This book explores the covert Cold War-era ‘book program,’ a US government-led initiative aimed at disseminating democratic ideas to Central and Eastern Europe through clandestine book smuggling operations. Between 1956 and 1990, the program distributed over 10 million books banned by communist regimes, forming a key part of the broader US efforts to undermine communist control and promote free expression behind the Iron Curtain. Drawing on extensive archival research, the author presents a comprehensive historical account of the book program, revealing its significant role in shaping dissident movements, fostering transnational communication, and transforming cultural landscapes across Europe. The book examines the participation of East European diasporas, the operational networks that supported the smuggling routes, and the interplay between the book program and other covert media, such as Radio Free Europe broadcasts. Taking a multidisciplinary approach and combining insights from social movement theory, emigration and border studies, and book history, this book will provide valuable reading to those studying the Cold War and the role of political diasporas and cultural diplomacy in promoting democratic change.

Paweł Sowiński is a Professor in the Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland.