An experiment in literary investigation by aleksandr solzhenitsyn. An abridged fiftieth anniversary edition was released on 1 november 2018 with a new foreword by jordan peterson. Aleksandr solzhenitsyn the gulag archipelago youtube. Solzehnitsyn was a right winger that hated communism so much he thought the u.
A thoroughly researched document and a feat of literary and imaginative power, this edition of the gulag archipelago was abridged into one volume at the authors wish and with his full cooperation. The gulag archipelago is a nonfictional account from and about the other great holocaust of our centurythe imprisonment, brutalization and very often murder of tens of millions of innocent soviet citizens by their own government, mostly during stalins rule from 1929 to 1953. It does not have characters in the same sense as a novel, but there. Although economically unsustainable, ruled in the most corrupt manner imaginable, and reliant on the slavery and enforced deceit of its citizens, the soviet system managed to stumble forward through far too many decades before being cut to the quick. Jordan peterson reads new foreward to the gulag archipelago. Natalya reshetovskaya for her part created an abridged version for russian school children, but in her memoirs said her husband did not regard. Aleksandr solzhenitsyn center gulag archipelago abridged. Last year, vintage classics a division of penguin u. However, the abridged version which is by the same publisher and has a similar cover to this book, does not have authors notes obviously. This version, the redcovered volume 1 of the gulag archipelago does have authors notes, and lots of them. The paperback of the the gulag archipelago 19181956 abridged. Gulag is a russian acronym for the soviet government agency that supervised the vast. The gulag archipelago 19181956 by aleksandr solzhenitsyn.
The gulag archipelago 19181956 abridged aleksandr i. An experiment in literary investigation is a threevolume, nonfiction. The gulag archipelago remains as the one of the most historically impressive works. The gulag archipelago helped create the world we live in today.
Gulag archipelago 19181956 abridged, the perennial classics. Oct 31, 2018 i had the great privilege of writing the forward to the 50th anniversary version of the abridged version of one of the most important books of the 20th century, aleksandr solzhenitsyns the gulag. Solzhenitsyns gulag mandatory in russian schools reuters. Russian prime minister vladimir putin welcomed on tuesday the publication of a school version of sovietera dissident alexander solzhenitsyns the gulag archipelago, calling it. Jan 30, 2003 the gulag archipelago is an essential book in everyones library worldwide regardless of culture or language. Letters from people who were in the gulag tell a vastly dif. It is a question if any work of literature in our era other than the divine comedy is commensurate with the gulag archipelago in structure. The gulag archipelago 19181956 volume 1 unabridged. The only real reason to read the original three volumes would be if youre a student of history and interested in how the gulag was originally presented to the west.
Four years later, he returned to russia and lived there until 2008 when he passed away. A vast canvas of camps, prisons, transit centres and secret police, of informers and spies and interrogators but also of everyday heroism, the gulag archipelago is aleksandr solzhenitsyns grand masterwork. Frankly, i think the abridged version covers most of the major themes, without getting bogged down in the details of the trials, and so forth. The gulag archipelago is an essential book in everyones library worldwide regardless of culture or language. It is a matter of pure historical fact that the gulag archipelago played a primary role in bringing the soviet empire to its knees. Otherwise, theres only so much one can say before getting repetitive, which solzhenitsyn definitely is. The gulag archipelago helped to bring down an empire. Mar 09, 2020 solzhenitsyns citizenship was restored in 1990 after the soviet union dissolved. Sep 04, 2019 last year, vintage classics a division of penguin u. An experiment in literary investigation by aleksandr i solzhenitsyn, jordan b peterson, ignat due to covid19, orders may be delayed.
A memorial to those who died in the camps, this work shows the historical truth of the gulag, as well as the mark it left on society. In 1988, an abridged onevolume version of the gulag archipelago was published. I had the great privilege of writing the foreword to the 50th anniversary version of the abridged version of one of the most important books of the. The abridged version is still a monumental work, and well worth reading in its own right. Gulag archipelago reissued for russian students wsj. Buy the paperback book the gulag archipelago 19181956 abridged. I gratefully accepted professor ericsons suggestion to create a onevolume abridgement of my threevolume work, the gulag. Abridged version of gulag archipelago presented to putin rt. Click to read more about the gulag archipelago 19181956 abridged.
