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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
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English
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ALL ABOUT THE STORY

Leonard Downie

News, Power, Politics, and the Washington Post

Memoir of former Executive Editor of the Washington Post, Leonard Downie, who spent his entire career at the paper, from his 1964 internship up until his 2008 retirement. During his time there, he wore many hats before succeeding Ben Bradlee as executive editor. Under his leadership, the paper won 25 Pulitzer Prizes, and today, the multi-media newspaper has tens of millions of readers around the world and plays a leading role in holding power accountable.
As the digital revolution remakes journalism, and the U.S. President decries "fake news," the role of journalists has never been more important. Here, Downie writes about his nearly 50 years at the newspaper and the importance of getting at the truth. It's a look into the golden era of journalism that will appeal to readers of books like All the President's Men, Bradlee's A Good Life, Katharine Graham's Personal History, and fans of Spielberg's movie, The Post.

In 1964, at age 22, Downie joined the Washington Post as an intern. He became a pioneering investigative reporter, news editor, foreign correspondent, and managing editor, before succeeding the legendary Ben Bradlee as executive editor.

As Downie writes, he was quite different from Bradlee. But he played an equally important role over more than four decades in making The Post one of the world's leading news organizations. Among the stories he was involved with were the historic Watergate story, the investigation and impeachment of President Bill Clinton, the Unabomber (who threatened to kill more people if The Post did not publish his 'manifesto'); the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and many national security stories published in defiance of government wishes. He managed The Post's ascendency to the pinnacle of influence, circulation and profitability, before being confronted by the digital transformation of the news media that threatened to put the Post out of business.

In a dangerous age of fake news and media manipulation, Downie's judgment, fairness, and commitment to truth will inspire anyone who wants to know how journalism at its best works.

Leonard Downie, Jr. was the Executive Editor of the Washington Post. Downie spent his entire journalistic career at the paper, where he started as a summer intern reporter in 1965. He soon became a prize-winning investigative reporter on the paper's Metro desk. In 1974, when he was Assistant Managing Editor for Metropolitan News, Downie oversaw the paper's Watergate coverage. Downie also served as the Post 's London correspondent before becoming National Editor in 1982. In 1984, he was named Managing Editor of the Washington Post, a position he held until 1991, when he was named Executive Editor. Under Downie's leadership, the paper won 25 Pulitzer Prizes including three Pulitzer gold medals for public service.
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Published 2020-09-22 by Public Affairs

Comments

Len Downie, the tough and fearless editor of the legendary Washington Post, has always had the scoop and now takes us inside the tense showdowns at the CIA and Oval Office to give us the story behind those stories. At a moment when autocrats around the world including inside the U.S. are trying to destroy the credibility of the mainstream media, Downie's account is an indispensable and eye-opening defense of the truth, and the journalists who tell it.

An absorbing career memoir and an illuminating history of the Post's news coverage during the last 50 years. Read more...

More than any journalist I've known, Len Downie is what his title states - All About the Story. His book teems with captivating chapters.but above all else, it serves as a powerful testament to the essential role a free press plays in American democracy.

Downie's memoir could be characterized as a series of war stories best enjoyed by journalists, past and present. This would be a disservice to history lovers who will relish his behind-the-scenes narratives of some of the world's biggest stories during his 44 years at The Washington Post... "All About the Story: News, Power, Politics, and The Washington Post" is written with history in mind, and Downie's role in bringing it to life for readers. From his account of Watergate and his riveting timeline of the Jonestown massacre to his confrontations with Bill and Hillary Clinton, Downie's book is a celebration of what strong journalism can accomplish. It is also a cautionary tale about what's at stake if our financially imperiled profession does not find new ways to remain viable. Plus, it's full of great gossip. Read more...

One of the great editors in the history of American journalism tells his own compelling story of rising to the top of The Washington Post newsroom... a deeply important book about the values of our profession and the essential role of the news media.

Leonard Downie's colorful and insightful account of a career dedicated to producing honest journalism is exactly what we need in this era when fury and fiction have distorted our politics... a great guide not only for a return to better journalism but also to a better society.

The book was also listed as one of 21 Books to Read This Fall by The Week: "...At a time when the news media itself is increasingly becoming part of the story, this insider take on newsroom culture resonates." Read more...

Leonard Downie's interview on CNN's Reliable Sources Read more...