What do you think?
Rate this book
Pulitzer: A Life
Acclaim for Denis Brian's A Life
"The best account.... Superb insight." --The Times (London)
"Denis Brian's convincing picture...only makes our wonder grow at Einstein's sublime achievements." --The Washington Post
"Does much to reveal the man behind the image.... Brian's intimate work proves that in literature, as in science, taking a careful look can be a rewarding endeavor." --Detroit Free Press
"A fascinating, vastly enjoyable, deeply researched and fair account of Einstein the man." --Physics World
"Exhaustively researched, almost obsessively detailed, written with unobtrusive informality, the book is exemplary as a record of Einstein's personal and professional life." --The Spectator (u.k.)
"An utterly fascinating life of a great scientist, full of new insights and very readable." --Ashley Montagu
"A fascinating read with more interesting material about Einstein as a human being than I have ever seen before.... Once I started it, I couldn't put it down." --Robert Jastrow, astrophysicist and bestselling author
"The best account.... Superb insight." --The Times (London)
"Denis Brian's convincing picture...only makes our wonder grow at Einstein's sublime achievements." --The Washington Post
"Does much to reveal the man behind the image.... Brian's intimate work proves that in literature, as in science, taking a careful look can be a rewarding endeavor." --Detroit Free Press
"A fascinating, vastly enjoyable, deeply researched and fair account of Einstein the man." --Physics World
"Exhaustively researched, almost obsessively detailed, written with unobtrusive informality, the book is exemplary as a record of Einstein's personal and professional life." --The Spectator (u.k.)
"An utterly fascinating life of a great scientist, full of new insights and very readable." --Ashley Montagu
"A fascinating read with more interesting material about Einstein as a human being than I have ever seen before.... Once I started it, I couldn't put it down." --Robert Jastrow, astrophysicist and bestselling author
464 pages, Hardcover
First published September 14, 2001
4 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 28, 2019
Of the many biographies I've read, none has been as fascinating as this one.
Joseph Pulitzer started out in Hungary knowing no English, failed at joining the military in more than one country due to being underweight until he heard that a bounty could be had for joining the Union Army as the Civil War neared its end. He came to America, went into uniform, saw little action and was mustered out at war's end. He went through a series of misadventures as he sought work in whaling, mule tending and sugarcane harvesting before ending up in St. Louis only to lose a restaurant job for spilling beer on a patron. In the end he found work as a reporter for a German language newspaper when a story he submitted was enthusiastically received. He had found his calling.
In the 19th century newspapers were plentiful in every American city, though not all were successful business ventures. It happened that the St. Louis Dispatch was one of the failures, being sold at auction because most considered it almost worthless. This was Pulitzer's chance and he won it with a bid of $2500.
It was all good from this point on. Another paper, the Post offered to combined with Pulitzer's new acquisition and the Post-Dispatch was born. Pulitzer's tireless effort, desire to have the paper be a champion for the people, and his nose for what people liked to read quickly doubled readership but exhausted the co-owners to the point that Pulitzer bought them out as readership doubled and doubled again.
Success in St. Louis came as advertisers flocked to the paper. This allowed Pulitzer to start a newspaper from scratch in New York City that he called The World. It was this paper that brought Pulitzer fame and fortune as he micromanaged it until his death in 1911 at age 64.
All of the above is interesting, but not that different from the bouncing around in early life that characterizes the lives of most of us who have to discover the environment where we can thrive not knowing beforehand what that environment might be. What sets Pulitzer apart is the fact that he became blind by 40, to the extent that he needed someone standing next to him to guide him as he walked. Due to the lack of medical knowledge doctors of the time thought that it was the stress of the job that was causing the blindness. In fact it was genetic as his sons had eye trouble as well.
Pulitzer was repeatedly told that to fend off blindness he had to take time off, stay away from the office, take it easy, all of which were anathema to the man, but he heeded the advice. By the time he was functionally blind, The World was an established paper and he had hired competent people to run it, but never without his input. His retirement from the office didn't keep him from constantly running the paper from home by way of messengers throughout the day and night. He bought a 300 foot yacht as a retreat and ran the paper from there even as he regularly toured to Europe, anchoring at this or that port of call to make use of the telegraph.
