'Chasing History': Carl Bernstein on his consequential life in journalism

Tom's first guest today is the legendary reporter and author Carl Bernstein, who, with his Washington Post colleague, Bob Woodward, broke the story of the Watergate break-in, which led to the resignation of Richard Nixon and the birth of modern investigative journalism. Bernstein has written two memoirs about that iconic story, and a book about his parents’ encounters with McCarthyism during the 1950s. His latest book is an homage to newspapers, and a poignant reflection on how he came to love the craft of journalism and the art of storytelling. The book chronicles Bernstein’s start in the newspaper business as a precocious 16-year-old copyboy at the Washington Star, and the subsequent five years in which he met people who left an indelible mark on his approach to reporting, and in which he acquired the nascent skills he would hone in a career that has spanned more than 60 years. The book is a terrific read, and an important testament to the value of journalism written by people who are deeply connected to the communities they cover. It’s called Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom.  Carl Bernstein joins us on Zoom from New York…Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.