619. In the First Circle

In the First Circle
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

1968
Around 740 pages

Despite his depressing subject matter, Solzhenitsyn always manages to convey a slightly optimistic message. Which is exactly why I am going to miss ole Solz around here. Other authors are much more pessimistic. 

Like most of his novels, this one is highly autobiographical. This time, we are in a luxury gulag. Well, compared to other gulags that is. The sharashka is mostly made up of technicians or academics that complete projects for Stalin's regime, under threat of being sent to a much worse gulag, potentially in Siberia. 

I'm sure we all have our fantasies about how we would have behaved under Hitler or Stalin. Many of us believe we would be the Inglourious Basterds, but most people are going to behave in their best interests, and aren't the "bad guys" that we pretend have nothing to do with ordinary people. Solzhenitsyn did an excellent job capturing how decentralized evil was, although we do get glimpses of real Soviet leaders.

I appreciated Solzhenitsyn's honesty, courage, and story-telling ability. Even with everything he experienced, he still believed the world could get better. You will be missed sir.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Made into a TV movie in 1992, starring Victor Garber.

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