I read the first volume of “The Gulag Archepelago” when it was first published in the 70’s. I was fairly “left leaning” at the time, and it was a very important book to me in that it revealed to me the manner in which the left (particularly the American left)was deceptive about the true nature of Soviet communism, and how it was camoflaging it’s own totalitarian impulse. I’ve since read the second volume, and “A Day In The Live of Ivan Denisovich.” He’s always been hard for me to follow, but very much worth the effort.
I had to read that in high school, and I remember not being able to put it down. I think I'm going to buy another copy and re-read it.
You are right—he’s every bit worth the effort.
He is a living treaure...and his words have inspired the hatred of him by the secular liberal establishment ever since he gave the famous address “A World Split Apart” at Harvard -—they have been trying to undermine him by hiring attackers ever since.
It needs to be read again and again.
A World Split Apart
A Day in The Life.... changed mine. It made me realize there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between International communism and fascism.
I had to read a few chapters of the first Gulag for a college course on totalitarianism. I was so fascinated I bought all three and read them all. I also read A Day in the Life. He is a masterful writer. Prayers up for his health.