The Granta Book of Reportage (Journalism) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Granta's ads boast that more of its copies are stolen from mailboxes than any other periodical, and this selection of 13 articles proves its attraction to literary-minded kleptos. The thief must also covet a unique way of writing about events international, whether they are the op{‚}era bouffe "Soccer War" between El Salvador and Honduras, the Tiananmen massacre, or 10 other conflicts. This is reporting that tunnels beneath the headlines to do either of two things: find the truth of the matter or present the journalist's frankly subjective views in a free and creative way. In the latter regard, one pro-Viet Cong stringer describes his initially supportive reaction to Saigon's "liberation," Germaine Greer extolls what socialism has done for women in Cuba (albeit 10 years ago), and a white Britisher upbraids his racial feelings during the L.A. riots. In the former regard of investigative reporting, John le Carr{‚}e leaves fiction for fact in delving into a Swiss officer's reasons for spying for the Soviets, and in the grittiest, most fact-filled article, a Scots journalist reconstructs the last hours and minutes of life for three IRA terrorists killed by British soldiers on Gibralter in 1988. A variegated collection of big names and not-yet big names from a British magazine of rising repute. Gilbert Taylor --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"* 'Some of the most powerful journalism of [recent] years, transmitting excitement and intelligence that would be hard to match' John Carey, Sunday Times * 'Killer stuff' Guardian * 'Excellent... Old-fashioned journalism at its best-authoritative, interesting, passionate and honest' Philip Knightley, Mail on Sunday * 'Writings to cherish... A good bedside read' Birmingham Post * 'Essential journalism-in the broadest sense of the word-from a host of justly famous names displaying the classiest form of the reporter's art' Nottingham Evening Post" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 434 pages
• Publisher: Granta Books (October 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1862071934
• ISBN-13: 978-1862071933
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,134,268 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Description and the Problem of Journalism, September 7, 1999

By A Customer

This is both a good book because it is very well-written book and a worrisome book for exactly the same reason. I wouldn't bring this up but for the fact that it has already been brought up by several of the pieces contained in this anthology. The concern of several (perhaps all) of these pieces is about the control of information, and especially about the potential of what is called "transparent" language to conceal abuses of power. Two of the pieces are centered on Britain, and the potential problem is brought into high relief in those pieces. Of course, a great many people these days are familiar with the arguments of the radical continental tradition, especially Adorno's work. The difficulty has been to practice these arguments while still holding down a decent job, but perhaps these pieces, particularly Marilynne Robinson's piece on the Sellafield nuclear power plant, offer a way out of that difficulty. Perhaps what could be done is to attack the means of information production, like the legal machinery that enables Britain at least to keep power hidden. It appears to me that such an idea might have some hope, and maybe young leftists reading this could go out, read this book, and cut out a career attacking this end of the problem. For those reading this sort of book purely for the enjoyment of it, as well, the book has a great deal of interest, since it is filled with vivid, if sometimes uncomfortable, description. It certainly adds to our store of knowledge of some strange, and some not-so-strange, lands.