Sam Tanenhaus è un distinto redattore e critico, noto per i suoi commenti perspicaci su letteratura e politica. La sua direzione editoriale del New York Times Book Review modella il discorso letterario contemporaneo, offrendo ai lettori prospettive attentamente curate. Attraverso i suoi saggi critici, si addentra nelle complessità dei paesaggi culturali e politici, dimostrando un acuto occhio analitico. L'approccio rigoroso di Tanenhaus alla scrittura e all'editing lo rende una voce significativa nella letteratura americana.
The author charts the story of Whittaker Chambers, whose transformation from Communist agent to anti-Communist witness climaxed in 1948, when he testified against Alger Hiss, a senior U.S. State Department official, in the controversial trial that shook and changed America.
The book explores the historical evolution of the American conservative movement, highlighting a 75-year ideological divide between two main factions. One group, the consensus-driven "realists," advocates for the government's role in adapting to societal changes, while the other, the movement "revanchists," harbors a deep skepticism of government and societal structures, often positioning themselves in opposition to American values. Sam Tanenhaus's analysis offers a comprehensive examination of these conflicting perspectives and their impact on contemporary politics.