Why ‘The Gulag Archipelago’ Is the Greatest Book of the 20th Century

Victor Davis Hanson

•   January 24, 2026

On this episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” David J. Mahoney explains to co-host Jack Fowler why he believes Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s “The Gulag Archipelago” is the greatest book of the 20th century.

Mahoney, professor emeritus at Assumption University and a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, also unpacks Thomas Sowell’s theory that humans are inclined to adopt one of two worldviews—the “constrained” or the “unconstrained” vision.

Subscribe to Victor Davis Hanson’s own YouTube channel to watch past episodes.

We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. 

Victor Davis Hanson
Victor Davis Hanson | Senior Contributor
Victor Davis Hanson is a Daily Signal senior contributor, hosting a podcast, producing video commentaries, and writing a weekly column. He is the author of “The Counterrevolution The Fall and Rise of Donald Trump and the MAGA Movement.”

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