But it wasn't just blindness. Pulitzer was acutely sensitive to noise, exploding in rage if someone at the dinner table should clink a glass or hit a plate with a fork. Everything was soundproofed. Double and triple glass was installed in his Manhattan home, walls were insulated. He could not bear the sound of a streetcar or a siren outside. A panel of silk was installed in the chimney to absorb any noise that might come down that way. On any trip, and he took many, advance men would make sure any place he stayed was as quiet as possible, renting rooms above below and to both sides of the one in which he was to stay.
Having exceptional intelligence yet limited by his blindness and unwillingness to go out into the noisy world for stimulation, Pulitzer required the presence of aides who would keep his mind challenged while answering his every demand. He had four secretaries, a butler and men specifically chosen for their wide-ranging knowledge, ability to converse and read to him. Even if he fell silent, he wanted an aide speaking to him nonstop, if only to peruse one thing after another in monologue. He was read to sleep daily, requiring that as sleep came on the reader would respond to Pulitzer's, "more softly" by lowering his voice.
It isn't surprising that many could only take the demands for so long. He regularly interviewed for replacement assistants willing to take the wild mood swings that occurred daily. The reader wonders how Pulitzer would have fared had he not found his calling with the riches that allowed him to indulge himself. Would he have ended up in an institution for the insane?
To the readers of his paper, Pulitzer was both a champion and an entertainer. He had a marvelous sense of what would appeal to readers and allowed the Sunday edition of the paper to go into the sensational while keeping a tighter rein on the daily paper. He was adamant that a newspaper should fear no power, even that of the presidency as Teddy Roosevelt would discover. He loved to repeat a command to his editors three times, as in "accuracy, accuracy, accuracy!" or "verify, verify, verify!"
Though veering toward what was called yellow journalism in competition with the Hearst paper The New York Journal during the Spanish-American War, Pulitzer realized his error and returned to solid journalism thereafter. He was a fighter for the little guy, always seeking to uncover the shady dealings of powerful people. With his paper having the most readers in NYC, he could not be intimidated. Yes, he was a millionaire several times over but he used it to good purpose and always stood behind his staff urging them to investigate with a will. At the same time he demanded respect be shown even to those he opposed. Humor was often key to a successful put down of power.
For all his quirks, Pulitzer had a noble vision that drove him. He knew he was a pain to deal with and would frequently apologize. He could wallow in self-pity. He could belittle a person in person, but he left people irritated yet filled with admiration for genius. The money poured in but materialism offers limited appeal to a blind man.
All of this success came to a man plagued with disabilities who had taught himself English in a library when he first arrived in America. I would point to Joseph Pulitzer and say to everyone, look what America can produce from an immigrant, look at this American who made so much of himself and deeply loved the country that made it possible.
Joseph Pulitzer started out in Hungary knowing no English, failed at joining the military in more than one country due to being underweight until he heard that a bounty could be had for joining the Union Army as the Civil War neared its end. He came to America, went into uniform, saw little action and was mustered out at war's end. He went through a series of misadventures as he sought work in whaling, mule tending and sugarcane harvesting before ending up in St. Louis only to lose a restaurant job for spilling beer on a patron. In the end he found work as a reporter for a German language newspaper when a story he submitted was enthusiastically received. He had found his calling.
In the 19th century newspapers were plentiful in every American city, though not all were successful business ventures. It happened that the St. Louis Dispatch was one of the failures, being sold at auction because most considered it almost worthless. This was Pulitzer's chance and he won it with a bid of $2500.
It was all good from this point on. Another paper, the Post offered to combined with Pulitzer's new acquisition and the Post-Dispatch was born. Pulitzer's tireless effort, desire to have the paper be a champion for the people, and his nose for what people liked to read quickly doubled readership but exhausted the co-owners to the point that Pulitzer bought them out as readership doubled and doubled again.
Success in St. Louis came as advertisers flocked to the paper. This allowed Pulitzer to start a newspaper from scratch in New York City that he called The World. It was this paper that brought Pulitzer fame and fortune as he micromanaged it until his death in 1911 at age 64.
