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rh_222006's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
deb729's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Disturbing in its description of inhumanity and absurdity, inspiring in the author's indomitable human spirit, and vivid in its portrayal of incomprehensible conditions of horror.
lprnana6572's review against another edition
5.0
Truly remarkable account of the Stalin purges. This autobiography is like your worst nightmare come true. The strength of the author is amazing. I highly recommend it if you are interested in this topic.
evelikesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
The particular edition that I read was published in the 60s, which means that it was sewn through the fold. I love books bound this way; you don't have to hold them open. I wish all hardcover books were sewn through the fold.
Evgenia Ginzburg was sent to prison during the Stalinist purges of the late 1930s on a trumped-up charge, like many others. I had read about the purges, and I even read some Solzhenitzyn back in college, though that was a while ago now. Ms. Ginzburg describes in detail the circumstances of her arrest, interrogation, and trial which resulted in a ten-year sentence of solitary confinement. Mind you, she didn't actually serve in solitary for that long; due to overcrowding she was given a roommate after a while, and then was sent to the gulags with the rest of the political prisoners.
The book ends rather abruptly not long after her arrival at the work camp in Kolyma, in the far northeast of Siberia. She relates her transfer to the medical unit, a transfer which saved her life as she no longer had to work outside in the freezing cold. However, she was imprisoned for many more years after that and I would have been curious to know more details of what happened to her there, and then what happened after she was released. Did she find out what happened to her husband? She mentions that she never saw her son Alyosha again. Did he die? Was he missing? What about her reunion with her other child? I'm not sure why she didn't write the end.
Evgenia Ginzburg was sent to prison during the Stalinist purges of the late 1930s on a trumped-up charge, like many others. I had read about the purges, and I even read some Solzhenitzyn back in college, though that was a while ago now. Ms. Ginzburg describes in detail the circumstances of her arrest, interrogation, and trial which resulted in a ten-year sentence of solitary confinement. Mind you, she didn't actually serve in solitary for that long; due to overcrowding she was given a roommate after a while, and then was sent to the gulags with the rest of the political prisoners.
The book ends rather abruptly not long after her arrival at the work camp in Kolyma, in the far northeast of Siberia. She relates her transfer to the medical unit, a transfer which saved her life as she no longer had to work outside in the freezing cold. However, she was imprisoned for many more years after that and I would have been curious to know more details of what happened to her there, and then what happened after she was released. Did she find out what happened to her husband? She mentions that she never saw her son Alyosha again. Did he die? Was he missing? What about her reunion with her other child? I'm not sure why she didn't write the end.
haazex's review against another edition
5.0
Over the last few days Evgenia Ginzburg's autobiography 'Journey into the Whirlwind' has been a constant companion. Her book is one of the more well known biographies describing the insanity of the Stalin era as it follows her descent into a bureaucratic and inhumane machine of torture and imprisonment seemingly designed to devour the strength and humanity of an individual's existence. She starts out as a devoted journalist, communist, spouse and mother of two small children that innocently becomes accused of political crimes. She was arrested in 1937. From a modern perspective the situation is Kafkaesque in its surreal embrace. However, as the pages and hours pass Ginzburg's voice describes a dizzying array of psychological and physical horror ranging from her interrogation, isolation and transfer to the Gulag, where the book abruptly ends. It is a painting of inferno and human misery although the glow of hope glimmers constantly through the memories she evokes. Her humanity shines through every page as she describes the life she is forced to endure. There are numerous moments that are luminous in allowing us to appreciate the simple things in life. Ginzburg's love of poetry and literature in general permeates her memoirs as it is one of the strengths that lifts her above the situation she is immersed in and allows her to keep struggling through the ruthless inferno.
I felt such an injustice in my heart that this woman had to be dealt such a fate. The horror is of course that millions of innocent people endured similar experiences as the ones Ginzburg describe. Beyond the human qualities in Ginzburg's writing a sense to explore the time of the Gulag is awakened. Ginzburg did indeed write a second part to her autobiography ("In the Whirlwind") that I am looking forward to read. Of course, Solzhenitsyn's "The First Circle" and "The Gulag Archipelago" beckon in conjunction with Applebaum's study 'Gulag'. The book was not translated into English until 1975, and its sequel is currently out of print in the UK as well as the US. I am surprised that such a work has not received greater attention. Ginzburg's memoirs certainly makes one appreciate living in peace although it also makes one realize that such 'peace' cannot be taken for granted. Her voice and character lingers in my mind. Highly recommended!
I felt such an injustice in my heart that this woman had to be dealt such a fate. The horror is of course that millions of innocent people endured similar experiences as the ones Ginzburg describe. Beyond the human qualities in Ginzburg's writing a sense to explore the time of the Gulag is awakened. Ginzburg did indeed write a second part to her autobiography ("In the Whirlwind") that I am looking forward to read. Of course, Solzhenitsyn's "The First Circle" and "The Gulag Archipelago" beckon in conjunction with Applebaum's study 'Gulag'. The book was not translated into English until 1975, and its sequel is currently out of print in the UK as well as the US. I am surprised that such a work has not received greater attention. Ginzburg's memoirs certainly makes one appreciate living in peace although it also makes one realize that such 'peace' cannot be taken for granted. Her voice and character lingers in my mind. Highly recommended!
crey18's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely fascinating and well written memoir. Genia's descriptions really caused me to reflect deeply on the use of solitary confinement as a punishment.
aericsson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
skylar2's review against another edition
4.0
This is an incredibly detailed account of the author's experience in prison following Stalin's purges. I was surprised how upbeat she seemed until the very end: even simple things like access to reading material and fresh air sustained her. The only problem I had with the book was its being a pure memoir - many of the current events in the book that impacted the author were only alluded to in the prose, or in the footnotes, so the state of the country as a whole was left unexplained.