That, is amazing!
MOSCOW (AP) - “The Gulag Archipelago” is essential reading for Russian students, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday _ unusual words of praise from a former KGB agent for Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s explosive book on the crimes of the Soviet regime.
Putin spoke at a meeting with Solzhenitsyn’s widow, Natalya, to discuss a new edition of “The Gulag Archipelago” that was made part of required reading for Russian high schools. The inclusion of the book in the school curriculum, and the words of praise from Putin, contrasts with his previous efforts to inculcate pride in the country’s Soviet past.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/oct/26/putin-solzhenitsyns-gulag-archipelago-essential/