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Liked It “We owe so much to Whittaker Chambers - a brave man who explains why he joined the Communist party, why he left and what he did to save the nation. I hope his descendants know that some of us are extremely grateful for his huge sacrifice.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“We owe so much to Whittaker Chambers - a brave man who explains why he joined the Communist party, why he left and what he did to save the nation. I hope his descendants know that some of us are extremely grateful for his huge sacrifice. ”
Sheila W wrote this review Sunday, September 25, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Incredible story of the transformation of a committed communist to active anti-communist”
Jwalsh53 wrote this review Thursday, February 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I would recommend this book to people interested in US political history who have a lot of patience. It is 800 pages long and, in my opinion, could have been edited down by half. It was quite sensational when it came out, but seems less so now, 50 years later.
Jane V wrote this review Thursday, March 4, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Mr. Chambers was involved in Soviet espionage during the 1930, broke with the Communists, and then testified against Alger Hiss and others in the 1940s. The information I found most remarkable in this book was the fact that the Roosevelt government was trying to cover-up the level of Communist infiltration within itself. Chambers points out that the Roosevelt government was essentially socialist and therefor sympathetic.”
“Sarah Bode
Sarah B wrote this review Monday, February 1, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Mr. Rich
English II-4
January 30, 2010
Review #7
I am in the middle of reading a book titled Witness by Whittaker Chambers. The book chronicles Chambers’ extraordinary life during the Cold War, operating first as a spy for the Communist Party, and then describing his break with Communism as well as his switch to the American side. His harrowing account of the War is a real-life spy novel, full of twists, dark secrets, intrigue, and secret meetings. Chambers’ life was in danger every day, even more so after he broke with the Communist Party. Yet he still persevered, eventually coming to testify against one of his former comrades in federal court.
I have not read much of the book- I’m only about 150 pages into it- but from what I’ve read, it is a book that should definitely be read. Chambers has a flowing, almost lyrical, style that is easy to understand, even though he does inundate the text with multi-syllabic words from time to time. I am not saying that it is an easy read, but it is a good one.
If Witness has a theme, it is perseverance. The author had to persevere through the difficult break with the Communist Party, had to persevere through the trials of his former comrade Alger Hiss, and had to deal with the difficulty of getting his life back to some semblance of normal after everything was said and done.
A gentle and peaceful man by nature, Chambers despised violence for any reason. “As a man, I will kill. But I will kill under duress…and always in rebellion…Let me never kill unless I suffer that agony, for if I do not suffer it, I will be merely a murderer” (Chambers 124). It was this gentleness, as well as a conscience that couldn’t stand it anymore, that enabled him to break with the Communists.
I am not finished with Witness just yet, but I plan on reading the book through to the end. It is very long- around 800 pages- but I have the feeling it will be worth the time and effort!
”
“An inscribed copy was in our high school library in Glassboro N.J. A sad inscription...
alice m wrote this review Tuesday, December 22, 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
An important view of the period of Soviet spying and Senate hearings.”
“The best autobiography of the 20th century. Chambers' political impact is well-known, but the rest of his story is equally powerful. This is a literary, political and historical masterpiece.”
Sorella M wrote this review Monday, July 20, 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Chambers' conversion from Communist to Christian came about when he examined the perfection of his little baby's ear. This book is so good I've read it twice and will read it again. ”
Mary Ann K wrote this review Sunday, March 29, 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Overview: Editorial Review .
The Literary Hammer wrote this review Thursday, January 15, 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
"Whittaker Chambers has written one of the really significant American autobiographies...penetrating and terrible insights into America in the early twentieth century." --Arthur Schlesingr, Jr. ”
“An amazing book about the communist underground in the United States, told by a man who was once in the communist underground himself. It is an eye opener to see how real the danger was and still is in our country.”
C R wrote this review Sunday, November 11, 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“One of the most important books I ever read.”
mollyclendon wrote this review Friday, August 31, 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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