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The Brother: The Untold Story of Atomic Spy David Greenglass and How He Sent His Sister, Ethel Rosenberg, to the Electric Chair by Sam Roberts Recommendation: ••
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Loyalty The subtitle to Sam Roberts new book, The Brother, gives readers a clue about what to expect: more than you may ever want to know. We’ve all heard of the trial and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Roberts became the first reporter to interview Ethel Rosenberg’s brother, David Greenglass, whose testimony convicted his sister and brother-in-law. Hundreds of pages lead a reader to a clear conclusion: David Greenglass betrayed his country and his sister. In the words of a Los Alamos coworker, “He was a jerk.” Parts of the book were engaging and captivating. Most of the text expounds on the people and the trial, telling more than most of us really want to know. The Rosenberg’s attorney, Manny Bloch, tried to discredit Greenglass, but was unsuccessful. Here’s an excerpt from the book that quoted from Bloch’s courtroom comments: “You know, before I summed up, I wanted to go to a dictionary and I wanted to find a word that could describe a Dave Greenglass. I couldn’t find it, because I don’t think that there is a word in the English vocabulary or in the dictionary of any civilization which can describe a character like Dave Greenglass. But one thing I think you do know, that any man who will testify against his own blood and flesh, his own sister, is repulsive, is revolting, who violates every code that any civilization ever lived by. He is the lowest of the lowest animals that I have ever seen.” In many ways, the early life and environment of David and Ethel and their extended family captures a time and context in New York that laid a groundwork for what events followed. By the time of the trial, most readers will be prepared for the inevitable progression of action. For those who are interested in the America of the 1950s, this is an interesting book. For most of us, it’s more than we want to read. Steve Hopkins, April 17, 2002
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