Sakhalin. Hard Labors

Vlas Mikhailovich Doroshevich (1864 – 1922) was a contemporary of Chekhov, almost his peer. He made a loud name for himself as a feuilletonist in Odessa newspapers, and then the publisher Sytyn invited Doroshevich to organize the newspaper «Russian Word».

Doroshevich's sketches about hard labor are compared not only with those of Chekhov, which is quite predictable, but also with «Kolyma Tales» by Varlam Shalamov, of course with the difference that the author studied hard labor, albeit from a distance. Doroshevich's goal was very specific – to see hard labor «as it is», and not as it would be «convenient for officials to show» him. To see and write about it.

«Sakhalin» is a book of morals. Doroshevich provides a sociological insight into hard labor, describing its everyday life, the types of convicts and island authorities, the typology of crimes and criminals, the punishing and the punished, as well as their similarities and the ease of transition from one category to another.

The most obvious and bitter thing you understand while reading this book is that it has not become outdated even after a century. Even now, surviving in the conditions of our penitentiary system is incredibly difficult. And surviving without losing one's humanity is even harder.