Reflections on "The Gulag Archipelago 1918-1956" by Aleksandr i Solzhenitsyn (1)

This is the first of a series of reflections on The Gulag Archipelago. For anyone interested in the shadow side of humanity, Solzhenitsyn's book should be essential reading.

Time Magazine described the Harper Collins Perrenial Classic edition of this book - edited by Edward Erikson Jr and last republished in 2002 - as the " Best Non Fiction Book of the 21st Century". However, it seems that this edition is now out of print.

Perhaps this is unsurprising as Solzhenitsyn is described as an author more read about than read. Aside from the matter of translation, I've found his writing "difficult" in the past, but Edward Erikson's work is masterly, and readable.

Nevertheless, the content is very dark : too dark perhaps for modern literary "taste" which seems to like its brainfood on the "lite side", and shies away from hard labour and times wherever possible. Not only is Solzhenitsyn's writing difficult, so is his message....