Review by Library Journal Review
The politics of the 1960s-70s come to life in Nessen's recounting of the first 15 years of his journalism career from 1962 to 1977. As a reporter for NBC, he had a front row seat for many events, including the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. In the early 1970s, he was assigned to NBC's Washington Bureau and became one of the "nattering nabobs of negativity" covering the Nixon White House. When Gerald Ford succeeded Nixon, he chose Nessen to serve as his press secretary. Nessen's insider account of White House operations, covering the personalities and inside maneuvering of individuals whose names are still familiar, such as Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, illustrates how the Ford presidency floundered. He intersperses reflections on his personal life and failures with the story of his career. VERDICT Political junkies will love the details about the White House personalities and operations under Ford, and journalists and journalism scholars will appreciate Nessen's reflections on the role and power of reporting (his inclusion of personal confessions is less successful and seems strained at times).-Judy Solberg, Seattle Univ. Lib. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Library Journal Review