All of the above is interesting, but not that different from the bouncing around in early life that characterizes the lives of most of us who have to discover the environment where we can thrive not knowing beforehand what that environment might be. What sets Pulitzer apart is the fact that he became blind by 40, to the extent that he needed someone standing next to him to guide him as he walked. Due to the lack of medical knowledge doctors of the time thought that it was the stress of the job that was causing the blindness. In fact it was genetic as his sons had eye trouble as well.
Pulitzer was repeatedly told that to fend off blindness he had to take time off, stay away from the office, take it easy, all of which were anathema to the man, but he heeded the advice. By the time he was functionally blind, The World was an established paper and he had hired competent people to run it, but never without his input. His retirement from the office didn't keep him from constantly running the paper from home by way of messengers throughout the day and night. He bought a 300 foot yacht as a retreat and ran the paper from there even as he regularly toured to Europe, anchoring at this or that port of call to make use of the telegraph.
But it wasn't just blindness. Pulitzer was acutely sensitive to noise, exploding in rage if someone at the dinner table should clink a glass or hit a plate with a fork. Everything was soundproofed. Double and triple glass was installed in his Manhattan home, walls were insulated. He could not bear the sound of a streetcar or a siren outside. A panel of silk was installed in the chimney to absorb any noise that might come down that way. On any trip, and he took many, advance men would make sure any place he stayed was as quiet as possible, renting rooms above below and to both sides of the one in which he was to stay.
Having exceptional intelligence yet limited by his blindness and unwillingness to go out into the noisy world for stimulation, Pulitzer required the presence of aides who would keep his mind challenged while answering his every demand. He had four secretaries, a butler and men specifically chosen for their wide-ranging knowledge, ability to converse and read to him. Even if he fell silent, he wanted an aide speaking to him nonstop, if only to peruse one thing after another in monologue. He was read to sleep daily, requiring that as sleep came on the reader would respond to Pulitzer's, "more softly" by lowering his voice.
It isn't surprising that many could only take the demands for so long. He regularly interviewed for replacement assistants willing to take the wild mood swings that occurred daily. The reader wonders how Pulitzer would have fared had he not found his calling with the riches that allowed him to indulge himself. Would he have ended up in an institution for the insane?
To the readers of his paper, Pulitzer was both a champion and an entertainer. He had a marvelous sense of what would appeal to readers and allowed the Sunday edition of the paper to go into the sensational while keeping a tighter rein on the daily paper. He was adamant that a newspaper should fear no power, even that of the presidency as Teddy Roosevelt would discover. He loved to repeat a command to his editors three times, as in "accuracy, accuracy, accuracy!" or "verify, verify, verify!"
Though veering toward what was called yellow journalism in competition with the Hearst paper The New York Journal during the Spanish-American War, Pulitzer realized his error and returned to solid journalism thereafter. He was a fighter for the little guy, always seeking to uncover the shady dealings of powerful people. With his paper having the most readers in NYC, he could not be intimidated. Yes, he was a millionaire several times over but he used it to good purpose and always stood behind his staff urging them to investigate with a will. At the same time he demanded respect be shown even to those he opposed. Humor was often key to a successful put down of power.
For all his quirks, Pulitzer had a noble vision that drove him. He knew he was a pain to deal with and would frequently apologize. He could wallow in self-pity. He could belittle a person in person, but he left people irritated yet filled with admiration for genius. The money poured in but materialism offers limited appeal to a blind man.
All of this success came to a man plagued with disabilities who had taught himself English in a library when he first arrived in America. I would point to Joseph Pulitzer and say to everyone, look what America can produce from an immigrant, look at this American who made so much of himself and deeply loved the country that made it possible.
September 13, 2017
I actually didn't finish this. I want to learn more about Pulitzer, but the book wasn't holding my attention at all. The narrative was frequently disjointed. The author seemed to be trying to hard to be accessible. I may try again another time, or find a different biography.
As far in as I went, Pulitzer seemed fascinating. He didn't seem nearly the paragon of journalistic integrity I expected, given his reputation. He seemed eager to publish sensationalist news and published material of questionable sources. But I suppose perhaps he was groundbreaking relative to his time, set a course for the standards we more frequently hold today. It's dismaying to see how his rather pronounced bigotry informed his views.
As far in as I went, Pulitzer seemed fascinating. He didn't seem nearly the paragon of journalistic integrity I expected, given his reputation. He seemed eager to publish sensationalist news and published material of questionable sources. But I suppose perhaps he was groundbreaking relative to his time, set a course for the standards we more frequently hold today. It's dismaying to see how his rather pronounced bigotry informed his views.
June 20, 2019
My only thought, at the end was, "It never said anything about the creation of the Pulitzer Prize." 🤷
February 9, 2024
The man Pulitizer was interesting. The biographer was not. No narrative. His interpretation (or at least little.) Struggled to get through.
December 31, 2011
I suppose this read was far overdue as I earned a degree in journalism & work daily w journalists. Even the pre-face with promises of hardship, integrity, historical register and scandal....do prey-tell more!
A particularly fun story was of the young Pulitzer breaking open the doors on a secret democratic caucus so that his was the only republican newspaper to cover it. Ballsy Pulitzer. I like your style.
"politics to Pulitzer was not the art of compromise but rather the determination to stick to one's well-aimed guns". I like the brazen attitude... Certainly sounds like a republican to me! I will say he isn't a traditional republican as he brought to the forefront his belief that the state has a moral responsibility to give the poor a good public education. Which got a lot of opposition from his party. Blaze on Doctor P, blaze on!
There are points when you read Pulitzers writing that you know he's making a farce of the intellect of his own readers, but I will say this. He bullshits so well that even he believes what he's saying. And the rest of us desperately want to. A lofty goal for us in PR to strive for!
There was a seemingly perfect description of Pulitzer in chapter 9 in that he was "forever unstatisfied". Then again, how many people that came from nothing to rise to societies' highest ranks are? I'm fairly certain I have this trait too. It means I'm meant to be a great leader. I'm thinking manager of a taco bell someday. It's a lofty goal.
With each turn of the page though you find yourself in awe of what Pulitzer did for not just journalism, but politics and history. Nelly Bly's success was something unheard of by women at the time...who he believed deserved the same pay as men. When Pulitzer's health declined so much he had to withdraw from his position at the World.... His own rivals wrote of his greatness. That is straight baller right there. But wait... After becoming blind & invalid by his early 40s you think his time is up. But the next 20 years were his most productive...sweet titties this man was incredible!
You almost just start to think half this ish isn't possible that Pulitzer was responsible for. Like stopping a war between America & Britain. I mean, I do such things over the weekend, but to think a mere mortal could do them? Redonkulous!
I think the way Brian writes helps as well. Sometimes the topic can slow or mender to trivial matters, but all in all I think he gets to the heart of the matter about just how much this immigrant did for America. Here's lookin' at you Jan Brewer....
A particularly fun story was of the young Pulitzer breaking open the doors on a secret democratic caucus so that his was the only republican newspaper to cover it. Ballsy Pulitzer. I like your style.
"politics to Pulitzer was not the art of compromise but rather the determination to stick to one's well-aimed guns". I like the brazen attitude... Certainly sounds like a republican to me! I will say he isn't a traditional republican as he brought to the forefront his belief that the state has a moral responsibility to give the poor a good public education. Which got a lot of opposition from his party. Blaze on Doctor P, blaze on!
There are points when you read Pulitzers writing that you know he's making a farce of the intellect of his own readers, but I will say this. He bullshits so well that even he believes what he's saying. And the rest of us desperately want to. A lofty goal for us in PR to strive for!
There was a seemingly perfect description of Pulitzer in chapter 9 in that he was "forever unstatisfied". Then again, how many people that came from nothing to rise to societies' highest ranks are? I'm fairly certain I have this trait too. It means I'm meant to be a great leader. I'm thinking manager of a taco bell someday. It's a lofty goal.
With each turn of the page though you find yourself in awe of what Pulitzer did for not just journalism, but politics and history. Nelly Bly's success was something unheard of by women at the time...who he believed deserved the same pay as men. When Pulitzer's health declined so much he had to withdraw from his position at the World.... His own rivals wrote of his greatness. That is straight baller right there. But wait... After becoming blind & invalid by his early 40s you think his time is up. But the next 20 years were his most productive...sweet titties this man was incredible!
You almost just start to think half this ish isn't possible that Pulitzer was responsible for. Like stopping a war between America & Britain. I mean, I do such things over the weekend, but to think a mere mortal could do them? Redonkulous!
