2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

Pages: 182 pages

Length: 1 month (March)

Participants: SarahKat, Rebecca, Beth, Allison

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Starting this weekend!

I think I’ll probably start this one next weekend, so I look forward to reading your comments then .

I didn't realize there are no chapters or anything in this book so it will be a little hard to buddy read. But it's also really short.

I'm on page 100 out of 203 and this will probably be my only update until I finish. Which could very well be tonight.

(view spoiler)[I never know what I'm getting into when reading accounts of prison camps. It could be absolutely heartbreaking and hard to read... or not. In this case, the author has a somewhat detached way of narrating so it's not completely heartwrenching. He basically just lays out the facts. It is sad of course because the fact are horrible. Forced to work outside in -25 degree weather with little to no layers or protection from the wind and cold. Only 2 people can be excused as sick every day. Starvation conditions. It's just such a hopeless atmosphere. I think the reason it seems detached is he says at some point he isn't counting the days he's been there or how many he has left. Life is just today, and the next day and the next day. No hope or yearning for anything else.

My copy came with an appeal from the author to the court trying to get this book and others unbanned. So that was interesting. (hide spoiler)]

Was 100% sure I owned this book…..and guess what?? I own nearly every Russian classic except this one. Hopefully my library has it or I can get it through ILL.

If you have Kindle unlimited, it's on there. I read just enough on Kindle Unlimited to justify the subscription.

I do not.
I barely use my Kindle at all.
Thanks for the tip though!

If you have Audible, there are two free versions in the Audible Plus catalog. I had thought I would read this book on my Kindle, but I’m suddenly thinking audio. 🤔

And that’s me realizing that I just admitted that I have both the digital book subscriptions that Amazon offers. 🤣

I have KU and audible as well. Although I don't usually keep my audible subscription active. I need to use my last credit and then cancel it again.

I inherited my dad's Russian literature collection so I own this one! Allison if you ever want to buddy-read Russian stuff let me know. I probably have a bunch!

❤️

Finished! It's hard to say you "like" a book with this subject matter. But it was really good!

(view spoiler)[Shukhov at the end thinks about what a great day it was because he got some extra food and tobacco and the sickness he woke up with went away and he did such a good job on that wall and they didn't find his steel. I like that he found the good in that day, but it's sad that such simple things were the makings of an inordinately great day.

I don't know how I feel emotionally about it. Sad because of the situation. Guilty because I get down or angry about minor inconveniences whereas Shukhov (and like half the world) are constantly having to fight for enough food. Hopeful because of Shukhov's optimism at the end.... (hide spoiler)]

Today feels like the right day to start this one, so I'm plunging in.

I read about a quarter of the book today, and at the point I’m at, I find myself really disturbed by (view spoiler)[ the games the guards play in giving out and taking away the men’s clothing. I also found the letter writing section sad. (view spoiler)[

I do find that it’s easier for me to read than I expected because the narrator is detached enough that he’s not overly emotive. Almost as if the narrator himself is numb. (And now I have the Linkin Park song “numb” floating through my head.) (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Rebecca wrote: "I read about a quarter of the book today, and at the point I’m at, I find myself really disturbed by the games the guards play in giving out and taking away the men’s clothing. I also found the le..."

Now that song will be in my head all day too!

Well, my only comment at the end is that I'm glad that they showed us a good day. I'm not sure I could have emotionally taken a bad one.

Finished this today. Agree it’s hard to say I liked this book, but I can appreciate the writing style and the achievement this represents.