Books about journalists

[boundforboston]

What fiction books about journalists would you recommend? I've read "You Gotta Play Hurt" by Dan Jenkins and am working on "Basket Case" by Carl Hiaasen. Both were good.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

If you like "Basket Case" and haven't read "Tourist Season," read "Tourist Season." It's brilliant.

 

[CD Boogie]

Definitely not "The Sportswriter" by Richard Ford. "Spooner" by Pete Dexter was pretty good, not great. Anything by Jayson Blair.

 

[Killick]

If you're into the thriller genre: "The Poet" by Michael Connelly. Writer investigates his twin brother's death, which turns out to be at the hands of a serial killer.

 

[justgladtobehere]

Why not "The Sportswriter"?

There is a 'sequel' to "The Poet" and the journalist character appears in some of Connelly's other books.

 

[QYFW]

Misery

 

[Batman]

Misery

They asked for books about journalists, not a description of the profession.

 

[Riptide]

"The Pelican Brief" had a journalism angle running through it. Great book.

 

[Riptide]

Also, "Fletch" and "The Shipping News."

 

[User 1019]

"Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them," -- Donald J. Trump

 

[Dick Whitman]

One of the villains in "The Submission" is a New York tabloid journalist. The novel was written by a former NYT reporter, I believe, so at least it's not just some asshole bagging on the profession.

 

[Buck]

Not fiction, but 'The Tender Bar' by J.R. Moehringer.

FYI I loaned my copy to someone, and she never gave it back.

 

[CD Boogie]

Why not "The Sportswriter"?

There is a 'sequel' to "The Poet" and the journalist character appears in some of Connelly's other books.

I didn't recognize sports writing at all from what Ford described. I recognized someone who had interviewed Frank Deford about what it was like to write glossy features for SI and ran with it.

 

[CD Boogie]

If you're into the thriller genre: "The Poet" by Michael Connelly. Writer investigates his twin brother's death, which turns out to be at the hands of a serial killer.

WTF, just give away the ending!

jk

 

[Killick]

The things that tickled me the most about Poet were the tiny details, from the clunky Coyote newsroom computers to the inept corporate Scripps office grousing.

 

[justgladtobehere]

One of the villains in "The Submission" is a New York tabloid journalist. The novel was written by a former NYT reporter, I believe, so at least it's not just some asshole bagging on the profession.

So it's an NYT asshole bagging on tabloid journalists?

 

[Batman]

Also, "Fletch" and "The Shipping News."

Is it just me, or would Fletch have been the worst co-worker in a newsroom ever?
Guy shows up about once a month, but has a huge and obnoxious work area. When he does show up, he causes a scene with his "look at me" attitude, dresses like a bum in the office and acts like a jerk. He writes about four stories a year and still barely makes deadline on deep, investigative pieces so you know all of the editors who have to proof and fact check his copy hate him.
Guy just seems like an ass on a lot of levels.

 

[CD Boogie]

Is it just me, or would Fletch have been the worst co-worker in a newsroom ever?
Guy shows up about once a month, but has a huge and obnoxious work area. When he does show up, he causes a scene with his "look at me" attitude, dresses like a bum in the office and acts like a jerk. He writes about four stories a year and still barely makes deadline on deep, investigative pieces so you know all of the editors who have to proof and fact check his copy hate him.
Guy just seems like an ass on a lot of levels.

Wait, they made a book out of Fletch? Hell, yeah, get the book.

Airhead'd

 

[Moderator1]

My old boss in Richmond, Howard Owen, has a mystery series featuring a reporter named Willie Black. I've read a couple and they're quite good.

 

[QYFW]

Is it just me, or would Fletch have been the worst co-worker in a newsroom ever?
Guy shows up about once a month, but has a huge and obnoxious work area. When he does show up, he causes a scene with his "look at me" attitude, dresses like a bum in the office and acts like a jerk. He writes about four stories a year and still barely makes deadline on deep, investigative pieces so you know all of the editors who have to proof and fact check his copy hate him.
Guy just seems like an ass on a lot of levels.

Metro columnist