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jazzy_daveKatherine Graham "Personal History" (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
This autobiography is Katharine Graham's personal history with The Washington Post and the cultural aspects that define the background of the history. She begins with a brief overview of how her parents met, when and where she was born, and her college years. This sets the stage for her increased involvement with the paper. From the time she was 16 years old, when her father bought the failing Washington Post at auction, until the end of her role as chairman of the board in 1991, 58 years of Graham's life was immersed in making the paper a success. Raised without a strong mother-figure or adolescent role models Katharine Graham was a trendsetter for women in business. For her era, her rise to power was nothing short of remarkable. But, in addition, what makes Personal History such a fascinating read is Graham's unflinching view of her world. She does not hide the fact she had a strained and difficult relationship with her absentee mother. Her voice drips with contempt when she recounts her mother's failed attempts at guidance in life. Graham addresses her husband's mental illness and subsequent suicide in a matter of fact manner. She does not sugar coat the difficulties she faced being a woman of influence in a world traditionally reserved for the man of the house. Despite being born into privilege Graham exemplified the meaning of hard work and perseverance in a world where women were less powerful.
While an autobiography can never be truly objective and impartial, Graham's has done a great job at appearing fair and also whetting my appetite for other perspectives.
As an educational refresher for major historical events via the journalistic perspective, this book is great. The Pentagon Papers, Watergate, and the act of reporting were thrillingly described and deservedly took up a sixth of this brick of a book. My knowledge of the period was always very patchy and now the upside of having consolidated a bit more has made this aspect of the period in the USA more accessible.
Overall, quite a compelling read.
This autobiography is Katharine Graham's personal history with The Washington Post and the cultural aspects that define the background of the history. She begins with a brief overview of how her parents met, when and where she was born, and her college years. This sets the stage for her increased involvement with the paper. From the time she was 16 years old, when her father bought the failing Washington Post at auction, until the end of her role as chairman of the board in 1991, 58 years of Graham's life was immersed in making the paper a success. Raised without a strong mother-figure or adolescent role models Katharine Graham was a trendsetter for women in business. For her era, her rise to power was nothing short of remarkable. But, in addition, what makes Personal History such a fascinating read is Graham's unflinching view of her world. She does not hide the fact she had a strained and difficult relationship with her absentee mother. Her voice drips with contempt when she recounts her mother's failed attempts at guidance in life. Graham addresses her husband's mental illness and subsequent suicide in a matter of fact manner. She does not sugar coat the difficulties she faced being a woman of influence in a world traditionally reserved for the man of the house. Despite being born into privilege Graham exemplified the meaning of hard work and perseverance in a world where women were less powerful.
While an autobiography can never be truly objective and impartial, Graham's has done a great job at appearing fair and also whetting my appetite for other perspectives.
As an educational refresher for major historical events via the journalistic perspective, this book is great. The Pentagon Papers, Watergate, and the act of reporting were thrillingly described and deservedly took up a sixth of this brick of a book. My knowledge of the period was always very patchy and now the upside of having consolidated a bit more has made this aspect of the period in the USA more accessible.
Overall, quite a compelling read.
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