That tough guy persona? Not an act. At 95, Kirk Douglas's voice and his intellect are as clear and cogent as ever in this powerful memoir. Douglas, author of The Ragman's Son and My Stroke of Luck and the producer of Spartacus, brings his ferocious wit and keen insight to this book about the making of the film that put an end to the Hollywood Blacklist. While he explores the timeless themes of scapegoatism, integrity, and betrayal faced by the Hollywood Ten, he likens the age of McCarthyism to other times of national division in our history, such as our own time of political discord and the Civil War. It is the story of the creative souls that survived, and those who were crushed by, the Communist witchhunt and how the stars and elements aligned to bring the 1960 blockbuster Spartacus to the silver screen, including the author's determination to hire "convicts" Dalton Trumbo and Howard Fast to make it happen. Overall, an enjoyable and invigorating read and a superb addition to any History or Biography collection. Includes illustrations and a foreword by George Clooney.