The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

10.5 - Freedom Of The Press
In Honor of World Press Freedom Day (May 3rd)...
A. Read a novel with a main character who is a journalist.
Or
B. Read a non-fictional book written by or about a famous journalist.

If you need suggestions OR have suggestions for books to read for this task post them here.

Would The Postmistress be okay for this one? One of the main characters is a radio reporter during WWII. Or were you thinking newspaper journalist?

Suggestions would be nice!!

Ummm... I think I'm going to reread The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot. She's a gossip columnist who would love to write more substantial news and the main guy is a crime reporter for the rival paper. Mostly it's a contemporary romance novel, written in e-mail format. It's really cute, and definitely on the less-than-graphic side.

I have The Secret Life of Walter Winchell - will that work?

I think I am going to read the next Stieg Larsson - Girl Who Played with Fire - he is a journalist at a magazine.

Other one's i have read -

Kelley Armstrong - Living with the Dead
Jennifer Oko - Gloss

Bridgit wrote: "I think I am going to read the next Stieg Larsson - Girl Who Played with Fire - he is a journalist at a magazine."

What are those books about?

Bridgit wrote: "I think I am going to read the next Stieg Larsson - Girl Who Played with Fire - he is a journalist at a magazine."

that is a great idea! I will want to fit that one in.

Sharp Objects: A Novel - Gillian Flynn

Bridgit wrote: "I think I am going to read the next Stieg Larsson - Girl Who Played with Fire - he is a journalist at a magazine.

Other one's i have read -

Kelley Armstrong - [book:Living with the Dead|2813..."

I have been meaning to read the first one (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). Does that have a journalist in it?

Melissa wrote: "I have The Secret Life of Walter Winchell - will that work? "
Yes

Jen B wrote: "Would The Postmistress be okay for this one? One of the main characters is a radio reporter during WWII. Or were you thinking newspaper journalist?"
Any kind of journalist is fine.

Kathryn wrote: "Bridgit wrote: "I think I am going to read the next Stieg Larsson - Girl Who Played with Fire - he is a journalist at a magazine.

Other one's i have read -

Kelley Armstrong - [book:Living with t..."

Yes - it is the same main character. He is the publisher/writer for a magazine.

Would The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation work? It's not about one famous reporter - here's a clip from the description....
"An unprecedented examination of how news stories, editorials and photographs in the American press—and the journalists responsible for them—profoundly changed the nation’s thinking about civil rights in the South during the 1950s and ‘60s."

Tammy wrote: "Would The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation work? It's not about one famous reporter - here's a clip from the description....
"An unprece..."
Sure

I'm reading Front Row at the White House : My Life and Times by Helen Thomas. I love and adore her and this book has been on my shelf for a while. Perfect task to use it!

I recently read the memoir Love in the Driest Season: A Family Memoir. The author is a journalist.

Can I read The Longest Trip Home: A Memoir?

Any of the Trilogy by Steig Larrson would count.

Last week I finished reading Incendiary by Chris Cleave. Two of the Main Characters in that are Journalist for the Times on Sunday (or maybe another broadsheet paper!).

One of the main characters in Under the Dome is a journalist.

One of the main characters in The Help is a journalist. I highly recommend this book.

Jen B - I came across the Postmistress, too! But I think I am using it for the 2010 task.

Wasn't Nancy Drew in some of her novels a journalist?

Jenilyn wrote: "One of the main characters in The Help is a journalist. I highly recommend this book."

Jenilyn thanks for mentioning this! I've had The Help on hold at the library for the whole winter challenge! I'm hoping to finally get my hands on it for the spring challenge.

The Shipping News By Annie Proulx should work for this task

If any of you are romance readers, the main character of Dark Lover by J.R. Ward is a journalist.

Oh Ruby thanks so much for letting us know...I was trying to fit that book in this challenge. :~)

Wouldn't Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk or How to Lose Friends & Alienate People work?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society would count.

Cait wrote: "One of the main characters in Under the Dome is a journalist."

Wooot!! Thanks Cait.

i'd like to read Daughter of the Queen of Sheba: A Memoir. the author is an NPR journalist...would that count?

kiki wrote: "i'd like to read Daughter of the Queen of Sheba: A Memoir. the author is an NPR journalist...would that count?"

