Darkness at Noon (Vintage Classics)

Almost unbearably intense account of a man imprisoned, interrogated and ... by the Soviet regime. Never explicitly indicated as such but obvious. Harsh and brutal. The short stark segment, not available in earlier versions, where he describes what 2000 desperate and lonely men actually do at night in solitary is fervid, pungent and unforgettable. And the story proceeds to its inevitable conclusion. It is obvious why this is recognised as a classic. One of the best novels I have read in quite some time. The Soviet regime is gone but regimes like it are still thriving in abundance. Some of them still call themselves communist. They all need to be destroyed.

This novel, based on the historical reality of the Stalinist era trials should be a cautionary tale about what we see developing in so many of our political, educational and even religious institutions including the large corporate world. Primary in the many signs this novel reminds us of where we might be going is the present and growing phenomenon of self-incrimination by way of eliminating the presumption of innocence as a political and philosophical legal concept. The first step toward the elimination of the presumption of innocence is the establishment of dogmatic and unquestionable narratives, after which all accused are guilty a priori.

Koestler became famous for this book which I had not read. I was surprised but glad that he did not give his Commuist characters a storybook ending, rather, a realistic sober one. It should be in all quality libraries.

For those who care about the unfolding of human political affairs, especially in 20th Century Europe, this is one of the most important books ever written. Although it's a novel, I am convinced that it represents an amalgam of historical truth. Above everything, this book teaches those of us who enjoy intellectual freedom never, ever to let it be squandered.

Important book.

Ordered book and got play by mistake. Waiting for refund.

Interesting read.

Excellent

Arguably the best book to come from this bleak period of history, this new translation brings a modern vibrancy to the text. Never fails to make me think each re-read. Masterful.

Read alongside 1984. Ignore the inevitability of the gun to the head and consider how else our free will is being challenged theses days and not just through monolithic states. This ending is less sad than 1984 but all the same...

Excellent audio recording! I'd been searching for this classic on CD for some time, and I was very pleased to finally find it. The reader is outstanding and his performance quite impressive. It's like simultaneously reading a book and listening to a play. I'm hooked on audio books!

This book should be on every essential reading list in every school. An absolute masterpiece. I couldn’t put it down. The version of the book on sale is also noteworthy - it’s a very good quality paperback.

Brilliant exposition of the perils of communism