Journalists Books - Page 11

Mexican Enough: My Life between the Borderlines

Stephanie Elizondo Griest

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Timely, eye opening, must read! 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful.

I loved this author's other books, so I was really looking forward to "Mexican Enough." It does not disappoint. She routinely throws herself into the craziest situations (like sneaking into a prison in Oaxaca, or spending the night in a Zapatista camp in Chiapas) and finds the most amazing stories. I learned so much about Mexico, from the impact of NAFTA and immigration, to pop culture like lucha libre (think: Nacho Libre). Some of the stories are pretty heartbreaking, but there is a lot of humor as well. Even though I am not Latina, I can relate to her questioning her cultural identity, and whether or not she is "enough." It also reminds me of this ongoing debate about Obama being "black enough." That makes this an especially timely book.

Editorial Review:

Growing up in a half-white, half-brown town and family in South Texas, Stephanie Elizondo Griest struggled with her cultural identity. Upon turning thirty, she ventured to her mother's native Mexico to do some root-searching and stumbled upon a social movement that shook the nation to its core.

Mexican Enough chronicles her adventures rumbling with luchadores (professional wrestlers), marching with rebel teachers in Oaxaca, investigating the murder of a prominent gay activist, and sneaking into a prison to meet with indigenous resistance fighters. She also visits families of the undocumented workers she befriended back home. Travel mates include a Polish thief, a Border Patrol agent, and a sultry dominatrix. Part memoir, part journalistic reportage, Mexican Enough illuminates how we cast off our identity in our youth, only to strive to find it again as adults -- and the lessons to be learned along the way.

The Rage and the Pride

Oriana Fallaci

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Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Current Events -> September 11
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Current Events -> Terrorism

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 125 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

With The Rage and the Pride Oriana Fallaci breaks a ten year silence. The silence she kept until September 11's apocalypse in her Manhattan house. She breaks it with a deafening noise. In Europe this book has caused and causes a turmoil never registered in decades. Polemics, discussion, debates, hearty consents and praises, wild attacks. And a million copies sold in Italy where it still is at the bestsellers' top. Hundreds of thousands in France, in Germany, in Spain: the other countries where it has become the Number one Bestseller. Around a dozen translations will soon appear.

With her well-known courage Oriana Fallaci faces the themes unchained by the Islamic terrorism: the contrast and, in her opinion, incompatibility between the Islamic world and the Western world; the global reality of the Jihad and the lack of response, the lenience of the West. With her brutal sincerity she hurls pitiless accusations, vehement invectives, and denounces the uncomfortable truths that all of us know but never dare to express. With her rigorous logic, lucidity of mind, she defends our culture and blames what she calls our blindness, our deafness, our masochism, the conformism and the arrogance of the Politically Correct. With the poetry of a prophet like a modern Cassandra she says it in the form of a letter addressed to all of us.

The text is enriched by a dramatic preface in which Oriana Fallaci reveals how The Rage and the Pride was born, grew up, and detachedly calls it "my small book." In addition, a preface in which she tells significant episodes of her extraordinary life and explains her unreachable isolation, her demanding and inflexible choices. Because of this too, what she calls "my small book" is in reality a great book. A precious book, a book that shakes our conscience. It is also the portrait of a soul. Her soul. No doubt it will remain as a thorn pierced inside our brains and our hearts.

The Gonzo Way: A Celebration of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

Anita Thompson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Short and Sweet 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a very short and simple insight in to Hunter S. Thompson's lifestyle written by his wife. It is an interesting enough read. Definitely lacks the originallity and verve of a work authored by Thomspson.

