Like Alfred Nobel, Joseph Pulitzer is better known today for the prize that bears his name than for his contribution to history. Yet, in ninete... read full description
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Apr 27, 2010
Blog on Books
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Given last week’s awarding of the Pulitzer Prizes (congratulations New York Times and Washington Post), now seemed like a good time to look deeper into the life of the award’s namesake, Joseph Pulitzer.
We begin by pointing out that there has not been a complete biography published on the turn-of-the-century media scion in nearly forty years. That is, until the recent release of James McGrath Morris’ new book ‘Pulitzer: A Life in Politics, Print and Power.’ (Harper). (A book, much lik More...
We begin by pointing out that there has not been a complete biography published on the turn-of-the-century media scion in nearly forty years. That is, until the recent release of James McGrath Morris’ new book ‘Pulitzer: A Life in Politics, Print and Power.’ (Harper). (A book, much lik More...
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Mar 20, 2011
Vincent
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This book was a big long but fascinating and filled with great details about the man who created modern journalism.
It covers his early days as a Hungarian Jew, watching his father die of TB and losing eight siblings. He came to Boston, ended up serving in the Civil War after enlisting at Harpers Ferry WVA and moved to St Louis where his career as a newspaper man started.
He wrote for a German language paper and became known for his crusades against government waste - for example att More...
It covers his early days as a Hungarian Jew, watching his father die of TB and losing eight siblings. He came to Boston, ended up serving in the Civil War after enlisting at Harpers Ferry WVA and moved to St Louis where his career as a newspaper man started.
He wrote for a German language paper and became known for his crusades against government waste - for example att More...
Apr 11, 2010
Athena
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Update: one of the best books I've read in a long time. Pulitzer shaped this country with his sharp intelligence and insistence on journalistic independence. I highly recommend it to biography lovers and anyone who wants to understand that time in America's history.
I won a copy through First Reads and it arrived today! I've just started it, but so far it's an entertaining, informative read. Looking forward to more of the same.
I won a copy through First Reads and it arrived today! I've just started it, but so far it's an entertaining, informative read. Looking forward to more of the same.
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Jan 07, 2011
Jb
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Having taken a journalism history course in college I thought I was knowledgeable about Pulitzer. Didn’t know about his dark side. What I studied was that he was an innovative editor who played human interest news to the hilt. Once he’d caught reader interest he led them to think. The World in New York City during his time was the leading “must read” political newspaper and widely quoted throughout the nation, just as the New York Times is today. Later in life he became less admirable. As a mise
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Mar 07, 2011
Alex
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For most Americans--even journalists--Joseph Pulitzer is mostly remembered as the guy who founded the Pulitzer Prizes. Oddly enough, that's kind of how he wanted it. The Prizes were his bid for immortality, even as his associates begged him to focus on making his newspaper, the New York World, his legacy. But the World went defunct not long after Pulitzer's death, whereas the Pulitzer Prizes and Columbia University's premiere journalism school -- which he also created -- remain as strong as ever
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Mar 20, 2010
Amy
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Interesting look at someone who influenced journalism, but all most of us know about him is the yellow journalism and helping Hearst to start the Spanish American war with the sinking of the Maine. This goes far beyond that, digging into his childhood in Hungary and his life as a Jewish millionaire in turn of the century New York. While there were some slow portions, the look at his early life and young manhood was outstanding read.
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Aug 19, 2010
Sarah
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The book is long but worth reading if you're interested in either media or politics. Pulitzer was a brilliant visionary, and I love his big-picture take on the role of the press. He was also tormented, and the book is a good reminder that fame and fortune rarely equal peace or happiness.
Well-researched and well-told.
Well-researched and well-told.
Aug 14, 2010
Mary
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A biography of Pulitzer is more a history of American journalism from late 19th C to early 20th C, the "yellow journalism" era when politics were inseparable from journalism. Both well-written and engaging. A good read, indeed.
Dec 01, 2010
Cynthia Karl
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The author gives a well-rounded picture of Joseph Pulitzer - good, bad and in between. Along with the excellent biographical details, the reader obtains a good social and political picture of the era in which Pulitzer lived.
Mar 02, 2010
Watch Bethanne Patrick interview James McGrath Morris about his book "Pulitzer: A Life in Politics, Print, and Power" on The Book Studio.
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Nov 04, 2010
Billy
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With having the time to write a full review, McGrath treats Pulitzer with the objectivity consistent with more modern, Western associations of journalism. Pulitzer, unlike the figures of most biographical treatments, is not the hero. He is, however, the unmistakable protagonist (of course). McGrath excels in developing the relationship between Pulitzer and his family, his two newspapers, his personal assistants, and details quite well the interplay between he and William Randolph Hearst. The mos
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Feb 19, 2010
I won a free copy of this book through First Reads! Will post a review after I've received and read it. Looking forward to it though!
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Feb 25, 2010
Wednesday, 24 Feb 2010. Learned about this book from Jeffrey Brown's interview with the author on the PBS NewsHour.
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Mar 11, 2010
Melissa
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Won this on first reads.
This was pretty good. I learned so much that I never knew about Mr. Pulitzer. I am very into history and this was a good book for that. Learning who he was and more about what he did was great.
This was pretty good. I learned so much that I never knew about Mr. Pulitzer. I am very into history and this was a good book for that. Learning who he was and more about what he did was great.
Jun 30, 2010
Erin
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Note: I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
"Pulitzer" was well written, but ended up being longer than my interest in the subject lasted. Living in Saint Louis for the past few years, I had no idea Pulitzer spent so much of his life in the city and how influential he was in creating the current paradigm between the city and the county. Also, as a fan of "Newsies", I enjoyed learning some of the history that inspired the story.
"Pulitzer" was well written, but ended up being longer than my interest in the subject lasted. Living in Saint Louis for the past few years, I had no idea Pulitzer spent so much of his life in the city and how influential he was in creating the current paradigm between the city and the county. Also, as a fan of "Newsies", I enjoyed learning some of the history that inspired the story.
Feb 04, 2012
John
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Yeah, this was pretty good. I had no idea Pultizer was such a colossal prick to his employees and family.
Aug 14, 2010
Brad
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Well written biography of a fascinating life. Pulitzer was kind of a bastard, but he accomplished quite a bit... even if his kids basically made a mess of the paper after his death. Now he's best remembered for the prize money he put up, but his lasting legacy may have more to do with the modern concept of an independent press and his endowment for the creation of the Columbia Journalism Schoo.
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