Journalism and Other Atrocities: An Irreverent Memoir

Arthur M. Louis entered the journalistic profession in 1960, fresh out of school and brimming with idealistic enthusiasm. He was promptly slapped down by reality, and during the next four decades he never quite made it back to his feet. This witty memoir offers a fascinating look at the inside workings of American journalism for those who are fortunate enough to be watching from the outside. It recounts an appalling succession of grim -- but somehow hilarious -- experiences from a much too long career, starting with high school and college newspapers, followed by a stint with the worst daily newspaper in America and a couple of equally worthless trade publications, until the author finally stumbled into the big time as a writer with Fortune magazine. (And stumbled out again twenty-one years later.) Every dark suspicion you ever entertained about journalism will be confirmed in these pages. You still may be wondering just who the bleep Arthur Louis is. The second part of this book, in which Louis discusses his scatter-brained life away from the keyboard, will help fill that lamentable gap in your knowledge. Now, read on -- and don't say you haven't been warned!