Gulag is a russian acronym for the soviet government agency that. The gulag archipelago audiobook by aleksandr solzhenitsyn. Ive been meaning to tackle this book for a while and i was just wondering which i should get. Should i read the full or abridged version the gulag archipelago. Since the dissolution of the soviet union, the gulag archipelago has been officially published in russia. Categorized as an experiment in literary investigation, the gulag archipelago is comprised of solzhenitsyns own memories, as well as those of other camp inmates, official. It has been in print ever since and a 50th anniversary version of that edition was published last year, including, for the first time, the names of all 258 witnesses who supplied solzhenitsyn with the testimony on. The abridged english version of the gulag archipelago was first published in 1985, and most recently reprinted in 2018 by vintage classics. Gulag archipelago should i get the abridged version. If youre new to the topic, get the abridged version. Nov 19, 2018 the full gulag archipelago is over 1,400 pages. The gulag archipelago abridged harvill press editions. The gulag archipelago is a nonfiction, partially autobiographical account of the prison labor camps of the ussr from 19181956. Joy schoenberger in the authors own words, i gratefully accepted professor ericsons suggestion to create a onevolume abridgement of my threevolume work, the gulag archipelago, in order to facilitate its reading for those who do not have much time in this hectic century of ours.
About the author aleksander solzhenitsyn was born in kislovodsk, russia, in 1918. I had the great privilege of writing the forward to the 50th anniversary version of the abridged version of one of the most important books of the. An experiment in literary investigation by aleksandr i. The gulag archipelago by aleksandr solzhenitsyn alex. The gulag archipelago presents aleksandr solzhenitsyns view of the soviet forced labor and concentration camp system. Why are marxists saying that the gulag archipelago was. The gulag archipelago by aleksander solzhenitsyn is a nonfictional account about the soviet forced labor camps that led to the imprisonment, brutalization and very often murder of tens of millions of innocent soviet citizens by their own government. Natalya reshetovskaya for her part created an abridged version for russian school children10, but in her memoirs said her husband did not regard the work as historical or scientific research, and added that the gulag archipelago was a collection of camp folklore, containing raw material which her husband was planning to use in his future. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. The gulag archipelago abridged so would like to get to it and read aleksandr solzhenitsyn but the books are not so prevalent and quite expensive. The gulag archipelago 19181956 abridged by aleksandr i. The prime minister of russia at that time, vladimir putin, released an abridged version of the gulag archipelago in his honor.
Gulag archipelago 19181956 abridged, the perennial. Solzhenitsyn reveals the entire apparatus of soviet repressionthe state within the state that ruled allpowerfully. The widow of aleksandr solzhenitsyn has presented russias prime minister with an abridged version of the renowned gulag archipelago novel. Oct 31, 2018 i had the great privilege of writing the foreword to the 50th anniversary version of the abridged version of one of the most important books of the 20th century, aleksandr solzhenitsyns the gulag. Solzhenitsyn wed love you to buy this book, and hope you find this page convenient in locating a place of purchase. Natalya reshetovskaya for her part created an abridged version for russian school children, but in her memoirs said her husband did not regard the work as historical or scientific research, and added that the gulag archipelago was a collection of camp folklore, containing raw material which her husband was planning to use in his future. The gulag archipelago 19181956 abridged best nonfiction book of the 20th century timeit is impossible to name a book that had a greater effect on the political and moral consciousness of the late twentieth century.
Aleksandr solzhenitsyn center the gulag archipelago. Oct 26, 2010 russian prime minister vladimir putin welcomed on tuesday the publication of a school version of sovietera dissident alexander solzhenitsyns the gulag archipelago, calling it essential reading. Alexander solzhenitsyns widow is unveiling an abridged version of the gulag archipelago as required reading for russian students about the crimes of the soviet regime. Abridged version of gulag archipelago presented to putin. The gulag archipelago 19181956 abridged 9780061253805 by aleksandr i. Its importance can hardly be exaggerated doris lessing, sunday telegraph. However, the abridged version which is by the same publisher and has a similar cover to this. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. The gulag archipelago, history and memoir of life in the soviet unions prison camp system by russian novelist aleksandr solzhenitsyn, first published in paris as arkhipelag gulag in three volumes 197375.
The gulag archipelago is solzhenitsyns masterwork, a vast canvas of camps, prisons, transit centres and secret police, of informers and spies and interrogators and also of heroism, a stalinist antiworld at the heart of the soviet union where the key to survival lay not in hope but in despair. Alexander solzhenitsyns widow is unveiling an abridged version of the gulag archipelago as required reading for russian students about. There is also a new 2019 audiobook recording of the abridged version, read by one of the authors sons, ignat solzhenitsyn. Almost 10,000 copies were published and sent to schools and libraries across the country. The gulag archipelago work by solzhenitsyn britannica. For those who find all three volumes of the gulag archipelago to be a daunting task, there is an abridged version available that combines all three into one book with a forward from anne.
The abridged version is half solzhenitsyns original, so obviously the editors had to truncate the text to make its message more accessible to the public. The links will take you to the web sites home page. Nov 01, 2018 the gulag archipelago is an essential book in everyones library worldwide regardless of culture or language. Should i read the full or abridged version the gulag. For a first read, is the abridged version all right. Peterson to write the forward to an abridged edition of the gulag archipelago.
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