Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Today's Word—First Draft of History

Overcooking the News

“Over and over again I would take out the five most important books on X subject, and then I’d go back to The New York Times, and by God, the story that was written the day after was by far the best source. Those reporters were writing with everything in the right perspective. Sometimes I think historians are a little like sauté chefs: they cook everything up and soften the edges.”
Nicholson Baker, novelist/historian, on researching his new book Human Smoke: The Beginning of World War II, 2008. (Thanks to alert WORDster Andrew Merton) (Click here to see NYTimes story.)


1 comment:

  1. Ted,

    Reporters getting it right! Go figure. Quick, call Rush Limbaugh, all of the Fox Cable News leaders and commentators, and the rest of that ilk and tell them that maybe, just maybe, the “Drive-By Media,” the ‘Main-Stream Media” or whatever else they’re calling those ink-stained wretches might actually be writing something approximating the truth and aren’t out to get them as some kind of modern blood sport.

    Dan

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