The God That Failed
Six of the most significant writers of the 20th century contributed articles to the Cold War classic The God That Failed, which explores how they became communists and then became disillusioned with the system. The authors use their personal experiences to demonstrate what happens to leftism all across the world. A number of authors, including André Gide (France), Richard Wright (the United States), Ignazio Silone (Italy), Stephen Spender (England), Arthur Koestler (Germany), and American foreign correspondent Louis Fischer, describe how their quest for human progress brought them to communism and the personal suffering and disgust that led them to reject it.
The updated prologue to this important book of our time by David Engerman provides background information by recalling the turbulent events of the time. Additionally, it discusses the history and significance of the book, the influence of communism on American intellectual life, and how the events in The God That Failed are still felt in contemporary public conversation.
