“Whitewash is an epic geopolitical thriller, spanning continents and decades, with a head-spinning plot and a cast of intriguing characters that have the ring of authenticity only a knowledgeable insider could bring to bear. But this work of fiction is much more. It’s a portrait of an innocent boy trapped between the devastating ideologies of the 20th century — fascism and communism — who grows into a man wanting to be on the right side of history. But heroism ultimately eludes him, as does the justice of “the cause” he signed up for. His moral ambiguity mirrors the U.S.’s dubious Cold War tactics.”