Bored? Try some russian history
I found a pdf copy of The Gulag Archipelago online and started reading it earlier this week. Fascinating material. Aleksandr (I can't spell his last name) used accounts from 227 former prisoners to pen this rather extensive archive.
Even if you can't imagine reading the whole thing (it's a daunting task), I'd urge you to check out the first chapter on the Arrest. Objectively it reads like a Mel Brooks movie without the corny jokes. The Cheka just took people for any reason. AS's little examples end up being almost humorous in the ridiculousness of it all.
Plus it's a good read to enlighten yourself about the specifics of what happened in the Soviet Union to make it the Soviet Union. This Chernobyl show on HBO had me jonesing to know more about the dumbasses of the USSR.
anyway, just a quick plug. it's good stuff.
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Stalin must be one of the most evil men in history. I recently read a bit about the Soviet invasion of Finland. The Finns eventually capitulated but not before inflicting massive losses on the Soviet forces. The Soviets made their soldiers walk through Finnish minefields to detonate the mines. I suppose if they refused they would be shot anyway so why not take the chance and hope not to stand on an mine. One fact I learnt. It was the Finns who invented the Molotov cocktail, named after the Soviet minister of that name, It was a very effective weapon.
Moravian
Level 8
May 24, 2019
3
Some of the Russian authors that are popular in the USA are not so popular in Russia . . . . StarMedia has some very good documentaries and movies where you can learn about Russia from the source, not from some hack who disliked Russian society, and also preached christianity in the bargain . . . . Do a search on this site for "documentaries". www.youtube.com/channel/UCB4BRxXp2TsMCe8kU29h3Qw
THHA
Level 7
May 24, 2019
0
I read this when it first came out in paperback (1975 ?), and also read one of his other books, August 1914. Great books, but a bit of a slog.
GeorgeRocheleau
Level 8
May 24, 2019
2
yeah, I just picked up reading again after wasting the first 50 some-odd years of my life.
I haven't watched Chernobyl. You must have liked it. I think I'll check it out. History is fascinating to me. Gulag sounds interesting too.
Summer72
Level 7
May 24, 2019
1
I like chernobyl because I worked in nuclear power for awhile. So it's fun to see how accurate they are.
The Tsar royalty had some strange sexual practices one of the queens was disembodied by a horse.
azzow2
Level 9
May 23, 2019
2
inbreeding and STDs affected many in the head...that was a very weird story and very disturbing...ick
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