The Forsaken: An American Tragedy in Stalin's Russia [BARGAIN PRICE] (Hardcover)

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Key Phrases: corrective labor camps, prison train, Soviet Union, United States, Thomas Sgovio (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

** 'In this spellbinding book, Tim Tzouliadis brings to life an aspect of Stalin's Terror that had been almost completely forgotten' Roger Cox, THE SCOTSMAN ** 'In THE FORSAKEN, Tim Tzouliadis' clear, strong narrative discloses the terrible fates which awaited those who wandered into the Soviet sphere' John Lloyd, FINANCIAL TIMES ** 'This is an extremely impressive book. [Tzouliadis] has done phenomenal research...the writing is crisp and fluent, and the ordinary lives of these Americans come vividly to life; but at the same time the larger political framework is always present, lucidly outlined' Noel Malcolm, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ** 'A fine narrative, full of ironic, sometimes black humour; it is thoroughly researched, sympathetic to the victims and merciless to the perpetrators, and sketches in the now only too familiar background of lies and terror with deadly precision.' LITERARY REVIEW ** 'The author has done a superb job in telling this black tale with authority, sympathy and well-justified anger at those who, like Roosevelt, Wallace, the State Department and its minions, did nothing for the forsaken.' Peter Lewis, DAILY MAIL ** 'Tim Tzouliadis's excellent tome, THE FORSAKEN, warrants immediate attention... a remarkable account of the foreigners who worked, suffered and ultimately perished in the USSR...The grim nature of the material does not silence Tzouliadis's wonderfully descriptive voice . . . An incisive and cogent read.' Julian Fleming, SUNDAY BUSINESS POST. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“In The Forsaken, Tim Tzouliadis’ clear, strong narrative discloses the terrible fates which awaited those—committed communists and apolitical innocents alike—who wandered into the Soviet sphere. Tzouliadis does not spare us the details…this grim, brilliantly told story…reads as from another time.”
—The Financial Times

“Heart-wrenching….”
—New York Post

“[a] gripping and important book…an extremely impressive book…The writing is crisp and fluent, and the ordinary lives of these Americans come vividly to life; but at the same time the larger political framework is always present, lucidly outlined.”
—Noel Malcolm, Telegraph (UK)

"Tim Tzouliadis's excellent tome, The Forsaken, warrants immediate attention…a remarkable account of the foreigners who worked, suffered and ultimately perished in the USSR. The grim nature of the material does not silence Tzouliadis's wonderfully descriptive voice. After a great amount of research, his is a powerful testament to the wretched unfortunates who unwillingly gave their lives for a country they, in many cases, struggled to speak the language of. An incisive and cogent read, [The Forsaken] is required reading for anyone interested in this intriguing, reprehensible and lamentable era."
—Sunday Business Post (UK)

“In this spellbinding book, British writer and film-maker Tim Tzouliadis brings to life an aspect of Stalin's Terror that had been almost completely forgotten – the brutal, systematic extermination of these unlikely economic migrants from Pittsburgh and New York and Wichita, along with millions of other "enemies" of the Soviet state. As almost 100 pages of end notes attest, this is a painstakingly researched story — it must have taken the author several years to assemble all the necessary material — yet it is told with such panache that it doesn't feel the least bit dry or academic.”
—The Living Scotsman (UK)

“It is not often that a new page of history is written….This book is a fine narrative, full of ironic, sometimes black humor; it is thoroughly researched, sympathetic to the victims and merciless to the perpetrators.. [a] fine and important book.”
—The Literary Review (UK)

“Tim Tzouliadis, a documentary-maker whose first book this is, tells the dreadful story of what happened to these deceived emigrants with eloquence and indignation…he has organized his narrative with considerable skill, retaining his focus on the plight of these immigrants into the living hell that was the USSR…Compared with the enormous tragedy of the Russian people under Communism, this history is no more than a footnote—but it is a particularly poignant and revealing one.”
—Evening Standard (UK)

“[The Forsaken] turns the spotlight on a page of Soviet history that has been ignored until now….Although familiar with the Gulag literature from Solzhenitsyn onwards, I found some of these pages impossible to read without pain, anger and astonishment.”
—Peter Lewis, Daily Mail (UK)

“Tzouliadis’s narrative…holds the reader’s attention and illuminates an overlooked chapter in 20th-century history, revealing larger trends in relations between Russia and the United States that persist today...an intriguing tale.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Their story is told with great skill and indignation missing from Western accounts of communist Russia…admirable work…The horror that was Stalinist Russia is still incomprehensible to many Americans, even to many of those who study the USSR professionally. Reading this book is certain to open their eyes.”
—Richard Pipes, The New York Sun

“A superb story, and Tzouliadis tells it well. Tzouliadis sets out to establish the existence of a significant group of Americans in the gulag, and in that he succeeds…he has painstakingly put together all of the memoirs, all of the recollections and all of the Western records—the State Department letters, the diplomatic dispatches—that are available, and has used them to tell the tragic story of the ‘least-heralded migration in American history.’”
—Anne Applebaum, The Spectator (UK)

“This is a powerful, important and highly readable book. The Gulag is no novelty, but Tzouliadis brilliantly links high politics to the torment of innocents, adding devastating detail.”
—George Walden, The Observer (UK)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The (July 17, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 1594201684
• ASIN: B001QFZLPW
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #158,972 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly a gripping book, August 29, 2008

By	Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Forsaken: An American Tragedy in Stalin's Russia (Hardcover)

In the early 1930s, as the Great Depression squeezed the United States in its iron grip, a group of Americans who had seen the propaganda about the "workers' paradise" being built in the Soviet Union, traveled over to find a little piece of paradise for themselves. Almost immediately things began to go wrong - many found their passports stolen by Russian officials, or conveniently "lost." With courage and boundless optimism they began to work in this strange new land, even forming their own baseball teams. But, within four years their "paradise" turned into hell on earth, as the Soviet secret police began to arrest and murder civilians by the thousands. Their American citizenship did not protect them, it made them targets - and when all was said and done very few made it out alive!