I think the way Brian writes helps as well. Sometimes the topic can slow or mender to trivial matters, but all in all I think he gets to the heart of the matter about just how much this immigrant did for America. Here's lookin' at you Jan Brewer....
August 6, 2013
Most people (especially younger people) think of Pulitzer as a prize...here is a story of the man. This is a compelling biography of an immigrant who changed media. He came to the US to escape his stepfather, finding his opportunity in joining the Union Army. After the war, he went to St. Louis where he got a job working for a German-language paper.
Eventually he bought and built the New York World, the most influential paper at the time. His devotion to the truth (as it was reported) and the ways in which he pushed his employees (impossibly) to get the story is incredible. He hired a woman -- ! -- Nellie Bly -- to report undercover news, eventually traveling around the world in less than 80 days.
A multi-millionaire, he was able to build sound proof rooms and boats as he suffered from an inability to deal with any noise. Early in his life, he became nearly blind and had to have papers read to him.
Read this. It's also an example of books that are found at used-book stores.
Eventually he bought and built the New York World, the most influential paper at the time. His devotion to the truth (as it was reported) and the ways in which he pushed his employees (impossibly) to get the story is incredible. He hired a woman -- ! -- Nellie Bly -- to report undercover news, eventually traveling around the world in less than 80 days.
A multi-millionaire, he was able to build sound proof rooms and boats as he suffered from an inability to deal with any noise. Early in his life, he became nearly blind and had to have papers read to him.
Read this. It's also an example of books that are found at used-book stores.
April 22, 2012
Mr. Brian wrote an exceptional biography on Pulitzer, showing the reading world why Pulitzer's excessive attention to detail and his drive for journalistic excellence set the example for writers and editors to emulate. I found the biography eye-opening, especially in areas where Pultizer and his newspapers had direct impact on mayoral, gubernatorial and presidential elections. I also was astounded by Pulitzer's ability to conduct an active -- almost dictatorial -- reign on his newspapers while going blind.
Mr. Brian got into tremendous detail about Pulitzer's personal life, his unusual relationship with his wife and children, the numerous aides on his staff that catered to every whim and demand, and his constant need for excessively quiet surroundings. It was an eye-opening look into one of the nation's strangest, yet influential personalities.
This is a must read for anyone in the journalistic or political management profession dealing with the press and politics.
Mr. Brian got into tremendous detail about Pulitzer's personal life, his unusual relationship with his wife and children, the numerous aides on his staff that catered to every whim and demand, and his constant need for excessively quiet surroundings. It was an eye-opening look into one of the nation's strangest, yet influential personalities.
This is a must read for anyone in the journalistic or political management profession dealing with the press and politics.
October 8, 2010
I enjoyed the format of this Biography of Joseph Pulitzer. His life was cleverly set against the background of History due to the World coverage of his newspapers. I learned many interesting facts about the man behind the Pulitzer prizes. Two things really intrigued me: How he dealt with his deteriorating eyesight and eventual blindness and secondly the description of his secretaries who helped him deal with his condition. The book made me wonder if I would have met the qualifications to be one of those secretaries.
January 30, 2015
I found this book quite an enjoyable read. It is very well researched and the writing was excellent and kept me drawn in despite the story being a bit long. The early years are fascinating however, I found that once Pulitzer had established his life, the story became a bit repetitive focusing on his battles with aristocratic Americans and corrupt politicians. Nevertheless it portrays an interesting time period in history. My favourite parts were the stories of stunt journalism tricks he played in the early years of his paper with Nellie Bly.
May 20, 2012
An APL Recycled Reads find. A very well written and very readable biography of a brilliant and complex individual. It is a fascinating look into American life and politics of the period through the eyes of Pulitzer as told by Brian. I enjoyed it very much.
July 3, 2016
A bit long but well-researched.
February 21, 2014
Fascinating book about a fascinating man and his path. I cannot fathom overcoming so much and making such a great impact on society along the way.
April 6, 2017
Very useful book for anyone researching New York or Journalism in the late 19th century. I especially like that the chapters are by year so it is easy to look up what was happening when.
Pulitzer was a fascinating man of contradictions.
Pulitzer was a fascinating man of contradictions.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews