Barbara Feinman Todd

One of the reasons I enjoyed the movie the Post so much was watching Meryl Streep's performance as Kay Graham. I could certainly identify with Graham's self-doubt and hesitancy before finding her voice and owning the powerful decision made at the heart of the film. What a delight then to pick up this book from my book pile and realize there were echoes here by Barbara Feinman Todd for a number of reasons. One--because Feinman Todd actually began her career at the Post and we get a different perspective of what it is like to work there at the start of your career especially as a young woman starting out. Two--because Feinman Todd worked directly for Ben Bradlee (and Woodward and Bernstein) researching important books for them. A major part of the books is also about her work for Hillary Clinton on It Takes a Village--so we really learn what it can be like to be caught up in a Clintonesque maelstrom. (Yikes!) So we also get a glimpse at the world of Washington D.C., the power, the intrigue and what it is like to work close with powerful people. Third--because in addition to teaching journalism, Feinman Todd is a book researcher, ghost writer and book doctor, so we get a good sense how that works and how her career plays out. Any writer or editor would find this of interest. And finally, because Feinman Todd does some soul searching and questions her own hesitancy at finding her own voice. All that time writing for others and taking on their voices--would she have been better off finding her own instead? My answer to Barbara Feinmann Todd is that I'm glad you've taken. Through you we have a record of those in Washington and now your own view. I hope to read more from this author.… (altro)

Liked the nitty-gritty descriptions of research, journalism (loved the party-crashing anecdote), and ghost-writing; and the Washington DC setting. The main reason it doesn't get 5 stars from me is that the rehashing of HR Clinton not acknowledging Feinman Todd in the book Feinman Todd basically wrote (or at least co-wrote) felt like the same behavior Feinman Todd was criticizing. Very nit-picky, mostly of interest to insiders. I imagine Feinman Todd debated a lot with herself about going into such detail, and I think I understand the reasons why she included it. It just dragged a little bit.… (altro)