Synopses & Reviews
In this engaging memoir of television news and its unique place in history,
New York Times bestselling author and
Face the Nation anchor Bob Schieffer takes us behind the scenes of the Sunday morning institution that has provided a window on the most memorable events of the last half-century.
With his critically acclaimed memoir This Just In, Schieffer proved himself a natural storyteller, a gifted writer able to capture the workings of television news with remarkable wit and insight. Now Schieffer focuses his keen reporter's eye on 50 years of Face the Nation's live broadcasts and the historic moments the program has captured. From its 1954 debut, an interview with Senator Joe McCarthy the day before the Senate debate that would condemn him, to the broadcast's 1957 groundbreaking interview with a candid and controversial Nikita Khrushchev; from the brilliant analysis of communism made by guest Martin Luther King Jr. to the sometimes stunning, always revealing interviews with each sitting president; from the heroic and moving coverage of the terrorist attacks of September 11 to the revolutionary coverage of the war in Iraq, Schieffer shares unforgettable anecdotes about the guests, the stories and the events captured by the venerable public affairs program.
Marked by the author's candid personal observations and wise, good humor, and featuring a special companion DVD of broadcast highlights created by CBS News for this edition, Bob Schieffer's look at 50 years of Face the Nation shines an entertaining and nostalgic light on America's presidents, culture, foreign policy and domestic affairs.
Review
"A fascinating look at how the nation and the show have evolved over 50 years." Booklist
Synopsis
In this engaging memoir of television news and American history, Bob Schieffer shares unforgettable insights about the guests, the stories, and the history-making moments of the venerable public affairs program. From the show's 1954 debut, and the interview with Senator Joe McCarthy the day before the senate debate that would condemn him, to a controversial 1957 interview with Khrushchev, to Ed Sullivan's competitive bid for an interview with Fidel Castro (one that did indeed air on his variety hour, wedged between comedian Alan King and a dog act); to a brilliant and articulate analysis of communism by Martin Luther King the stories Schieffer tells in these pages are surprising, often moving, always fascinating.
From civil rights to Vietnam, the terrorist attacks of September 11 through the groundbreaking coverage of the war in Iraq, Schieffer captures it all the moments and the milestones. Filled with the author's trademark candor and compassion, and featuring a special DVD created exclusively for this book, Face the Nation shines a witty and nostalgic light on our nation's presidents, culture, foreign, policy, and domestic affairs. This is a one-of-a-kind anniversary gift from a man uniquely qualified to reflect on our changing country over the past fifty years.
Synopsis
In this engaging memoir of television news and its unique place in history,
New York Times bestselling author and
Face the Nation anchor Bob Schieffer takes us behind the scenes of the Sunday morning institution that has provided a window on the most memorable events of the last half-century.
With his critically acclaimed memoir This Just In, Schieffer proved himself a natural storyteller, a gifted writer able to capture the workings of television news with remarkable wit and insight. Now Schieffer focuses his keen reporter's eye on 50 years of Face the Nation's live broadcasts and the historic moments the program has captured. From its 1954 debut, an interview with Senator Joe McCarthy the day before the Senate debate that would condemn him, to the broadcast's 1957 groundbreaking interview with a candid and controversial Nikita Khrushchev; from the brilliant analysis of communism made by guest Martin Luther King Jr. to the sometimes stunning, always revealing interviews with each sitting president; from the heroic and moving coverage of the terrorist attacks of September 11 to the revolutionary coverage of the war in Iraq, Schieffer shares unforgettable anecdotes about the guests, the stories and the events captured by the venerable public affairs program.
Marked by the author's candid personal observations and wise, good humor, and featuring a special companion DVD of broadcast highlights created by CBS News for this edition, Bob Schieffer's look at 50 years of Face the Nation shines an entertaining and nostalgic light on America's presidents, culture, foreign policy and domestic affairs.
Table of Contents
andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Contentsandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Prefaceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Part Iandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Window on History: The Story of andlt;Iandgt;Face the Nationandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;1. In the Beginningandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Stanton and Paley Invent CBS Newsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;2. In the Age of Fearandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;McCarthy, Blacklists and the Red Scareandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;3. The Big Scoopandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;But Should Americans Be Hearing This?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;4. The Men of Love Put On a Really Big Showandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Castro, Ed Sullivan and andlt;Iandgt;Face the Nationandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;5. Coverage a Long Time Comingandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The Sunday Shows and Civil Rightsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;6. Vietnamandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The Ongoing Search for Good Newsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;7. For Want of a Questionandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The Pentagon Papers, Gobbledygook and Government Secrecyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;8. Badgering George Shultzandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The Rise of Women in Politics and Journalismandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;9. The Sunday Primariesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Tales from the Campaign Trailandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;10. The Longest Storyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The Saga of Clinton vs. Starrandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;11. War at Home and Abroad andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;9-11, Anthrax and the Terroristsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;12. The War in Iraqandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Combat Coverage in Real Timeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;13. Looking Aheadandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Television's Expanding Universeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Part IIandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Behind the Scenesandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;14. My Thoughts Exactlyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The andlt;Iandgt;Face the Nationandlt;/Iandgt; Commentariesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;15. They Made It Happenandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The Correspondents and Producers of andlt;Iandgt;Face the Nationandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Work Notes, Acknowledgments