“Solzhenitsyn was but one man, doubtless with the many faces of fault”
Yeah, Father Alexander Schmemann left a very unpalatable description of him despite being a huge fan (if such a term could even be used) of Solzhenitsyn’s work. Could have been describing a run-of-the-mill Bolshevik.
“There is indeed a certain power emanating from him… But (and here comes the ‘but’) over these days I have been struck by:
1. A primitive thinking of sorts . It’s the same with regards to people, events, views of nature, etc. Essentially, he perceives no nuances, no complexity in anything.
2. A lack of understanding of people — and perhaps even an unwillingness to think deeply about them or empathize with them. He categorizes them into ready-made groups and approaches them in a utilitarian way.
3. A lack of gentleness, compassion, or patience. On the contrary, his first impulse is distrust, suspicion, and interpreting everything in malam partem.
4. Incredible self-confidence and a sense of infallibility.
I made that comment because I get hes an odd dude, and certainly not consistent with Western sensibilities. But hes the kind of guy you forgive very much, and judge by his best attributes
In all honesty, it’s basically the majority of Russian people (including me). Especially the third point. A lot of it is to some extent due to the Soviet experience.
A memory from long ago: my mother telling my father to stop reading those cursed books because after reading he couldn't sleep or lay still in bed, gnarling his teeth about the sheer injustice and hypocrisy of it all.
Read the whole thing, Misha. It’s an emotional marathon and you’ll be exhausted afterwards. But it’s worth it.
One day!
One of the most eye opening and depressing books I’ve ever read.
i think that footnotes 2 and 3 are swapped.
excellent review. i’ve always been curious to read it, but i have to admit the length is intimidating. maybe the abridged version is the way to go.
Thank you, corrected!
Just start either way - you won't want to put it down. Never dull. Intense throughout.
If you don’t want to read an abridged version, I think if you read the first volume only, you’ll get the flavor of the series as a whole.
I am reading S by reading Misha on listening to S reading the abridged S. And it's still riveting! Could read you all day, thank you.
Very kind
“Solzhenitsyn was but one man, doubtless with the many faces of fault”
Yeah, Father Alexander Schmemann left a very unpalatable description of him despite being a huge fan (if such a term could even be used) of Solzhenitsyn’s work. Could have been describing a run-of-the-mill Bolshevik.
“There is indeed a certain power emanating from him… But (and here comes the ‘but’) over these days I have been struck by:
1. A primitive thinking of sorts . It’s the same with regards to people, events, views of nature, etc. Essentially, he perceives no nuances, no complexity in anything.
2. A lack of understanding of people — and perhaps even an unwillingness to think deeply about them or empathize with them. He categorizes them into ready-made groups and approaches them in a utilitarian way.
3. A lack of gentleness, compassion, or patience. On the contrary, his first impulse is distrust, suspicion, and interpreting everything in malam partem.
4. Incredible self-confidence and a sense of infallibility.
5. Incredible secrecy.”
I made that comment because I get hes an odd dude, and certainly not consistent with Western sensibilities. But hes the kind of guy you forgive very much, and judge by his best attributes
To be fair, some of those character traits will have been survival traits in the gulag.
Most of us understand that men are changed by war. Fewer understand that men are changed by imprisonment.
In all honesty, it’s basically the majority of Russian people (including me). Especially the third point. A lot of it is to some extent due to the Soviet experience.
I would suggest that living under a totalitarian government should count as “imprisonment.”
Reading it (and its outrage) I’m reminded of Harlan Ellison’s ‘I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream’, yeah exactly.
A memory from long ago: my mother telling my father to stop reading those cursed books because after reading he couldn't sleep or lay still in bed, gnarling his teeth about the sheer injustice and hypocrisy of it all.
My experience is very different. I do lay awake at night thinking about it. But more in awe at his story. And relief at our lives
There's a full audio version on YouTube i think