Customer Reviews

The Times of My Life and My Life with the Times

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first part of the book dealing with the author and his mother's travails in pre-WWII Germany in Weissenfels was absolutely the best part of the book. (And, this was unexpected as I bought the book to read about the editor of my favorite newspaper.) The author puts a human face to his German friends, neighbors, towns people, local officials, and even the Nazi that finally gave the exit visa to Frau Frankel and her son, Max. Even after the war and the Holocaust, Frankel admits he maintained some empathy with the ordinary German folk. I found this perspective to be refreshing and enlightening as it seemed more realistic of the German peoples and their behavior in pre-War Germany. (I do not wish to politicize my book review, please read the book to get your own opinion on this matter-- although one does have to remember Frankel's experiences were that of a young boy). In fact, most of the book was written in a honest, straight-forward manner. The authos's candor was a surprise on many topics including those of race. It is always refreshing to read an honest appraisal rather than the double talk you hear from politician-types.

The remainder of the book amazed me that Max Frankel lived through and was involved in many of the historic events that occurred during the Cold War. Although at times Frankel seemed to explain in hindsight his prescience at events about to occur on the world stage. (As aside, you wonder why you didn't have people like him working for the CIA).

An aspect of the book that I didn't enjoy was the author's apologetic tone in explaining his executive decisions while an editor at the NY Times. It seemed this portion of the autobiography was aimed at the co-workers and people at NY Times that Frankel had worked with.

Definately, the parts of the book talking about the author's personal experiences, whether in Germany, Washington Heights, or the tragic illness of his wife were captivating. The rest about his career seemed routine.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As an avid reader of the New York Times, it provided a fantastic behind-the-scenes look at how some of the major events of the 20th Century were captured and recorded in the "Newspaper of record." Not only was it a fabulous account of NYT, Max Frankel's personal account of his life read like a novel--I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. If you appreciate current events, the media, and history--you'll love this book.

In this distinctive memoir, The New York Times's topcorrespondent tells his life story the way he lived it - in tandemwith the big news stories of our time. From his boyhood in Nazi Germany to New York & immigrant life & beyond international boundaries as a roving reporter. This is an extraordinary autobiography - lean in language, replete with insights from the Fourth Estate &; complete with the front pages of The New York Times that affected this writer. A fine look back at the last half of the 20th century...

This book begins in Germany, where the author was born in 1930. The account of how he and his parents got out of Hitler's grasp is vivid and breathtaking, and alone is worth the price of the book. Then his account of growing up in New York, his education in high school and college, and how he became connected with the New York Times is of sustaining interest, as is his account of his career there. I thought it equally as good as Katherine Graham's Pulitzer-prize-winning account of her career, and all it told of the Washington Post.

Max Frankel tells what it was like to be at the helm of the New York Times, For those of us who read the Times regularly, it is a great inside view. He offers a lot with respect to the dynamics and personalities within the paper (of reporters many Times readers readily recognize), and is therefore a more compelling and interesting witness than others such as James Reston's Deadline. He also tells what it is like to run and manage and change a great American newspaper. It is fascinating how he led changes in the appearance of the front page, changing lines and making the type larger. Readers said it was more readable but not knowing why. (I want to find a 20 year old Times, possibly Frankel's photos in the book and compare it to today's edition, and see what makes the new one look more lively and the old one stiff and formal). As witness to world affairs, witness to New York Times politics, and reporter of how NY Times adapts to readers and tv world, Frankel has a 3 in 1 package. His leading the charge to analyze in print (as opposed to merely report) since the scoops come on tv connects a newsaper with its new role. I would be curious to hear his account (even if after his stewardship) on how the Times is now further adapting with its on-line edition and what that means for the life of the Times now and in the years ahead.

I enjoyed the Max Frankel story on many levels. The story of the family escape from Nazi Germany was riviting and worthing of an entire book. The balance of the book was not riviting, but was nevertheless interesting and entertaining. I might not have finised the book except that it is exceptionally well written (I guess that that should not be a surprise considering the source!). In many places in reads all most like poetry. Word choices were very excellent without getting cute.

Mr. Frankel's vivid, lively writing takes the reader on a time machine right to the scenes he describes. Mr. Frankel excels as he shares the fear, pain, pride, and accomplishments he experienced during some of the most tumultuous periods in United States and world history. A must-read for anyone interested in history, journalism or social science. I consider myself fortunate to own an autographed copy.

Mr. Frankel focuses his keen journalist's eye on himself and his work, producing a fascinating account of his own life, the evolution of journalism, and recent history. His vision for society, and the journalist's role in it, makes this book a must-read for any informed citizen in a liberal democracy. His perspective on events, honed by years at The Times, is amazing.

Encountering the first chapters about Frankel's childhood and escape from Nazi Germany, I frowned and thought, do I really want to know this? But his account of those early years was riveting and shaped his approach to news. Frankel takes you through the tumultuous decades that comprised his career, sharing anecdotes about world leaders while illuminating the forces that compete to determine what is newsworthy. This is one of those books that's hard to put down. Frankel is a gifted writer, all the more impressive considering he learned English after coming to this country. I can't wait to read another of his books.

I had planned to skip the first portion of this lengthy book and delve straight into Frankel's illustrious career at the Times. But he is such an elegant and engrossing scribe, I savored every word.