Any kind of journalist is fine.

thanks! :)

At Home in the World by Daniel Pearl
and
A Mighty Heart by Mariane Pearl

would both work for this task....

Krista wrote: "At Home in the World by Daniel Pearl
and
A Mighty Heart by Mariane Pearl

would both work for this task...."

Yes

Jennifer wrote: "The Shipping News By Annie Proulx should work for this task"

Excellent book!

Would Al-Jazeera: The Story of the Network That Is Rattling Governments and Redefining Modern Journalism by Mohammed El-Nawawy work? It isn't about a specific journalist but rather a journalism network and about freedom of the press.

Would All the President's Men or any of Chuck Klosterman's books work?

Cynthia,

Would Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend work? I ask since despite the book focuses on Ponzi it DOES follow the trail that The Post took in writing about Ponzi which resulted in the paper winning the Pulitzer (their only and the paper eventually collapsed). There's chapters devoted to the editor-in-chief who is chasing down Ponzi. In my book club, we said the book wasn't only about Ponzi. It was a dual-bio on Ponzi and the Post.

And the author is a journalist.

Would Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax work for this task?

"At forty-one, Vivian Armstrong Gray's life as an investigative journalist is crumbling. Humiliated after taking a bullet in her backside during an exposé, Vivi learns that she's pregnant, jobless, and very hormonal. This explains why she says 'yes' to a dreadful job covering suburban living back home in Georgia, a column she must write incognito.

Down South, it's her sister's ballroom dance studio that becomes her undercover spot where she learns about the local life-and where unexpected friendships develop. As she digs up her long buried roots, she starts to wonder if life inside the picket fence is really so bad after all."

Angela wrote: "Would Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax work for this task?

"At forty-one, Vivian Armstrong Gray's life as an investigative journalist is crumbling. Humiliated after taking a bullet in her backsi..."

Yes

Tanja wrote: "Cynthia,

Would Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend work? I ask since despite the book focuses on Ponzi it DOES follow the trail that The Post took in writing abou..."

Well since the author is a journalist it automatically qualifies based on option B.

Kate wrote: "Would All the President's Men or any of Chuck Klosterman's books work?"

Yes and Yes

Diane wrote: "Would Al-Jazeera: The Story of the Network That Is Rattling Governments and Redefining Modern Journalism by Mohammed El-Nawawy work? It isn't about a specific journal..."

Yes

Would The Year of Magical Thinking work for this task? The author's style is literary journalism and the wikipedia page for her says that she has a journalism background.

Ahahaha. I misread Option B! *raps forehead*

Juli wrote: "Would The Year of Magical Thinking work for this task? The author's style is literary journalism and the wikipedia page for her says that she has a journalism background."

I'll take it.

How famous does the journalist have to be? I picked up My Friend the Fanatic by Sadanand Dhume, who wrote for Far Eastern Economic Review and Asian Wall Street Journal in 2002, plus he has appeared on radio and tv in the US.

Donna Jo wrote: "How famous does the journalist have to be? I picked up My Friend the Fanatic by Sadanand Dhume, who wrote for Far Eastern Economic Review and Asian Wall Street Journal in 2002, plus..."

As long as they are/were a published journalist it doesn't matter if they are famous for that.

Thank you. I was reading the book anyway. When I discovered the journalism angle I was delighted.

Another book that I don't see listed here that I think would work isThe Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose.

Hi Cynthia, for this task could I read Into Thin Air? The book jacket describes the author as a journalist who has written for Outside magazine.

Cynthia, I have to read Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen for my RL book club and hope it fits this task. The author's bio says he was an AP Lisbon correspondent, which I'd consider journalism. Here's a link to his bio page:

http://www.chrismcdougall.com/bio.html

Louvaine wrote: "Hi Cynthia, for this task could I read Into Thin Air? The book jacket describes the author as a journalist who has written for Outside magazine."

Into Thin Air is one of my favorites!!

IMO, Jon Krakauer is definitely a journalist. In fact, "Into Thin Air" was originally an article he wrote published in "Outside" magazine. His wikipedia page states: "Much of Krakauer's popularity as a writer came from being a journalist for Outside magazine...His writing has also appeared in Smithsonian, National Geographic Magazine, Rolling Stone, and Architectural Digest."