This is truly a gripping book. The author does an excellent job of telling the story of the Soviet terror, which resulted in the deaths of so many innocent people, and of telling the story of the Americans who were helplessly caught up in it. I could not tear myself away, turning pages deep into the night, as I watched the horror blossom in front of me, bearing its heartbreaking, heartrending fruit.

This book is a searing indictment of communism, but it is also an indictment of the American government, which took absolutely no action to protect or aid the Americans who they knew were about to be brutalized and murdered. The depth of the Roosevelt administration's complicity is appalling, with the American ambassador even attending show trials and admiring Josef Stalin. The American press was well aware of just what was happening, but they took such small steps (if at all) to inform the public of just what really was happening.

Yeah, as you can tell, this is a very moving book. The author really draws you into the tragedy, and the lives of the people caught up in it. This book should be on everyone's reading list for 2008 - it is a book that should be read by generations to come. I give this book my highest recommendations.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Filling in the Gaps in the Gulag history, August 29, 2008

By	Graham M. Flower (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Forsaken: An American Tragedy in Stalin's Russia (Hardcover)

This book reflects a great amount of scholarship on the part of Mr Tzouliadis, he has done a remarkable job of research here to add to what is already known about the grim story of the gulags. This book is well written and engaging but it also is a fairly thorough survey of the literature on this general topic. I have discovered several good first hand sources that I did not realize existed.

This book also sheds a good amount of light on the question of why the conditions in Russia were so little known in the 1930s. Basically, once a person was inside Russia, censorship of their communication was full and these people had their passports confiscated by the Russian government so it was almost impossible to leave. The Russian government claimed that these American citizens had renounced their citizenships, resulting in the fact that the American state department was not able or very willing to help these poor people.

In addition it appears that the treaties with Russia establishing diplomatic relations were not thoroughly drafted with safeguards for the protection of American citizens in Russia. The Soviets exploited these loopholes extensively.

Mr Tzouliadis sketches in a number of missing pieces in the dynamics here. The Russian foreign ministry was deathly afraid of the NKVD, and so inquiries to the Russian foreign ministry were fruitless. The problem of helping these people could only have been addressed by the highest level of interaction meaning FDR to Stalin. However, unfortuanately one of FDR's key sources was Walter Duranty, one of the most famous newspaper reporters of his time and unfortuantely it appears that Mr Duranty was a very serious apoligist for Stalin at the very least, and quite possibly was an agent of the NKVD as some defectors have alleged. (the existence of these defectors was unknown to me) Hence, several of FDR's sources with respect the the reality inside the Soviet union were compromised. It also appears that bureaucratic lethargy played a role.

Mr Tzouliadis also sheds much light on the question of MIA's possibly being left behind in Asia. From reading this account it becomes pretty clear that American prisoners of war from World war two and Korea have been spirited into the Gulags. The reasons why this was desirable are not clear and Mr Tzouliadis does not engage in any wild speculation. It also becomes fairly clear that the Americans were far from alone in being pulled into the camps, it appears that many nationalities were present in the camps. It also appears that some other nations were perhaps more diligent in pursuing the release of their citizens.

In summary this is a sad tale, but one which fills in some important gaps in the overall story of the camps. It also clarifies why the reality of what was going on inside Russia in the 1930s was simply not known widely and unfortuantely this did lead to a good number of American emigres suffering horrendously and being trapped inside the abyss. I found some of the discussion of the state department behavior and Mr Duranty's writings and influence very interesting. The fact that nobody could get back out of Russia and that several of the most important information channels were tainted goes a long way to explaining why a better understanding of the realities of the Soviet Union under Stalin took so long to come to pass.

This is an excellent and very impressive book and it deserves a wide readership.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very important contribution, August 7, 2008

By	Seth J. Frantzman (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Forsaken: An American Tragedy in Stalin's Russia (Hardcover)

Anne Applebaum in Gulag: A History discusses briefly the issue of foreigners in the Gulag. But she does not give us a figure as to how many were there. Elsewhere stories have popped up from time to time of notable American leftists who journeyed to the Soviet Union in the 1930s and disappeared into Stalin's system. This, finally, is a full account of these people and who they were and where they came from. The author attempts to claim that many of these people were 'ordinary' but this is probably far from the truth. Many of these people were beleivers in the Communist dream, as a time when Capitalism seemed to be failing during the Great Depression. There were also hard core subversives among them, true beleivers in the Stalinist ideology who were 'returning home' to fight for COmmunism. In the supreme irony many of these higher minded intellectuals who hated American, found that the USSR was capable of doing things ten times worse to them than the U.S would ever imagine doing to Communist radicals. THey were rounded up when they tried to have outbursts of free speech, they were beaten, raped and placed on trains to the East. Once there they were worked to death. Few survived. As foreigners they were especially suspect as Stalin's grip became even more paranoid. Americans were imprisoned along with many other people from all over the world who had come to experience the 'Socialist utopia'. These poor people were not the only one's taken in. The New York Times came to Russia in the period and wrote a glowing peice about the miracle of Stalin's Russia. It has taken 70 years for these stories to come to light. It is a pleasure to read this wonderful and important account of these lives who were shattered.

Seth J. Frantzman