Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

The Red Scare and the Cold War are, to my way of thinking, underrepresented in our history classes. The most we typically get is a brief mention that they happened and a vague overview of what they meant for the average citizen. As such, we typically see them as a backwards way of thinking that couldn't happen now. Marrin has set out to correct those perceptions. He gives us the full context: the rise of Communism and it's ties to Nazi Germany; the role of anarchists and the terror they perpetrated; espionage and moral panics. Finish reading this book and you will grasp what a complex issue this really is. Now, the actual writing is a bit clinical and dry so it won't appeal to all readers. For the young reader already interested in history, though, it's bound to be an eye-opener.

The cover really hooked me, but the text didn't. While the content of this book is quite fascinating it was a bit dry to read. Unfortunately, it didn't keep me connected with the material and I found myself straying to other books and leaving this book while I found interest in a fiction or even another nonfiction read. I solidly believe if the reader is really interested in this subject matter it would be a good read.