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Gustaw Herling's A World Apart is one of the most important books about Soviet camps and communist ideology in the Stalinist period. First published in English in 1951 and translated into many languages, it was relatively unknown till Solzhenitsyn's The Gulag Archipelago in the 1970s. However, the narrative of the author's experience in the Jertsevo gulag was highly appreciated by Bertrand Russell, Albert Camus, Jorge Semprun and others. In this first monograph on Herling's fascinating life, show more Bolecki discusses hitherto unknown documents from the writer's archive in Naples. His insight into the subject and poetics of Herling's book and the account of its remarkable reception offer readers an intriguing profile of one of the most compelling witnesses of the 20th century. show less

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6 reviews
I can't believe that there aren't any reviews on this title. It is a powerful book. This author paints an honest and clear picture of his time in a Russian labour camp. It does go into detail the treachery of the various methods of punishment of his captors. What drew me in the most was the description of the psychological transformation of the inmates. To read this without digesting the mental impact is to do a great disservice to yourself. It is one of those works that really adjusts your perspective on life and society. I plan to read, of course, Dostoevsky's "House of the Dead" and Alexander Solzhenitsyn's work on the subject of Russian labor camps. It's such a shame that the world appears to have forgotten this aspect of history show more and lumped it with the rest of the horrors of World War II. show less
Publiée dès 1951 en traduction anglaise, cette oeuvre littéraire parfaitement maîtrisée, remarquée par Albert Camus, Bertrand Russel et Jorge Semprun, constitue un remarquable témoignage sur le goulag soviétique des années quarante (1940-1942).

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Picture of author.
71+ Works 669 Members

Some Editions

Applebaum, Anne (Preface)
Ciolkosz, Andrzej (Translator)
Kozlowski, Nina (Translator)
Mark, Joseph (Translator)
Vogelaar, Jacq (Translator)
Wille, Hansjürgen (Translator)

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Common Knowledge

Canonical title
A World Apart
Original title
Inny świat : zapiski sowieckie
Alternate titles*
Een wereld apart : vroege verhalen uit sovjetkampen
Original publication date
1951 (English) (English); 1953 (Polish) (Polish)
Important places
Grodno, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union; Vitebsk Prison, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union; Kargopol ITL, Yertsevo, Archangelsk Oblast', Russian SSR, Soviet Union
Important events
World War II (1939 | 1945)
First words
The summer of 1940 was nearly over when I was in Vitebsk.
Original language
Polish
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.

Classifications

Genres
Biography & Memoir, Nonfiction, History
DDC/MDS
940.54History & geographyHistory of EuropeHistory of Europe1918-Military history of World War II
LCC
HV8964 .S65 .H4713Social sciencesSocial pathology. Social and public welfare. CriminologySocial pathology. Social and public welfare.Criminal justice administrationPenology. Prisons. Corrections
BISAC

Statistics

Members
298
Popularity
107,703
Reviews
3
Rating
(4.02)
Languages
10 — Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
41
ASINs
9