My Father's Narrative of a Quest for Justice
July 9, 2007
At the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders after WWII, America’s lead prosecutor, Chief Justice Robert Jackson, had an Achilles’ heel: cross-examination. Thus emerged a young attorney, Thomas Dodd, whose inquisition of the brilliant Hermann Göring provided the centerpiece of the trials. Walter Cronkite, who covered Nuremberg, said years later that Dodd had saved the day. These letters reveal that Dodd felt slighted by Jackson early on and almost left before the trial. Unexpectedly, in 1990, his children discovered Dodd’s voluminous correspondence from Nuremberg to his wife, Grace. What shines through these letters describing the trial and events leading up to it is the writer’s unfussy concern for righteousness, which under the circumstances meant winning the case—and in the proper way. (One Nazi general he interrogated, Dodd said, “really should not be in prison... he is and was persona non grata with the Nazis.”) Dodd (who like his son, presidential hopeful Christopher, later became a senator) was a very good writer; his descriptions of the trial and the defendants (Göring reminded him of a “captured lion”) are evocative. These excerpted letters make for fascinating reading and must be considered an essential addition to Nuremberg studies. 8 pages of b&w photos.
September 24, 2007
While monotonous and slightly repetitive, narrative connoisseur Michael Prichard reads Senator Dodd's real-life tale in a classic, radio reporter manner that transports the listener back to the mid-1940s. Prichard's narration is clear as day; his brilliant reading is an ideal fit for the material. The story, composed of letters from Dodd's father during his time as a lawyer at the Nuremberg trials, is a personal and genuine tale that offers a fresh outlook into a complex moment in human history. The narration is cool and unwavering, never too emotional or sentimental despite the raw emotion of Dodd's letters. This nostalgic approach will appeal to older listeners, although younger ones might be bored by the sameness of his tone. In the end, the material itself is quite fascinating and Prichard's old-time narration has a distinct charm. Simultaneous release with the Crown hardcover (Reviews, July 9).