From Publishers Weekly
In detailing the United States' obsession with the Red Menace, Barson and Heller deliver an enticing visual treat of movie poster art, images from comic books and bubble-gum cards (featuring pictures of Mao and Stalin to collect and trade), as well as graphics from political pamphlets, national news magazines, pulp paperbacks and "serious" nonfiction (like J. Edgar Hoover's Masters of Deceit). While the introductions to the book's eight sections and the explanatory text are necessarily brief, the writing is lucid, engaging and historically accurate; additional historical material appears in detailed time lines. But the collection's raison d'ˆtre lies in the myriad iconographic examples of how popular culture was used as a national propaganda tool, while simultaneously reflecting mainstream political and social trends. Ranging from the humorous (a J. Edgar Hoover comic book) to the frightening (a copy of Red Channels, the pamphlet that started the television blacklist) and the ironic (an article entitled "Women: Russia's Second Class Citizens"), these cultural artifacts are stark reminders of how political ideology is promoted and produced in everyday life. Coauthors of Teenage Confidential, Barson (who has a Ph.D. in American culture) and Heller (senior art director at the New York Times) have done a fine job wedding text and visuals to create an illuminating social history that carefully walks the line between conveying the historical and political importance of its subject and our urge to view it as kitsch.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
These two books cover, in very different ways, the Cold War and leftist political activity in post-World War II America. Following their earlier collaborations Teenage Confidential: An Illustrated History of the American Teen and Wedding Bell Blues: 100 Years of Our Greatest Romance with Marriage, Barson and Heller here offer a humorous but informative overview of American anti-Communist books, periodicals, comic books, board games, movies, television programs, and other sources of propaganda. The eight chapters proceed from 1848 to the present. A time line of an era's key events opens each chapter, followed by a longer discussion and a synopsis of various anti-Communist materials, which are strengthened by excellent illustrations. While not an academic discussion of the topic, this cultural history nicely hits all of the major themes, works, and authors. An excellent selection for all libraries. Radosh (coauthor, The Rosenberg File) presents a serious memoir of life among the American Left from the late 1950s through 2000. Born to radical New York Jewish parents, he moved in Socialist and Communist circles from primary school through college into the 1960s. During the 1970s, Radosh worked with Michael Harrington's Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee. However, while researching his book on the Rosenberg trial he began questioning his political views. His final break with the American Left was spurred by its unquestioning acceptance of the abuse of the Nicaragua Sandinistas. Mixed with Radosh's political conflicts are his personal conflicts. While this is a now familiar tale, it is well told. Recommended for all libraries. Stephen L. Hupp, Urbana Univ., Urbana, OH
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
