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More copies of this ISBNThis title in other editionsA Matter of Opinion:by Victor S Navasky
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:Winner of the 2005 George Polk Book Award Victor S. Navasky is the renowned editor, writer, and educator who was at the helm of The Nation for almost thirty years. A Matter of Opinion, a scintillating reflection on his experiences, is an extraordinary political document--and a passionately written, irresistibly charming account of a great journalistic tradition. Victor S. Navasky came to The Nation as editor in 1978, was made publisher and general partner in 1995, and is now publisher emeritus. The Delacorte Professor of Journalism at Columbia University and Director of the George Delacorte Center for Magazine Journalism, he chairs the Columbia Journalism Review. He was the founder, editor, and publisher of Monocle, an editor for the New York Times Magazine, and a columnist for the New York Times Book Review. The author of Naming Names, which won the National Book Award in 1982, and Kennedy Justice, he lives in New York City. Winner of the George Polk Award Winner of the Anne M. Sperber Prize How do we encourage and protect public discourse, so essential to democracy? What function, if any, do journals of opinionmagazines that critically assess the key issues of the dayperform in helping ideas to flow freely and citizens to think for themselves? These questions animate Victor S. Navasky's book, in which he ranges over his own experiences as a journalist and editor in quest of the answers. Navasky gravitated toward journalism when still in college, and as a law student at Yale he founded the now-legendary satirical magazine Monocle. Freelance writing and other journalistic work followed, including a stint at The New York Times Magazine that Navasky describes in these pages. His amused skepticism about the behavior of "mainstream media," about journalists who strive for but cannot ever attain a purported ideal of objectivity, has been in constant evidence throughout his long career as a gadfly, critic, and commentator. In 1978, when Navasky became editor of The Nation, the celebrated century-old journal of political opinion, he proudly confirmed his intention to continue its critical assessments of the news, thereby enriching our undernourished politics and culture. Navasky's shrewd accounts of the eternal battles over money and editorial control, over independence and market power, over responsibility and freedom in the press, are enhanced by unforgettable anecdotes about the brave and less brave, rich and poor, famous and little-known figures in the business of publishing newsand opinions about news. From I. F. Stone to Paul Newman, from Calvin Trillin to Jürgen Habermas, from William Buckley to Mother Joneshere are characters in a drama that engages us all. "Anybody who has ever dreamed of starting a magazine, or worried that the country is losing the ability to speak seriously to itself, should read A Matter of Opinion."Thomas Powers, The New York Times Book Review
"[A] graceful mix of memoir and meditation on journals of opinion and the stubborn enthusiasts who end up running them."Harper's Magazine
"'Journals of opinion are not by themselves going to save the world,' Navasky admits, but, in nearly three decades of running The Nation and in four hundred-odd pages here, he remains a tireless evangelist for the idea that the world as we know itliberal, democratic, and Enlightenedwon't be saved without them and the public discourse they foster. Opinion magazines themselves, however, survive on the strength of their editors, or, as Navasky points out, on the reach of their editors' Rolodexes, and, luckily for The Nation, Navasky knows almost everyone. The front-room tour of his charmed rise from the Little Red School House to the publisher's chair includes visits with Bob Guccione, Paul Newman, and Jürgen Habermas. Along the way, Allen Ginsberg sleeps on the floor, formerly blacklisted members of the Hollywood Ten defame each other, and Norman Mailer claims he's never sold out."The New Yorker "This lively memoir recounts Mr. Navasky's wonderful and often hilarious life as a journalistic entrepreneur."Seth Lipsky, The New York Sun
"In tracing the colorful path of his career . . . Navasky defends the relevance of ideological magazines across the political spectrum . . . Navasky brings a clear-eyed candor to discussing the lengths to which his magazine has gone to maintain its viability."Romesh Ratnesar, Time "This has got to be the kinkiest love story of our timea man in love with a magazine, and the two of them in love with a nation. What a ménage! Untamed passion, big money, adult language, breakups, rapprochements, and a wonderful assortment of eccentric supporting characterit's all here in Navasky's brave confession. But let the reader be warned: this bizarre love story, though such wicked fun to read, puts our deepest moral values on display."E. L. Doctorow
"The autobiography of a great magazine by the person who has best embodied it over the years. 'Wily' and 'parsimonious' are adjectives often applied to Navasky; now we can add 'charming,' 'witty,' and 'consistently entertaining.'"Barbara Ehrenreich "Navasky is an editor journalists would kill to work for if he weren't so cheap. He listens. He laughs. He makes mistakes and sometimes admits them. He is as generous as he is smart. In its modest way, this wry page-turner reveals Navaskys importance in our times."Ken Auletta "There is no doubt: Victor Navasky is a force for our time. This is a book for true enjoyment and enlightenment."John Kenneth Galbraith "Navasky is that most valuable of journalists: the subversive patriot who lives his country too much to see it become a plaything for plutocrats, scalawags, and scoundrels; who loves justice too much to see it betrayed by false prophets; and who loves hiscraft too much to see it as anything but a calling. I cherish this account of his adventures for reminding us why the journalism of opinion is the heart and soul of democracyas long as the last opinion is never assumed to be the right one."Bill Moyers "Part memoir and part commentary on the state of opinion journals and American politics, Navasky, publisher of The Nation and a journalism professor, offers a scintillating look at his life and career. He recalls his escapades at Yale Law School, where he started the satirical magazine Monocle, beginning his long and sometimes hilarious efforts at providing lively commentary on national events and staying afloat financially. He recalls his association with rising young writers and commentators, including Calvin Trillin, Nora Ephron, and Ralph Nader, and his experiences as a freelancer, including work for The New York Times. All he learned about the magazine trade, harnessing literary talent, maintaining honest debate about social issues, and keeping the bills paid proved helpful when the chance came to own and operate The Nation, America's oldest weekly magazine. He offers fascinating stories of publishing giants and political personalities, including his magazine opponent William F. Buckley. As the tren Synopsis: Winner of the 2005 George Polk Book Award Victor S. Navasky is the renowned editor, writer, and educator who was at the helm of The Nation for almost thirty years. A Matter of Opinion, a scintillating reflection on his experiences, is an extraordinary political document--and a passionately written, irresistibly charming account of a great journalistic tradition. Synopsis:Standing at the helm of "The Nation" for almost 30 years, Navasky delivers a scintillating reflection on his journalistic experiences and offers a spirited, provocative argument for independent journals of opinion as vital to the health of democracy. About the AuthorVictor S. Navasky, publisher and editorial director of The Nation and Delacorte Professor of Journalism at Columbia University, is the author of Naming Names, which won the National Book Award in 1982, and Kennedy Justice. He lives in New York City. What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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