The Gulag Archipelago

Here is a series of three books (maybe it's four and I didn't realize it) about the Soviet labor camps that began under Lenin and continued under Stalin.  I own three books.  Each book is from a different publisher.  Two were purchased from the library book sale and one from paperback swap.

I have had the series on my reading list for a few years.  Since my family watched the two last Harry Potter movies yesterday for the holiday and since I don't watch Harry Potter, I wandered down to the library and decided to start the Gulag. (About Harry Potter, it's embarrassing really, but it gives me nightmares).

Having already read "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," I thought I might know what to expect of the Gulag Archipelago.  Not so.  The chapter which talks about which people were taken to prison has me left wondering how anyone could have possibly been spared from prison.  Now, I'm reading a chapter on called "Interrogations."  It's horrible stuff.

It also leaves me a little more than irate about Americans who so easily subscribe to the conspiracy theory way of thinking.  That's Stalin in a nutshell.  He had a lot of power and a huge complex about people who were out to get him and/or his government (at least that's my take on it).  The ultimate conspiracy theorist.

I believe that every American could benefit from reading this series.  It's going to take a while to plug through, but I intend to do it now that I've started.