I’ve noticed a tendency in myself recently to read only shorter works. This isn’t something that’s always been my reading mode – I’ve happily sunk myself into massively long volumes in the past with no issue at all and with great enjoyment. But on thinking about it, I think that embarking on this blog is something to do with it. I’ve been reading shorter works so I can get a review out every day or two, and small volumes are therefore more manageable. This is Not Necessarily A Good Thing – so I have given myself a bit of a talking to and reminded myself that at the end of the day, I read for pleasure and I read what I feel like reading, and that it doesn’t matter if I don’t post for a week!
So – I take on a chunkster! The book in question is one that’s been on my TBR mountain for a couple of years in its present form and for about 35 in its original form! In case that statement causes any confusion I’ll explain – in my teens I discovered Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and after reading “One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich” I got hold of all of his books that I could – most of them in Penguins from the 1970s or thereabouts. One such was “The First Circle” and I confess to never having got very far into it.
However, a couple of years ago I discovered that this volume had been severely truncated by the author in the 1960s in an attempt to get it published by the Soviet authorities, following the success of “Ivan”. Needless to say, they wouldn’t have anything to do with it, but it was this shortened version that had been published in the West, somewhat out of Solzhenitsyn’s control. After he defected to the West, he restored the work to its original form and this version was published shortly after his death, in a version by his approved translator, Henry Willetts (under the title “In The First Circle”). I demanded a copy from family for Christmas 2010 but didn’t get very far into it – at 700+ pages I was a bit daunted.
But – 700-odd pages or not, I am determined to read this. Solzhenitsyn seems to be in some ways a forgotten author which is a great shame. When I was growing up he was ubiquitous because of his political stand and his defection to the West, and his books were very highly regarded. However, I think his public persona and his politics have got in the way of perception of him as an author. I read “Cancer Ward” within the last few years and was blown away. I think he’s a remarkably good writer and I’m looking forward very much to getting sunk into “In The First Circle”.
Nov 27, 2012 @ 10:58:22
Good luck!
Nov 27, 2012 @ 11:12:02
Thank you! It’s going well so far – I’m pacing myself and enjoying it very, very much and not feeling guilty about not starting a new book every day or so!
Nov 27, 2012 @ 19:50:00
Love the way that you describe this; I’ve never seriously thought of reading a novel of his, but you’ve piqued my interest.
Nov 27, 2012 @ 20:37:51
I find Solzhenitsyn’s work very readable and astonishingly moving – “Cancer Ward” should have been depressing but wasn’t. If you want to give his work a go, I’d recommend starting with “One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich” (probably the Willetts translation) as it’s short and will give you a flavour of what he’s about. I’m actually enjoying pacing myself through this one, and it isn’t hard work at all, but involving and enjoyable. His characterisations are very strong.
Dec 06, 2012 @ 12:07:36
Like you I first read One Day in the Life of… and then his historical novel 1914, both of which I enjoyed. I tried The Gulag Archipelago but I think I was too young and quickly gave it up. Vasily Grossman is another writer of big books but very readable for all that.
Dec 06, 2012 @ 13:35:03
I haven’t managed to get through “Gulag Archipelago” either yet, but I found “Cancer Ward” to be a remarkable book. Have just picked up the Willetts translaton of “One Day…” and I’ll be interested to see what differences there are.
I also have “LIfe and Fate” on the tbr – alas, there just isn’t enough time to read, is there?
May 25, 2014 @ 16:44:42
If found it difficult to start Cancer Ward. I had a number of attempts over a six month periods, but then one day I was in the right mood for it and read the whole thing in that one day.
May 25, 2014 @ 16:49:10
There’s a lot to be said about reading the right book at the right time – I’ve certainly found there’s no point forcing yourself to read. Look at Proust – I’ve been carrying him around for 30 years and finally got started!