This Just In: What I Couldn't Tell You on TV

Rating:
Summary: An Enjoyable Memoir
Review: This book is a thoroughly enjoyable memoir written by a principled man and fair-minded reporter. It's a light read that includes interesting tales of Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and the Vietnam war, to name just a few topics. I was intrigued by his insights into Senator George McGovern. Although some of his personal anecdotes are less interesting, on the whole it is worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Some Humorous Ancedotes Of A Career In TV News
Review: This Just In, Bob Schieffer's book about his career, gave me more than a few chuckles and is a good and easy read. I have always liked Schieffer's relaxed on-air personality, a trait which comes through clearly in the book.

I do have one or two quibbles, though. Bob mentions some of CBS News' recent big guns - Dan Rather, Rogr Mudd, Leslie Stahl, etc. - but where are the references to the other giants of CBS news, people like Howard K. Smith, Harry Reasoner, and the man who started it all on air, Douglas Edwards? The world did not begin with Walter Cronkite, Bob. They do not rate even a mention in the book, perhaps because they never played a part in Schieffer's rise.

This leads me to another observation: Bob seems to be quite the social climber. He peppers the book with mentions of the good and great who have had him and his wife over to dinner or to a party. He is not a disinterested observer, either. As he eventually mentions towards the end of the book, Bob's brother Tom Schieffer was a partner with Geoge W. Bush in the Texas Rangers baseball team, and it was President Bush who appointed this same Tom Schieffer as Ambassador to Australia! Keeping this in mind, it pretty unfortunate that Schieffer saves most of the few disdainful comments in the book for the Bush family's political nemesis, Bill Clinton. I don't think Bob is quite as objective as he thinks he is.

A bit of Bob's love of the old lucre also raises its ugly head as he brags ever so lightly about selling his New York apartment for four times what he paid for it. Congratulations, Bob, but please spare us stories of your financial success.

I do recommend this book. Bob came along toward the end of the period of television news golden age, and it's nice to be reminded of those times. We won't see those days ever again.