Speaking Freely
0
0
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Menrva Books earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Author Description
Continuing the story that began in his widely praised Boston Boy, Nat Hentoff in Speaking Freely guides us through more than forty years of his life in journalism, a career as various as his passions, and follows our social history from the civil rights and antiwar movements to the most incendiary battles (such as abortion) of the present day. Hentoff first evokes New York in the fifties, when he wrote for the jazz magazine Down Beat and came to know some of the most talented jazzmen of all time - Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, and Dizzy Gillespie, to name only a few. He looks back to his apprenticeship under George Seldes and I. F. Stone, two unyieldingly independent journalists whom he credits with charting his direction in the field. And he recounts his associations with a wide array of Americans, from Malcolm X, who was a friend, to Louis Farrakhan, who has labeled Hentoff "the Antichrist"; from Adlai Stevenson to John Cardinal O'Connor; and from the "utterly singular" editor of The New Yorker, William Shawn, to uncelebrated heroes far afield from Manhattan and Washington.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
Nat Hentoff chronicles his life as a journalist and his engagement with the pivotal social and political movements of the late 20th century.
Drawing from his experiences beginning in the 1950s, Hentoff recounts his early career in jazz journalism, his mentorship under independent journalists George Seldes and I. F. Stone, and his extensive interactions with a diverse range of American figures. The narrative spans over forty years, covering the civil rights and antiwar movements, and extending to contemporary debates on issues such as abortion. Hentoff's personal reflections provide a lens through which to view the evolving social and political landscape of America.
THE SCOPE MAP
- Recollections of New York's jazz scene in the 1950s, featuring interactions with notable musicians like Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk.
- Reflections on mentorship and journalistic ethics learned from independent journalists George Seldes and I. F. Stone.
- Accounts of associations with prominent and controversial figures, including Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan, and Adlai Stevenson.
- Engagement with key social and political movements such as civil rights, the antiwar movement, and debates on abortion.
- Observations on the evolution of American social history from the mid-20th century to the present day.
- Insights into the editorial environment of publications like The New Yorker under William Shawn.
- Personal anecdotes illustrating Hentoff's diverse and often contentious journalistic path.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
The Authority Perspective: This memoir offers a deeply personal account of a journalist's engagement with American social and political history. Hentoff's narrative style is likely to appeal to readers interested in firsthand accounts of the civil rights era, the Vietnam War protests, and the evolution of public discourse on contentious issues. The book's strength lies in its direct reporting and the author's willingness to engage with a wide spectrum of individuals and ideologies.
Page Count:
303
Publication Date:
1997-01-01
ISBN-10:
0679436472
Memoir
History
Biography
Non-Fiction
Social History
Journalism
Community Tags
Similar Books
