Katharine Graham
1998
Katharine Graham died in 2001, having lived a remarkable and long life. Her Pulitzer-Prize winning autobiography remains resonant today with stories of great privilege and as a witness to history. She dealt with tragedy and loss that would finish many, but instead some of the greatest personal accomplishments came after the sudden death of husband. Katharine Graham lived in Philip Graham's shadow, especially as he took over the publisher job from her father at The Washington Post. But she came into her own after Graham's suicide -- taking over as publisher and thriving.
Her early years give one a glimpse of Washington, D.C. as it came into itself. Her life bridged the old world of Roosevelt (both) and two world wars and then the Kennedy's and Watergate.
Many reviews have commented on the honesty and simple voice of the memoir. Her direct look at her own life is a remarkable tribute to the best journalistic instincts.
As the Post moves to a new era under the ownership of Jeff Bezos, this look back and personal history is timely.
Katherine Graham led The Washington Post for 20 years, overseeing the pursuit of the Watergate story that led to Richard Nixon's resignation. She spent her early childhood in New York, but formative years in Washington, D.C. She has won numerous honors and awards, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 2002.
Same shelf:
This Town: Two Parties and A Funeral-Plus Plenty of Valet Parking, In America's Gilded Capital by Mark Leibovich
