Cover Image: Truth in Our Times

Truth in Our Times

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Member Reviews

A look behind the scenes of the New York Times particularly the legal dept.In the time of Trump who lives under the concept of alternate facts in other words lies a lawyer working at a newspaper has a tough job.Constantly deciding what to print the extremely important job of protecting freedom of the press.constant taunting threats from TrumpThis was an important read and I applaud the author who fights to protect the press daily,#netgalley #st.martins

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First, I have to say that I’m writing this review from the perspective of both a non-The Times subscriber and a high school student in Hong Kong, who is very likely not the target audience of the book.

With that being said, you may wonder why I requested this review copy in the first place. I went into this book hoping that I can learn more about the law on the freedom of media, which is an increasingly pressing issue these days. But this book is not meant for everyone to read, especially not someone that has never lived in the US and is just tapping into this topic.

I started the book back in early April and decided that I would DNF it in June because I realized I could be reading something else that I actually understood with the time.

‘I set out with a modest objective for this book: to let readers look behind the scenes at some of the most consequential reporting done by The New York Times and to understand how, sometimes quietly and sometimes not, the law protected journalism, shaped it, and, in a more fundamental way, made it possible.’

David E. McCraw is a lawyer of The New York Times and became famous for his public letter to Trump. From the 7 chapters or so that I’ve read, the author tried to explain the work of a lawyer behind such a big newspaper business, with reference to the related law (the 1st Amendment) here and there to show the close relationship between the law and journalism. What I like about his writing is that he would start with a few quotes from Trump’s Twitter account and dive into the topic that was raised in the tweets. He would provide cases of various media outlets fighting for the right of publication of certain news that helped with the readers’ understanding of the particular aspects of journalism.

Yet, as a pretty-much-outsider of American journalism, the cases did not really ring a bell in my head. Instead, I got more and more confused as I read the book. I had this idea that every chapter was on a different topic but I felt like the 7 chapters were just the same. Trump complained about this, why that should not be the case, a case related to this topic, the media outlet either won or lost, more explanation, next chapter. This is all I remember from the two months I spent reading the book.

But if you look up on Goodreads, you can see that this book receives many 4- or 5-star ratings. So probably it’s just that I’m not part of a target audience in this case. If you are a US resident and are interested in freedom of media, I still think you should try to pick this up.

So this is all I have to say about this book. Have you read it? Do you have other book recommendations on freedom of media that are easier to go into? Thanks for reading and keep reading crazily!

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An engaging read about the state of journalism today, and of the threats to the freedom of the press. The author, in his position as Deputy General Counsel to the New York Times (NYT), is in the perfect position to write this book. He has witnessed so much in his career.
The book covers the events that have occurred during the NYT's history. But where it really shines is in describing the current battles with Donald Trump. Thank God for McCraw and the NYT, or else we might not have any freedom of the press left!
Great read for people interested in the Constitution, journalism, the law, or current events.

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Truth in Our Times is a truly fascinating look at the behind the scenes workings of The New York Times, particularly the legal department. It is a mix of past events and current event commentary; what it is like to be in peripherally attached to the news room in the era of Trump.

The most compelling chapters were regarding Harvey Weinstein and the kidnappings in Afghanistan. They both were full of information that I did not know, and the constant challenges (and evolving job descriptions) of being the lawyer for the Times.

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I am not quite sure what I was expecting when I chose this book, but it was a far more compelling and insightful read than I imagined it would be. I was drawn to it because I wanted to see what the lawyer for the New York Times had to say about the topic since The Times seem to have been embroiled in a battle with the Trump Administration since the president's inauguration. I was curious about The Times side of the story.

While the book does spend a fair portion discussing The Times versus Trump, it is far more than that. It is a riveting combination of legal history about the First Amendment as well as an in-the-moment professional memoir of the fight to keep one of our most sacred amendments to the law of the land intact. Trump is not the only one looked at here; any politician who has attempted to diminish the First Amendment up for scrutiny.

The author pulls you into the surprisingly interesting world of a media lawyer to a big-name news outlet that is regularly called out by those in the highest government positions. He calls himself a “raging moderate,” which is a phrase I love and might adopt myself. You get the sense that he not only appreciates the First Amendment because it is a part of his job, but rather he sees it as one of the cornerstones necessary for a true democracy. Shame on those who want to dismantle this freedom, either by blunt force or slowly chipping away at it. The book presents a solid case about why it is important to have free speech and free press in a democracy. It lays bare the dangers if they are flouted or threatened.

I thought, perhaps, when I started reading the book that it might be an interesting subject but a boring read (legalese, you know), but I couldn't have been more wrong. Because the author keeps us mostly in the moment, only summarizing occasionally, it was as much of a page-turner as any good thriller fiction. I think those on both sides of the debate of fake news should read this book to get a glimpse of how the First Amendment works from the inside, not just as an ideal. It gives you a better sense of the forces at work in the country today and what is at stake. It’s a big smoochy kiss to the First Amendment, and I think it needs a little lovin’ at the moment!

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I loved this. I don't have much else to say so I'm going to repeat myself. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. I loved this.

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Do NOT buy this book!
It really stinks!
This is easily the WORST book that I have ever read!
Never have I been so happy as when I turned the final page of this dog!

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The story of the battle over truth-telling in the Trump era from someone on the frontlines: the newsroom lawyer for the New York Times. A compellingly-readable book, the author of the most-famous lawyer letter of modern times takes readers on an in-depth look at the daily life of a lawyer at a worldwide newspaper and ensuing legal struggles and battles over truth that it entails. I found this book fascinating as it gave me new insights into the stories behind the reporting we take for granted even now.

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