One of Stalin's most heinous acts was the ruthless repression of millions of peasants in the early 1930s; an act that established the very foundations of the gulag. Solzhenitsyn barely touched upon this brutal episode in his magisterial Gulag Archipelago and subsequent writers passed over the subject in silence. Now; with the opening of Soviet archives; an entirely new dimension of Stalin's brutality has been uncovered. The Unknown Gulag is the first book in English to explore this untold story. Historian Lynne Viola reveals how; in one of the most egregious episodes of Soviet repression; Stalin drove two million peasants into internal exile; to work as forced laborers. The book shows how entire families were callously thrown out of their homes; banished from their villages; and sent to the icy hinterlands of the Soviet Union; where in the course of a decade; almost a half million would die as a result of disease; starvation; or exhaustion. Drawing on pioneering research in the previously closed archives of the central and provincial Communist Party; the Soviet state; and the secret police; Viola documents the history of this tragic episode. She delves into what long remained an entirely hidden world within the gulag; throwing new light on Stalin's consolidation of power; the rise of the secret police as a state within the state; and the complex workings of the Soviet system. But first and foremost; she movingly captures the day-to-day life of Stalin's first victims; telling the stories of the peasant families who experienced one of the twentieth century's most horrific instances of mass repression. A compelling story of human suffering and survival in Stalin's Soviet Union; here is a new chapter in the history of the gulag; virtually hidden from sight until now.
#1049129 in Books 2004-09-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.40 x 1.00 x 8.20l; .95 #File Name: 0195174852368 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. An Excellent Biography of Thomas Paine and Revolutionary AmericaBy RDDIn "Tom Paine and Revolutionary America"; Eric Foner examines the social and intellectual world in which the titular Revolution-era writer lived and worked. Unlike other biographies of Paine; Foner focuses on the larger schools of thought and philosophical movements in Revolutionary America rather than presenting Paine as operating in a vacuum. Foner draws upon Paine's own writing as well as other political broadsides from the era. Perhaps the most interesting part of Foner's biography is his lengthy epilogue; in which he examines Paine's work following the American Revolution and the controversy that surrounded his writing after he returned from France. Foner's work will appeal to academic historians while remaining readable enough for non-historians as well.29 of 32 people found the following review helpful. Paine in the context of his time.By frumiousbI had bought this book because I wanted to learn more about Tom Paine. Paine is one of those historical characters who keeps popping up on the edges of discussion; and about whom I knew very little. I became a lot more aware of him through my media studies; given that he was one of the first radical figures to use media effectively as a weapon.In any case; this isn't a biography of Paine; and assumes that the reader already knows (or isn't interested in) many biographical details. The book is more about Paine's reception by the society of the time; with a focus on issues such as the role of artisans; balanced government; republicanism; and free markets. It tracks how Paine was received as political pamphleteer not only in the revolutionary US; but also in the UK and revolutionary France.I think that the book would have meant a lot more to me if I'd already had more background; but the chapter notes did a good job of pointing me to the best books for further reading.2 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Tom Paine Who?By Dennis R. JohnsonWhile the book provided considerable insite into other Radical revolutionary leaders it provided little; other than the writings of Paine; on Paine himeself. I was hoping for some insite into his reasons and thought process which developed into the concepts he outlined in his writings. In this I was disapointed. However I would recommend this book for the missing history it provided; history missing from school curricuium. An omission I feel is damaging to educating in this country
