Publication date UK format 21/10/21 audio time 13h 1m book 352 pages
I would like to thank the author, publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to pick this to read and review all my reviews are honest.
Synopsis
A personal journey through some of the darkest moments of the cold war and the early days of television news Marvin Kalb, the award-winning journalist who has written extensively about the world he reported on during his long career, now turns his eye on the young man who became that journalist. Chosen by legendary broadcaster Edward R. Murrow to become one of what came to be known as the Murrow Boys, Kalb in this newest volume of his memoirs takes readers back to his first days as a journalist, and what also were the first days of broadcast news. Kalb captures the excitement of being present at the creation of a whole new way of bringing news immediately to the public. And what news. Cold War tensions were high between Eisenhower's America and Khrushchev's Soviet Union. Kalb is at the center, occupying a unique spot as a student of Russia tasked with explaining Moscow to Washington and the American public. He joins a cast of legendary figures along the way, from Murrow himself to Eric Severeid, Howard K. Smith, Richard Hottelet, Charles Kuralt, and Daniel Schorr among many others. He finds himself assigned as Moscow correspondent of CBS News just as the U2 incident--the downing of a US spy plane over Russian territory--is unfolding. As readers of his first volume, The Year I Was Peter the Great, will recall, being the right person, in the right place, at the right time found Kalb face to face with Khrushchev. Assignment Russia sees Kalb once again an eyewitness to history--and a writer and analyst who has helped shape the first draft of that history. Kalb witnessed and interpreted many of the defining events of the Cold War. In Assignment Russia he ultimately finds himself assigned as Moscow correspondent for CBS News just as the U-2 incident--the downing of a U.S. spy plane over Russian territory--is unfolding. Kalb brings alive once again the tension that surrounded that event, and the reportorial skills deployed to illuminate it. Like The Year I Was Peter the Great, the first volume in a series of memoirs narrating his earlier life, Assignment Russia brings us Kalb once again as an eyewitness to history--and a writer and analyst who has helped shape the first draft of that history.
My Review
This was a brilliant and fascinating book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book which covered the authors life. Living as a CBS journalist during the cold War. I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author. I love both his pitch and tone of voice. I enjoyed the relaxed approach to the reading of the audiobook it really allowed me to take in everything he was saying.
It was a brilliant autobiography/memoir story that had me engrossed from the beginning. I tried my hardest to finish it in one day but tiredness took over lol.
Marvin and his wife have definitely lead an incredible and some time very frustrating life. This book follows his life from starting his career as a journalist writing for radio news through to his life as a journalist living in Russia during the cold War. Telling all the fascinating trials and tribulations of living and working in a communist state. I especially loved all the hotel issues, it really had me chuckling but I won't give that much away. I love read books about living and working in Russia as it is such a secretive country and the author really brings these facts to light with great stories. I really do recommend this book to all those who live reading what it's like living and working in Russia, those who are interested in journalism and those with an interest in the cold War.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishing team for bringing us this very interesting and fascinating book. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this fantastic author.
Where you can buy this book
Amazon US K $17.67, AUDIBLE, HC $18.69
Waterstones HC £22.95
Google Books ebook £14.29
B&N HC $24.99, N $18.99, AUDIOBOOK
Kobo ebook £16.19
Amazon UK K £14.53, AUDIBLE, HC £15.31
All prices are subject to change at any time. Please remember to review all books you finish reading so others can find these amazing books. All reviews help just remember not to tell people what the book is about as everyone has already read the synopsis. Just include what you liked and felt when reading the book.
HAPPY READING