Jane Alpert’s Defense

To the Editors:

In his review of Growing Up Underground, Murray Kempton states that I named ex-lovers but concealed the identities of those who helped me underground. This, he claims, shows an “extraordinary absence of generosity.”

The majority of the people who helped me underground expressly asked not to be named in the book out of fear of government harassment. It would have shown extraordinary ingratitude, I think, if I had named them despite their wishes. As for ex-lovers, nearly all their names have been changed (as I say in the book’s opening pages) out of respect for their privacy.

I value Mr. Kempton’s judgment and I am sorry that in this case it is based on misinformation.

Jane Alpert

New York City

Murray Kempton replies:

Miss Alpert has properly corrected me and I apologize for my oversight.