Deadline Artists: America's Greatest Newspaper Columns

In the few days I've had this 400+ pager in my possession: I've revisited JFK's funeral at St. Matthew's Cathedral with Mary McGrory. Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day" column told me what it was like to wake up in the White House on December 7, 1941, and learn the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. I've read reports from World War II battlefields by Ernie Pyle. And joined Charles McDowell as he drove through rural Virginia listening to what the people there thought about the rumors that Nixon would resign (and that later that day would prove true). And Pete Hamill's view of New Y0rk on 9/11/01. And Tom Boswell on the September night in 1998, when Baltimore Orioles third baseman Cal Ripken voluntarily ended his career and streak of 2,632 consecutive games, just minutes before game time. And farewell columns by Walter Lippmann to Amelia Earhart and Grantland Rice to Babe Ruth and Damon Runyon to FDR and Shirley Povich to Lou Gehrig and Michael Kelly to Francis Albert Sinatra.Next on my reading list: Crime columns by Ernest Hemingway and Walter Winchell and Carl Hiaasen. Columns by Langston Hughes and I. F. Stone and William Raspberry on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties...Local columns by Mike Royko on Chicago and Molly Ivans on Lubbock and Herb Caen on San Francisco..... Hard Times columns by Woody Guthrie and Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill...Pursuit of Happiness columns by Will Rogers, Benjamin Franklin, Damon Runyan and Erma Bombeck...and oh, so many, many more. Then on to that upcoming sequel,  Deadline Artists--Scandals, Tragedies and Triumphs:: More of America's Greatest Newspaper Columns .

This book certainly has a variety or many of the heavyweights of the newspaper world. Several of my favorites such as Jim Murray, Wells Twombly, Damon Runyon, Mike Royko, and Tom Boswell are all here. Jim Murray's column on losing his sight in his so-called "good" eye has always been one of my favorites. Peter Hamill's column on the death of Senator Robert Kennedy, to me, is the most powerful one in the book. The sections on Crime, Sports, Hard Times, and Farewells are my favorite sections. Photos are also provided so we can see what each of the writers look like. Ben Franklin favors us with several of his proverbs that still apply today. The last one entitled "45 Life Lessons--and Five to Grow On" by Regina Brett is her most-requested column she has ever written, and after reading it one can see why this is so. Several writers from the distant past such as the previously mentioned Damon Runyon, Heywood Broun, Grantland Rice, and Westbrook Pegler are in this all-star lineup as well. You, too, Mike Barnicle. I always enjoy your opinions. If you want to learn how to be a writer you can start by reading great writers such as those included in this book.

Lot of great columns in this collection. Unfortunately, the book is shot through with typographical errors which make reading something of a chore.

In my opinion, Deadline Artists should be an essential read for writers and non-writers alike--newspaper junkies and those who scarcely read the news. This book portrays these columnists of (for the most part) the 20th century as being masters of an art--not just of journalism--merging together journalism, prose and poetry, to create these elaborate pieces of writing that are both entertaining and informing.The book itself is nicely laid out, such that columns are grouped together by broad topics (sports, war, politics, humor, etc.).There are very few books that I would recommend to friends of diverse career backgrounds. Deadline Artists is certainly one of them.

great concept. I wanted to read about some of the greatest American authors/columnists from a previous era. Authors hit several areas & included the best articles on that topic. On such a varied area there will be great articles & so so ones. There is no way around this problem. Read the book as it is a slice of American history. Hits your emotions too (both funny & sad).

When I saw this in a bookstore I knew I had to have it on my Kindle. It's just the kind of book I'd been wanting without knowing it. I have zero interest in sports, but read every column in this section since the writing is so splendid. Best of all was the section on farewells. Or on hard times. Or humor. ...No, I guess it's impossible to pick a favorite! I was unaware of Russell Baker's column "Beans and Francs," and what a blessing it was to discover it!

Hemingway, Mencken, Rice, Hecht, Runyon...there were writers on newspapers in those days, and these are just a smattering of the great writers in this book-a collection of columns of great newspaper columnists from the late 19th century to the great writers of today (Mike Barnacle, Eugene Robinson, et. al.). A book that if you just want to lose yourself in the beauty of men and women putting words together on paper in ways that will make you marvel, you have come to the right place.

Superb commentary on history as it was happening, arranged by general subject (war, politics, sports, civil rights, pursuit of happiness, and much, much more). Fun to read, hard to put down, so much I never knew or had never thought of from those angles. Poignancy, delightful turns of phrase, warm humor.Regrettably, the first edition is marred by an unprecedented number of typos. But the content and writing alone merit 5 stars.

I bought this book because I am an admirer of the elegance of Pete Hamill’s writing.

Some topics had me going online to learn more, which is always good. I enjoyed the artful way much of it was written and find myself inspired to punch up my own writing. This book is well worth the read.