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A Former Communist Remembers

While he served as a Party leader, Junius Irving Scales was arrested and convicted under the Smith Act. After his release from prison, Scales left the party after revelations over Stalin's actions in the Soviet Union. His new book, called Cause at Heart, recalls his work as a political activist.

27:46
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Other segments from the episode on July 28, 1987

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, July 28, 1987: Interview with Junius Irving Scales; Commentary on Etta James; Interview with John Bear and Marina Bear; Review of Gunter Grass's novel "The Rat."
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06:31

A Career of Near-Masterpieces

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles the rise and fall of soul singer Etta James, whose heroin habit curtailed her career after a string of fantastic albums.

Commentary
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03:48

A Fairy Tale About Germany

Book critic John Leonard says that all of Gunter Grass's work can be seen as a sometimes fanciful examination of his country's brutal history. Case in point: Grass's new book, The Rat, is a science fiction-inspired novel about the end of the world.

Review

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Hisham Matar: A 'Return' To Libya In Search Of His Father

The writer's family was living in Egypt, in exile from Libya, when Matar's father, a prominent opponent of the Qaddafi regime, was kidnapped, taken back to Libya, and imprisoned. That was in March 1990, and it was the last time Matar saw his father. After the revolution in March 2012, Matar returned to look for his father or at least try to find out what became of him.

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