Writing Tips, World War II Photography, and Richard Nixon

Soule was the first Marine combat photographer, receiving his assignment in late 1941. He didn't go through boot camp, entering the service as a second lieutenant. "In a corps filled with tradition, where everyone learned from the ground up, I floated airily over the top. . . I was in uniform and looked like a Marine, but I felt like a jerk."

The book includes details of Soule's team who went through the Battle of Guadacanal. His men were able to prove how their photographs were an asset to developing strategy and training in future campaigns.

The book is a readable account of Soule's work. It contains a number of photos, which unfortunately were not reproduced on glossy paper, thereby losing some detail. Nevertheless, for anyone curious about a part of the U.S. armed services that has received little notice, Shooting the Pacific War is a worthwhile read.

Soule, leaving the service after 17 years, went on to produce travelogues. His work often appeared in National Geographic, which awarded him honors in 1988 "for the 41 years he has taken the Society's members to every corner of the globe."

Worth A Second Look

It was the first time in its history that the New York Times Magazine devoted an entire issue to a single article. The date was July 1973, and the article was a remarkable piece of reporting by J. Anthony Lukas. The topic was the Watergate scandal, which eventually would bring down President Richard Nixon.

The time was filled with dirty tricks, secret listening devices in telephones, enemies' lists, office burglaries, and even assaults. Those of us who lived through those tumutuous times will never forgive them. Lukas wrote the story with a reporter's brilliance and a superb sense of righteous documentation. There are those who call Nightmare: The Underside of the Nixon Years (Ohio University Press, $24.95 paperback) easily the best piece of hard nosed reporting to come out of those frightful times.

Unfortunately, Lukas is no longer with us, having been overcome by bouts of depression which led to his suicide in 1997. Nightmare should go down as his masterpiece.

This book belongs in every college and university, representing the best report on the scandal. Aspiring journalists should purchase their own copy and study it devoutly.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic