Witness

By: Whittaker Chambers

Narrated by: John MacDonald

First published in 1952, Witness came on the heals of America's trial of the century, in which Whittaker Chambers accused Alger Hiss, a full-standing member of the political establishment, of spying for the Soviet Union.

In this penetrating philosophical memoir, Chambers recounts the famous case as well as his own experiences as a Communist agent in the United States, his later renunciation of communism, and his conversion to Christianity. Chambers' worldview - "man without mysticism is a monster" - helped to make political conservatism a national force. Witness packs the emotional wallop and the literary power of a classic Russian novel and has gained Chambers recognition by critics on both sides of the spectrum as a truly gifted writer.

©1952 Whittaker Chambers (P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"One of the few indispensable autobiographies ever written by an American - and one of the best written too.... It deserves to be recognized as a first class achievement." ( New Centurion)
"Confession, history, potboiler - by a man who writes like the literary giant we would know him as, had not Communism got him first." ( Christopher Caldwell, National Review, 100 Best Non-Fiction Books of the Century)
"This many-dimensioned apologia, which is also a spy drama, a Quaker testament, and a spiritual autobiography, telescopes the major political and religious conflicts of the century." ( Booklist)

A spiritual and political American classic

Surely one of the all-time classic American autobiographies, covering a pivotal chapter in American history.

Johnny Cash used to sing a song, written by Shel Silverstein, that told the story about what happened when a boy was named Sue. This book could be regarded as the story about what happened when a boy was named Vivian.

Fascinating look is US in 1930s

Any additional comments?

I read and recommend unabridged books 99% of the time. This is the exception. The core of this book is the fascinating story of communism in the American government in the 1930s and its revelation in the 1940s. In the 1930s it was chic for American intellectuals to be socialists or even communists. They were pro Soviet Union and pro Stalin. By the end of the decade, many intellectuals were falling away from this infatuation. I knew this before I read the book. What I did not know was how easily communists penetrated into positions in the US government, sometimes at somewhat high levels. This story of how Chambers helped convict the spy Alger Hiss is really interesting.

But this is an autobiography so there is a lot about growing up, appropriate to such a book, but not interesting to the core story. Additionally when Chambers was a spy we get every detail of every relationship, which historically is correct but not really necessary for the reader. Thus a good abridgment, if one exists, would be best.

BUT THE HIGHLIGHT of the book is the preface written by Chambers as a letter to his children. It is a classic essay. There are two competing points of view in the twentieth century: one puts man at the top of everything and the other puts God there. Chambers is a witness not just in a trial but he says he is a witness to the latter world view.

Must reading!

Should be required reading by all high school or college students! So discussible with issues still resonating today.

Unveiling A Hidden World

What other book might you compare Witness to and why?

Not so much of a comparison, but it supplements information from the great CIA history, Legacy of Ashes.

Have you listened to any of John MacDonald’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I thought the narrator was excellent and very believable.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I can't pick out one moment, but the level of saturation of communist moles and sympathizers in the positions of power and influence in the US government during this time period was astonishing to me.

Any additional comments?

For those central European and Russian citizens longing for the "good old days" of communist rule, Chambers first hand view into the the Soviet soul reveals it's inherent evil.

Spectacular!

The more things change the more they stay the same. This is a relevant and prescient insight into our current political landscape and a great comfort, knowing that ours is not uniquely divisive age.

A must

Better than than it should be to witness. A primer for young and old. Touching!

A must read

One of the most important books of the 20th century. today history is being rewritten. This book chronicles the true story

Deja Vu?

A fascinating story of a brave soul striving to combat the forces around him. I can only imagine the author might be turning over in his grave to witness our current political landscape. A most worthwhile listen…

Massive feat of American literature

Whittaker Chambers is an American hero. He should be remembered as such. This should be read in every American high school

Compelling!

If you could sum up Witness in three words, what would they be?

Compelling, religious, political.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Whittaker Chambers, the author, is a very complicated man. We hear how his basic principles lead him first to become a Communist, then to reject it, and later to become a Quaker.

What about John MacDonald’s performance did you like?

I liked the reading. However, there were times when I heard faint noises in the background and this was a bit distracting.

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

It made me want to continue listening when I should be doing something else. This was even in the part when the testimony of Alger Hiss repeated whose "to the best of my recollection" statements were tedious and maddening. I learned of the importance of Richard Nixon and Henry Luce. I wanted to check up on these men in addition to other information on Whittaker Chambers.