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Some thoughts on "Witness" by Whittaker Chambers
1952 | Whittaker Chambers

Posted on 04/29/2009 8:50:16 PM PDT by rlmorel

I am on a long needed vacation, and have already put 3000 miles on my car. Part of me says I wanted to see the country before it disappears...:)

One of the things I have been doing while putting all these miles on my car is to listen to the unabridged audiobook version of "Witness" by Whittaker Chambers. I think it is a total of 36 hours or something along those lines.

I read the book for the first time in 2002 (inspired by Ann Coulter to do so) and it changed my political life. To me, it was the singular book that had a greater influence on my political thinking than any other. When I read it before, I was nearly completely fixated on the purely political aspect of the book, and on that it is unequalled, in my opinion.

But listening to it now, I have almost a completely different take on the book. Now, it touches me in an amazingly spiritual way. I realize now that it is as much about communism, spies and liberals as it is about one man's journey to find God. It is extraordinarily emotional in that respect, how he goes from being a Godless communist to a Quaker, and the effect that journey had on his life. I must have been so caught up in the cloak and dagger aspect of the book that this aspect simply didn't hit me that way.

Even though it was published in 1952, Whittaker Chambers nails the basic problem that will confront a society like ours that is disowning God. He is so prescient in his analysis that it could have been written yesterday.

One of the most disturbing things is that the communists that Whittaker Chambers was trying to expose in the government have morphed into the liberals that are IN the government now and control things. The book is amazingly relevant to the situation in government today, especially the analysis and views on the New Dealers, FDR and the attitudes of liberals. There is no change towards what we are seeing today.

I would be interested in hearing how this book has impacted others, and if anyone else thinks the book applies just as strongly to events today from both a religious and governmental aspect as it did to events in 1948.


TOPICS: Books/Literature; Society
KEYWORDS: algerhiss; communism; whittakerchambers; witness
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If anyone is interested, I wrote something several years back that I posted on my web page regarding this book at: Who is Whittaker Chambers? (Why do I have him on my website, and why is he important and relevant today?)

In particular, read the letter to his children that I posted. It pretty much encapsulates the theme of the book. Simply amazing, if you have never read it, take the time to do so.

1 posted on 04/29/2009 8:50:16 PM PDT by rlmorel
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To: rlmorel

I LOVED LOVED that book. Great!


2 posted on 04/29/2009 8:51:06 PM PDT by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: rlmorel


Did you get to see 'the heads'?
3 posted on 04/29/2009 8:52:30 PM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: Liberty Valance

LOL...no, I had to scale down my expectations, I only have 10 days, so I traveled down the East coast, stopped in DC, Kitty Hawk and Yorktown...sigh. I wish I had a month.

Don’t we all...:)


4 posted on 04/29/2009 9:01:20 PM PDT by rlmorel ("The Road to Serfdom" by F.A.Hayek - Read it...today.)
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To: rlmorel

Alger Hiss was the epitome of the smug, elitist, leftist government bureaucrat.

I am not surprised that he has defenders to this day.

This is a very important book and it shook me to my core. It convinced me of the rot at the core of the bureaucratic apparatus in DC.


5 posted on 04/29/2009 9:09:44 PM PDT by jtal
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To: rlmorel

Witness is an amazing story of the Twentieth Century.

My favorite Chambers quote comes from his Meet the Press appearance, something like: “The problem of communism is not one of economics. The problem with Communism is one of atheism.”

Be sure to read Sam Tanenhaus’ great 1997 biography Whittaker Chambers:

http://www.amazon.com/Whittaker-Chambers-Biography-Library-Paperbacks/dp/0375751459/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241066893&sr=1-1


6 posted on 04/29/2009 9:52:17 PM PDT by iowamark (certified by Michael Steele as "ugly and incendiary")
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To: rlmorel
Thank you very much for that link to Whittaker Chambers' letter to his children. I just read it quickly because it is late here in NJ. But I saved it for further study.

You are a fine and valuable asset to Free Republic.

7 posted on 04/29/2009 9:52:51 PM PDT by mick (Central Banker Capitalism is NOT Free Enterprise)
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To: rlmorel
Yeah, that's a great powerful book. David Horowitz's letters to and from his lefty friends as he was leaving the left are really powerful too and in kind of a similar vein. I still have a visual memory of where I was when I read them the first time if that tells you anything. They're in his autobiography Radical Son and also in his book Politics of Bad Faith.
8 posted on 04/29/2009 10:00:19 PM PDT by Yardstick
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To: rlmorel

I read this book for the first time this year also. Herniated disc in my back gave me the opportunity.

The herniated disc was worth it just for this.

I bought two more books and gave them to my brother and mom.

This book can change lives.

The religious aspect was compelling.


9 posted on 04/29/2009 10:02:10 PM PDT by GreyMountainReagan (Liberals do not view the book 1984 as a warning but as a textbook.)
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To: rlmorel

“Witness” was the first book I read from cover to cover when I was growing up. My Mother literally forced me to read it. I was 16.

It made me a life long Conservative and infuriated my Aunt who lived on the old family farm in Maryland, had a dog named “Democrat” and thought Alger Hiss was the finest man to ever draw breath.

Its a powerful book....should be required reading for every High School...fat chance of that with the NEA and Obama hand in glove.


10 posted on 04/29/2009 10:47:04 PM PDT by HardStarboard ("The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule - Mencken knew Obama)
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To: rlmorel

Pick up a copy of “Blue Highways” by William Least Heat Moon.

