Alexander Solzhenitsyn and H.T. Willetts - One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Pros: Simple, absorbing, thought-provoking
Cons: None for me

Hitler is widely regarded as the most evil despot to ever slither out from beneath a rock, and it's hard to argue the fact. But Stalin must be a strong contender. It's hard to imagine what was going on in his head when he systematically allowed millions ...

Pros: A powerful story that modern readers should be aware of.
Cons: The story is dreary and does not make for particularly enjoyable reading.

“One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” is Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s first book, a classic of modern Russian literature and the title that propelled him onto the literary world stage. As for the plot – well, the ...

Pros: simple, thought-driven story from a refreshing, unique viewpoint.
Cons: not all readers may appreciate this book

Although not all too well known, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich has gained reputable status as a classic work of literature, and even allowed the author to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. Written under...

Pros: Beautifully written.
Cons: Very strong language in many dialogues

"He'd had a lot of luck today. They hadn't put him in the cooler. The gang hadn't been chased out to work in the Socialist Community Development. He'd finagled an extra bowl of mush at noon. The boss had gotten them good rates for their work. He'd...

Pros: Clear and compelling writing
Cons: None

Any one interested in the learning about the moral bankruptcy of the Soviet Union can start here. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn served as an officer in the Red Army during World War II until he was arrested and imprisoned in early 1945. He spent eight years ...

Pros: Enthralling story line, seems as if it COULD be true, the pain exhibited in this novel is so real you can feel it.
Cons: Very graphic.

When I was assigned in the beginning of the year (in my Honors English class) to read a book from a foreign country every quarter, I picked up some famous novels. None of them really interested me, but I saw a book with a very long title and a very...

Pros: A story showing how amazing the human spirit can be.
Cons: Also shows how evil man can be to fellow man.

Somehow I managed to make it out of school without reading this most forceful and artistic indictment of political oppression. When I found it among the books on our bookshelf -- one of my husband's many contributions to our library -- I knew I had to...

Pros: Makes my life seem a lot better
Cons: monotonous, but like a real Soviet labor camp day

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich tells stories about the prisoners of the
Soviet labor camps during the Stalinist era in Russia are simply known as zeks.
Both books illustrate the similarities and differences of people’s attitudes and...

Pros: Excellent Detail
Cons: Graphic

Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, also know as simply Shukhov, is in a Russian labor camp. Throghout a day, he does miscellaneous tasks that the soldiers tell him to do. Some of these tasks include cleaning rooms and building walls and things in subzero degree...