First published 2019
David Maraniss examines the Red Scare of the 1950s through his father Elliott's experience as a target of communist hysteria. Elliott Maraniss served as a WWII veteran who led an all-black company in the Pacific theater. The FBI monitored his activities while an informant identified him as a communist sympathizer. In 1952, the House Un-American Activities Committee summoned him for questioning. His newspaper employer terminated his position, and he faced five years on an industry blacklist. Throughout this ordeal, Elliott maintained his belief in American ideals and kept his family together. Maraniss traces the broader historical arc from the Depression and Spanish Civil War through the HUAC investigations to McCarthy's downfall. He examines the lives of both his father's accusers and supporters as they grappled with issues of racial justice, fascism, communism, and constitutional rights. The book reveals how political paranoia damaged individual lives while exploring the true meaning of American citizenship. Maraniss delivers both an unflinching examination of 1950s political dysfunction and a tribute to his father's resilience during a period of national fear.
Genres: history, 20th-century, american, non-fiction, biography-memoir, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: resilience, true-story
Setting: America, Pacific
Period: 1950s, Depression, Spanish Civil War, WWII
416 pages · Audio CD · Simon & Schuster Audio