James "Scotty" Reston was a reporter of amazing skill, a writer of easy and graceful prose, a shaper of public opinion, and a man who almost single-handedly revolutionized American journalism. The son of Scottish immigrants, his hustle and smarts eventually made him the single most important and influential columnist in America. Along the way he helped make "The New York Times" the greatest paper in the world. He was the first person presidents turned to when they wanted to confide, and the person they called late at night when something went wrong.
Reston is, along with the "Washington Post's" Ben Bradlee, a towering figure of American newspapers in the 20th century. Only John Stacks could have captured Reston so well-both in his glory and in his downfall. But SCOTTY is more than just the amazing story of an amazing man. Because Reston was so powerful and such a dominant force in Washington, the book is also a history of American politics since World War II-indeed, a secret history, a tale of what went on behind closed doors, of the stories that shaped our world and the stories that never made the papers.
Those of us in the journalism racket consume almost any book about our peers, but the really good ones speak beyond this inside audience to comment on the role the media plays in American society, and this ambitious biography of The New York Times celebrated Washington correspondent of the '60s does just that. James "Scotty" Reston was a shrewd and canny reporter of the old school (he always did the necessary legwork) with a skill for writing clear, direct, and sometimes poetic prose that struck directly at the heart of the matter. (As early as August 1965, he presciently wrote of Vietnam: "We could win the war and lose the people, and that would be the final irony of the story.") His diligence was rewarded with the sort of unfettered access to presidents and other top policymakers that is unthinkable today. The book opens with a vignette in which President Kennedy unburdens himself in incredibly frank language about his frightening meeting with Khrushchev in Vienna in 1961. (Kennedy talked to Reston minutes after the session ended, before he'd even briefed any of his top aides and advisors.)
For Stacks, a veteran reporter for Time magazine, the loss of this sort of access in favor of the relentless spin machine that dominates today is nothing less than a tragedy, but he isn't completely dewy-eyed about the past or his subject. In classic corporate fashion, Reston was promoted to his level of incompetence. He was a great reporter, but a lousy editor and later-day columnist, and he finally allowed his proximity to power to cloud his vision in the mid-'70s, when he essentially became a willing mouthpiece for the Machiavellian Henry Kissinger. In addition to tracking a fascinating story and offering a unique perspective on familiar historical events, Scotty is a worthy read for illustrating just how difficult it is to maintain the "outsider" stance necessary for good journalism--and just how much this country needs it. --Jim DeRogatis
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
The rise and fall of a journalism legend:
James B. (Scotty) Reston was the high priest of journalism in America before the dramatic growth of television. Professionally, he was dedicated to the notion that the more you could find out...the better the health of the nation. Reston primarily made his name in Washington DC, writing for the New York Times and for most of the 1950's and the 1960's he had unparalleled prestige across America. He also had remarkable access to powerful decision makers around the world. Reston was a complex man. He was... more info
A Farewell To A Journalistic Relic Before TV Mammal Babbles!:
"Scotty," is a tremendous book worthy of your purchase and time to read with interesting tidbits to understand the Gilded Age of American Journalism has it passes from American existence.
I was intrigued how the author was brave enough to tell us the truth about the rise and fall of journalism, and how they evolved and have since devolved when the new Dinosaur media took over and is now being replaced by Internet Instant Posters.
A wise old man told me sometime ago about Newspaper Men of his day. He... more info
Engaging Account of How Political Reporting Changed:
This is an engaging biography about the foremost political journalist of his era. More than that, "Scotty" is a revealing chronicle of the transformation of journalism. Scotty Reston embodied the old school, "establishment" journalism of the pre-Vietnam/Watergate variety. His success was founded on incomparable access, born of a mutually trusting relationship with Washington movers and shakers. When Pres. Kennedy emerged from a verbal going-over from Krushchev at the Vienna summit, the first person he spoke... more info
Told by a Reporter' Reporter:
As author John Stacks has long been one of my personal heroes, I was delighted to discover this marvelously told biography. For all those who finished Gay Talese's The Kingdom and the Power and wanted more-and who didn't-Scotty is the perfect tonic. As most biographies written by real journalists, instead of officious professors or other biographical dilitantes-and there are plenty of retired stock brokers out there pretenging to be writers-the power of this book is in the feel for anecdotes, the natural... more info
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