The Industry of Souls

A touching book about friendship in the gulags (work camps) of Siberia, The Industry of Souls by Martin Booth is a wonderfully written novel with an unforgettable story that examines the most basic human emotions of love and hope during the worst of times. The book follows the life of Alexander Bayliss, a British citizen who is wrongly accused of espionage by the KGB and is sentenced to 25 years of hard labor in Siberia. The book centers around the friendships and bonds he makes with the six other men in Work Unit 8. Even in the terrible living and working conditions of the gulag, the seven men help and support each other in order to maintain their optimism and sanity. Almost all were betrayed into the gulags either by their acquaintances or by their country. Over the course of two decades, they find understanding and trust once more in their comrades. This book explores themes of love, friendship, and freedom in the unusual setting of the gulag. The setting helps bring out the themes because it is often only during the worst of times when one truly comes to appreciate what they would normally take for granted. Martin Booth delves deep into these themes, showing us that even in the most hellish places, love and hope can exist. In this way, what I found to be the most touching was the friendship between Shurik (Alexander's nickname) and Kirill, the leader of Work Unit 8. The events that unfold bring the reader to ponder the value of a true comrade. They make the reader wonder how far they would go for a friend. At times the book is heartbreaking. Other times, the book leaves the reader furious at the injustices of Communist Russia. However, I don't believe Martin Booth was trying to reveal the corruption that put fear in the lives of all Russians during that period of time. I think his main message was that even in bad times and in the midst of such corruption, true friendship can help you pull through. As Shurik said himself, "I owed... my allegiance to my comrades, not to my country. Friends are more important than flags." A thoroughly compelling read, the reader is drawn into the story and doesn't want to leave. I give this book five stars.

I was loaned this book by a friend who bought it at a dollar store, and it sat on the shelf for a long time before I finally had enough time (between other books and general workload) to read it. I wish I had read it sooner.I honestly can say that this book touched me in a way that few books do. Not only did it inspire me to contemplation, it also touched me on an emotional level. The story of Shurik and his years in the gulag and the lessons he learned (both in the mining camp and in his time in Myshkino) really pulled me in and imparted wonderfully written words of wisdom upon me.I think everyone should read this book, really. I can honestly say, out of all the books I have ever read, this is my absolute favourite. I give all my praise to Martin Booth and the Industry of Souls.

Martin Booth's gentle story is a true gem. Truthfully, I brought it to read because I thought it was about the horrors of the gulag, and such tales hold a fascination that's hard for me to resist. Instead, I found a wonderful, insightful and warm story of friendship and love; not what I was looking for, yet more than I could have hoped for. As Shurik strolls through his beloved Russian village of Myshkino on his eightieth birthday, he stops to chat with friends and remembers back to his 25 years of hard labor in the coal mines of the gulag. And as we follow him through the village and through time, we learn that love and friendship are all we have and all we need. When those are strong in us, the unbearable is bearable and the little moments of life are more important than we can imagine. There is such integrity and wisdom in its lessons that "The Industry of Souls" is virtually a text book on the power of relationships. I won't forget this story for a long time. I highly recommend it.

Its a story that allows your feelings and fondness to grow for Shurik, the "Englishman of Myshkino." Martin Booth has written a beautiful tale of friendship, dignity in the face of unbearable odds and loyalty in a place where revenge would seem appropriate. Alexander Bayliss is a character you will find yourself more attached to as the pages turn. Quickly, I was cast in his sometimes stark, black and white world, anxious to discover the simple philosophy that sustains him and his fellow workers of the gulag. Its a noble story. Perhaps most memorable, other than the decision Shurik ultimately faces, is the excavation of a 20 thousand year old mammoth. A brilliant read! A book to be past among friends.

I have just finished this book and rushed to recommend that it be the next book for our book club to read. I felt it was a wonderful book of forgiveness. It portrayed how a man showed no bitterness for the brutality of his imprisonment in fact embraced the strength of human spirit in his friendship with other inmates. The unconditional love and friendship he encountered in prison was continued on his arrival in the village in which he was to live the remainder of his life The contrast between the harsh prison life and the gentle life of the country was marked by their juxtaposition of alternate chapters. I did not want the book to end.