Michael Hainey

The author barely knew his father. Bob Hainey, a copy desk chief at the Chicago Sun Times, died alone on a street, when Michael was six years old. He died of an apparent heart attack but there were suspicious signs that there was more to his death. Michael became a journalist himself and as he got older he decided to start digging into the story. He soon discovered a lot more buried family secrets, than he ever expected, along with an unbending code of silence among Bob’s reporter cronies, even decades later. This was a very solid memoir, filled with a lot of Chicago lore and history, centered mainly around the 1960s. Recommended.… (altro)

This is a memoir of a journalist who began in his late 30's to investigate the circumstances of his journalist father's death at 35 when the author was 6 years old. The family myth or story surrounding his death was unclear, had holes and rarely discussed ... never in full. The author is Deputy Editor of GQ and is a superb writer. The story he has crafted is one of perseverance, courage and intensity. The writing is compelling. Read this book if you are brave.
Harry Truman said, "They say I give 'em Hell, but that's wrong. I give 'em the truth, and they think it's Hell."… (altro)

What's it like to lose a parent at age 6? Michael Hainey sorts out what to trust from his memory and from what others tell him about the death of his father. Bob Hainey's Chicago Sun-Times copy desk is a generation removed from mine, and the son shows the expanse of that generation gap. But his search is entirely relatable to those who try to understand the departed: Starting as self-actualization, the pursuit draws the family closer. In this case it's also a fitting tribute to a newspaperman from the place and time that spawned a journalistic aphorism, "If your mother says she loves you, check it out." The author seems to take the advice literally.… (altro)