LSE - Small Logo
LSE - Small Logo

Charlie Beckett

July 24th, 2009

Best books for hacks – vote for the 8 tomes every journalist should read

1 comment

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Charlie Beckett

July 24th, 2009

Best books for hacks – vote for the 8 tomes every journalist should read

1 comment

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

I have a pathological aversion to best-of lists, except, of course, when I am on one.  An American University has compiled a long list of the finest works on journalism that they suggest are required reading for budding and practicising hacks. You can vote for your eight favourites here.
Orwellian
Orwellian

supermediaNaturally, I am delighted that my own SuperMedia has made the cut, in the section described as ‘Journalism Critique’ alongside an all-time favourtie of mine, George Orwell, and a contemporary influence, Jay Rosen.

I am not sure I deserve to be in such exalted company, but that shouldn’t stop you voting for SuperMedia 😉

On a more serious note, the survey sensibly allows you to suggest other works not on the list. This is good because it is a bit American, male and perhaps, overly serious.

media-and-moralitySo in keeping with the intellectual approach,  I would offer a book that has underpinned my work here at Polis, Roger Silverstone’s Media and Morality.

 

For an understanding of the craft of writing, I would submit the immortal Keith Waterhouse Mirror Style Guide.

scoop1

But perhaps you can learn more about journalism through satire – and because it is supposed to be fun, after all – I would offer the (inevitable) Evelyn Waugh Scoop and the less predictable, but equally hilarious and truthful, Towards The End of the Morning by Michael Frayn.

Make your choices here

About the author

Charlie Beckett

Posted In: Journalism | Politics

1 Comments

Comments are closed.