Editorial Review:

The writer Tom Wolfe once described Hunter S. Thompson as the finest comic writer of the 20th century. Thompson was this and more, an apt observer of the American scene for almost four decades, the founding father of "Gonzo Journalism," and an inspiration to many. Through his writings, he examined the loss of American innocence in the latter part of the 20th century and, as a "bull who carried his own china shop around with him," was never afraid to confront the truth head-on.
In The Gonzo Way, Anita Thompson pays tribute to her late husband as a writer and as a citizen, through her own words and through interviews with those who knew him best, including Tom Wolfe, George McGovern, and Douglas Brinkley. With elegant prose and entertaining anecdotes, she reveals a Hunter Thompson who was much more than a mere embodiment of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll.

The Place to Be: Washington, CBS, and the Glory Days of Television News

Roger Mudd

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A vivid behind-the-scenes portrait of the personalities, the drama, and the passion at CBS News during its peak years, by one of its best newscasters.

Roger Mudd joined CBS in 1961, and as the congressional correspondent, became a star covering the historic Senate debate over the 1964 Civil Right Act. Appearing at the steps of Congress every morning, noon, and night for the twelve weeks of the filibuster, he established a reputation as a leading political reporter. Mudd was one of half a dozen major figures in the stable of CBS News broadcasters at time when the network's standing as a provider of news was at its peak.

In The Place to Be, Mudd tells of how the bureau worked: the rivalries, the egos, the pride, the competition, the ambitions, and the gathering frustrations of conveying the world to a national television audience in thirty minutes minus commercials. It is the story of a unique TV news bureau, unmatched in its quality, dedication, and professionalism. It shows what TV journalism was once like and what it's missing today.

Peter Jennings: A Reporter's Life

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The format of A REPORTER'S LIFE both works and doesn't work 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

When ABC newsman Peter Jennings died from lung cancer in 2005, he left a void in the industry that has yet to be filled. Along with the likes of Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, Jennings helped revolutionize television news, sitting on both sides of the desk, transforming the genre from a 15-minute afterthought to a major component of network broadcasting.

The editors of PETER JENNINGS: A REPORTER'S LIFE, including his wife, have collected the thoughts and memories of scores of family, friends and colleagues who are universal in their praise and turned these stories into an oral biography. It seems as if Jennings was almost predisposed to the profession. As the son of one of Canada's most respected radio broadcasters, he got an early start, hosting his own children's show as a nine-year-old. Formal education held little interest for Jennings; these days he might have been diagnosed with ADD. His success, despite dropping out of high school, was truly remarkable.

Jennings was just 26 when he was handed the anchor assignment for ABC News in 1965, a job to which he admitted he was not suited at the time. He earned his stripes by going out into the field --- far, far afield to Europe and the Middle East where he thrived on the exotic surroundings and the action.

The entries in A REPORTER'S LIFE reveal a man in a hurry, ever curious and always willing to do whatever it took to get the job done, even when that meant putting himself in harm's way. Jennings was no "Scud-stud," a term used to describe reporters who made a name for themselves during the first war in Iraq; he didn't even like to fly. But he impressed everyone, from his sound men to heads of state, with his ability to soak up information and present it to his audience.

When he stepped down as an active reporter to once again take over the anchor desk for ABC News, he brought that same restlessness with him. He was a demanding boss, always expecting the reporters to do the same thorough job he did. But his humanity was always evident. During the coverage on 9/11, he wanted the audience to see the devastation of the World Trade Center rather than in-studio shots of him. And he was never afraid to defer to experts or admit he did not know every issue involved.

Many of those interviewed said that Jennings never wanted to be the center of attention, which made his on-air revelation of his illness all the more conflicting. For him, it served as an abject lesson, another chance to educate his viewers.

The format of A REPORTER'S LIFE both works and doesn't work. Since it's not a straightforward biography, it appears choppy at times, a series of mini-monologues interspersed with Jennings's own words. It is also understandably biased; you won't find too many speaking ill of him. On the other hand, these are the people who knew Jennings best, and the book serves as their final chance to pay him tribute.

--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan

Editorial Review:

For many Americans, Peter Jennings was the voice and face that gave shape and meaning to every day’s news. In this oral biography, readers witness Jennings’ extraordinary rise to the top of his profession, but they get to know him as a person, too. It brings together memories contributed by Peter’s friends, family, competitors, colleagues, and interview subjects. They reveal facets of a man many of us felt we knew well—but only because he greeted us every weekday evening from our television sets.

Peter Jennings was a celebrity, of course, but in these pages he is remembered as a loyal friend and a devoted family man. Throughout his life, Peter Jennings was driven by a passion to seek the truth and convey that truth accurately, simply, cleanly, and elegantly to his American audience. He was our voice.

Country of My Skull: Guilt, Sorrow, and the Limits of Forgiveness in the New South Africa

Antjie Krog

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Ever since Nelson Mandela dramatically walked out of prison in 1990 after twenty-seven years behind bars, South Africa has been undergoing a radical transformation. In one of the most miraculous events of the century, the oppressive system of apartheid was dismantled. Repressive laws mandating separation of the races were thrown out. The country, which had been carved into a crazy quilt that reserved the most prosperous areas for whites and the most desolate and backward for blacks, was reunited. The dreaded and dangerous security force, which for years had systematically tortured, spied upon, and harassed people of color and their white supporters, was dismantled. But how could this country--one of spectacular beauty and promise--come to terms with its ugly past? How could its people, whom the oppressive white government had pitted against one another, live side by side as friends and neighbors?

To begin the healing process, Nelson Mandela created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, headed by the renowned cleric Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Established in 1995, the commission faced the awesome task of hearing the testimony of the victims of apartheid as well as the oppressors. Amnesty was granted to those who offered a full confession of any crimes associated with apartheid. Since the commission began its work, it has been the central player in a drama that has riveted the country. In this book, Antjie Krog, a South African journalist and poet who has covered the work of the commission, recounts the drama, the horrors, the wrenching personal stories of the victims and their families. Through the testimonies of victims of abuse and violence, from the appearance of Winnie Mandela to former South African president P. W. Botha's extraordinary courthouse press conference, this award-winning poet leads us on an amazing journey.

Country of My Skull captures the complexity of the Truth Commission's work. The narrative is often traumatic, vivid, and provocative. Krog's powerful prose lures the reader actively and inventively through a mosaic of insights, impressions, and secret themes. This compelling tale is Antjie Krog's profound literary account of the mending of a country that was in colossal need of change.

D.V.

Diana Vreeland

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Design & Decorative Arts -> Graphic Design -> Commercial -> Fashion Design

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

DV = DiVine 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Okay, all the stereotypes might be true for this one, but it's a classic. She's in charge, in control and just amazing. I've bought more copies of this book to "loan" but of course no one has ever been stupid enough to return it. Truely, buy two copies to begin with, so you aren't crushed when the one you loan out doesn't come back. I think of it the way Gideons think of Bibles.

well, I'll never get that time back 1 out of 5 stars.
3 of 6 people found this review helpful.

If you're looking for some insights into fashion and/or the fashion world, look else where. I thought I'd gain some insights to the world of fashion (an area of life that I'm not famailiar with) but I was very disappointed. Nothing but nothing in this book had to do with fashion, the fashion business, nor the intellectual exercise that goes into fashion. This was simply the rambling lifetime memories of a well respected player from the fashion field. Childhood, young adult, married, Europe, here, there, everywhere... if you like name dropping (and I admit she did drop some impressive names) - this book is for you. If you're looking for some insights into fashion and/or the fashion world, look else where.

Editorial Review:

The best-selling autobiography of this century's most formidable arbiter of elegance, Diana Vreeland.

As fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue, Diana Vreeland--and her passion, charm, insouciance, and genius for style--energized and inspired the fashion world for fifty years. In this glittering autobiography she takes us around the world with her, revealing her obsession with fashion high and low--pink plastic poodles, for example--and dropping timeless sayings like, "As you know, the French like the French very much." A fabulous, witty read.

