Muckrakers: How Ida Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, and Lincoln Steffens Helped Expose Scandal, Inspire Reform, and Invent Investigative Journalism

by Ann Bausum, Daniel Schorr (Foreword by)

Hold the presses! Here's the sensational story of the birth of investigative journalism in America. At the turn of the 20th century, news reporters and monthly magazines collaborate to create a new kind of journalism—in-depth, serialized exposés of corporate, labor, and political corruption. Many of these stories become instant bestsellers in book books like The Jungle, Upton Sinclair's classic account of corruption in the meat-packing industry.

Ann Bausum's dramatic narrative follows a generation of dedicated journalists who force responsible changes in industry and politics as America thrives. Muckrakers is the inside story of public-spirited journalism right through its evolution, with profiles of latter-day practitioners like Woodward and Bernstein and today's Internet bloggers.

Ann Bausum's storytelling savvy will engage and inspire young people to cherish age-old values such as truth and public accountability. Muckrakers is the scoop on American journalism.

National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.
Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

Genres: Journalism, Nonfiction, History, American History, Middle Grade, Politics

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Ann Bausum writes about history for readers of all ages from her home in southern Wisconsin. Her works often focus on under-told stories from the past, and she frequently explores issues of social justice.

Her newest title, The March Against Fear (National Geographic: 2017), is her third work to examine the civil rights movement in the American South. In the case of these and other books, Bausum strives to bring the nation’s social justice history to life in ways that empower and inspire readers young and old alike. Her previous title, Stonewall (Viking: 2015), is among the first nonfiction books to introduce teens to gay rights history. Previous works have explored voting rights, immigration, and free speech, among other topics.

The almost-forgotten story of Stubby lured Bausum away from social justice history temporarily. She wrote twin titles about the stray dog smuggled to Europe during World War I who returned to a hero’s welcome. Both books were published in 2014 by National Geographic: Sergeant Stubby (for adult readers) and Stubby the War Dog (for children).

In the spring of 2017, the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, D.C., will honor the body of Bausum’s work by presenting her with its venerable Nonfiction Award. This award recognizes the consistent commendation earned by her individual titles through the years. Bausum’s books have appeared consistently on lists of recommended and notable titles and have earned numerous literary awards including a Sibert Honor Award, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, the Carter G. Woodson Award (on two occasions), and the SCBWI Golden Kite Award. In 2015, she was named the year’s Notable Wisconsin Children’s Author by the Wisconsin Library Association.

You may follow Bausum on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AnnBausum) and Twitter (@AnnBausum) or visit her online at www.AnnBausum.com

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at the three journalists in the title, then it goes into a look at later journalists that uncovered significant stories in US history. I also loved the design with the typewriter fonts & keys.

[Lynsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick and easy overview of some of history’s muckrakers. Many of the books they wrote aren’t in the public library.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to use this as a stepping off point for my Journalism class this year to start research projects on muckrakers and investigative journalism. Very excited.

[Alyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5--see https://www.eatreadandbemommy.com/202... for more!

[Margo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genre: Nonfiction/Informative (nonfiction/informational requirement)

This quick book by National Geographic is an overview of three of the most influential writers of the industrial age: Ida Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, and Lincoln Steffens. The book offers an inside look to the motivation and process of writing as "muckrakers" in order to expose and produce change in the nations business and government. The book leads all the way up to modern times by declaring Woodward and Bernstein of the Watergate scandal as modern muckrakers.

This book would be a great read for students who are interested in journalism. It is very short and includes a lot of photographs that make for an interesting read. The writing is not as fast paced as the history but the book remains an impressive reproduction of a very specific group of individuals in history.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through the stories of Ida Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, and Lincoln Steffens, ground-breaking investigative journalism takes on Standard Oil, Meat Packers and Political Corruption. Teddy Roosevelt called them Muckrakers, out of frustration. The book closes with the achievements of Edward R. Murrow, Rachel Carson, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and Seymour Hersh.
The book encapsulates the struggle, stigma and accomplishments of the field.

[Laura Sims · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting resource that delves into the topic of the beginnings of investigative journalism through the writing of articles and documents that exposed safety issues and other scandals during the industrial revolution. This would be an excellent companion to use with textbooks for students learning about what life was like during this time in history.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. Informative but very superficial. More like a historical overview of the Muckrakers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Made me want to learn more about Sinclair, Tarbell, and others. I found the women Muckrakers to be inspiring...ahead of their time.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that should be required reading in journalism classes. It shows the beginning of aggressive investigative journalism and a lot of the history since then up to the 2007 investigation at Walter Reed Hospital for substandard treatment of vets coming back from Afghanistan or Iraq.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meant for middle graders, this is an excellent history of investigative reporting, focused on the breakthroughs of journalists in the early 1900s. Intelligently written, well illustrated and smartly organized.

[Roxanne Hsu Feldman · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a highly tantalizing and potentially thrilling subject, the book manages to be quite tedious and not very inspiring.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always admired those who research and find stories. Like most things, there is a good side and and bad side to the press. I enjoyed the back stories, but was not riveted.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information about the first muckrakers. Good back material as well.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

a great introduction. I wish I had read this before I delved into a deeper Muckrakers history last year.

[Dotty · Rating 4 out of 5]

What goes around, comes around. I hadn't read anything about this topic and it sounded eerily familiar. We could use some muckrakers in the 21st century.

[Jessica Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well put together and captivating way to summarize these people and profession.

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent photographs, and interesting text. Good introduction to investigative journalism.