Cancer Ward

Interesting Facts

• The book is based on the author's personal experience, as he himself endured a severe illness and was treated in an oncology ward.
• The novel was written between 1963 and 1966 but was only published in the USSR in 1990.
• The main character, Oleg Kostoglotov, is an autobiographical figure in whom Solzhenitsyn reflected his own experiences and thoughts.
• The book provides a detailed depiction of the relationships between patients and medical staff, making it an important social document of its time.
• The novel explores themes of human dignity, courage, and resilience in the face of a terminal illness.
• The book was banned in the USSR as it was considered a critique of the Soviet medical system and society as a whole.
• The characters in the book represent a broad spectrum of Soviet society, allowing the author to explore the social and political aspects of the time more deeply.