About the Book:
The Final Edition is the compelling novel about an American newspaper and the family that runs it, from the Civil War to the end of the 20th century. It is a tale of family intrigue, behind the scenes politics and all-too-human historical personalities: Beginning as the Civil War ends, it tells the story of the American century, the heyday of newspapers. For the next 60 years newspapers were the source—the only source—of information about politics and sports, scandal and tragedy. No informed American could afford to be without one. Neither radio nor television dislodged the dominance of newspapers in informing America. Newspaper publishers were political aristocrats, wielding enormous power; newspaper families were among the social elite in cities across America. The Final Edition is the story of a great newspaper, the Washington Sentinel, “a watchman in the night,” fearlessly protecting the public interest above all. Spanning five generations, it is also the story of the family that builds and then is destroyed by it. In this unique novel, former Washington Post reporter Lawrence Meyer brings American history to life in a powerful story that will captivate readers of all ages.
In 1867, after four devastating years of civil war, the United States is a nation profoundly changed. When ambitious young Brewster Hopkins purchases the Washington Sentinel, he transforms the floundering newspaper into “a watchman in the night” for the new America, protecting the public interest above all. A progressive and principled publisher, Brewster gradually builds a powerful and successful media empire, befriending business leaders and presidents along the way. When Brewster dies, though, the Sentinel becomes a battleground for the Hopkins family, as the heirs jockey for power, money, and influence.
Brewster’s only son, the philandering reactionary Alexander Hopkins, pushes his sisters aside to seize control, reversing many of the policies Brewster championed in life. Just as it seems Alexander may destroy the Sentinel’s prestige by supporting Nazi Germany, an unexpected tragedy puts his son-in-law, George Baker, in charge. As war looms, George becomes a confidant of President Franklin Roosevelt. He steers the Sentinel back on course; but it is his seeming ne’er do well son, Cubby, Brewster’s great-grandson, who most embodies the great patriarch’s journalistic vision. Family conflict flares up once again as Cubby’s sisters challenge their brother’s controversial editorial stands, threatening to destroy the mighty Sentinel once and for all.
Spanning more than a century, The Final Edition presents the most pivotal moments of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American history. Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy are among the key figures whose lives are woven into the fabric of this compelling and informative novel. Written by a veteran former Washington Post reporter, The Final Edition offers readers a richly detailed glimpse behind the scenes of a fictional but all too real American newspaper, bringing exciting moments in American history to life. It is a story as current and relevant as today’s headlines, as a great newspaper struggles to survive. Most importantly, it is the epic story of one powerful family’s rise and fall, a gripping portrait of an American dynasty that will captivate readers from start to finish.
About the Author:
Lawrence Meyer is a veteran, award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. He spent thirty-two years at The Washington Post, where he witnessed many of the twentieth century’s most dramatic events. During the 1970s, he covered the attempted assassination of Governor George C. Wallace, the Watergate break-in trial, the Senate Watergate hearings, and the subsequent impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon. His intimate familiarity with the thinking and politics at the heart of a great American newspaper lends remarkable accuracy and immediacy to The Final Edition. Meyer has published three other books. His second novel, False Front, was nominated for the American Book Award.
My Opinion:
I suspect I am a dying breed; I still love to read a newspaper in the morning. Since I am a dying breed, that is why the newspaper industry is slowly dying. This book, though tells the tale of the RISE of a great newspaper; the fictional Sentinel. Being a newspaper lover I was very intrigued when given the opportunity to review this book. I am so very happy I did because this was an excellent read.
It is a big book. A book to really sink your teeth into full of big characters and big stories since it starts at the end of the Civil War with Lincoln's assassination and follows the history of the country and the paper for over 100 years.
It is well written and a delight. At the time of its beginnings newspapers were the only source of news for the populace. There was no radio, no TV and no internet. They were vital. As other media became more prominent the newspaper started to decline. That tale is also told through family infighting and bad decision making therein. This is a dynastic tale too - and one to be savored.
While this is not a book to be read in a day - it has almost 700 pages - it is a book to be read and enjoyed.
The Final Edition
is available at Amazon.com
Disclosure: I received a gratis copy of The Final Edition. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by my receipt of the free book. I received no monetary compensation for this post.
