From the Bookshelf of Constant Reader…

Darkness at Noon

Arthur Koestler

Start date: February 1, 2018

Finish date: February 1, 2018

Discussion: Classics Corner

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Classics Corner

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What Members Thought

Apr 05, 2014 Katy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: history-politics, fiction, politics

I think I read this in college, but I upon re-reading, nothing seemed familiar, so maybe not. In any case, I thought it was a. brilliant look into the mind set of the political philosophy of the Soviet Union during the twenties and thirties and particularly the "show trials" which took place in the '30's. The question of the objectivity of truth has been decided. Truth is whatever the Party says it is at any one time. This is clearly demonstrated during the imprisonment and trial of one faithful ...more

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Jun 10, 2009 Robert rated it really liked it

I'm giving this four stars. I thought about three, as the book is depressing, and likely not for everyone. There's a lot of Dostoyevsky's "Grand Inquisitor" in here, and the story is essentially a monolog on the part of the main character, Rubashov along with dialogues between his inquisitors and himself. The writing and the arguments are excellent and serve to portray the period of the Stalinist show trials during the late 30's and early 40's, in the run up to WW II. The settings are fictional ...more

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