Well, not quite 50 yet, but have read “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich”, “Cancer Ward”, “The First Circle”, and “August 1914”.
That’s how I got started! Now go for the “Gulag Archipelago”. (You’ll thank me later).
You are well-informed. I read all of those books as well and would never want any kind of dictatorship in the USA. I wish that young people would read “One Day ... “ It is very short but gets the point across.