Truth Worth Telling: A Reporter's Search for Meaning in the Stories of Our Times

by Scott Pelley Narrated by Pelley Scott

Overview

An inspiring memoir from the frontlines of history by the award-winning 60 Minutes correspondent.

Don't ask the meaning of life. Life is asking, what's the meaning of you?

With this provocative question, Truth Worth Telling introduces us to unforgettable people who discovered the meaning of their lives in the historic events of our times.

A 60 Minutes correspondent and former anchor of the CBS Evening News, Scott Pelley writes as a witness to events that changed our world. In moving, detailed prose, he stands with firefighters at the collapsing World Trade Center on 9/11, advances with American troops in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, and reveals private moments with presidents (and would-be presidents) he's known for decades. Pelley also offers a resounding defense of free speech and a free press as the rights that guarantee all others.

Above all, Truth Worth Telling offers a collection of inspiring tales that reminds us of the importance of values in uncertain times. For readers who believe that values matter and that truth is worth telling, Pelley writes, “I have written this book for you.”

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for Truth Worth Telling

“Scott Pelley doesn’t just get the story. He gets the point.” —New York Daily News

“Pelley’s narratives are a riveting blend of investigative reporting, color commentary, and personal reminiscence; they make a convincing case for why journalism still matters.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“In his debut, Pelley combines memoir, exposition, and exhortation to chronicle his long and honored career.… Piercing tributes to values and those who embody them mixed with crisp, detailed accounts of reporting in highly hazardous locations.” —Kirkus Reviews

"A passionate defense of the role of journalism in maintaining democracy... In an era when journalism and journalists are under attack, this is a reminder of the power of story to recognize the best in each of us and society." —Library Journal

"Cognizant of the current state of distrust of the media, veteran newsman Pelley focuses on universal human traits as he examines the essential role of journalists to hold a mirror to our better angels and, at times, worst enemies.... It is in his advice to young journalists that Pelley’s wisdom shines brightest, for he is a fervent advocate of the honor and necessity of a free and intrepid press." —Booklist

"Scott Pelley's Truth Worth Telling is a monument to journalistic excellence. In riveting prose Pelley recounts how covering the 9/11 tragedy and Middle Eastern wars has forever changed his world perspective. His personal stories about the enduring power of the First Amendment, 60 Minutes, and U.S. Presidential history are priceless. Highly recommended!" -Douglas Brinkley, Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at Rice University, and author of Cronkite

Praise for Scott Pelley

“The most well-qualified and proven television journalist ever to ascend to the anchor job.” —Columbia Journalism Review

“The legacy of Edward R. Murrow lives in the daring, long-range investigations of Scott Pelley.” —Washington Times

“Genuine gravitas and commitment to his craft.” —Variety

“Pelley’s tenure has been marked by his intelligent, truth-seeking approach to the news, pulling no punches while still remaining impartial.” —Washington Post

Kirkus Reviews

2019-03-17
Declaring that "values matter," the 60 Minutes reporter and former CBS Evening News anchor examines a number of values, virtues, and vices he sees in America—and around the world.

In his debut, Pelley combines memoir, exposition, and exhortation to chronicle his long and honored career. His strong opinions, however, are not partisan: He assails our current president but also the Clintons and others, regardless of party, who have failed to adhere to the virtues he identifies, such as gallantry, devotion, gratitude, and vision. The text is organized thematically. The author begins with the efforts of the FDNY during 9/11 and ends with what reads like a "go-forth-and-do-good-work" graduation speech to new graduates at a journalism school. He includes tributes to (and denunciations of) well-known figures—e.g., George W. Bush, whom Pelley treats kindly and appreciatively for his 9/11 leadership and then takes to task for the Iraq War—and figures whom he escorts from the wings into the limelight. Among these are a military nurse in Iraq, the parents of Sandy Hook students, and Bao Tong, a member of the Chinese government who spoke against Tiananmen Square—and has paid a lifelong price. Occasionally, Pelley inserts between chapters a minisection entitled "Field Note," mostly anecdotal, personal comments about his experiences or observations during his reporting days. One recurrent theme is the importance of free speech and the free press. He worries about the current climate, rife with the proliferation of fake news on social media. Pelley is consistently generous in his praise of his colleagues; producers, camera operators and many others earn high marks in the author's gradebook. Of Bob Simon, for example, he writes, "I learned more from [him] than any other colleague."

Piercing tributes to values and those who embody them mixed with crisp, detailed accounts of reporting in highly hazardous locations.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170126408
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/21/2019
Edition description:	Unabridged

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