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Topic: Reading suggestions
| Author | Message |
| Doc19 | Posted – 2/3/2008 2:37:43 PM | show profile I'm trying to find books by writers who are both great at investigative reporting AND at telling stories. Seems to be a rare combination. Any ideas? |
| nellie bly | Posted – 2/3/2008 4:23:43 PM | show profile Sebastian Junger? |
| writesonwater | Posted – 2/3/2008 5:55:06 PM | show profile Have you read Writing for Story? That's a great book, written by a guy who won big awards etc for doing just that. Also, that one about the heartless stone, about the conflict diamonds? |
| voracious reader | Posted – 2/3/2008 6:06:59 PM | show profile Junger... is great. So are Erik Larson, Devil in the White City AND Anne Rule's classic, The Stranger Beside Me, the "gold standard for crime reporting." Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed. My absolute favorite -- John Abramson, MD - Overdosed America I could probably think of a dozen more, but these come to mind immediately! |
| voracious reader | Posted – 2/3/2008 6:49:12 PM | show profile Oy... I can't believe I forgot to mention.... Robert Caro.. The Power Broker Got to see him speak at the Museum of the City of New York last year. Has not changed his opinion of Robert Moses. Sets the standard for investigative biographies. David McCullough a close second behind Caro. |
| Nikongirl | Posted – 2/3/2008 7:49:33 PM | show profile VR The Stranger Beside Me should be required reading for everyone, not just women and children. It is one of the most chilling stories you will ever read. It gives great insight in how diabolical murderers actually are, how cunning and clever they are in their quest for random murder. I think it's safe to say that many, if not most women would be easily caught off guard by someone as smooth, charming and good looking as Ted Bundy. >>Just as a pretty, young co-ed comes walking down the dimly lit street, Bundy, in full hip, leg, foot cast, on crutches "accidentally" drops his books right in front of her, as he is trying to get them out of his car. Of course, she bends down to help the poor sod with his books when he hits her over the head with his crutch rendering her unconscious....<< And it goes on from there. He got away with so much because he was good looking and came up with unique ploys to ensnare his victims. There are more Ted Bundys out there, we all need to keep that in mind and be aware and on guard in even the most innocent seeming encounters. I had such a feeling recently when the hiker in Georgia disappeared on New Years Day, the rogue hiker who was last seen with her was arrested. As soon as I saw him I immediately felt that he has done this crime numerous times. I think he is one of many serial killers who roam the country, living off the books, out of sight and unaccounted for. Also might want to read: SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL by Roméo Dallaire |
| voracious reader | Posted – 2/3/2008 9:04:03 PM | show profile Nikongirl.... I see Ann Rule's book made as big an impression on you as it did on me! I blame her for my facination with "364" books. You are absolutely right that people should be aware that there are some very deeply disturbed people out there wandering about. I came of age in the 1970s during the Summer of Sam. His last shooting occurred blocks from my home and his last surviving victim, Robert Violante was a neighbor. I will never forget stopping for a red light with my future husband, just blocks from where David Berkowitz would find his last victims Robert and Stacy Moskowitz, and saying to my husband, "I'm scared, please take me home now!" My brother-in-law is in law enforcement and years ago I established our neighborhood watch. I am very proactive regarding not making myself, my family as well as my neighbors vulnerable to crime. My children are now adults and they are extremely proactive as well. Unfortunately, when it comes to psycho/socio paths, they are very good at what they do which makes it extremely difficult not to get caught in their evil ways. I was very upset after reading John Douglas's book on the BTK killer. It just terrified me that this man killed all of these innocent victims and was able to thrive in his marriage and community for decades before finally being caught. Like Bundy, once he "trolled" and found a potential victim, the victim really never had a chance. I'm now facinated by the Stacy Peterson disappearance. I have a daughter who is a few months younger than Stacy. I could hardly stand thinking about how I would react if my daughter got