Downie's career at the Washington Post is fascinating. While I enjoyed his reminiscing on the big stories, the background, decision-making process, and insight are light with the detail and often a summary of the story. Even the controversial decision to report the private lives of public figures lacks drama. The author mentions how unheard of it was to make this journalistic change, and he struggled with his decision; the narrative could be more varied. He describes what others are doing but not so much what he thinks, which is an odd decision for a memoir. The theme of journalistic integrity is essential, but after reading this, I have no greater understanding of Downie or his process. He often states what he did, briefly explaining internal policy and moving on to the next story. As a light history book, it is good, but an insight into the author, less.

Downie is a LEGEND!! He was there as history happened and put his own mark on journalism for the one the best newspapers in America. The autobiography doesn't gloss over his mistakes either. It is a responsible recounting of a life in the news business. Highly recommended for history and journalism buffs or students.

A great history of the Washington post newspapers. One of those books that you can't stop reading once you start. A must read for any post readers

This is an excellent deep dive into WaPo and politics. If you are in anyway interested in journalism and politics, this is the book for you.

Leonard Downie Jr. at 22 years of age in 1964 who also was a recent graduate of Ohio State lands an intern position at the Washington Post. In the 44 years that he spent there he worked his way up from intern to executive editor a position that he held for 16 to 17 years. During those 16 years the paper under his direction was awarded 25 Pulitzer prizes.

While working early on at the Post he was instrumental in bringing back investigative journalism and doing it in his early twenty's. Reporting on subjects like a shoddy court system around Washington D.C., people getting swindled on home improvements and crooked mortgaging companies. He gave a voice to the voiceless. He did this with a belief that personal opinions had a place only on the editorial page . Whether you grew up during this time or you want to look back on subjects from the past 40 or 50 years from the view point of prominent newspaper as the Washington Post on subjects as the Vietnam war, Watergate, Carter administration and the hostages in Iran, Reagan presidency, Margert Thatcher, England and the IRA, Weapons of mass destruction and the investigations of Clintons on various issues you will like this book. I thought it was interesting how many time the person known as Deepthroat was almost revealed. This book took a little bit of time to get through but it was a very informative read. Thank you to Perseus Books and Netgalley for an ARC for a fair and honest review.

"We were not motivated by personal or institutional bias. We were pursuing the truth, however imperfectly at times, and holding the powerful accountable - not propagating 'fake news'." What a foreign concept to the way "news" is reported today.

This was a really great book about specific eye witness experiences of historical events. I was held captive by details and the lengths the journalists and editors, at The Washington Post, went through to tell the stories in order to get it right.

The hubris of the people involved at the highest levels in our government continue to be their downfall and yet another with lofty goals and ideas believes this time they will have better luck. It was and is the responsibility of the press to hold them accountable and get to the truth. When we hear "fake news" it is should be a red flag to us all that we are about to be treated to smoke and mirrors, and misdirection. These are the times we should be looking more closely as shown in this book.

The parallels between Trump and Nixon are eerie. I remember Hilary Clinton's anger at negative reporting about their actions past and during their time in the White House and calling it "a right wing conspiracy." It was the first time I ever heard that phrase. I was especially interested in the afterward about Trump. Even though he was not a reporter nor was he and editor, but they are interesting and relevant. Trump says to Leslie Stahl regarding his attack on the media "I do it to discredit you all and demean you all, so that, when you write negative stories about me, no one will believe you." This is direct attack on the freedom of the press. Luckily for us there are still reporters that believe in the truth and fight the lies to bring it to all of us, well at least those of us that are interested in the truth.

Thank you Mr. Downie Jr. for all your hard work and your efforts at getting and then ultimately sharing your birds eye view to the truth, something we see little of today. Well done!!!

All About the Story is Leonard Downie Jr's memoir of his decades at the Washington Post. The book is set in chronological order with the chapters being major stories since the 1960s. He covers from his time in college getting his first real experience publishing a paper all the way through his consulting on the movie The Post. This time hits major news stories like Watergate, the Clinton Scanal, September 11th, the war in Iraq and related stories.
Downie spends the book talking about what went into the decisions to publish or not publish something and where more attention could have been placed. In the lead up to the Clinton Scandal chapter Downie discusses the Post's reporting on Gary Hart in 1987 and how those decisions changed what is acceptable to report about a person's private life and what is not. After that reporting there were other politicians who lost their positions due to infidelity stories allowing the idea that we can and should investigate someone for being unfaithful to their spouse and that this is something that we as the public get to have a say in.
While Downie does not say that this reporting was wrong he does address his lack of interest in putting the stories the Post wrote about the WMD evidence before the invasion of Iraq on the front page a mistake. He regrets putting them inside and I guess feels that if they had been on the front page they could have impacted the decision to allow the war. The scary thing with these examples is that we are all human and make decisions but in the case of the executive editor of the newspaper like the Post the decision can have wide ranging and lasting impacts.
I very much enjoyed the first half of the book I think because I was not around for those events so reading about Watergate and Jonestown were interesting. But from the Clinton's onward I found them less compelling because I lived through those stories and all of the media coverage. The Post was even my local paper from 2002 through 2010 so I knew what their coverage of Iraq was.
At this time when all forms of media are being attacked it was good to read a book about some of the great stories and accomplishments of journalism in the 20th century. It reminds us of what investigative journalism and why it is important.

Thanks to Netgalley and PublicAffairs for giving me the chance to read Len Downie’s upcoming memoir. Typically I am not a fan of the memoir genre but I have a huge fascination for all things journalism, and especially the Washington Post, so this caught my eye. I must say I was not familiar with Len Downie, I only knew of other Washington Post editors from movies (All the President’s Men, The Post, Spotlight). Downie’s stories were fascinating and gave a great look at the decisions and stresses going on in the newsroom. The book was also a fantastic recent history lesson covering from the 1968 MLK assassination through the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. I highly recommend this title.

This was much better than I thought it was going to be and a behind the scenes look into a well known newspaper that has been around a long time. The author has been fascinated with news and journalism hos whole life and was lucky to get a job as an intern during his senior year of high school. Unlike some newspapers and columnists that share false news. Downie strives to share nothing but the truth even if it angers his boss and coworkers.

This had great insight into the journalism world and that it isn't as easy it looks. I appreciate the candor and honesty the author shares about his beloved career. I felt like I was along for the entire ride. Absolutely fascinating and a different kind of read for me. I hope he writes more because I would read it.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available;: 9/22/20