The Gulag ArchipelagoThe Gulag Archipelago
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1945, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a Soviet artillery officer, was arrested for criticizing Stalin in a letter and spent eight years in labor camps. In this massive work, built from his own experience and the testimony of more than two hundred prisoners, he documents the whole system of Soviet arrests, interrogations, show trials, prisons and camps, the 'archipelago' spread across the country.
Why it's worth reading
It's on Le Monde's list of the books of the century. Smuggled out and published abroad in 1973, it changed how the world saw the Soviet Union, and its author was exiled for it.
You'll love it if you liked
Darkness at Noon
1984
Stasiland: Stories From Behind the Berlin WallGood to know
The full work is three huge volumes. Many readers choose the authorized one-volume abridgment. It's bitterly ironic and often grimly funny.
By the numbers
- Readers94 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller37 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #17 of the 44 politics books we rank
- #110 of the 198 history books we rank
- #223 of the 762 classics we rank
- #698 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is The Gulag Archipelago worth reading?
Yes. It's on Le Monde's list of the books of the century. It ranks #698 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Gulag Archipelago about?
In 1945, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a Soviet artillery officer, was arrested for criticizing Stalin in a letter and spent eight years in labor camps. In this massive work, built from his own experience and the testimony of more than two hundred prisoners, he documents the whole system of Soviet arrests, interrogations, show trials, prisons and camps, the 'archipelago' spread across the country.
How long does it take to read The Gulag Archipelago?
About 14 hours (544 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Gulag Archipelago?
If you liked it, try Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler, 1984 by George Orwell or Stasiland: Stories From Behind the Berlin Wall by Anna Funder.