Review by Booklist Review
There is no better vantage point from which to observe the inner workings of the U.S. government than the newsroom of the venerated Washington Post. For more than 40 years, Downie held that cat-bird's seat, first as a wet-behind-the-ears intern and local reporter, then moving on to meatier investigative journalism, and eventually holding virtually every editorial post available, including succeeding the legendary Ben Bradlee as the paper's executive editor. Downie was there for it all: Watergate, of course, but also the Clinton-era scandals, 9/11, and the Bush administration's fallacious justification for the Iraq war. As befitting a master editor, Downie's memoir is both tight and revelatory; facts are well augmented with insider details, supporting a forthright professional critique of the newspaper's standards for publishing nationally sensitive or controversial stories. At a time when the press is under relentless attack from the Trump administration, Downie's engrossing memoir reminds readers of the personal sacrifices journalists make in pursuit of a story and the rigorous criteria they apply in delivering the news.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Triumphs of old-school investigative journalism are revisited in this elegiac memoir. Downie, executive editor of the Washington Post from 1991 to 2008, reviews his long career at the paper, from undertaking innovative investigative pieces as a young reporter to editing the Watergate reporting of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, to overseeing coverage of 9/11 and the Iraq War, which often contradicted the Bush Administration's line. It's a colorful account full of behind-the-scenes office politics and sharply eyed character sketches, but Downie's overriding theme is the contrast between his tenure during journalism's golden age and a present-day mediascape where news reporting often degenerates into shallow clickbait and vitriolic opining. "Post journalists got it right," he asserts, through tenacious investigations, strict objectivity--Downie stopped voting when he became managing editor to ensure his own preferences wouldn't influence coverage of electoral campaigns--and a journalistic statesmanship that saw him conferring with presidents on the national security impact of stories. Downie's justifications of journalism past aren't always convincing--he defends, for instance, the media uproar over the Monica Lewinsky scandal, a milestone on the way to today's salaciously politicized news cycles--but he delivers a penetrating and thought-provoking take on the press at the peak of its influence. At a time when the news media itself is increasingly becoming part of the story, this insider take on newsroom culture resonates. (Sept.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The former executive editor of the Washington Post reflects on his long, distinguished career and how the newspaper business has continued to evolve. In 1972, the Post's investigation of Watergate led not only to Richard Nixon's resignation, but also to the establishment of reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward as major authors and the elevation of former executive editor Ben Bradlee to legendary status. The paper's coverage of the scandal also redefined the role of investigative reporting in the future. Though much has been written about Watergate, Downie, who oversaw much of the Watergate coverage as deputy metropolitan editor, has his own story to tell. Over his 40-plus years at the newspaper, Downie, who started as a summer intern, advanced through many prominent positions before replacing the retiring Bradlee as executive editor in 1991, a position he would hold until 2008. Under his leadership, the Post provided major, award-winning coverage (25 Pulitzers) on many international events--e.g., 9/11 and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as investigations into political controversies such as the Clintons' Whitewater investment connections and the Monica Lewinski scandal. "The rules had changed," writes Downie of the scandal. "Adultery would never again be off limits in decisions about how to report on politicians--from the White House to statehouses to city halls. Veracity, trust, judgment, and all the other elements of, yes, character, would also come into play." Throughout, the author provides a compelling up-close perspective of running a news organization and intriguing details about the coverage surrounding each event. While he doesn't shy away from highlighting his leadership accomplishments, he eagerly acknowledges the efforts of his hardworking reporters. He also candidly admits to personality and leadership differences between he and the more gregarious Bradlee, comfortably remaining somewhat apart from the celebrated spotlight. An absorbing career memoir and an illuminating history of the Post's news coverage during the last 50 years. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
