I LED THREE LIVES

by Herbert Philbrick ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 4, 1952

The now-it-can-be told story of Herbert Philbrick, ""Citizen, Communist, Counterspy"", who testified before Judge Medina against The Eleven after nine years of conspiracy, uncertainty, and deliberate penetration into the Communist Party. In this triple play, Philbrick, a family man in the advertising business, joined the Cambridge Youth Council, a discussion group, and when he became disturbed by their undemocratic policies and procedure, reported in to the F.B.I. who at first took down the information with diffidence, later asked him to keep on with the Council, and furnish them with information without official protection. Working his way in and up through inner circles, he was invited to join the Young Communist League, the prep school for the Party, and in 1944 became an accredited Party member. This, in its record of successive contacts and assignments, forms a fairly full dossier, on the Party in its operation and organization in the New England area, on red herrings and a few big fish- and on the whole anatomy of party cell and club with its salignant infiltration from group to group, community to community... While this lacks the drama of the after-the-fact apostates (Hede Massing, Elizabeth Bentley, Louis Budenz, etc.), it has the virtue of a far greater sincerity. Heavy publisher promotion may stimulate the market, which with the exception of Red Masquerade has not been too receptive.

Pub Date: Feb. 4, 1952

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: McGrew-Hill

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1952

Categories: NONFICTION