Бащата на манипулацията: Едуард Л. Бернайс & Раждането на ПР

by Larry Tye, Лари Тай

Това е първата биография на създателя на модерната професия ПР - Едуард Л. Бернайс. С книгата на Лари Тай в ръцете си държим не само една изключителна история за живота на Едуард Бернайс, но и една притча за зараждането и развитието на ПР в САЩ.

Роден във Виена през 1891 г. Едуард Л. Бернайс е двоен племеник на Зигмунд Фройд. Той се превръща в човека, който създава техниките на модерната пропаганда и който след 1920 г. успява да обедини в едно теориите на масовата психология и схемите за корпоративно и политическо привличане на вниманието.

Сред клиентите на Бернайс са компаниите "Проктър & Генбъл", "Американ табако" и "Картие", певецът Енрико Карузо, руският балет на Дягилев, държавите Израел и Литва, американските президенти Хърбърт Хувър и Калвин Кулидж и много други известни личности, компании, политици и държави.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Psychology, History, Politics, Business, Communication

274 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Larry Tye is a New York Times bestselling author whose most recent book is a biography of Robert F. Kennedy, the former attorney general, U.S. senator, and presidential candidate. Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon explores RFK’s extraordinary transformation from cold warrior to fiery leftist.

Tye’s first book, The Father of Spin, is a biography of public relations pioneer Edward L.Bernays. Home Lands looks at the Jewish renewal underway from Boston to Buenos Aires. Rising from the Rails explores how the black men who worked on George Pullman’s railroad sleeping cars helped kick-start the Civil Rights movement and gave birth to today’s African-American middle class. Shock, a collaboration with Kitty Dukakis, is a journalist’s first-person account of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), psychiatry’s most controversial treatment, and a portrait of how that therapy helped one woman overcome debilitating depression. Satchel is the biography of two American icons – Satchel Paige and Jim Crow. Superman tells the nearly-real life story of the most enduring American hero of the last century.

In addition to his writing, Tye runs the Boston-based Health Coverage Fellowship, which helps the media do a better job reporting on critical issues like public health, mental health, and high-tech medicine. Launched in 2001 and supported by a series of foundations, the fellowship trains a dozen medical journalists a year from newspapers,radio stations, and TV outlets nationwide.

From 1986 to 2001, Tye was an award-winning reporter at The Boston Globe, where his primary beat was medicine. He also served as the Globe’s environmental reporter, roving national writer, investigative reporter, and sports writer. Before that, he was the environmental reporter at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, and covered government and business at The Anniston Star in Alabama.

Tye, who graduated from Brown University, was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1993-94. He taught journalism at Boston University, Northeastern, and Tufts.

Reviews

[Rebecca Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read in any PR 101 course. A brilliant tell-all about the inner-workings of Edward L. Bernays, I felt I was witnessing a small piece of history reading this books. I am fascinated with the industry that I am a part of and Bernays contribution to defining "Public Relations" is unprecedented. It's a great read for publicists and marketers as well as anyone looking to understand how we digest the news in today's day and age.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book — Edward Bernays is a fascinating man, and this book touches on a lot of the greatest hits of his career. That being said, I would have liked to see more of the overall context: it jumps from project to project, and is relatively light on the connection between them. The final chapter does discuss some of the other big PR names of the time period, but it isn't an in-depth discussion. I particularly would love more exploration of Ivy Lee and how he interacted with Bernays.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be required reading to view our country in a different light. The writing is irrelevant, the topic is too important.

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Figured this was a timely read considering the massive amount of social engineering that has taken place in recent years. It’s good to know how such things got their modern start.

[Robin]

I started this book after seeing the four-part documentary CENTURY OF THE SELF. A nephew of Sigmund Freud, Bernays was incredibly influential in American politics and popular culture. Unfortunately, I started this book when I had too many other things to read, so I'll have to finish it later. The writing isn't compelling, but the subject is.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good but not great book on the founder of modern spin doctors, Eddie Bernay. Parts of the book are fairly interesting and the history beside the history is at time enthralling this being said the author is not a very engaging writer, so a very interesting story ends up being a bland retelling of events without flair or panache. Worth a read through but I wont be writing home about it.

[Cvi * · Rating 3 out of 5]

Историята на Едуард Л. Бернайс е само малка част от същността на онова, което наричаме Public Relation.

Малко информация за "бащата на манипулацията" - той е роден в края на 19 век във Виена. Своето детство прекарва заобиколен от властни фигури - преуспяващ баща и чичо Зиги (Зигмунд Фройд). В тази "небрежна" аудитория Бернайс вижда само колко нищожно е малък изглежда - не само на външен вид, но и отвътре.

