The Book of Daniel

The American writer E.L. Doctorow (1931–2015) based his novel on the infamous case of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were accused of spying for the Soviet Union in 1951 and executed two years later. In the novel, we witness the unfolding of the accusation and trial through the eyes of Daniel, the eldest son of fictionalized characters Paul and Rochelle—parallels to the real-life Rosenbergs. The story delves into the deep psychological impact these events have on Daniel and his sister Susan, scars that shape and haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Their parents' fate leaves them emotionally orphaned. As Doctorow writes: "The issue concerns them alone. This feeling of being orphaned erases everything but that feeling itself. It separates them from all others, and it will continue forever no matter how hard he tries to deny it."

Beyond the personal tragedy, the novel explores the paranoia and anti-communist hysteria that gripped American society during the Cold War, revealing the lengths to which the state would go to suppress any perceived threat of communism.

Critics often describe the novel as semi-historical, blending fact and fiction to powerful effect. It was later adapted into a film titled Daniel in 1983.

Author : E.L.Doctorow
Translated by : Reem Dawud