Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A groundbreaking #MeToo journalist finds his own news organization to be the greatest obstacle to the truth in this vivid, labyrinthine memoir. New Yorker scribe and ex-NBC News correspondent Farrow (War on Peace) revisits his 2017 reporting on sexual assault and harassment allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein by actresses and employees, an investigation begun but then killed by NBC and eventually published in the New Yorker. Farrow then probes sexual misconduct complaints at NBC itself, including an explosive new claim that Today host Matt Lauer raped NBC news staffer Brooke Nevils. He describes coaxing frightened women to break nondisclosure agreements and go public with their traumas, as well as more sinister currents of intrigue and betrayal. He unearths Weinstein's use of secret agents from the Israeli firm Black Cube to spy on sources--and on Farrow himself. Worse, he contends, NBC executives, some with personal and business ties to Weinstein and pressured by his lobbying and legal threats, started unaccountably turning against Farrow's story as the evidence supporting it mounted. Though a bit baggy, the narrative combines the intricate reporting of All the President's Men with Kafkaesque atmosphere to reveal troubling collusion between the media and the powerful interests they cover. This is a crackerjack journalistic thriller. (Oct.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Farrow narrates this disturbing account of his and others' efforts to expose the sexual harassment, abuse, and assault prevalent in entertainment and media circles. Farrow chronicles his highly personal and at times harrowing journey from his assignment of a story from NBC to finally the publication of his findings in the New Yorker. Faced with threats, lies, espionage, and obstructions from NBC itself, Farrow perseveres to cultivate sources, schedule interviews, and verify facts to build the case of incessant abuse by Harvey Weinstein. Open and often self-effacing, Farrow relates his famous family's well-documented history with public accusations of abuse as well as his challenges in offering unbiased reporting. Though well-written and revealing, the author's recurring attempts to convey the overwhelming nature of complaints and the continual attempts at obscure facts feel more repetitive than crucial. Farrow's vocal performance is also uneven. While the delivery of his own thoughts and explanations are accessible and appealing, his choice to read others' words and points of view in a variety of accents and voices is unsuccessful and at times distracting. VERDICT Even with less than ideal narration, this audiobook will appeal to listeners interested in investigative reporting, gender equality, and the media industries.--Lisa Youngblood, Harker Heights P.L., TX
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The award-winning journalist sharply illuminates how he exposed Harvey Weinstein as a serial sexual predator.Along the way, Farrow (War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence, 2018)a New Yorker contributing writer who has won the Pulitzer Prize, National Magazine Award, and George Polk Awardoffers a primer on investigative journalism, a profession that he is well on the way to mastering. For this book, he writes, he drew "on interviews with more than two hundred sources, as well as hundreds of pages of contracts, emails, and texts, and dozens of hours of audio." As the son of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow, the author has wrestled for years with allegations of sexual assault in his own family, leveled by his sister Dylan against their father. During his investigation of Weinsteinand later, multiple high-level sexual predators within NBCFarrow had to fend off complaints that he was too close to the story. Along the investigative path, the author sought insight from his sister and relied on the steadfast support of his partner. Though Farrow and his producer believed their pursuit of Weinstein had the blessing of the top brass at NBC, they gradually learned that Weinstein was using his massive influence to sabotage the investigation. Consequently, the author took his work to the New Yorker, where editor David Remnick provided a venue for him to present his story. Ultimately, Weinstein was arrested. In addition to chronicling his work on the Weinstein project, Farrow also discusses the transgressions of Donald Trump and Matt Lauer. At times, the book is difficult to read, mainly because Weinstein, Trump, Lauer, and other powerful men victimized so many women while those who knew about the assaults stayed quiet. Nonetheless, this is an urgent, significant book that pairs well with She Said by New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. Both books are top-notch accounts filled with timeless insights about investigative journalism, on a par with classics from Seymour Hersh and Bob Woodward.A meticulously documented, essential work. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
