With God in Russia

With God in Russia is the first-person account of Jesuit priest Walter Ciszek's 23 years in Soviet Russia from 1939-1963, including his time in Moscow's Lubianka prison, labor camps in Siberia, and internal exile. The memoir traces Ciszek's journey from his initial entry into the USSR under an assumed identity as a worker, through his arrest by Soviet authorities in 1941. His experiences in prisons, interrogations, and the Gulag system form the core narrative of this Cold War-era testimony. The text documents daily life, survival tactics, human relationships, and the practice of faith under a totalitarian system. Ciszek's observations of Soviet society, fellow prisoners, and the Siberian wilderness provide direct insight into a hidden world that few Westerners witnessed firsthand. The book stands as both a historical record and a meditation on maintaining spiritual conviction in the face of systematic oppression. Through Ciszek's perspective, fundamental questions emerge about human nature, faith, and the ability to preserve one's core identity under extreme circumstances.

Readers describe the book as a personal account of faith and survival that keeps them engaged throughout. Many highlight Ciszek's matter-of-fact writing style and lack of self-pity despite his circumstances. Readers appreciated: - Detailed descriptions of daily life in Soviet prisons and labor camps - The psychological insights into surviving interrogation - His perspective on maintaining faith under extreme pressure - The straightforward, humble narrative voice Common criticisms: - First few chapters move slowly before his arrest - Some religious passages feel repetitive - Limited historical context about the Soviet era Ratings: Goodreads: 4.39/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (750+ ratings) One reader noted: "He presents extraordinary events in an ordinary way, which makes them more believable and impactful." Another commented: "His physical and spiritual endurance seems superhuman, yet he describes it like he's telling you about his commute to work." Few readers gave ratings below 4 stars across platforms.

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🌟 Walter Ciszek spent 23 years in Soviet captivity, including five years of solitary confinement in Moscow's notorious Lubianka prison and 15 years of hard labor in the Siberian gulag. 🌟 After his release in 1963, Ciszek was exchanged for two Soviet spies in a prisoner swap, and the U.S. State Department had long presumed him dead, even issuing a death certificate years earlier. 🌟 During his imprisonment, Ciszek secretly continued his priestly ministry, celebrating Mass in the camps using bread crumbs and wine made from raisins smuggled from the kitchen. 🌟 The book was actually written with the help of Daniel L. Flaherty, S.J., as Ciszek had difficulty putting his experiences into words after his return to America due to the psychological trauma he endured. 🌟 Before his capture, Ciszek volunteered to enter the Soviet Union by posing as a worker using a false identity, having specifically trained for this mission by learning Russian language and Byzantine church customs.