This lucid account of the red scare of the early 1950s could hardly be bettered. It rightly places that disturbing phenomenon into a much longer perspective, and it illustrates the whole sorry business with a fascinating range of documents conjuring reds on the campuses and gays in government.
- Michael Heale, Emeritus Professor of History at Lancaster University. UK
The great strength of this highly engaging study is its wide-ranging scope. Michaels traces the long trajectory of virulent anticommunism, detailing its genesis, development and outlook. He effectively analyses both the proponents of un-Americanism- a combination of vested business interests, opportunistic politicians and ultra-conservative institutions, organizations and networks - and the corrosive impact of red scare ideology: fear, silence and sharply narrowed boundaries of dissent. It is an important and timely book.
- Phillip Deery, author of Red Apple: Communism and McCarthyism in Cold War New York
This lively book offers a helpful introduction to Red Scare politics in the United States...Given that Red Scare politics has been characterized by chaotic diversity and the erratic fortunes of many of its key advocates, syntheses can easily slip into long lists of disaggregated grouplets and controversies; instead, Michaels provides broader contextualization and narrative detail to render his picture vivid. It is also commendably balanced...this book succeeds admirably at its core goal of providing an energetic and accessible introduction to the subject. Those teaching McCarthyism at school or university should give it a look.
- Alex Goodall, University College London
