The Briar Club

by Kate Quinn

“Your mother says that to justify the fact that she isn’t being fair to you,” Mrs. Grace said calmly. “Which is mostly what people mean when they say ‘life isn’t fair.’ It isn’t, which is why people should endeavor to be more fair to one another, not less.”

“A successful dinner party needs just one person all the others loathe, Pete—it gives everyone something to unite against.”

Americans made a lot of fuss about “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses,” but most of them definitely preferred a certain kind of immigrant: the kind with no accent.

“Firebrands ask questions, and a nation where you can’t ask questions is one that is going downhill.”

“Who do you think were some of the first people he rounded up and arrested? The Communists and Socialists, that’s who. The ones telling everyone he and his Brownshirts were a threat back when boys like you were saying America First and At least these fascists make the trains run on time!

“If I wanted to be a Communist in America, I’d just join a church.” Reka enjoyed his double take. “What kind of principles do you think Christ and his disciples are embodying? Living together in communal spirit, sharing everything equally between all—Lenin would approve.”

Live as long as I have and you’ll realize that whether the organization you put your faith in brandishes a Bible or a copy of Das Kapital, the haves in that organization are rarely interested in sharing with the have-nots.”

wondering why Americans got in such a strop about Communists. England had a Socialist Party, and she couldn’t remember anyone back home getting quite so lathered up.

“I sometimes think this country is an eternal battle between our best and our worst angels. Hopefully we’re listening to the good angel more often than the bad one.” She sighed. “We do that, and change will come.”

Senator Margaret Chase Smith

Except Senator Margaret Chase Smith, who had stood on the Senate floor, looked him in the eye, and said: Those of us who shout the loudest about Americanism in making character assassinations are all too frequently those who, by our own words and acts, ignore some of the basic principles of Americanism . . .

Kitty’s Medovik, Lina’s Eight-Layer Honey Cloud Cake 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten with a fork 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more to roll out the dough 1 cup heavy whipping cream 32 ounces sour cream 2 cups powdered sugar Whole strawberries for decoration Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, heat the granulated sugar, honey, and butter over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Don’t use high heat or the mixture may scorch on the bottom. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, remove the mixture from the heat, and while it’s still hot, add the beaten eggs in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously until all the eggs are incorporated (whisk constantly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs). Whisk in the baking soda until no lumps remain, then fold in the flour 1/2 cup at a time with a spatula until the dough reaches a clay consistency and doesn’t stick to your hands. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. On a well-floured surface, roll each piece out into a thin 9-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Sprinkle the top with a little flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Place a 9-inch plate or the base from a springform pan over the rolled-out dough and trace around it with a knife to make perfect circles. Keep the scraps for later. Transfer 2 rounds of the...

“It could be a different kind of war. A war of the arts instead of an arms race.” Harland sounded more thoughtful now, flipping burger patties from grill to plate. “Promote America over Moscow through culture instead of bombs . . .”

A lone voice to speak out on the Senate floor against McCarthy, she delivered the famous Declaration of Conscience outlining four basic principles of Americanism: the right to criticize, to hold unpopular beliefs, to protest, and to hold independent thought.