Scoundrel Time

Garry Wills provides an insightful introduction to this book, and then it’s mostly downhill from there. Hellman’s story is important, especially in this time of divisive politics and fear mongering, but she was not the best person to write her memoir. Given that the limited scope of this book — her entanglement in the Joseph McCarthy hearings — she stays to the general timeline but wanders about in her telling of the story. Even if it’s all tangentially related, I feel whatever points she was trying to make were muddled. While that may be an accurate reflection of her life, it did not make for engaging reading.

Miss Hellman's account of artists being run to the ground during the Black List in the middle of the twentieth century is un-put-downable.
Some of the men involved with the House Committee of Un-Amercian Activities were life long politicians who remained holding "reins of power," long after ruining many people who happened to be leading extremely creative lives.
These politicians, adept manipulators at the art of propaganda, leave thier mark on the American political landscape as we know it today.
Mary McCarthy once claimed that Miss Hellman was incapable of speaking the truth under any circumstances.
This reader remembers the accusation imperfectly - and this same reader begs to differ. If these events are "made-up" the plot is show more scary.
The fact that all of this actally happened makes for a sad and chilling "story." show less

lilian is easy to read but hard to remember in detail.

Lillian Hellman's memoir of the witch-hunting, blacklisting years of the 1950s and her involvement with them.

An important book about an ignoble period in American history.

Good condition. Dust jacket as slight wear and some tearing on spine. Pages are crisp and clean.

paperback