Визионер по природа Едуард се оказва още в ранна възраст в границите на САЩ. Първата световна война посреща малкия австриец в компанията на "Американ табако" - създателите на небезивестната марка цигари "Лъки страйк". Тютюнът вече е намерил своето място в социалното пространство, но едва-едва набира скорост. И тук се включва Бернайс.

Мъжете са спечелена аудитория - хора, които са съпричастни на бойците от войната. Но жените - това е съвсем различна територия, малко изучавана в своята същност. Как Бернайс започва да продава цигари на жените? С манипулация - "вместо да преядете с десерта, изпушете една цигара". Менютата в ресторантите са променени само и единствено, за да включат в менюто си задължителна доза никотин.

Но жените са ограничени в своите възможности за употреба на цигари. Обществото не приема добре идеята жените да пушат навън, подобно на представителите от мъжкия пол. Затова какво прави Бернайс, след поредното желание на своя шеф? Пише писмо на 30 дебютантки от сп. Vogue, с идеята да събуди интерес към жените да се борят за правата си да правят каквото си искат, където си искат. Една действително гениална идея ражда парада "Факлите на свободата". Замислете се - в днешно време движенията за феминизъм могат да се изградят в не по-малко привлекателна светлина, а в същността си да пропагандират нещо скрито, толкова дълбоко, колкото е участието на Бернайс в парада (за което обществото научава 40 години по-късно).

Книгата продължава в духа на едно време, което е осеяно с войни, кървави периоди за Европа и САЩ и много пропаганда. Бернайс се възползва от този период, отприщвайки с пълна сила своите знания по психология и умения за комуникация. Неговите виждания за ПР дейността са впечатляващи, а жизненият му цикъл - почти емблематичен. Взима най-доброто от своя чичо Зигмунд Фройд и средата, която го заобикаля, за да преобрази света.

Едуард Бернайс е личност, за която малко се говори, но си заслужава да познаваме. Той съблича сега известния "имидж", който ПР-рите градят, за да покаже, че зад красивите им идеи стоят пошли, почти ужасяващи желания, подобно на тези в книгата - за модерните цигари, които по-късно ще убиват стотици хиляди души годишно.

"Понякога е възможно да промениш нагласите на милиони, но е невъзможно да промениш нагласите на един човек."

[Michael Lunsford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting biography of the man who made "green the new black," changed multiple sclerosis to MS, made bacon into a staple of the American diet, and much much more. It eludes five stars only because the author questioned (and maybe even insulted) his subject's mystique throughout the book.

[Manuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting topic, but the author fails to give a real overview of what Bernays actually did, and how much he actually influenced (or not) his world. Most chapters are a long series of facts, quotes, and newspapers, but the big picture is hard to get there.

