What do you think?
Solovki: The Story of Russia Told Through Its Most Remarkable Islands
Located in the northernmost reaches of Russia, the islands of Solovki are among the most remote in the world. And yet from the Bronze Age through the twentieth century, the islands have attracted an astonishing cast of saints and scoundrels, soldiers and politicians.
The site of a beautiful medieval monastery—once home to one of the greatest libraries of eastern Europe—Solovki became in the twentieth century a notorious labor camp. Roy Robson recounts the history of Solovki from its first settlers through the present day, as the history of Russia plays out on this miniature stage. In the 1600s, the piety and prosperity of Solovki turned to religious rebellion, siege, and massacre. Peter the Great then used it as a prison. But Solovki’s glory was renewed in the nineteenth century as it became a major pilgrimage site—only to descend again into horror when the islands became, in the words of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the “mother of the Gulag” system.
From its first intrepid visitors through the blood-soaked twentieth century, Solovki—like Russia itself—has been a site of both glorious achievement and profound misery.
The site of a beautiful medieval monastery—once home to one of the greatest libraries of eastern Europe—Solovki became in the twentieth century a notorious labor camp. Roy Robson recounts the history of Solovki from its first settlers through the present day, as the history of Russia plays out on this miniature stage. In the 1600s, the piety and prosperity of Solovki turned to religious rebellion, siege, and massacre. Peter the Great then used it as a prison. But Solovki’s glory was renewed in the nineteenth century as it became a major pilgrimage site—only to descend again into horror when the islands became, in the words of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the “mother of the Gulag” system.
From its first intrepid visitors through the blood-soaked twentieth century, Solovki—like Russia itself—has been a site of both glorious achievement and profound misery.
- GenresHistoryRussiaNonfiction
321 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2004
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 22, 2021
"Baby it's cold outside!". Here we have a most excellent book written by a dude named Robson. Far north in the Russian white desert--snow white, NOT Snow White and the Seven Vertically Challenged Peoples--just "under15 feet of pure white snow" (a lyric from the great Nick Cave) just snow blindedness as far as the eye can't see, is a holy Orthodox monastery. Many people here got closer to God. You can too by reading this book. It is profitable to the soul. Love 💕 always.
February 21, 2016
A very interesting history of the far northern Islands of Solovki in the cold White Sea in far northern Russia. This story is essentially a story of the Russian orthodox church and related issues in this remote location. The book is well written. It is neither too academic nor overt literature. It was not very long and the chapters are easy to read at one sitting. Recommended for those with an interest in Russian history, Russian orthodox church, monastic movements and even the Soviet Gulags. These islands apparently were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1992.
November 29, 2015
Well worth reading. Starts slow but quickly gets better. Unlike many books on Russian history, it doesn't dwell on the 20th century (although that part of the book is as good as the rest, it takes up only the last three chapters or so.) This was a really fascinating read from which I learned a lot, for example, for the first time I have an idea who the "Old Believers" are.
April 25, 2010
Another book that has been riding on my 'to read' list for several years. It finally appeared under the birthday tree this year.
March 25, 2018
A well-written and interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews