COMMENTS
Hilton Kramer's
new book, which deals with such themes as anti-Stalinism
and anti-radicalism as well as trendy cultural subjects, is interesting and
strong. He pays tribute to the community and vigor of the New York
Intellectuals in the thirties and forties, and has a sad comment on the low
level of intellectual life today. He has an acute piece about Whittaker
Chambers, praising his autobiography as one of the great works of this
century. There is a sharp evaluation of Lillian Hellman, pointing out her
hidden communist affiliations and her revisions of her life. He has a lively
piece about Josephine Herbst and her political and literary adventures.
There is a laudatory review of Clement Greenberg's achievement,
ensconcing him as the best art critic of our time. About Irving Howe,
Kramer writes a measured evaluation, praising his literary work and
putting down his politics. Also, there is a balanced comment on Kenneth
Tynan, whom Kramer lauds purely as a theater critic, but he denounces his
frivolous left-wing politics. A chapter is given to George Orwell's extra–
ordinary accomplishments, not only in 1984 and
Animal Farm,
but also in
his numerous, varied, and astute essays. And Kramer writes a perceptive
appraisal of Cyril Connolly, whom he properly describes as a distinguished
essayist and editor of the magazine
Horizon.
Hilton is an esteemed friend, but I have a question and a disagree–
ment. The question is how so staunch an anti-Stalinist could be friendly
with apparatchiks like Josephine Herbst and Joseph Freeman, to the point
of being the executor of Josephine Herbst's estate. I, myself, was a friend
of Herbst during the year and a half I was a fellow traveller, but I broke
with her when I broke with the Stalinists. The disagreement is about his
remarking that Edi th Kurzweil's anthology of poli tical wri tings from
Partisan Review, A Partisan Century,
should have had more pieces revealing
past mistakes. It seems to me that an anthology should not only be partial–
ly representative, but should mostly print the best pieces. In addition, many
contributors refused to give permission to reprint works that they didn't
think of especially highly.
All in all, however,
The Ti/Jilight
if
the Intellectuals: Culture and Politics in
the Era of the Cold
VUlr is a vivid and impressive performance.
WP
