Wolston v. Reader's Digest Assn., Inc.

In 1974, respondent Reader’s Digest Association, Inc., published a book entitled KGB, the Secret Work of Soviet Agents (KGB), written by respondent John Barron.1 The book describes the Soviet Union’s espionage organization and chronicles its activities since World War II. In a passage referring to disclosures by “royal commissions in Canada and Australia, and official investigations in Great Britain and the United States,” the book contains the following statements relating to petitioner Ilya Wolston:

“Among Soviet agents identified in the United States were Elizabeth T. Bentley, Edward Joseph…