The Gulag Archipelago - An Experiment In Literary Investigation - Nobel Prize Winning Complete Three Volume Trade Paperback Set by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn with a forward by Anne Applebaum

Given the circumstances of the country and the world today, I have been reading (or re-reading) several dystopian novels and histories of great civilizations that collapsed. I remember hearing about this book as a child and have wanted to read it, but was daunted by the sheer length and my mother's warning about how difficult is was to read another lengthy Russian book, War and Peace. However, I decided to get the full text rather than the abridged version. So far, I have only read one chapter, but if the rest of the book is as good as the first chapter, it will be worth it to read the whole thing. The author uses real names of people, but I just kind of skip over those since they are Russian. Time Magazine named it one of the most important non-fiction works of the 20th century, yet none of our area libraries have a copy. The pages are very thin and the ink does smudge rather easily. The binding is also a bit suspect, but should hold up to a few readings. The forward (from 2008) is well written and whets the appetite for the book's main contents. For $60 (as compared to over $300 for a used copy), it is worth it.

I believe - very strongly - that every citizen of the free world should make it a point to educate themselves on the results of state-sponsored Marxism in the nations that have - and continue to - base their governments on such. On paper - and in words - Marxism sounds beautiful: "From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs". Nevertheless, no nation - none - has ever - ever - succeeded in implementing this creed prosperously. The former Soviet Union, Venezuela, Cuba, Cambodia, Vietnam, North Korea, China. None of these nations can boast achieving "from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs" on even a community level - because it's humanly impossible, nor have any of these nations escaped institutional genocide, starvation, and tyranny at at least some point in their Marxist history.In general, the abridged version of 'The GULAG Archipelago' is sufficient - and - I highly - highly - advise reading it, carefully. Second Editions Bookstore is a real gem.I purchased all three (all 1,858-plus pages mind you, unabridged, in the original three volume publication) of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's 'GULAG Archipelago' from them - in mint, perfect condition - and - ALL for under $75 total.WOW.What a find.Being an autodidactic researcher of Russian and Soviet history for the past 25 years, I've read the abridged version of 'The GULAG Archipelago' a couple of times, yet have never - until now - found the original three-volume publication available in paperback - and in good condition as such - and - at such a wonderfully reasonable price.

Nice books! Only complaint is that they were advertised as "new" but the covers came looking a little dirty and not very "new."

I haven't had time to fully evaluate

Arrived in perfect condition and quickly

Product arrived exactly as advertised, and very promptly.

This is not about liking or disliking, it's about volume 3 of The Gulag Archipelago missing pages 175 thru 198. The table of contents, notes and index assumes that they're there. They just aren't. The binding and spine are fine (no indication that these pages may have been torn out). It appears that these editions were printed without those pages. Odd don't cha think?

I have been intending to read this series of books for several decades. This paper back editions is very reasonably priced. This is necessary history for anyone that wants to understand Russia and its behavior.

I have been wanting to read these books for years. Glad I finally got them.

All books arrived scuffed and dirty on the front covers

good read of classic literature