[Quratulain · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This book uses Edward Berneys life as a prism to understand the evolution of the craft of PR and how it came to play such a critical, insidious role in American life.”
The whole notion that the US had been rallied to war by a massive hidden PR campaign left many Americans doubting the soundness of their own opinions and wondering whether our very thoughts were being tampered with right here in the hub of democracy.”
Guatemala: Jacobo Arbenz Guzman, United Fruit Company
Although he was unemployed, his father’s success as a grain dealer let him settle in to a relatively carefree existence, one where he could contemplate his future without worrying about it.”
Anything could be accomplished if people could be made to see what looked like an obstacle as an opportunity. All that was required was a bit of insight into how people defined obstacles and opportunities, along with some creative prodding to get them to rethink those definitions.”
It is sound to find out beforehand what peoples reactions may be. His reason for finding out was so he could adjust his tactics rather than change course.”
1915: “…a country that didn’t much care for European culture, knew and cared even less about Russia, and thought men had no business dancing on stage wearing slippers and tights.”
Show people intuitively adjust themselves to getting publicity for themselves, whatever the method. I recognized how necessary it was to look behind a person’s fame to ascertain whether the basis was real or fictitious. Public visibility had little to do with real value.”
The ballet liberated American dance and through it the American spirit. It fostered a tolerant view toward sx, it changed our music ….The ballet made modern art more palatable…
He realized that such impressions could easily be fashioned or reshaped…The publics ability to create it own heroes from wisps of impressions and it’s own imagination..
Many Americans still weren’t sure why they had fought or what they’d achieved and they didn’t want to get further entangled overseas.”
When America joined WWI, cigarettes were considered unsavory, unmanly.”
Bernays himself never smoked, although his wife Doris did for several years…I didn’t like the taste of tobacco. I prefer chocolate.
Bernays understood they were up against a social taboo that cast doubt on the character of women who smoked…After the stories and pictures have appeared, they will be protests from non smokers and believers in Heaven, Home, and Morher. These should be watched for and answered in the same papers.”
Age-old customs could be broken down by a dramatic appeal, disseminated by the network of media..a beginning had been made…”
The Torches of Freedom campaign is still cited in classrooms…analysis of social symbols and how they can be manipulated.”
Discerning readers might have suspected that a commercial interest had promoted the campaign but it would have taken a detective to pinpoint the company. The connection was further masked as it moved down the ladder from expert to press to public.”
The lesson is that emphasis by repitition gains acceptance for an idea, particularly if the repetition comes from different sources.”
Bernay’s first rule in deflating rumors was never to repeat them publicly, for fear of fanning them. The best antidote was to publicize facts and figures showing the rumor couldn’t be true.
He had good reason to suspect the perils of smoking as early as 1930, more than 15 years before Tobacco companies acknowledged that they suspected smoking was dangerous.”
Bernays took seriously the medical evidence he was gathering on the dangers of smoking, yet he was urging American Tobacco to do all it could to ensure that newspapers dismiss that evidence.”
He told only that part of the smoking story that served his interests and those of his former client, and he told it often enough, and in such convincing fashion that he probably began to believe his own rhetoric.”
Bacon and eggs, books/bookshelves, MS: hired to sell a product or service, he instead sold whole new ways of behaving, which appeared obscure but over time reaped huge rewards for his clients and redefined the very texture of American life.”
Appeals of indirection: plotting a path to a clients goal that seemed roundabout but ultimately removed underlying as well as immediate impediments.”
The formula was simple: Bernays generated events, the events generated news, and the news generated a demand for whatever he happened to be selling.”
Bernay’s Mack Truck campaign set a model for lobbying that is still used in todays world of high-priced PACs.”
His strategy: carefully analyze your opponents game plan, and if you can’t overcome it, co-opt it.”
Justice Felix Frankfurter: called Bernays professional poisoners of the public mind who exploit foolishness and fanaticism and self-interest.”
As more and more principals who might have contradicted him passed away, Bernay’s version became the official version.”
UPS officials can’t find any record of his involvement and say brown was chosen simply to match the popular Pullman railroad cars.”
Bernays admitted that his clients often let him go sooner than he’d have liked, but he had an explanation for evey firing, usually involving personalities rather than performance.”
People who live as long as he did often magnify their accomplishments remembering vividly their triumphs and barely recalling their failures. He reminds me of the war veteran whose exploits grow in stature with the passage of years and the deaths of his comrades.”
The best way to win over the public was by appealing to instinct rather than reason: always keep in mind the tendency of human beings to symbolize their leaders as Achilles heel proof. Also that the inferiority complex of individuals will respond to feeling superior to a fool..Create issues that appeal to pugnacious instincts of human beings.”
No one in our society is as powerful as the individual American. Thomas Jefferson
Freedom is an admirable ideal but it’s impractical in a nation this big, with a population that isn’t equal in talent or training.”
Gustave Le Bon, Gabriel Tarde, Wilfred Trotter, Walter Lippmann
The only difference between propaganda and education is in the point of view. Advocacy of what we believe in is education. Advocacy of what we don’t believe in is propaganda.”
It was radical enough for Bernays to reject religion and God but he fervently believed that he and other PR counselors could do the job at least as well.”
On the basis of a Latin phrase, quantum Meruit, the man or the corporation is much more likely to do what you suggest if you charge a high fee than if you charge very little.”
It’s easier to gain acceptance for your viewpoint by quoting respected authorities, outlining the reasons for your outlook, and referring to tradition than by telling someone he’s wrong.”
Each sentence should have no more than 16 words and just one idea”.
Nobody is led anywhere unless he wants to be led.”
He and his wife spoke up for such radical notions as requiring husbands to pay their wives for housework, child care, cooking, and other household duties.”
Such a blending of liberalism and fascism was exactly what Bernays believed to be essential, given his understanding of the failure of 19th century liberalism, and 20th century necessity of uniting liberalism with social control to avoid chaos.”
In 1933 that Nazi propaganda chief Goebbels was using Crystalizing Public Opinion as a basis for his destructive campaign against the Jews of Germany.”
Theater people were vagabond troupers in his mind; they were amoral or worse, immoral; they had little family life, background or culture.”
Lucy Stone is mistaken in thinking that keeping her fathers name is more significant than taking her husbands name. We were guilty of belief in magic. We thought a name itself had power to confer a separate identity.”
Whenever a new problem has come up in my job I have found it helpful to read a few books, spend a few days in special libraries, talk to authorities, or make a fairly broad survey.”
Banana Republics: That term reflected North Americans disdain for Latin Americans, whom they regarded as politically and socially backward and economically ripe for the picking.”
The invasion supported by a CIA air attack, quickly achieved its goal, and on June 27, 1954, a military junta took control of Guatemala. Aromas was named President.
Cold War paranoia and sheer ignorance were more powerful than all the manipulations of Edward Bernays and other skillful minions in the pay of United Fruit.”
Bernay’s Formula: add a wealthy and self-interested private sponsor to sympathetic US operatives, then let a masterful propagandist stir the pot by firing up public opinion and even toppling foreign governments seemed possible.”
The atmosphere of self-doubt created in the US by our actions in Guatemala meant that when a real Communist threat actually did appear 3-4 years later in Cuba, the American public and some members of the press were unwilling to believe the truth.”
Outwardly my life has transpired quietly and without content and can be dismissed with a few dates. A psychologically complete and sincere life recital would demand so many indiscreet revelations that it is precluded from the very outset.”
I was seldom interested primarily in projecting characters onto the public. I was much more interested in influencing action and letting action project itself to the public.”
The more you charge, the more you will be respected.”
If he’d bought rather than rented in those early years he might have cashed in on the soaring values of Manhattan real estate, and if he’d taken more investment cues from his robber baron clients he might have gotten richer without having to work so hard.”
The modern era of public relations dates back to the early 1900s when America’s business leaders realized that persuasion rather than coercion was the best method of getting their way with the public and the government.”
He was never quite accepted by people he regarded as his peers because of his self-promotion, his very bland assumption that the field really didn’t exist before Bernays.”
Unless you present the facts, those who may not be in sympathy with you may distort them.”
In his relentless bid to shape his own legacy, he offered a perfect portrayal of the full array of PR tactics and strategies, of manipulations and embellishments, and how they could be used to redefine reality.”
Ivy Ledbetter Lee 1900s: Ludlow Massacre April 20, 1914”

