With a famed and storied career that has spanned more than six decades, Dan Rather has earned his place as one of the world’s best-known journalists. He has interviewed every president since Eisenhower and, over that time, personally covered almost every important dateline in the United States and around the world. Rather joined CBS News in 1962. He quickly rose through the ranks, and in 1981 he assumed the position of Anchor and Managing Editor of the CBS Evening News—a post he held for twenty-four years. His reporting across the network helped turn 60 Minutes into an institution, launched 48 Hours as an innovative news magazine program, and shaped countless specials and documentaries. Upon leaving CBS, Rather returned to the in-depth reporting he always loved, creating the Emmy Award winning Dan Rather Reports on HDNet. Now, building upon that foundation, he is president and CEO of News and Guts, an independent production company he founded that specializes in high-quality nonfiction content across a range of traditional and digital distribution channels.
I feared this book would be dated, as it contained essays Rather did pre-1989. But good reporting and writing is timeless.
I enjoyed the first section (In the News, Across America) but only skimmed the rest of the book. Of course, I loved the piece he wrote on Princess Diana.
Interesting read in 2017 of a book published in 1998. The book brings back memories. Some essays could have been written today with just a change of the names.
I have read several books containing Mike Royko's old columns. They still stand up. This 1999 book of Dan Rather's late 80s and 90s columns? Not so much. His advice to President Clinton in 1992 to stop smoking cigars? Or suggesting that after the death of Ennis Cosby that we all support and have both sympathy and empathy for Bill and Camille Cosby? Oh, and Imus. There was one essay that was dripping with praise for Don Imus -- a brilliant radio host destined to become a legend in our times. Yeah, legend... but my guess is Dan didn't quite expect his fame to be for what it was. Hoopla just added this as a new audiobook. Skip it. Read anything by Mike Royko instead.
When he wrote it, about 20 or so years ago, this would have been a timely book to read. Unfortunately, when I read it this December, it was outdated. The writing is fine, though, in a journalistic mode, and Rather's comments and Texas sayings make for an interesting read. Journalists still may want to check it out, but for others, I'd move on.