William Randolph Hearst: And the American Century (Makers of the Media) [Library Binding]

Nancy Whitelaw (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Series: Makers of the Media

A brief biography of America's first media baron.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

The latest entry in the Makers of the Media Series is the story of a spoiled, rich child who grew up to be the king of ``yellow journalism.'' Whitelaw (Joseph Pulitzer and the New York World, p. 637, etc.) is balanced in her presentation, showing Hearst with all his warts, but allowing for the improvements he made in the newspaper business. Born into a wealthy family whose mother adored and indulged him and whose father ignored him, Willie flunked out of Harvard and ultimately went to work for his father's newspaper, the San Francisco Examiner. He used the newspaper to influence politics and thought nothing of creating stories when he could not uncover the facts. Some of his ruthlessness and single-mindedness is glossed over, e.g., mentioned is the speculation that he was the model for Orson Welles's Citizen Kane, but not Hearst's attempts to thwart the film. The title is a misnomer, since Hearst died in 1951, with the second half of the ``American Century'' hardly underway. In fact, this is a perfunctory treatment of his life, a bland source for those doing research, unlikely to inspire further inquiry. (b&w photos, chronology, bibliography, index) (Biography. 12-14) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

A useful synopsis of Hearst's life. -- Voice of Youth Advocates

Hearst makes a great biographical subject in Whitelaw's capable hands." -- ALA Booklist

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Library Binding: 112 pages
• Publisher: Morgan Reynolds Publishing; 1st edition (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883846463
• ISBN-13: 978-1883846466
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,113,771 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating, informative biography for teen readers., February 14, 2000

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: William Randolph Hearst: And the American Century (Makers of the Media) (Library Binding)

Hearst was the king of 'yellow journalism', using his newspapers as a public forum for swaying political opinions. This biography for teens considers his influence and newspaper involvements and provides a little over a hundred pages of biographical and social background.