--- product_id: 48089755 title: "The Gulag Archipelago [Abridged] (Harvill Press Editions)" price: "VT12585" currency: VUV in_stock: false reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/48089755-the-gulag-archipelago-abridged-harvill-press-editions store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Gulag Archipelago [Abridged] (Harvill Press Editions) **Price:** VT12585 **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Gulag Archipelago [Abridged] (Harvill Press Editions) - **How much does it cost?** VT12585 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/48089755-the-gulag-archipelago-abridged-harvill-press-editions) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Buy The Gulag Archipelago [Abridged] (Harvill Press Editions) 1 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Thomas P Whitney, Harry Willets (ISBN: 9781843430858) from desertcart's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Review: One of the most interesting and eye-opening books I’ve ever read - Admittedly, when I first got this book and seen how large it is, I was immediately intimated. Shortly after starting it, this feeling continued. Before reading this I literally knew nothing about Russian history, not a thing. So I barely understood what Solzhenitsyn was talking about and for the most of the beginning of the book, this is a problem. Obviously Solzhenitsyn references many names and events relating to Russian history, which I had no understanding or connection to which inevitably made the book difficult to interpret. So in response to this, I took the time to research Russian history to at least give me a basic understanding. Once things began to make more sense, the book wasn’t as heavy to pick up. For someone who finds themselves in a similar situation to myself or even struggles to read the first 1/4 anyway, STICK IT OUT. This book is phenomenal. Solzhenitsyn proves himself as possibly one of the most impressive writers of the 20th century. His life and the fundamentals that made up the gulag archipelago open your mind in a way which no other book will.The horrific details and truth within this book gave me a new found appreciation for life. You’re life problems immediately seem insignificant as you can’t even imagine the pain and suffering felt by the victims of the gulag archipelago. Solzhenitsyn does an amazing job at showing you very human aspects of so many different events which occurred. As well as this, you can’t help but appreciate his determination and outstanding skills to have actually written such a book, having gone through what he did. This book definitely isn’t pretty and can sometimes be tough to read because of the horrific details it shares but, is a massive eye-opener for anyone who is willing to read it. I’m very happy I read it and can say it has influenced me to dig even deeper into Russian literature. Review: This should be taught in every school. Foundational reading. - This is one of the most important books of the 20th century and can be credited in large part to bringing down the former soviet union. In honest and deeply saddening terms it explains how communism almost inevitably leads to disasterous consequences by taking you through the real life experiences of Alexandr Solzenhitsyn and his incarceration in the Soviet gulag system. Where men almost inevitably become monsters by increments. It is a stark warning to those who would run the most large scale and conclusive social experiment in ideology ever tried. With the predictable consequences seen throughout the modern history. It should be mandatory reading in every western school. It is not an easy read but you do come out of it wiser and with a better understanding of the flaws in the ideology and why and how things consistently go wrong every time it is tried and taken to its inevitable conclusion. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 300,053 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 21 in Russian Historical Biographies 78 in Slavery Biographies 259 in Social & Urban History Biographies | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 5,243 Reviews | ## Images ![The Gulag Archipelago [Abridged] (Harvill Press Editions) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61hLCBrEe9L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of the most interesting and eye-opening books I’ve ever read *by F***K on 17 November 2021* Admittedly, when I first got this book and seen how large it is, I was immediately intimated. Shortly after starting it, this feeling continued. Before reading this I literally knew nothing about Russian history, not a thing. So I barely understood what Solzhenitsyn was talking about and for the most of the beginning of the book, this is a problem. Obviously Solzhenitsyn references many names and events relating to Russian history, which I had no understanding or connection to which inevitably made the book difficult to interpret. So in response to this, I took the time to research Russian history to at least give me a basic understanding. Once things began to make more sense, the book wasn’t as heavy to pick up. For someone who finds themselves in a similar situation to myself or even struggles to read the first 1/4 anyway, STICK IT OUT. This book is phenomenal. Solzhenitsyn proves himself as possibly one of the most impressive writers of the 20th century. His life and the fundamentals that made up the gulag archipelago open your mind in a way which no other book will.The horrific details and truth within this book gave me a new found appreciation for life. You’re life problems immediately seem insignificant as you can’t even imagine the pain and suffering felt by the victims of the gulag archipelago. Solzhenitsyn does an amazing job at showing you very human aspects of so many different events which occurred. As well as this, you can’t help but appreciate his determination and outstanding skills to have actually written such a book, having gone through what he did. This book definitely isn’t pretty and can sometimes be tough to read because of the horrific details it shares but, is a massive eye-opener for anyone who is willing to read it. I’m very happy I read it and can say it has influenced me to dig even deeper into Russian literature. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This should be taught in every school. Foundational reading. *by H***R on 16 October 2023* This is one of the most important books of the 20th century and can be credited in large part to bringing down the former soviet union. In honest and deeply saddening terms it explains how communism almost inevitably leads to disasterous consequences by taking you through the real life experiences of Alexandr Solzenhitsyn and his incarceration in the Soviet gulag system. Where men almost inevitably become monsters by increments. It is a stark warning to those who would run the most large scale and conclusive social experiment in ideology ever tried. With the predictable consequences seen throughout the modern history. It should be mandatory reading in every western school. It is not an easy read but you do come out of it wiser and with a better understanding of the flaws in the ideology and why and how things consistently go wrong every time it is tried and taken to its inevitable conclusion. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Astounding.... *by E***R on 18 November 2010* I had been quite naive to the atrocities carried out during the Russian communist regime under Joseph Stalin until I read Child 44 - the epilogue of which detailed a number of facts and numbers about those who died, who were imprisoned and those (literally millions) who were sent to various gulags to suffer years of torment and abuse. Tom Rob Smith also cites the Gulag Archipelago as one of his sources and I decided to learn more. Solzhenitsyn's Gulag Archipelago is an astounding work. And even more astounding is that what was done in the name of communism has essentially been whitewashed by history, bar books such as this. It is terrifying to think that what Hitler was doing for 2 years was being done to the populace of the USSR for almost 40. To put it in perspective, around 60 million Russians (and Finnish, Germans, Ukrainians, Jews...the list goes on) died during this period - the population of Britain! This was 40 years of execution, starvation, torture, fear and denouncement. No one was ever brought to account (unlike the majority of the Nazis) and the perpetrator of all of this died of a stroke at the ripe old age of 75. Solzhenitsyn encompasses all of this and more. The main focus is the Gulag system however he begins with the fear of arrest, the torture and imprisonment, and then moves to the archipelago. The subject is understandably an emotional one and the prose is punctured by asides from the author berating the system and also berating those who - as late as the 70's - were obviously still trying to keep a lid on what had happened. This makes the book incredibly personal and all the more interesting from a person who lived through all of this (along with stories and quotes from other witnesses and victims) rather than a more objective modern view. The only negatives for me are that the book sometimes feels slightly disjointed. It is an abridged version of the earlier publications which were 4 books covering the entire period - and there are areas where chapters have been taken out which might (in my view) have been better kept in. Particularly a chapter on an escape attempt which I would have loved to have read (and will look up). Also, Solzhenitsyn sometimes goes into very descriptive chapters on the Russian system which - whilst necessary - can be a little dry. All of this aside, this book should be read by everyone. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/48089755-the-gulag-archipelago-abridged-harvill-press-editions](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/48089755-the-gulag-archipelago-abridged-harvill-press-editions) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-02*