Second Read: Writers Look Back at Classic Works of Reportage

Columbia Journalism Review Books

by James Marcus (Editor), The Columbia Journalism Review (Editor)

The Columbia Journalism Review's Second Read series features distinguished journalists revisiting key works of reportage. Launched in 2004 by John Palattella, who was then editor of the magazine's book section, the series also allows authors address such ongoing concerns as the conflict between narrative flair and accurate reporting, the legacy of New Journalism, the need for reporters to question their political assumptions, the limitations of participatory journalism, and the temptation to substitute "truthiness" for hard, challenging fact. Representing a wide range of views, "Second Read" embodies the diversity and dynamism of contemporary nonfiction while offering fresh perspectives on works by Norman Mailer, Tom Wolfe, Rachel Carson, and Gabriel Garc?a M?rquez, among others. It also highlights pivotal moments and movements in journalism as well as the innovations of award-winning writers.

Essays include Rick Perlstein on Paul Cowan's "The Tribes of America"; Nicholson Baker on Daniel Defoe's "A Journal of the Plague Year"; Dale Maharidge on James Agee's "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men"; Marla Cone on Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring"; Ben Yagoda on Walter Bernstein's "Keep Your Head Down"; Ted Conover on Stanley Booth's "The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones"; Jack Shafer on Tom Wolfe's "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test"; Connie Schultz on Michael Herr's "Dispatches"; Michael Shapiro on Cornelius Ryan's "The Longest Day"; Douglas McCollam on John McPhee's "Annals of the Former World"; Tom Piazza on Norman Mailer's "Armies of the Night"; Thomas Mallon on William Manchester's "The Death of a President"; Miles Corwin on Gabriel Garc?a M?rquez's "The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor"; David Ulin on Joan Didion's "Slouching Toward Bethlehem"; and Claire Dederer on Betty MacDonald's "Anybody Can Do Anything."

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Amari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely worthwhile if a bit uneven. However, because the short essays are unrelated, one can skip and jump around at will.

A wonderful introduction to reportage and the common ground shared by literature and journalism, delivered in (sometimes) elegant and satisfying prose.

[Diana180]

#curriculum This was quite enjoyable and six months later I can't remember a thing about it and will have to read it again. All the works discussed that I hadn't read needed to go on the to-read list.

[Donna]

Opened my eyes to some great reading opportunities.