The author's father, a civil engineer, left Poland for the Soviet Union in 1931. An idealistic communist, he believed it was his duty to emigrate, and to contribute to the building of a new society. His wife and his infant son followed soon after. In 1938 he was arrested and sent to a GULAG camp in Kolyma, where he became a slave in Stalin's state of proletarian dictatorship. Two years later he died, most likely from exhaustion, working in a gold mine. In this book The author, who is a retired physics professor (Professor Emeritus at Montclair State University, New Jersey), shares what he knows and thinks about Stalinism. Educated in the Soviet Union (elementary school), in Poland (high school and master's degree) and in France (Ph.D. in nuclear physics), he came to the United States in 1964. He deliberately avoided talking about Stalinism and concentrated on professional activities--teaching and research. Approaching retirement, however, he wrote an essay on Stalinism entitled
"Alaska Notes." It describes the gruesome Soviet reality, focusing on Kolyma, and on Stalin's inner circle. The essay contained comments on what has been published by some survivors of Stalinism, and by authors of several scholarly books, such as Leszek Kolakowski.
"Alaska Notes" was posted on the Internet discussion list at Montclair State University. This public forum revealed a wide range of opinions about communism. The animated discussion, mostly among professors, convinced the author to transform the essay into this book. It is dedicated to all victims of Stalinism, and in particular to the author's father, a naive idealist deceived by propaganda. Royalties will be donated to a Montclair State Universityscholarship fund.
