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8 comments

[ 3.2 ms ] story [ 24.3 ms ] thread
ggm
"cancer ward" is well worth reading. A tale of hope tempered by realism in the political springtime of the post Stalin period.
tagoregrtst
Have you read “In the first circle”? Great read, and they made a mini series out of it that I believe Solzhenitsyn himself narrates.
ggm
Yes, And I enjoyed it a bit .. less? I can't really say why. The writing is lyrical, wonderful. "Gulag Archipelago" is hard going. Ivan Denisovitch is set as a kids reading book in the UK (or was)

"Cancer Ward" is my favourite. Perhaps it's because it has inside it a simple-but-its-complicated, love story? I know thats a bit asinine, but I like romance.

tagoregrtst
I enjoyed CW more than FC. I think FC was more depressing. I like Ivan Denisovich most though - theres a message of hope in it that that the others lack.

I agree about the romanticism of CW. Why dismiss love as asinine?

munduz
Was skeptical about Issyk-Kul Root, until understood it's same as chemotherapy.

Here in Kyrgyzstan, some people consume the Root regularly, with long delays in between (multiple years). Guess, this kills starting cancer.

tagoregrtst
You’re in Kyrgyzstan? Thats awesome! I want to visit the central stans and Mongolia so much.
riskycodes
Excellent article - narratively compelling but also very interesting!