Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Dec 2009
352 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Information
On a stifling, hot afternoon in September 1901, a young anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, who has been stalking President William McKinley, waits in line to meet the president, his right hand wrapped in a handkerchief and held across his chest as though it were in a sling. But the handkerchief conceals a .32-caliber revolver. When the president greets him, Czolgosz fires two shots.
The nation quickly plummets into fear and anger. A week later, rioting mobs attempt to lynch McKinley's assassin, and across the country, political dissidents such as the notorious Emma Goldman are tracked down and arrested. Driven by a sense of duty and by his love for a beautiful Russian prostitute, Czolgosz's confidant, Moses Hyde, infiltrates an anarchist group as it sets in motion a deadly scheme designed to push the country into a state of terror.
The Anarchist brilliantly renders a haunting and belligerent twentieth-century landscape teeming with corrupt politicians, kind-hearted prostitutes, dissidents, and immigrants eager for a fresh start. It is an America where every allegiance is questioned, and every hope and aspiration comes at a price.
"This is a well-written novel that works as both a political thriller and as a depiction of a tumultuous era in our history." - Booklist
"The genius of this novel is the tension he creates by moving quickly from quiet, moving scenes in the president's sickroom or Czolgosz's prison cell to raw, startling flashes of violence during the criminal investigation... It's an enthralling descent into the dark byways of the criminal mind and the vast system of canals that ran through Buffalo. Here is the crime that launched the 20th century, the unlikely imprint of a lonely man's delusion on the soft metal of the world." - The Washington Post
"These were indeed dangerous and tumultuous times, and Smolens brings them convincingly to life. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction." - Library Journal
"The prose is competent, even rather nice at times, but the narrative's slowness is crippling." - Publishers Weekly
"Thrilling...the subtlety and vigor with which Smolens evokes this turbulent era makes The Anarchist far more than a superior adventure." - Boston Globe
"A character-driven historical novel that transcends genre and provides a fascinating perspective on the current spate of populist discontent with Washington." - Kirkus Reviews
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