The Autobiography of an American Communist: A Personal View of a Political Life, 1925-1975
by Peggy Dennis
We like to demonize our enemies, making them less than human. So with communists, especially during the McCarthy witchhunts after WWII.
This book puts a very human face on being an American communist. It's an amazing, moving, complicated story of a very strong woman who fights for her independence in an environment that doesn't nurture it, neither politically nor socially nor personally. She fights mindless ideology, sexism, long separations from her husband because of party needs, leaving a son in Moscow for the same reason, reversals of fortune as the party line changes with circumstances -- an extraordinary journey, revealed with candor and intelligence. In the end, she leaves the communist party -- but not her belief in socialism or her revolutionary energy and vision. In her view, the party abandons the goal, not her.
This is a story that would make a fine film but probably not here, where communists are still domonized. A fine European film. Someone should adapt it.
I highly recommend this book. It puts a human face on an important era of history.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment