Intimate Journalism: The Art and Craft of Reporting Everyday Life [Paperback]

Walt Harrington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 28, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0761905871 | ISBN-13: 978-0761905875

An exemplary text for courses in feature writing, magazine and literary journalism, Intimate Journalism introduces students to the art of combining human interest stories with incisive journalistic enquiry. Harrington prefaces this outstanding collection of award-winning feature articles with detailed, practical reporting advice, sharing trade secrets from his 15 years as a staff writer for The Washington Post. The following chapters each contain examples of human interest reporting, followed by an invaluable afterward from each journalist describing how he or she conceptualized, reported and wrote their particular story.

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc (March 28, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761905871
• ISBN-13: 978-0761905875
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #687,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, July 14, 2003

By 

Benjamin K. Potter "loyal reader/writer" (Memphis, TN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Intimate Journalism: The Art and Craft of Reporting Everyday Life (Paperback)

This book demonstrates just how well magazine nonfiction can be. The journalists selected are not particuarly well-known, but they are masters of their craft and present highly enjoyable reads. Susan Orlean might be the best-known of the bunch, just because her most recent book, "The Orchid Thief," was highlighted in the 2002 movie "Adaptation."

For starters, Orlean's piece "The American Male at Age 10" was a fascinating look at today's youth. Each piece is outstanding in its own way, but may I also present as standouts "TV Without Guilt" (a family whose television is on approximately 16 hours a day) and "The Man Who Couldn't Read" (profile of an illiterate millionaire with two college degrees).

As a bonus for those with an interest in feature writing, "Author's Afterwords" has the writers briefly describe the process of finding and executing their ideas. But if you are an aspiring writer or just appreciative of quality writing, this book is a must-read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Journalism the way it's meant to be, November 26, 2008

By 

Ovetta Sampson "Writingprincess" (Everywhere) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Intimate Journalism: The Art and Craft of Reporting Everyday Life (Paperback)

I was a journalist for more than 10 years and this book proved to be one of my most fruitful instructors. Not only does it have outstanding examples of good non-fiction writing, the interviews with the authors provide a "how to," lesson that is priceless. If you want to improve your writing or if you want to see journalism at its best, remembering its heyday as a highly respected profession that chronicled history as it was made- buy this book!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, June 13, 2007

By 

Frencesca Rossi "Fran" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Intimate Journalism: The Art and Craft of Reporting Everyday Life (Paperback)

Well worth the price. Just couldn't put this book down. Harrington illustrates exactly how journalism should be. Every journalist, aspiring or professional, should read this book!