases). Solzhenitsyn discusses aspects of life in the prison camps, hunger strikes, and how prisoners were transferred, sometimes frequently, between camps. The material shortages, economic failure, attacks on religion, and lack of motivation and incentive for those in the USSR to contribute are touched on, but "The Gulag Archipelago" is of course first and foremost about political oppression. Freedom of speech and the press were crushed, there was no due process and the situation was "guilty until proven innocent and not even then," and even fairly innocuous statements could be considered "anti-Soviet" or "toadying toward the West" and could result in extreme punishment (Lenin himself said that a certain amount capital punishment would be necessary to implement Communism). Solzhenitsyn discusses the brutal interrogation techniques used by the goons who ran the prisons, but also describes how passive aggression can be used to combat tyranny. "The Gulag Archipelago" concerns the Soviet Union but the reader sees how totalitarianism functions wherever it appears: the types of people who accumulate power in totalitarian societies, the show trials, the rule of law replaced with the will of the ruler (and the ruler's attendant thugs), and the bogus "arguments" totalitarians use to justify their hold on power. These reflections on the human condition came slowly to most dissidents, and their anti-Soviet convictions ripened slowly over time. Solzhenitsyn looks at the spiritual commonalities he had with the other prisoners, and famously remarked how all are capable of evil and how the line between good and evil runs through every human heart. Tyranny is inevitable in human affairs, but also every bit as inevitable are intelligent, reflective, courageous people such as Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn who revolt against it. "The Gulag Archipelago" will be read for centuries because it not only examines the forces in totalitarian states that attempt to undermine the humanity of those trapped in those states, but also provides the reader with the proper response to those forces and leads the reader to ask along with Solzhenitsyn, "If in order to live it is necessary not to live, then what's it all for?"

One of my favorite books of all time this audio book is very long and very detailed but the story is both arresting and heart breaking. The ability of the human spirit to rise above total and utter subjugation and still thrive and find a way to come back is breathtaking. I would recommend to anyone in the west as a reminder of not only how poorly humans can treat each other but also as a challenge to not take freedom for granted.

Gun-control advocates should read this book. You will get an understanding of how an unarmed population is at risk from a far-left government. Prisoners in the Gulag knew their mistake, willingly going with the men after the knock on the door in the middle of the night, hoping their families would be spared. Of course they weren't. Like the innocents at the mercy of other totalitarian governments both left and right, in history, they wished, in hindsight, that they had fought to the death when the knock on the door came. At least then those men who were sent by the leaders to gather up the "guilty" would know that the knock on the door would mean their own death, as well. Just recently the Marxist ruling parties of South Africa have voted to change the Constitution to confiscate all land from the white South African citizens, the author of the bill saying "we don't propose to slaughter them...yet". My guess is that those souls have learned a thing or two from Solzhenitsyn's warnings against Marxists and how to fight them, and they will not go gently into that good night, although I hope that a genocide can be averted and they are urged to exit the country and leave it to these modern-day tyrants. Tyranny must always be fought. The question is, do we humans learn from history? To understand the total brutality of Stalinism and other forms of Marxism, I recommend this book for everyone, but especially those who think that America's 2nd amendment should be abolished.

I cannot believe the American public school system doesn't spend any signicant portion of time on the Soviet Union. I wasn't taught ANY of this. Unbelievable. Also, its chilling that finding the full three volume book, which won Solzhenitsyn the Nobel Prize, is out of print. Shame on the schools, shame on the publishers. The only copy I could find was Vol 1&2 in my University Library. Vol 3 has disappeared. It really is like reading something that someone has tried to bury. Glad to find an Abridged version authorized by the author, but I sorely want a recently printed hardback of the full 3 volumes

I was primarily driven to this book as a result of my interest in the Soviet Union and in the misfortunes of actual communism. But I think that the right way to see this book is through its spiritual insights. The experience in camp had a deep impact in Solzhenitsyn. I believe that nobody can pass for such experience and don't be affected in some way. The discussion of this topic, in particular, was done in the chapters 1 ("Ascent") and 2 ("Or Corruption?") from the part IV of the book ("The Soul and the Barbed Ware"). These two chapters are my favorite in the book and I recommend to anyone who doesn't want to read the whole book but has an interest in a deep and insightful discussion about human nature, suffering, and religion.

This is a hard book to read but it's important as it illustrates and explains the horrors of communism, the communist party and the far left agenda, which is actually fascist in nature, and what it eventually leads to. Solzhenitsyn has written a brilliant expose of an ideology that is alive today.

Aleksander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) used these memorable pages to describe the Soviet Union's harsh gulags in the era of Stalin. A political prisoner from 1945-1953, the author recounts the hard labor he experienced, plus torture, beatings, and killings that he witnessed. His descriptions how the dangers of unbridled power, government-controlled media, and secret police - specialities of communism and other systems that promise idealism but deliver something very different. Solzhenitsyn was serving in the Red Army when he was arrested for criticizing Stalin's leadership in a private letter home (thus earning a ten-year sentence). Consider his description of a Communist Party dinner during the purges. When a speaker mentioned Stalin's name all rose to applaud, and none dared stop for endless minutes until one brave soul finally sat down - not surprisingly all others immidiately sat down, and that brave soul was arrested within hours. This is a rough book with tales of torture and abuse that seem endless; perhaps that was the author's intent. Solzhenitsyn was exiled from the Soviet Union in 1974, lived in the USA, then returned to his Russia after Soviet Communism collapsed. The author came to criticize the USA for greedy materialism, but of course, nobody arrested him for it. This book is a testament to the dangers of communism and other forms of totalitarian rule.

I've read a couple dozen books on Soviet history, but inexplicably avoided this classic. Maybe it was the daunting length (unabridged,) or misguided thought that modern scholars would have superior information or perspective. My prejudice was that nonfiction historical accounts from before 1990 have been outshined by this generation of excellent historians. But that was dead wrong, in this instance. Solzhenitsyn outdoes almost all the contemporary Oxbridge historians, in style and substance. If it's between Anne Applebaum's "Gulag" and this, sorry, Ms. Applebaum. Modern tomes might have better corpse-counting estimates--that's about it. He actually makes the Oxbridge/Penguin history elite look kind of bad, in their schoolmarmish assemblage and recitation of atrocity statistics. He lived the history, and researched the book as events happened, and his stylistic genius is unconstrained by a half-bright Knopf editor who "knows" how to structure a serious work of historical scholarship (at least in the unabridged version.) His writing style (even in translation) is about as lacerating and impactful as say, Christopher Hitchens, at his best. Some hoary 70s apparatchik accused Solzhenisyn of having "pathological hatred" for the Soviet Union, and that sounds about right. He despises it, but you can't for a moment begrudge him. He was betrayed by his government near the end of the war, after risking his life for his country--that's pretty clearly when he snapped, this betrayal was so monstrous and inhuman. So don't expect "praise" for Stalin for mobilizing the USSR economy to outproduce the Germans, for instance. No praise here. The book is merely a vicious, nonstop indictment of all aspects of injustice, tyranny and incompetence in the Soviet regime. Go unabridged if you're hardcore. It may have been written in the 60s but it's hard to not see it as the "final word" on the early Soviet Union, in a sense, and I say that after reading newer biographies of Stalin, Robert Conquest's work, Anthony Beevor's Eastern Front books, etc.

Absolute must read for anyone who has the slightest inclination toward socialism. Autobiographical account Describes in excruciating detail the end result of socialism and communism in the Soviet union between 1917 and 1969.