pete

ambitious, original

Revisado: 08-03-17

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yes because its an original and unbiased depiction of the Red Scare of the 40s and 50s, provides excellent context and the author does not side immediately with the accused as is so prevalent in previous decades

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dark Days in the Newsroom?

I was not familiar at all with the infamous Venona Cables which were communiques from Moscow to Communist Party operations in the U.S. in the 30s and I think the 40s. There were thousands of these kept confidential until much later. The realization that Party officials or commissars in Russia were at times quite incompetent in their spy operations was both funny and probably quite typical. That they were directly funding flights and travel expenses abroad for certain American reporters was disturbing and very interesting

What does Robert Thaler bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I was able to listen with ease over 2 short days. Thaler has weight and flair. I think they hired the right guy. I just wish Audible would do that more often, hire the right guy for the job, I have in the past been stuck with some real lemons

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

the passages about Harvey Matusow, the government stooge who was a working informant and insinuated himself into Joe McCarthy's inner circle were highly entertaining. I mean the man was quite obviously unstable and a chronic liar who fabricated numbers,names,events,you name it, to further his own ends. He could be compared to some of the leakers today in Washington. Matusow claimed there were 125 paid Communists on the staff of the NYTimes but the Staff only employed 76 people at that time. Listening to Joe McCarthy operate at the hearings was revealing to say the least, you really get a feel for the guy.

Any additional comments?

the writer was well balanced in his approach. I commend him for that. There are two sides to this story, he covers the victims and those falsely accused, but also covers how the Guilds and Newspapers were infiltrated by Communists especially in the 30s what were the reasons and context for all this. Very informative. My criticism would be that at times like in the Valerie Plame comparisons in the book the story gets a little hard to follow but other than that its a big winner and I want to see what else this writer comes up with in the future.

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