Conquest’s Conquest

WE’RE in something of a Robert Conquest moment—but then, we’ve always been in such a moment, at least since 1968, when Conquest published his book on Stalin’s rule, The Great Terror. That was the book that shut them up. Well, many of them, anyway.

Currently, Martin Amis and Christopher Hitchens both have books out. Who are they? They’re two of the jazziest British writers of their generation, and they’re great friends of each other, as well as great rivals. Amis’s book is called Koba the Dread: It’s about Stalin (Koba was a nickname) and the failure of Western intellectuals to come to grips with Communism. It also touches on several personal matters. Amis addresses Hitchens directly in the book: “Comrade Hitchens!”

About the Author

Jay Nordlinger

Jay Nordlinger was a senior editor of National Review and a book fellow at National Review Institute.

WE’RE in something of a Robert Conquest moment—but then, we’ve always been in such a moment, at least since 1968, when Conquest published his book on Stalin’s rule, The Great Terror. That was the book that shut them up. Well, many of them, anyway.

Currently, Martin Amis and Christopher Hitchens both have books out. Who are they? They’re two of the jazziest British writers of their generation, and they’re great friends of each other, as well as great rivals. Amis’s book is called Koba the Dread: It’s about Stalin (Koba was a nickname) and the failure of Western intellectuals to come to grips with Communism. It also touches on several personal matters. Amis addresses Hitchens directly in the book: “Comrade Hitchens!”