Pulitzer
From the Blurb: This is the life-size portrait of a man of genius and an eccentric of unique proportions. Joseph Pulitzer revolutionized American journalism and exerted a powerful, progressive effect on American life. He did this by the force of a personality that was as admirable as it was outrageous. A Hungarian by birth, Joseph Pulitzer served briefly in the Civil War and then began his newspaper career in St. Louis. He started out penniless; when he died in 1911, he had made a great fortune, from the St. Louis Post-dispatch and the New York World (morning and evening). The Pulitzer newspapers-particularly the morning World-achieved a rare combination of wide popular appeal, brilliant and accurate reporting, and an enlightened and courageous editorial policy. Through his papers Pulitzer played an important role in American politics as he fought battle after battle with a reformer's zeal and a realist's shrewdness. Mr. Swanberg accomplishes three difficult things in Pulitzer. He vividly renders the social and political background. He shows precisely how Pulitzer made the World a great paper; how he fought his competitors, and how he affected the nation's affairs. The record, in Mr. Swanberg's hands, becomes an exciting, turbulent story. The third and most difficult accomplishment is the portrait of Joseph Pulitzer. A man of intellect and cultivation, Pulitzer was stricken in mid-career both by blindness and a nervous malady. The clink of a spoon at dinner, or a harsh voice, would cause him to explode in agony. He traveled constantly, usually on his yacht-"fleeing his nerves"--Accompanied by six male secretaries who had to be prepared to report on the latest art show in London or to discuss an obscure point in European history. Often separated from his wife by his travels, he was devoted to her and to their five children. He was a despot, given to thoughtful and generous acts. He was filled with self-pity, and his courage and energy were inexhaustible. Virtually every day as he roamed the world he poured advice, reprimand, and encouragement on his newspaper staff, all of its sparkling with the quality of the man. The superb biography does full justice to its extraordinary subject
Biography
xiv, 462 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
9780684105871, 068410587X
1083334
List of illustrations
Part 1: Angry Young Man:
Chapter 1: Westward ho!:
Goat of Company L
Unburied corpses
Search for independence
Chapter 2: Bitten by politics:
Murderous intent
Breaking with Grant
Chapter 3: Right hand of Schurz:
Dream of reform
Cincinnati fiasco
Stumping for Greeley
Republican turns democrat
Chapter 4: Love on the run:
Resolute Pulitzer, irresolute Tilden
Not worthy of such love
Uncertain and inconstant
Politician's honeymoon
Part 2: Sensationalist:
Chapter 1: How to win circulation:
Colossal nerve
Pistol-packing editor
Chapter 2: Road to power:
Electionitis
Beaten by the bourbons
Loudest voice on the Mississippi
Chapter 3: Unwelcome in St Louis:
Killing at the post-dispatch
Gentlemen, a change has taken place
Part 3: Triumph:
Chapter 1: Reformer and salesman:
New social conscience
Democrats, unite!
Bucking the establishment
Chapter 2: Electing a president:
Defection of Dana
Ma! Ma! Where's my pa?
Burn this letter!
Chapter 3: Disenchantment:
Walking the bowery
Office seekers
Rescuing the goddess
Creative mental power
Looking for suggestive men
Chapter 4: Nerves on edge:
Profane philanthropist
Four-month congressman
Boodling Aldermen
Electing a mayor
Chapter 5: Spinning like a top:
Democrat in Babylon
What is fortune without health?
Star-spangled tights
Chapter 6: Feud with Dana:
Renegade Jew
Move on, Pulitzer! Part 4: Disaster:
Chapter 1: Breakdown:
Tortured nerves, failing eyesight
Revenge on Dana
Defying the doctors
Chapter 2: Searching for health:
Two world travelers
Golden dome
Exit cockerill
Espionage
Chapter 3: Editor in absentia:
Interrogator
Sacrificing pleasure
No cards, no chess
Chapter 4: Jones problem:
Confusion in the dome
Confusion in St Louis
Chapter 5: Loneliest man in the world:
Piggery nero, pigeon Nelson
Roosevelt saloon crisis
Smash the ring!
Part 5: War With Hearst:
Chapter 1: Persuasion by checkbook:
How to crush gush
Recruiting
Chapter 2: Plague of Bryan:
Hearst's burning money
Damn your impertinence
Business as usual
Chapter 3: Cuba:
Waiting for Phoebe
Poisoned quail
Imitating imitations
Disagreeably agreeing
Chapter 4: Journalistic dramaturgy:
Flower of Cuba
Hearst going broke?
Exit Brisbane
Checking on the staff
Chapter 5: War and peace:
Nearest approach to hell
Losing money
Normal newspaper
Part 6: Schoolmaster:
Chapter 1: Grooming the admiral:
Gentleman wants companion
Dewey says no
Dewey says yes
Chapter 2: Twentieth century:
Stir him up, club him up
Pursuing white mice
Bird in a gilded cage
Geranium and genuine
Noisy eating
Chapter 3: Eccentricities of Andes:
Family circle
Hire a man who gets drunk
Judge of all the earth
Mayor McClellan's shocker
Rat fight
Chapter 4: Fever of 1904:
Two million for Columbia
Discovering Frank Cobb
Gush, guilder and glutinous
Chapter 5: Insurance scandal:
$644,000 failure
Ball at Sherry's
Don't be unnecessarily cruel
Chapter 6: Nerves in tatters:
Pulitzer-Vanderbilt entente
Suspicion and despair
Manners of a horse
Utterly unreasonable
Chapter 7: Artificial world:
My long longed for friend
Kicking Homer
Complete control
Unpresidential glutinous conduct
Big drink of whiskey
Chapter 8: Roosevelt vs Pulitzer:
Intrigue over Panama
My God! No proof!
Big man of all newspapers
Who got the money?
Chapter 9: Pulitzer-and the press-victorious:
No use, my dear boy
Red thread
Course in journalism
Chapter 10: Last election:
I've seen it all
Don't paint the devil as black as he is
Walking the tightrope
Liberty-ha!
Most people think I'm dead
Afterword: Decline and fall
Author's note and acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
Index