[Margot · Rating 3 out of 5]

A conflicted book about a fascinating character. Edward Bernays strikes me as an exasperating character who had a profound effect not only on modern public relations, but the marketing/advertising world as well. Although his role as the "father of public relations" may be disputed, his application of (his uncle) Freud's psychoanalysis to the masses has certainly left its mark on the constant stream of product placement and ubiquitous spin we encounter in our daily lives.

The organizational choices for the chapters was somewhat mystifying to me, and didn't lend an overall cohesive flow to the book. Tye's efforts to present both sides of the story sometimes just comes across as a case of "he said, she said," without any overarching context or perspective given. The sometimes contradictory nature of the book mirrors Bernays' own professional hypocrisy, counseling on the importance of transparency in public relations while hiding his clients' interests behind citizen front groups.

Here are a few samples:
"The pattern had been for firms to alter their product line or pitch to fit changing consumer tastes; Bernays believed that, approached the right way, consumers themselves could be made to do the adjusting."(54)

"The formula was simple: Bernays generated events, the events generated news, and the news generated a demand for whatever he happened to be selling."(55)

"On the finesse needed to practice PR: It's like shooting billiards, where you bounce the ball off cushions, as opposed to pool, where you aim directly for the pockets.
The best place to find things: the public library."(103)

"Compromising objectivity, after all, was what he did for a living."(171)

[Paul DeBusschere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Larry Tye gives us a fairly well rounded biography of Edward Bernays, one of the pioneers of public relations in the 20th century. Although not a comprehensive and detailed biography, Tye does provide valuable insight into the mindset of the man who laid the philosophical underpinnings of much of what we know as PR today.

Since the book is only about 250 pages, Tye chooses to focus on the highlights of Bernays's long career. The result is to gloss over quite a bit of time, decades in some places. However, as an overview and introduction into Bernays's way of thinking and personality, "The Father of Spin" is a worthwhile read for anyone beginning to explore what drives media and politics in the 21st century.

On the downside, the book does suffer from some obviously poor editing. There are numerous typos and questionable phrasing appears in many places, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Tye, a journalist, should know better - or at least get a better editor!

[Kimmie · Rating 3 out of 5]

You'd be amazed at what this man accomplished through PR. The hearty eggs and bacon breakfast? His idea. Built-in book shelves in houses to promote literacy? His idea. Cigarette smoking among women? His (not so great) idea.

[Panashe M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that anyone who is interested in the political history of the United States in the 20th century, or public relations and propaganda, should read. It is quite a dry read, otherwise it'd get a higher rating, but still a good book.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done biography, but I eventually got bored. the research and writing were nice, and the author seemed to do a good job or presenting different things as facts or opinions, but unless you're really into PR or marketing, this is not the book for you.

[Noah Gift · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential book to understand what is wrong with consuming content primarily fed by advertising dollars.

[Mark Devlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Father of Spin by Larry Tye is an essential read for anyone in public relations, marketing, or media. This book offers a deep and sometimes unsettling look at Edward Bernays, the man who pioneered modern PR techniques and reshaped how businesses, governments, and even entire societies communicate. Tye masterfully explores Bernays' controversial legacy—his groundbreaking work in persuasion, his role in shaping corporate America, and his ethical dilemmas, including his work with tobacco companies and political propaganda.
What makes this book particularly compelling is how relevant Bernays' strategies remain today. His mastery of media influence and public opinion is still at the core of how brands and organisations operate. At Impact PR, one of New Zealand’s top PR agencies, we understand, one of New Zealand’s most respected PR agencies, we understand that great public relations is about crafting compelling narratives—something Bernays did with unmatched skill.
If you're looking to understand the roots of PR and how it continues to shape our world, The Father of Spin is a must-read. Thought-provoking, well-researched, and surprisingly entertaining, this book will change how you view media and persuasion forever.

[Desislava · Rating 3 out of 5]

Интересна книга. Библия за нас, учениците по Коминикации, Журналистика и PR.
Шокираща, завладяваща и показва ни колко гениален и изобретателен може да бъде човешкият ум, колко наситена и вълнуваща може да бъде нечия съдба, и колко голям учител е животът.
Това е любимата книга на мъжът ми.
Не мога да кажа, че на мен ми е любима, но се възхищавам на умът, творчеството и геният на главният й герой.
Книга, която е хубаво да се прочете не само от студентите по Масови Комуникации, но о ит всички, които се интересуват и искат да си обяснят що е то PR. И как да бъдеш успешен такъв. Колко в важна изобретателността, колко рядък е впечатляващит ум и колко интересен може да бъде един житейски път-пътят на един от най-великите pr специалисти изобщо съществували някога "Бащата на Манипулацията".
Аз мразя тази дума, но книгата дава една различна гледна точка за нея.
И показва изкуството да създаваш убикални рекламни ��ампании, да бъдеш творец, да бъдеш най-добрият в областта си.
Книгата е много важна и базова за студентите по PR, защото обяснява възникването на тази теория, на науката и основите на Връзките с обществеността.

[Maurice Gatien · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a good book but not a great book - in part, this may be due to Bernays being a great publicist, but not a great person. The book captures well the techniques used by Bernays to convince people to buy a wide range of consumer products or to adopt political ideas. It's not that Bernays invented these processes, but he moved them forward. And since then, they have moved forward even more. Bernays laid the foundation of what we are experiencing now - "fact-checkers" are the new version of Bernays in the sense that they act as shills for ideas that are given the veneer of being based on facts, but are instead based on a spin of the "facts". The techniques have become more sophisticated but the educational system does little or nothing to equip the consumer to understand the extent to which we are all being manipulated on a day-to-day basis. Without knowledge, we remain vulnerable. Courses in consumer protection need to be taught in high school and the life of people like Bernays should be studied like any historical character.

[Astor Teller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good biography of Edward Bernays who was the father of public relations, or professed to be just that throughout his long life which lasted more than a century (and outliving most of his peers to dispute his claims).

Whatever is the truth, Bernays was good at thinking out of the box and making good stories, so I’m not surprised that he made his own image the way he wanted. The surprising part was that he left 800 boxes of notes and correspondence to the public so this author can contradict some of his claims, but also telling a good story about the time when people like Edward Bernays set a new standard for marketing everything from bananas and soap, to politicians and bringing down government in other countries.

An engaging read well worth diving into if you want to know how marketing as we know it, came to be.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating, albeit laborious account of Edward Bernays, the Henry Ford of public relations. An insightful visionary who gifted the future a tool more powerful than the lever. And like all powerful human tools, one possessed of infinite potential to do good and more likely, bad. Thank you, Eddie??

