Political Pilgrims

In 'Political Pilgrims,' Paul Hollander examines the journeys of Western intellectuals to communist countries, particularly the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba, between 1928 and 1979.

The book delves into the motivations behind these travels and how these intellectuals were often deceived by the host countries through elaborate hospitality, propaganda, and selective presentations.

Hollander's work is a sober and factual account that aims to understand why educated individuals could overlook critical evidence and produce misleading assessments of these societies.

The book also explores the estrangement of Western intellectuals from their own societies and the factors contributing to this estrangement, such as the decline of authority, emotional discontent, and the influence of mass media and Marxist propaganda.