The Brass Check: A Study of American Journalism [Paperback]

Upton Sinclair (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0252071107 | ISBN-13: 978-0252071102 | Publication Date: November 18, 2002

In this systematic critique of the structural basis of U.S. media - arguably the first one ever published - Upton Sinclair writes that 'American journalism is a class institution serving the rich and spurning the poor'. Likening journalists to prostitutes, the title of the book refers to a chit that was issued to patrons of urban brothels of the era. Fueled by mounting disdain for newspapers run by business tycoons and conservative editors, Sinclair self-published "The Brass Check" in the years after "The Jungle" had made him a household name. Despite Sinclair's claim that this was his most important book, it was dismissed by critics and shunned by reviewers. Yet it sold over 150,000 copies and enjoyed numerous printings. A substantial introduction to this paperback edition by Robert W. McChesney and Ben Scott asserts the book's importance as a cornerstone critique of commercial journalism and a priceless resource for understanding the political turbulence of the Progressive Era.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This unruly classic, originally published by the author in 1919 and last reprinted fifty-seven years ago by Haldeman-Julius, the old socialist publishing house, has now been trotted out into the light of the twenty-first century... No writer on the press has ever matched the old muckraker Sinclair (1878-1968) for exuberance and abundance. He is always personal, but always reaching beyond the personal; he did not fear to use his own divorce to illustrate newspaper malice and malfeasance. His portrait of the press of his era (and in particular The Associated Press) is thoroughly disheartening - an institution in thrall to corporate policy and publishers' whims, using untruths, dirty tricks, and blackouts to serve political ends... [In their new introduction, Robert W. McChesney and Ben Scott] contend, with good reason, that Sinclair's thesis is still valid - that America lacks a press worthy of a democracy." - James Boylan, Columbia Journalism Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 446 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (November 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252071107
• ISBN-13: 978-0252071102
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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