"In the First Circle" Refined

English translator Harry T. Willetts' version of perhaps the greatest novel ever written by one of the great writers of the last century shall finally be available. The definitive text (i.e., "as the author envisioned it") of "In the First Circle," arrives on bookshelves in the West on October 13th.

According to Edward E. Ericson, Jr., authority on the work of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, and professor emeritus of English at Calvin College:

"In the First Circle" is the first work by Solzhenitsyn to go to press in English since he died last year at age 89. A major writer's death fosters reflection on his overall achievement, so this is the perfect time to reconsider the novel now that it is finally available to us as the author intended. A literary classic is defined as a book still read a century after appearing. On that basis one might say that the book has already had a 40-year head start on fulfilling that definition, given the acclaim with which the bowdlerized text has been received since its appearance in the West in 1968.

An intriguing intimation of the prospects for this version comes from the Russian experience with the canonical text. In 2006 a Russian television network presented serializations of classic Russian novels by Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Pasternak, Bulgakov and Solzhenitsyn. Fifteen million viewers tuned in to each installment of "In the First Circle."

More from his Wall Street Journal article adapted from his foreword to "In the First Circle" (Harper Perennial) can be found here.

Amazon.com shows "In the First Circle: The First Uncensored Edition (Paperback)" now available. Be sure to get the new edition.