Solzhenitsyn: In June 2007, then President Vladimir Putin (r.), who presented Alexander Solzhenitsyn with the State Prize, Russia's highest humanitarian award, visited the writer at his home on the outskirts of Moscow. (Photo by RIA Novosti)
One writer among the Soviet dissidents did the most to force Western awareness of the true nature of the Communist regime during our complacent years of the Sixties and Seventies. He was the same writer who did a huge service to the West in 1978 when, accepting an honorary degree at Harvard, he had the courage to tell the truth about Western materialism and spiritual decay. Solzhenitsyn was sage yet again in his characterization of the Russian Federation in recent years. He was a stern but enormously good prophet.
Solzhenitsyn's last interview, with Der Spiegel, was discussed on Russia Blog just a year ago.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn's death at 89 was just announced.
Solzhenitsyn broke taboos, shook Soviet empire (by Associated Press)
It would be good if he was able to write a book about the oligarchs before he died or post communist Russia s decline during the 90’s. Societal decline and info of the average hardships of Russians during the 90’s would be interesting to read as there is not much info on this.
Anti-Putin protagonists like Anne Applebaum have tried to white wash 90’s Russia.