Simply the best travelogue on America you’ll find and one hell of a story to boot. It covers all the places you missed - and will give you a different view of the ones you did see.


11 posted on 04/29/2009 10:49:50 PM PDT by HardStarboard ("The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule - Mencken knew Obama)
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To: presently no screen name

bookmark


12 posted on 04/29/2009 10:55:19 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: GreyMountainReagan

Yes, Witness is very powerful. While in college, I picked up a copy at a used book sale for fifty cents. When I started reading, I could not stop.

For better and for worse, Chambers was a witness to and a participant in the great intellectual events of the 20th century.


13 posted on 04/29/2009 11:53:32 PM PDT by iowamark (certified by Michael Steele as "ugly and incendiary")
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To: rlmorel

So is this the audio CD version of the book that you have, rather than the cassette tape? I am imterested in getting the audio CD of the book, but it isn’t available on Amazon.com.

Where can I find a good online source of audio CD books other than Amazon? I have about 350 books on my Amazon Wish List, but I need to find the audio CD of the book rather than the hard/soft cover because I am legally blind.


14 posted on 04/30/2009 3:30:27 AM PDT by ChrisInAR (The Tenth Amendment is still the Supreme Law of the Land, folks -- start enforcing it for a CHANGE!)
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To: rlmorel

“To me, it was the singular book that had a greater influence on my political thinking than any other.”

Same here. My most cherished possession is my first edition of “Witness.”


15 posted on 04/30/2009 4:25:05 AM PDT by yazoo (was)
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To: iowamark

By saying better and for worse....is the worse refer to him being a spy?

If he wouldn’t have been a spy the better part would never have been known about him.

I loved his writing. You could tell he knew how to write.


16 posted on 04/30/2009 6:00:54 AM PDT by GreyMountainReagan (Liberals do not view the book 1984 as a warning but as a textbook.)
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To: ChrisInAR

I have been a member of Audible.com since 2002, and even though it is clearly a liberal site, they do have a wide variety of conservative books.

I say they are liberal, because if a liberal book like Clinton’s comes out, it will be available on day one. Books by Ann Coulter in the past have taken months.

However, there are two things that are encouraging: First, conservative books are showing up much more quickly. Mark Levin’s new book was available on day one, and secondly, Audible was purchased by Amazon, and...voila! On the first day I tried to look after the merger, “Witness” was available. I had been looking for years for the audio version, even on the conservative sites, to no avail. But I have it now...:)

I highly recommend Audible. For $20 a month, you get the choice of two books, regardless of price. I look forward to my renewal date each month, and get my books as soon as I can. It is great!


17 posted on 04/30/2009 9:29:01 AM PDT by rlmorel ("The Road to Serfdom" by F.A.Hayek - Read it...today.)
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To: rlmorel
"I say they are liberal, because if a liberal book like Clinton’s comes out, it will be available on day one. Books by Ann Coulter in the past have taken months."

You're probably correct concerning the bent of this website; however, is it *possible* the publishers of the Liberal pap pay for this "service" while Coulter's et al, don't?

Consider Fox and especially Fox's local affiliates, they report a few top local & national headlines, maybe.
Soon as it's over they're off shilling their own American Idle and then then their "special features".
Special features that aren't so special, can only be explained as "pay-to-play" stuff.
Fox sports is even worse.

While all the alphabets do the same, Fox was the first to turn the shtick into a genuine science.

After seeing the disgraceful "reporting" of what's obviously anything but news, I no longer wonder what MBAs not working in the financial sector are doing.

18 posted on 04/30/2009 9:39:21 AM PDT by Landru (Arghh, Liberals are trapped in my colon like spackle or paste.)
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To: Landru

That could be entirely correct on your part. However, I know that in addition to being writers, the authors want to make money, so I will bet they try to have these things scoped out in advance. I guess Levin’s book they couldn’t help, since it was on the best seller list from day one, but I’ll wager if not the excuse is “our readers/listeners didn’t ask for it”

I always try to ask for it if it isn’t there, but that doesn’t always work.


19 posted on 04/30/2009 10:24:52 AM PDT by rlmorel ("The Road to Serfdom" by F.A.Hayek - Read it...today.)
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To: rlmorel
"That could be entirely correct on your part. However, I know that in addition to being writers, the authors want to make money, so I will bet they try to have these things scoped out in advance."

Perhaps, possibly a "special" offered by websites such as you enjoy?
The salient point is you receive a useful service, one you like and are willing to pay a fee for.
In this day and age, *I* for one wouldn't knock an equal exchange. {g}

"I guess Levin’s book they couldn’t help, since it was on the best seller list from day one, but I’ll wager if not the excuse is 'our readers/listeners didn’t ask for it'"

Bingo, you peg their motivation, to a T.
In any event I'd decline the wager, my friend.

"I always try to ask for it if it isn’t there, but that doesn’t always work."

Good practice, asking.

Since you mention Levin's book, therein lies a great example.
Just yesterday I'd an impromptu conversation with --for the most part-- a complete stranger, concerning the political situation et al.
This man was livid he couldn't find Levin's book at area book stores; and, he'd asked.
We veterans know what's up with that, happened to people like Rush time and again.

All I could tell him was suggesting he conduct his book shopping needs via the Internet from now on.
I told him that knowing this man was an agricultural guy and not exactly the Internet kind we who frequent places like this, are.

The brick & mortar stores may very well lose another one. :^)

20 posted on 04/30/2009 12:24:54 PM PDT by Landru (Arghh, Liberals are trapped in my colon like spackle or paste.)
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