The Powers That Be

I read this book years ago and it still sticks with me. As a reporter in Vietnam, Halberstam was a thorn in the side of the Johnson and Nixon administration. He was watched by Nixon's plumbers and the FBI; Nixon thought he was a subversive. What he is is an exceptionally perceptive historian. In this book he follows the growth of the media industry from newsprint to magazines, radio and television. He told the Edward R. Murrow story before anybody else and his details on Watergate are even more frightening than Woodward and Bernstein's "All the President's Men." Halberstam seems to have that unique capacity to crawl inside the heads of people like Luce who gave us Time magazine. From their perspective, and those of everyday reporters, we see the struggle to balance grasping for the truth and the glory of the headline. We begin to understand how McCarthy could rise to power by using the deadline to sneak in enuedos about people. The author does a masterful job of showing the frustration of reporters and editors and how they finally overcame McCarthy's sinister power. This is an excellent book, not only for journalist but also for those who wish to understand the power of the media in shaping our world. Please rate this review. Thanks.

This is a long book, but worth the time it takes to read. It's a history of the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Time Magazine and CBS News. Halberstam does an outstanding job of telling the stories of these organizations and tying them together in this book. The stories in this book are entertaining and informatative, teaching us about history, journalism and business. If you've never read any of his books, this is a good one to start with. If you like it you should try some of his others, including: The Best and The Brightest - A history of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations and the Vietnam war. The Children - A story about the Civil Rights movement. The Fifties - I never thought it was a very interesting decade until I read this book. The Reckoning - A history of Ford Motors. He's also written some great sports books. The bottom line is that you can't go wrong with any of his books.

For an avid news reader in Israel, such as I am, journalism in the United States always seemed like a role model, something the local press should aspire to. From the Pentagon Papers to Watergate, we've always been told the courage of the US media is something to imitate.This book put me in some proper perspective. Halberstam's wonderful inside information, ranging from political pressure put on newspapers and the networks to squabbles among the press people themselves, avidly shows how limited American journalism was then, and by induction, how limited it probably is now. It mentions stories that were dropped not because they were not good or verified, but merely because some powerful figure in Washington, or worse yet a sponsor, chose to intervene. What to naive people might seem a scandal is shown here to be standard practice.I heartily recommend this book. It's length (over a 1000 pages) can be intimidating at first, but not after you start reading - this is probably the most readable work I've come across, packed with information and yet never dull. While the scope of the book is limited (it was published in the 70s and does not go beyond Watergate), it is truly enlightening and mind-expanding, a must for anyone wishing to understand the media.

When people ask me for a book recommendation, this is one of the four or five that I always suggest. Although the book's length can be intimidating, it is extremely readable, and gives an incredible overview and insight into Twentieth Century history. Anyone interested in modern American history, politics or media will love this book.

I've read most of the books that Halberstam has written, and while I've liked them all, I think this is his best. In typical Halberstam form, the book is an interwoven parallel development of a number of stories. Halberstam tracks the development of four cornerstones of modern media: The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, and CBS. He presents the media not only as watchdog, but also powerbroker. Examples include the role of the Times and Chandler family in sponsoring Richard Nixon and bringing him to national prominence and the impact Henry Luce had through Time magazine in determining American opinion of and foreign policy towards Asia in the 30's through the early 60's. For anyone who is interested in 20th centery history, political science, or the role of the media in political power, this is a must read.