While browsing the isles at the Saxtet Austin Gun Show, I came across the volumes of this famous book. They appear to be first editions, with no copyright information earlier than 1974-1975. They are in great condition with the dust jackets suffering only tiny tears around the edges. The seller wanted $10 each or $15 for both.
I was surrounded by firearms, survivalist gear, unbanned high-capacity magazines, some grips that I wanted for my Browning Hi-Power, and numerous other items and gadgets I found interest in. But they paled in comparison to the value I have heard so many others place in Solzhenitsyn's work. In my youth, this was one of those books that people referred to in tones reserved for something approaching holy. I had only the most general conception of what was written within and never got off my ass to read the copy my dad had in his library. This Saturday marked the first time I sat down to read.
I'm currently in the middle of the "Bluecaps" chapter (the fourth, I believe) and I'm having trouble pulling myself away. The details of the USSR's vile practices are there and I can't ignore them. Neither should anyone else. This is literature that every educated human should understand.
UPDATE 9/29/2004 9:02pm
Thanks to Billy Beck for questioning reality of what I actually have. I was mistaken that I have all three volumes. Two photos demonstrate this:
Pictures of the two covers. Click for a larger version.
Pictures of the inside pages displaying copyright info. Click for a larger version.
So it appears I have another volume to search for. Not as though I'll be done with the first two anytime soon, though. *laugh*
Posted by Drizzten at September 20, 2004 09:14 AM
ATTENTION: Comments are closed. You are viewing my old blog, archived for search engine purposes.
To view the new blog, please go to the homepage. To find the current version of this entry, search here.
Uhm, you wrote the word "both", but that is actually a three-volume work. I have three volumes in the paperback edition that I originally annotated nearly twenty years ago, now, but I've only ever managed to find volumes I and II in first edition hardcover (not that I've exactly been tipping the whole country over in the hunt).
In any case, that's something that everyone who can read, should.
The work I have is two seperate books and I believe the first volume had I and II while the second had III. Possibly some mixture thereof. I don't have them in front of me at the moment, but I'll check when I get home from work.
Posted by: Drizz on September 29, 2004 04:49 PMI suppose that's possible, but I can't see how they would be first editions. Together, volumes II & III comprise a total of over twelve hundred pages. That might make the matter clear when you look at what you've got.
Anyway, I was amazed at the flap over Anne Applebaum's book ("Gulag: A History") appeared. When I read it, nothing had changed my mind. It's not bad, but Solzhenitsyn did it all, and better by whole orders of magnitude, over thirty years ago.
The "Archipelago" is absolutely essential.
That's what I'd thought. That is exactly what I have in hardcover, although yours are in better shape than mine.
Yeah, I got mixed up on the Roman numerals written on the inside title pages. So now I gotta go look for a third monstrous hardcover to complete the set? I'm thinking Christmas present...Dad should really get a kick out of this idea.
I missed the Applebaum episode, even though it appears it happened within the last few years. What was the dust-up about? Was it the "good intentions" Commies complaining about digging up the past?
Posted by: Drizz on September 30, 2004 09:42 AMOn Applebaum: no, it was a pretty straightforward history of Gulag, but it was entirely redundant after Solzhenitsyn, and not nearly so comprehensive.
The thing that got me, however, is how reviewers swooned over it. The whole thing struck me as an episode of rank newbies coming late to the party.
I could do without Applebaum's book. Solzhenitsyn's effort would go in my bug-out bag if I had to leave this house on fire.