caught up with a man like Drew Peterson. For that matter, I could hardly imagine if she fell in love with a Scott Peterson. Getting back to the original question -- Another exhaustive investigative work is Norman Mailer's The Executioner's Song. And speaking of Larson, I have to say that Isaac's Storm was excellent. When Hurricane Katrina was heading towards the Gulf of Mexico, all I could think of was the agonizing hurricane that devastated Galveston, Texas the century before. What makes Larson's work so compelling is how he was able to describe the fate of individual families as well as the story of the man who made one of the worst weather forecast for years to come. I know I'm not going to sleep well tonight. Whether it's thinking about "364" books, or other investigative works, it's going to keep me up half the night. |
| Nikongirl | Posted – 2/3/2008 9:26:41 PM | show profile Perhaps you should tuck into a good Alice Munro book to help you sleep peacefully. Good luck! |
| Doc19 | Posted – 2/4/2008 12:58:38 AM | show profile Thanks, I look forward to checking these writers out. (I actually have an old copy of The Power Broker lying around that I haven't cracked.) |
| keltoi | Posted – 2/4/2008 1:15:34 AM | show profile I would say John Pilger and Greg Palast have done some of the most important investigative reporting of the past 30 years, and I find their writing riveting. |
| voracious reader | Posted – 2/4/2008 10:08:01 AM | show profile NG-- Love Munro stories... Back on message this morning... Investigative reporting with great storytelling--- Thy Neighbor's Wife - Gay Talese Working - Studs Terkel and before Jeffrey Toobin's The Nine -- we had Bob Woodward's The Brethren! And, speaking of Woodward- who could forget All the President's Men. Most of the authors I've mentioned have written multiple books. One author to look for in the future is Bethany McLean who gave us the Enron debacle in all it's splendid color, The Smartest Guys in the Room. Getting back to the Power Broker, anyone who lives in New York should read it- all 1300+ pages. |
| voracious reader | Posted – 2/4/2008 10:15:34 AM | show profile I knew I forgot someone.... Anything written by KITTY KELLEY is over the top in investigative reporting AND storytelling! I'm sure most of her subjects would have preferred that she write fiction instead. |
| keltoi2 | Posted – 2/5/2008 4:41:42 PM | show profile Many of her subjects claimed she was writing fiction, but she usually won that argument. David Kay Johnston, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist from the NYT, has written 2 incredibly important books about how the wealthy use the government for their own enrichment and the average taxpayers foot the bill. Should be required reading for every American voter before the elections. |
| keltoi2 | Posted – 2/5/2008 4:43:55 PM | show profile Oh--Johnston's books--"Perfectly Legal" and "Free Lunch". |
| voracious reader | Posted – 2/5/2008 7:46:35 PM | show profile keltoi2 -- you are soooo right! No one filed a lawsuit against Kitty Kelley. She's a master storyteller and maestro investigative reporter! Interestingly, when she published her biography of Nancy Reagan, I found a teeny weeny error in the book. I wrote her a letter about the error and she sent me back this AMAZING card handwritten with this flowerly over-the-top penmanship thanking me for pointing out the "error" and that she would have it corrected in future editions. I never checked to see if the correction was made, but considering the times (snail mail) I was really impressed by her. Others might disagree with me, but I think she is first class! Read her other books (the don't call me "voracious reader" for nothing), the most recent about W. and really enjoyed it! I don't rate her literature on par with the others that I've mentioned, but if you're interested in storytelling, she sure knows how to spin it! |
| Nikongirl | Posted – 2/5/2008 8:38:48 PM | show profile I have never read K Kelly. can you recommend a first dive into Kelly? |
| voracious reader | Posted – 2/5/2008 10:08:04 PM | show profile Nikongirl... Start with The Family, it's all about the Bush Dynasty. Then work your way backwards if you enjoyed it! John Dickerson's book about his mother, Nancy Dickerson is another book with great stories about Washington in the 1960's. Some think it's a Mommy Dearest redux. I hate to date myself, but I remember her and so admired her that I found the book a little uncomfortable especially coming from such a close family member. You may recall that John Dickerson now works for Slate and is their political reporter. |
