Red Sapphire is a fascinating portrait of a trailblazing woman. Hannah Weinstein was one of television's first female showrunners and pioneered the idea of "prestige TV" with her highly successful historical series such as The Adventures of Robin Hood. She was also a single mother and political exile with the courage to employ many victims of the Hollywood blacklist on her productions. Julia Bricklin's meticulously researched book reveals the indomitable will and enviable powers of persuasion that fueled Weinstein's astonishing achievements in a male-dominated industry. Bricklin writes with verve, wit, and a deep appreciation for what it means to live a life of political engagement. This is an engaging and overdue account of Weinstein's story.

Red Sapphire brings Hannah Weinstein's dramatic story to light with white-hot intensity. Julia Bricklin, against the odds and despite many historical gaps, crafts a page-turning portrait of a public relations writer-turned-political powerhouse who finds a second life as a filmmaker, which is where the maneuvers really begin. Weinstein's tireless work on behalf of blacklisted writers and democratic activism could not be more timely.

In Red Sapphire, Julia Bricklin has doggedly uncovered a fascinating--and inspiring--heroine of the Hollywood Blacklist. Like many women of the era, Hannah Weinstein has, until now, been buried in the footnotes (and redacted FBI files) of history, but Red Sapphire is a crucial antidote.

Meticulously researched and beautifully told, this immersive biography pulls us straight into the gripping history of an extraordinary heroine. Bricklin builds the story of Hannah Weinstein's remarkable life via so much stunning detail that we can visualize it unfolding before us, as if we were watching it on the screens Weinstein once commandeered.

The strength of this well-researched book lies in the abundance of information it provides about Weinstein's contributions to the often entangled worlds of entertainment and politics . . . readers seeking to understand the McCarthy era and how it resonates today, as well as those interested in women working at the intersection of media and politics, will find this book of interest. Illuminating reading.

"Written with the pulsating pace of a thriller, this book will likely attract readers and scholars interested in political journalism, women in film and television, and mid-20th-century pop culture history."