Between Two Millstones, Book 1: Sketches of Exile, 1974-1978

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's memoir of the West, Between Two Millstones, Book 1, is being published to celebrate the centenary of his birth. The book details his exile to Frankfurt, Switzerland, and his search for a location to settle his family. It also includes vivid descriptions of his travels, meetings with prominent individuals, and struggles with publishers and agents. The book reflects Solzhenitsyn's pain of separation from his Russian homeland and the chasm of miscomprehension between him and Western society.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2021
Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a Russian Nobel prize-winning author (1918-2008), is widely regarded as one of the most significant figures, and possibly the most influential writer, of the 20th century. To commemorate the centenary of his birth, the first English translation of his memoir of the West, Between Two Millstones, Book 1, is being published. Fast-paced, absorbing, and as compelling as the earlier installments of his memoir, The Oak and the Calf (1975), Between Two Millstones begins on February 13, 1974, when Solzhenitsyn found himself forcibly expelled to Frankfurt, West Germany, as a result of the publication in the West of The Gulag Archipelago. Solzhenitsyn moved to Zurich, Switzerland, for a time and was considered the most famous man in the world, hounded by journalists and reporters. During this period, he found himself untethered and unable to work while he tried to acclimate to his new surroundings.

Between Two Millstones contains vivid descriptions of Solzhenitsyn's journeys to various European countries and North American locales, where he and his wife Natalia (Alya) searched for a location to settle their young family. There are fascinating descriptions of one-on-one meetings with prominent individuals, detailed accounts of public speeches such as the 1978 Harvard University commencement, comments on his television appearances, accounts of his struggles with unscrupulous publishers and agents who mishandled the Western editions of his books, and the KGB disinformation efforts to besmirch his name. There are also passages on Solzhenitsyn's family and their property in Cavendish, Vermont, whose forested hillsides and harsh winters evoked his Russian homeland, and where he could finally work undisturbed on his ten-volume dramatized history of the Russian Revolution, The R.

Solzhenitsyn's exile in Switzerland was not without its challenges. He faced financial difficulties and struggled to adapt to a new cultural environment. However, he continued to write and publish his works, which became increasingly popular in the West. His memoirs, particularly The Gulag Archipelago, exposed the brutalities of the Soviet regime and helped to bring about the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.

Solzhenitsyn's legacy is profound and enduring. He is recognized as a champion of human rights and freedom, and his writings have inspired generations of readers around the world. His courage in speaking out against injustice and his commitment to truth and justice have made him a symbol of hope and resistance.

In conclusion, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is a towering figure in the history of literature and human rights. His memoirs, particularly Between Two Millstones, provide a powerful account of his life and work, and his legacy continues to inspire and influence people around the world. His courage, perseverance, and commitment to truth and justice are an example to us all, and his writings will continue to be read and studied for generations to come.

Weight: 636g
Dimension: 147 x 227 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780268105020