You know it's a "must." He's a "must" for anyone who's a news-aholic, and/or in the writing business (which in Washington, D.C. is everyone!).
Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom details Carl Bernstein's five years working for The Washington Evening Star, beginning when he was in high school and ending with his start at the Washington Post, mostly covering the years, 1960-1965.
He describes the ins and outs of what it’s like to be on staff of a major newspaper, how to get there (call and call and call the editors again!), the background and coverage of the major events of the times (JFK's inauguration, JFK's assassination, Sputnik, the 1963 March on Washington) and even, a fake obituary which he and others planted in the Post. (He admits he was chiefly responsible.)
He recounts working with editors (with few negative stories about anyone, save Bill Hill), flying to scenes, and abandoning school for his passion. All information helpful for any fledgling or would-be writer, to learn what it takes or took back then to get hired by a paper, although challenges now do not mirror challenges then.
At the end, Bernstein includes welcome updates in brief biographical sketches of his tale's main characters, most whose names I couldn’t keep straight anyway, except for Joanne's.
When I became aware of the section, the first name I hunted was Bill Hill's, a main character Bernstein omits since he did not like Hill for various reasons and whose absence at the end is rather childish. But, maybe Hill would not cooperate and update Bernstein because, like many of the characters, he is dead.
In addition to the rear listings, adding a one- or two-sentence description of the majority of the cast would have been helpful to keep names straight.
Other book weaknesses (which, no doubt, his many friends have failed to mention in their glorification) are the title and the cover, great examples of mediocrity.
Blue on blue is dull on dull and Chasing History?
Huh?
What does this mean? How about Carl Bernstein's Start-Up for starters?
I know Carl Bernstein did not choose the jacket design or the title and he probably argued with the publisher who, of course, knows more about publishing than the author. Hahahahaha.
And Carl, I was stunned, stunned (!) that you accepted the assignment of the weather page redesign when Bill Hill pulled out all the plugs to try and resuscitate the Star, which, of course, now lies buried in the cemetery of newspapers with so many others.
At age 78, Carl, it's time to hurry up and finish your second and final volume, thank you very much.
Whoops! I mentioned Hill's name only four times!
patricialesli@gmail.com
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