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In the First Circle

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In the First Circle

Written by: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Harry T. Willets - translator
Narrated by: Derek Perkins
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About this listen

Moscow, Christmas Eve, 1949. The Soviet secret police intercept a call made to the American embassy by a Russian diplomat who promises to deliver secrets about the nascent Soviet Atomic Bomb program. On that same day, a brilliant mathematician is locked away inside a Moscow prison that houses the country's brightest minds. He and his fellow prisoners are charged with using their abilities to sleuth out the caller's identity, and they must choose whether to aid Joseph Stalin's repressive state - or refuse and accept transfer to the Siberian Gulag camps...and almost certain death.

First written between 1955 and 1958, In the First Circle is Solzhenitsyn's fiction masterpiece. In order to pass through Soviet censors, many essential scenes - including nine full chapters - were cut or altered before it was published in a hastily translated English edition in 1968. Now with the help of the author's most trusted translator, Harry T. Willetts, here for the first time is the complete, definitive English edition of Solzhenitsyn's powerful and magnificent classic.

©2009 Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn (P)2018 Tantor Classics Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction Russia Soviet Union Stalin Imperialism Socialism

What the critics say

"[An] indelible novel of towering artistry, caustic wit, moral clarity, and spiritual fire." (Booklist, starred review)
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This is a work of fiction. But knowing Solzhenitsyn's history lends it a lot of significance. A fine example of Soviet Dissident literature.
It's very well-written, with interesting characters and scenes filled with pathos. The translation by Harry T. Willets is excellent. The novel doesn't have much of a plot...more a series of anecdotes of "displaced persons" in 'half-way house'-level incarceration...intellectuals forced to serve the USSR while prisoners.
It's a little slow and at times confusing (I had to restart it once), but I got it as a Daily Deal and took a chance. Well worth it.

Derek Perkins is a fantastic Narrator. I'd love to hear him more.

I give this book a solid 7.5 stars out of 10.

Chilling. "Democratic Socialists" Need to Read

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More than anything, this is about psychology, and how people can become accustomed to anything, if it drags on long enough.

Sometimes hell is in your own mind

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My thoughts:
- The writing and translation are superb. The use and control of language is as strong as any book I've read/listened to.
- It is an interesting tour of how Stalinist Russia functioned. Not pretty.
- Due to the Russian names and the narrator's general inability to differentiate character voices, the first third of the book is tough to follow. That there are so many characters doesn't help.
- While educational the story itself is only mildly interesting. Mildly interesting for 31-hours is no small feat. Pat on the back for me! Full disclosure, I listened to most of the book on 1.75 speed.
- Unless you are lover of the written word or are interested in getting an in depth look at Russia immediately after WWII, I wouldn't recommend taking on this listen.

Mixed feelings

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