A Clearing In The Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century

Witold Rybczynski

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In a brilliant collaboration between writer and subject, Witold Rybczynski, the bestselling author of Home and City Life, illuminates Frederick Law Olmsted's role as a major cultural figure at the epicenter of nineteenth-century American history.

We know Olmsted through the physical legacy of his stunning landscapes -- among them, New York's Central Park, California's Stanford University campus, and Boston's Back Bay Fens. But Olmsted's contemporaries knew a man of even more extraordinarily diverse talents. Born in 1822, he traveled to China on a merchant ship at the age of twenty-one. He cofounded The Nation magazine and was an early voice against slavery. He managed California's largest gold mine and, during the Civil War, served as the executive secretary to the United States Sanitary Commission, the precursor of the Red Cross.

Rybczynski's passion for his subject and his understanding of Olmsted's immense complexity and accomplishments make his book a triumphant work. In A Clearing in the Distance, the story of a great nineteenth-century American becomes an intellectual adventure.

In Defense of Our Neighbors: The Walt and Milly Woodward Story

Mary Woodward

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A unique, informative, and highly recommended addition 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

One of the tragic consequences of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 was the panicked reaction of the American government resulting in the forcible relocation of the Japanese Americans into internment camps for the duration of the war years. "In Defense Of Our Neighbors: The Walt And Milly Woodward Story" is the true and personal account of a husband and wife who used the pages of their Bainbridge Island, Washington newspaper 'Banbridge Review' to plead for compassion and restraint with respect to the government's relocating the 227 men, women and children of Japanese descent who lived on Bainbridge Island (a half-hour ferry ride from Seattle across the waters of the Puget Sound) on March 30, 1942 in accordance with orders originating with President Roosevelt. This was the first relocation effort the government engaged in and became the model for all the other community evacuations up and down the western coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. During the years of internments, Walt and Milly continued to publish news of their neighbors' weddings, births, deaths, and other milestones -- including details of the conditions of those internment camps to which their neighbors had been exiled. This obscure episode of 20th century American history is told in great and documented detail by Mary Woodward, the daughter of Walt and Milly and includes previously unpublished photos from local historical societies, poignant reflections from internment survivors and Bainbridge locals, and is a unique, informative, and highly recommended addition to academic and community library 20th Century American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Editorial Review:

At the start of WWII, the Seattle suburb of Bainbridge Island was 10% Japanese-American, an ethnic community fully integrated into a small town way of life. Walt and Milly Woodward, publishers of the island's community newspaper, fought the forced internment of their neighbors, and helped the island community grapple with their exile. Mary Woodward tells her parents' story, fully illustrated with period photographs and documents. This brave, principled couple remain heroes to the Japanese-American community -- the story of their fight helps us comprehend how precious our civil liberties are, and how easily they can be lost.

And You Know You Should Be Glad: A True Story of Lifelong Friendship

Bob Greene

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 38 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A highly personal and moving true story of memory and friendship from the New York Times bestselling author of Duty and Be True to Your School Growing up in Bexley, Ohio, population 13,000, Bob Greene and his four best friends--Allen, Chuck, Dan, and Jack--were inseparable. Of the four, Jack was Bob's very best friend, a bond forged from the moment they met on the first day of kindergarten. They grew up together, got in trouble together, learned about life together--and were ultimately separated by time and distance, as all adults are. But through the years Bob and Jack stayed close, holding on to the friendship that had formed years before.

Then, the fateful call came: Jack was dying. And in this hour of need, as the closest of friends will do, Bob, Allen, Chuck, and Dan put aside the demands of their own lives, came together, and saw Jack through to the end of his journey.

Tremendously moving, funny, heart-stirring, and honest, And You Know You Should Be Glad is an uplifting exploration of the power of friendship to uphold us, sustain us, and ultimately set us free.