Andy Rooney_ 60 Years of Wisdom and Wit - Andy Rooney [127]
I. F. Stone, proprietor of I. F. Stone’s Weekly, combined a commitment to the First Amendment with entrepreneurial zeal and reporting skill and became one of the great independent journalists in American history. At the age of eighty, Izzy published The Trial of Socrates, which was a national bestseller. He wrote the book after he taught himself ancient Greek.
B enjamin C. Bradlee was for nearly thirty years the charismatic editorial leader of The Washington Post. It was Ben who gave the Post the range and courage to pursue such historic issues as Watergate. He supported his reporters with a tenacity that made them fearless and it is no accident that so many became authors of influential, best-selling books.
R obert L. Bernstein, the chief executive of Random House for more than a quarter century, guided one of the nation’s premier publishing houses. Bob was personally responsible for many books of political dissent and argument that challenged tyranny around the globe. He is also the founder and longtime chair of Human Rights Watch, one of the most respected human rights organizations in the world.
• • •
For fifty years, the banner of Public Affairs Press was carried by its owner Morris B. Schnapper, who published Gandhi, Nasser, Toynbee, Truman, and about 1,500 other authors. In 1983, Schnapper was described by The Washington Post as “a redoubtable gadfly.” His legacy will endure in the books to come.
Peter Osnos, Founder and Editor-at-Large
Table of Contents
Part I: The Beginnings of a Writing Life 1
Drafted, 3
Meeting Marge, 15
A Missive to Marge from England, 19
Places of Business, 22
Combat, 34
Part II: Mr. Rooney Goes to Work 49
Chairs, 51
Mr. Rooney Goes to Dinner, 59
In Praise of New York City, 76
An Essay on War, 84
Part III: A Few Decades with Andy Rooney 91
The Man Behind the Desk 93
Introducing Andy Rooney, 93
An Interview with Andy Rooney, 95
Sartorial Shortcomings, 97
A World-Class Saver, 99
Born to Lose, 102
My Name’s Been Stolen, 104
On Writing 106
There Is No Secret, 106
It’s a Writer Who Makes a Fool of Himself, 108
The Journalist’s Code of Ethics, 110
A Report on Reporting, 113
Big Business, 115
On Work and Money 118
Procrastination, 118
Fired, 121
Broke, 122
A Cash Standard, 125
Savings, 127
The Art of Living 129
Being With People, Being Without, 129
Finding the Balance, 130
The Truth About Lying, 132
The Sweet Spot in Time, 134
Life, Long and Short, 136
The Glories of Maturity, 138
Plain-Spoken Wisdom 141
Trust, 141
Intelligence, 143
Directions, 145
The Quality of Mercy, 147
Morning People and Night People, 149
The Sound of Silence, 151
The Search for Quality 153
Where Are All the Plumbers? 153
On Conservation, 155
Design, 157
Quality? 159
Table of Contents
Part I:
Drafted, 3
Meeting Marge, 15
A Missive to Marge from England, 19
Places of Business, 22
Combat, 34
Part II:
Chairs, 51
Mr. Rooney Goes to Dinner, 59
In Praise of New York City, 76
An Essay on War, 84
Part III:
The Man Behind the Desk 93
Introducing Andy Rooney, 93
An Interview with Andy Rooney, 95
Sartorial Shortcomings, 97
A World-Class Saver, 99
Born to Lose, 102
My Name’s Been Stolen, 104
On Writing 106
There Is No Secret, 106
It’s a Writer Who Makes a Fool of Himself, 108
The Journalist’s Code of Ethics, 110
A Report on Reporting, 113
Big Business, 115
On Work and Money 118
Procrastination, 118
Fired, 121
Broke, 122
A Cash Standard, 125
Savings, 127
The Art of Living 129
Being With People, Being Without, 129
Finding the Balance, 130
The Truth About Lying, 132
The Sweet Spot in Time, 134
Life, Long and Short, 136
The Glories of Maturity, 138
Plain-Spoken Wisdom 141
Trust, 141
Intelligence, 143
Directions, 145
The Quality of Mercy, 147
Morning People and Night People, 149
The Sound of Silence, 151
The Search for Quality 153
Where Are All the Plumbers? 153
On Conservation, 155
Design, 157
Quality? 159