The Times of My Life

by Max Frankel

The retired executive editor of the New York Times grippingly evokes his terror as a young Jewish boy in Nazi Germany and his discomfort as an impoverished immigrant in the United States. But it's those 45 years at the Times we really want to read about, and Frankel's account does not disappoint. Yes, he proudly believes his newspaper is America's most important, revered by its educated, influential readers and unswerving in its commitment to informed, impartial reporting. But Frankel is commendably candid about the Times' institutional failings (in particular its slowness to support and promote women, blacks, and homosexuals) and surprisingly so about behind-the-headlines maneuvers among the staff. He airs his differences with the paper's publishers, Arthur Sulzberger and Arthur Sulzberger Jr., and makes it clear that he didn't much care for Abe Rosenthal, his predecessor as executive editor. He's equally frank, in a restrained way, about his personal life (two marriages, three kids) but in approved Times fashion saves most of his plain, yet nicely turned, words for public affairs and the newspaper's response to them. It's just the sort of memoir you'd expect from a newspaper man: dignified, lucid, maybe just a tiny bit self-important, but always interesting. --Wendy Smith

Genres: Journalism, Memoir, Nonfiction, History, Autobiography

Audio CD

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Max Frankel was an American journalist who was executive editor of The New York Times from 1986 to 1994.

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

In reality, 3.49 stars. More enjoyable than I might have imagined. Frankel, no surprise, is an excellent writer, and his story of flight from Hitler and Stalin to success in America is great stuff. Best of all, he covers lots of territory without getting too detailed about arcane events. Drawback (minor): three self-justifying chapters about how he dealt with the challenges (problems? issues?) of adding gays, blacks, and women to the NY Times workforce.

Very interesting insights on Khruschev, JFK, LBJ, Nixon, and others. Liberal without being unbalanced. Critical when necessary, but in a civilized and restrained manner. Nice mix of personal with the historic. Heck, maybe it's 4 stars after all! Or not.

[Friedenbergmichael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written biography detailing his escape from Nazi Germany and his life in journalism at the New York Times. I highly recommend this book.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. A very enjoyable read of my own history along with a newspaper publishing story.

[Betsy]

Recommended by Jean Phillips

[Pabloslist]

Frankel's NY Times life in 60s-90s, from reporter to Exec Ed. Off-record encounters with history makers

[Mary Diegert]

I have to confess that I didn't finish this book - I liked it but I lost track of it. I may try again later. I read about his early years and his and his mother's harrowing escape from Nazi Europe, leaving his father behind, but I didn't get to the years of his success at the Times.