[Sai Luo · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to know Bernays' political philosophy, you only need to read Chapter 5. The author had read plenty of material, and introduced dramatis personae in two sides. However, the structure of this book is not shipshape.

[Robert Geoghegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read.

[David Hegermiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the insight into the shaping of public opinions

[Aleksa Mandic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jedan od gotivnijih istorijskih negativaca.

[Jeff Rudisel · Rating 5 out of 5]

MANIPULATING PUBLIC OPINION

A great history of how the modern propaganda machines originated and have evolved to guide and even create public opinion.

[Roberta Havel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ed Bernays was a scary and interesting man. He wrote the manual on how to effectively manipulate the masses. Unfortunately, his most successful campaigns were the most harmful -- making smoking glamorous for women and laying the ground for a conflict in Guatemala. Like it or not, modern politicians, such as Trump, use public relations techniques that emulate Bernays to this day. This book was worth reading, but don't expect a page turner, however do expect an eye opener.

[Bianca Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in July 2008

Part 1
I’m currently reading Larry Tye’s book “The Father of Spin” about Edward L Bernays, the man who turned public relations from the entertainment industry’s scam to a legitimate business tool.

Bernays was famous for applying behavioural sciences to business, something I greatly admire him for. His list of achievements is enormous. He enticed socialites to adopt green as the colour of a season to make fashion match a client’s packaging; convinced governments to increase funding for roads, effectively decimating the rail goods transportation industry; made ballet popular in the United States; and created an endless market for hairnets once they were no longer a fashion accessory. These are all things that any PR Practitioner love to say they did.

I’m in two minds about him though. Tye reports in his book a couple of things that make me question Bernays’s ethics.

When Bernays passed away, he left boxes of his extensive notes to the Library of Congress. Among these notes was firm evidence from the 30s proving the cigarette smoke was harmful and cancer causing. Cancer Council Victoria reports that 1,790 Victorians died from lung cancer (just one form of cancer cause by smoking) in 2005. If Bernays hadn’t of suppressed that information would smoking have become so popular and all these people die?

Other things that make me question Bernays’s ethics. Tye was unable to verify some of the achievements Bernays claims in his autobiography. Bernays claimed he convinced the Czech nationalist leader, Masaryk, change the date of his country’s declaration of freedom to maximise press coverage. Other reports give varying dates and years for both the declaration and Bernays meeting with Masaryk.

I know not to put anyone on a pedestal and appreciate his work with behavioural studies, but let’s wait for the rest of the book to see if Edward L Bernays was overall a good guy or a bad guy.

Part 2
Here is the (long awaited) follow up on Edward L Bernays: The Father of Spin. In the last post I had just started reading Larry Tye’s biography on Bernays. I wasn’t sure if Bernays was a good guy or not. He introduced behavioural sciences into public relations and business, but also popularised cigarette smoking within females, despite knowing the harm caused. So, I was on the fence.

Two days ago I finished the book and, honestly, I’m still on that fence. I can acknowledge that Bernays did some amazing stuff. His research was second to none, he pushed boundaries and grew a fledgling occupation into an industry. However, he was a selfish, egotistical bastard who appears to have bent and fabricated the truth to build his own self-esteem. So, good guy or bad guy? Let’s just say I appreciate his achievements, but it doesn’t mean I need to like the man.

WHO IS EDWARD L BERNAYS: THE FATHER OF SPIN FOR?
I read this as a PR graduate student and it gave me the perfect history of the industry and practices we use today. So, I recommend the same. Are you interested in early PR? Then check this out.

[Trey Malone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't the first Larry Tye book I've ever read and it probably won't be the last. I enjoy his prose and think he chooses really interesting biographical topics that showcase some critical cultural shift. Unfortunately, this is his first book and he was clearly still trying to find his footing. While there was quite a bit of interesting content in this book, the structure was far too focused on the personality of Edward Bernays and not what Bernays tells us about the world. Because of how wide-reaching Bernays's career became, I was hoping for more of a "Forest Gump" - type story where Bernays was a part of historical events but was largely the vehicle through which Tye was connecting this massive transition in 20th century marketing strategy. Ultimately, I would love to see Tye rewrite this book 25 years later and adjust the writing to fit his more recent approach.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating look at one of the originators of Public Relations and the effectiveness of "spin" in business, politics, and marketing. The book reveals an often amoral world where clients receive advice on manipulative techniques to shape public attitudes. It remains a relevant and timely read.