Solzhenitsyn, Soviet dissident writer, dies at 89

[Madam Broshkina]

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Soviet dissident writer and Nobel prize winner who revealed the horror of Stalin's brutal labour camps to the world, has died at the age of 89, his son said last night. Stepan Solzhenitsyn said his father had died of heart failure at his home, but declined further comment.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008...elprize.russia

[zelda_pinwheel]

sad news. the world has lost a great man.

[LazyScot]

I had to read A Day in The Life... when studying English. It was one of very few books I had to read at school that I actually enjoyed, and when told to read so many pages by the next lesson, had a habit of reading twice as much.

A sad loss, but one that has left a great legacy, and one that perhaps helped to change the world for the better.

[BookishDreamer]

Originally Posted by LazyScot

I had to read A Day in The Life... when studying English. It was one of very few books I had to read at school that I actually enjoyed, and when told to read so many pages by the next lesson, had a habit of reading twice as much.

I can't say I enjoyed that book, but it's definitely memorable. It's the only book I remember from Russian Lit.

Dreamer

[aleks]

Rest in Peace Aleksandr. Read all your books and found them in them an important lesson on the evil of communism.

[LazyScot]

Originally Posted by BookishDreamer

I can't say I enjoyed that book, but it's definitely memorable. It's the only book I remember from Russian Lit.

Dreamer

Maybe enjoyed was the wrong word. But it was a book that I wanted to read more of; I had empathy with the characters and wanted (at least some), to survive. I was fascinated by the scope of the story -- all happening within a day -- and simultaneously fascinated and terrified by the treatment meted out to the characters. Really rather amazing affect on a 14/15 year old boy.