K Blows Top
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Products | Books |
K Blows Top: A Cold War Comic Interlude, Starring Nikita Khrushchev, America's Most Unlikely Tourist (2009), written by Peter Carlson and released by PublicAffairs, chronicles the 1959 official visit of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to the United States.
Synopsis
This work explores Khrushchev's journey through prominent American cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Iowa, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C.. His schedule included tours of significant U.S. sites and industries like 20th Century Fox, a farm in Iowa, a steel plant in Pittsburgh, and Camp David. Among his memorable interactions were meetings with entertainers including Shirley MacLaine, Frank Sinatra, and Marilyn Monroe, labor figure Harry Bridges, and socialite Perle Mesta. The book’s title alludes to a headline from the New York Daily News that captured Khrushchev’s reaction after being refused access to Disneyland.
Film adaptation
The narrative was optioned for a television film in 2013, entering pre-production with producer Tom Hanks attached and actor Paul Giamatti set to portray Khrushchev.