It's News to Me: The Making and Unmaking of an Editor

by Edward Kosner

Edward Kosner's stunning, articulate journalism memoir ranks with the tradition of important tell-alls like Cass Canfield, Howell Raines, and Ben Bradlee. Kosner, whiz-kid star at Newsweek, editor of New York Magazine, editor of the New York Daily News, editor of Esquire, gives us the inside scoop on Kay Graham, Mort Zuckerman, Tina Brown, and many others — and provides as well a primer for aspiring and veteran journalists alike. No one, before or since, has achieved the kind of influence in the world of New York's print media that Kosner did; here is an intimate description of the experiences that built one of the industry's most talented editors. From his beginnings in World War II-era Washington Heights, to his days on college publications, to his position at the helm of several of New York's leading news publications, Kosner provides a clear narrative of his life's course, peppering the way with his singular perspective and poignant memories, offering irresistible, well-written fodder for media aficionados.

Genres: Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about journalism and about his life. But thinking back, I don't recall much about it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm fascinated by The Making and Unmaking of an Editor, as Kosner subtitles his memoir. I learned a lot in the descriptions of the variety of newsrooms Kosner worked in over the years, not only in the different types of news outlets - from newspapers to magazines, but how news organizations and processes grew over the decades that Kosner learned his craft. I also met other "newsies" through following this editor's career, notably Rupert Murdoch.