The Last Editor

by Jim Bellows

The Last Editor is the memoir of Jim Bellows, the editor whose David-and-Goliath battles changed the face of the newspaper business. Bellows struggled to save major competitors of America's three most powerful the New York Times , the Washington Post , and the Los Angeles Times . In doing so, he developed major talent from rough cuts and brought a new generation of writers to the mainstream press.

The Last Editor is a unique memoir of a man who loved a fight--highlighted with commentary from his colleagues in letters and sidebars from the biggest names in media. Sidebars from Wolfe, Ben Bradlee, Art Buchwald, Katherine Graham, Mary McGrory, William Safire, just to name a few, and 16 pages of black-and-white photos, provide behind-the-scenes insights to the triumphs and controversies of the man who shaped the industry.

Genres: Journalism

383 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2002

Reviews

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

About a third of a way in and this book is a scream, a real riot, and also a very insightful take on the newspaper industry by a legendary editor. I love that he kicks the thing off with a top ten list. Pull quotes and bulleted lists sprinkle the text and a fun way to read a chapter is to read it through, and then turn back to its start and read all of the additional items. A brisk, chatty read.

[Teri Temme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! Inspiring and informative.

Favorite quote and life philosophy from the book: "I have tried to show how to love what you do - not just the money you make - and how to use work to create a rich and rewarding life, instead of being used by work and risk having no life at all."

[Blythe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. Gives me faith in journalists and journalism. Hilarious, and the man tells a hell of a story. I = inspired.