Into the Story: A Writer's Journey through Life, Politics, Sports and Loss

by David Maraniss

These works singularly and together describe the education of David Maraniss as an author and the discipline and commitment required of deep reporting and fine writing, which are inseparable in the nonfiction narrative form.. The character studies here range from politicians (Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Jesse Jackson, Al Gore) to great sports figures (Vince Lombardi, Roberto Clemente, Wilma Rudolph, Muhammad Ali, Larry Doby). Maraniss also explores what happens when ordinary life is shattered by violence and loss, from the personal loss of a beloved sister to the communal losses of September 11, Virginia Tech, and the horrors of an ambush in Vietnam. . “The world of nonfiction writing is a continual graduate school,” Maraniss concludes. “But only if you avoid the easier path, the lure of assumption and attitude, and open yourself to what can be an educational and fulfilling lifelong journey.” .

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Sports

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

David Maraniss is an associate editor at The Washington Post and the author of four critically acclaimed and bestselling books, When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi, First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton, They Marched Into Sunlight War and Peace, Vietnam and America October 1967, and Clemente The Passion and Grace of Baseballs Last Hero. He is also the author of The Clinton Enigma and coauthor of The Prince of Tennessee: Al Gore Meets His Fate and "Tell Newt to Shut Up!"

David is a three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and won the Pulitzer for national reporting in 1993 for his newspaper coverage of then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton. He has won several other notable awards for achievements in journalism, including the George Polk Award, the Dirksen Prize for Congressional Reporting, the ASNE Laventhol Prize for Deadline Writing, the Hancock Prize for Financial Writing, the Anthony Lukas Book Prize, the Frankfort Book Prize, the Eagleton Book Prize, the Ambassador Book Prize, and Latino Book Prize.
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Reviews

[Tom Gase · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a best of from David Maraniss, one of my favorite authors. Maraniss has written books on Roberto Clemente, Vince Lombardi and the 1960 Rome Olympic Games that I all really liked so I thought I would read this book which is a bunch of his essays and shorter versions of what he would eventually make into a book. Really liked the stories on Rafer Johnson, Clemente, his dad and Ron Santo, Obama and Bill Clinton to name a few. The Virginia Tech shooting story was very well written, but hard to read because it was such an awful event. Same thing with his 9/11 story. If you like Maraniss a lot like myself you'll enjoy this. If you haven't read anything by him yet, skip this and read Clemente or Rome 1960 first.

[Lilo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only read the chapters about President Obama and President Clinton. These chapters were excellent. I put the book temporarily aside because I presently have other reading priorities, and also because the book has ruggedly cut edges, and I hate it when I have trouble turning pages.

[Tim Wendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some real gems here. I will include this for my class reading list next semester at Johns Hopkins.

[Lud · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite non-fiction writers. (My favorite of course is the excellent biography of Vince Lombardi!) This collection of essays and short pieces covers many topics - politics, sports, family, and a truly amazing piece on 9/11.

[Marianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essays are a new favorite of mine. Maraniss does an excellent job of showing a different side to some favorite well worn topics. As a testament to his writing I thoroughly enjoyed the section on sports evne though I'm about as far from being a sports fan as possible!

[Rey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. The stories about himself are just not engaging to me. The chapters about Clemente are well written and interesting, but there just isn't enough of that to keep me interested in reading the whole thing.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

David’s dad hired me at The Cap Times and I worked next to his brother Jim, the year Jim was on sabbatical and spent his time at the paper. Dave’s a superb writer but what I may have like best was his intro about newspapers, journalism and TCT.

[William Folger Jr]

David Maraniss is an excellent writer. Enjoyed the thirty-two stories.

[Elizabeth Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!