Leonard C. Lewin

Leonard C. Lewin (2 October 1916 – 28 January 1999) [Social Security Death Index [http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi] ] was an American writer, best known as the author of the bestseller "". In the original 1967 publication of this satire/hoax, written at the suggestion of Victor Navasky, Lewin was identified as the author only of the introductory material to what was presented as an actual government report concluding if a lasting peace "could be achieved, it would almost certainly not be in the best interests of society to achieve it." ("Times" obit)

In 1972, Lewin confessed that the report has been a hoax. At that time, he wrote that the "Pentagon Papers," were "as outrageous, morally and intellectually" as his own invention: "The charade is over. Some of the documents read like parodies of Iron Mountain, rather than the reverse." ("Times" obit) Eventually, he had to sue to establish his copyright over the work, since actual U.S. government documents are inherently in the public domain. (Carvajal, 1996)

Lewin graduated from Harvard University. Before becoming a writer, he worked as a labor organizer in New England and in his father's sugar refinery in Indianapolis, Indiana. He had two marriages: the first to Iris Zinn Lewin and the second to poet, playwright and children's book author Eve Merriam. Both ended in divorce. Later, his "longtime companion" was Lorraine Davis.

References

* John Kifner, "L. C. Lewin, Writer of Satire Of Government Plot, Dies at 82" (obituary), "New York Times" Late Edition (East Coast), Jan 30, 1999. pg. A.11.
* Doreen Carvajal, "Onetime Political Satire Becomes a Right-Wing Rage and a Hot Internet Item", "New York Times. Late Edition (East Coast)", Jul 1, 1996. pg. D.7.