Super Short Summary

Gulag by Anne Applebaum is a comprehensive examination of the Soviet Union's forced labor camp system from its inception in the early 1920s to its dissolution post-World War II. Using archival research and first-person accounts, Applebaum explores the ideological and political roots of the Gulag, the brutal day-to-day realities faced by prisoners, and the system's eventual decline. The book highlights themes of state repression, the intersection of ideology and power, and human resilience. The book discusses forced labor, systemic torture, political repression, physical and psychological suffering, sexual violence, and suicide.