September 10, 2007
The bulk of the interviews in this oral history—co-edited by Sherr, his colleague at ABC News, freelance book editor Darnton, and Jennings's widow—were conducted in the days immediately following the anchorman's death from lung cancer in August 2005. Friends and fellow reporters retrace every step of his career, starting with his first jobs in Canadian radio to his coverage of major events like the 9/11 attacks. When he was just 26, he was hired by ABC to anchor the evening news, a job he himself would later admit he was “simply unqualified” for at the time. So he demanded to be sent out into the field as a foreign correspondent, building up his experience until he became what Ted Koppel calls “a complete package” as a journalist: smart, attractive and graceful under pressure. The tone of the interviews is predictably positive: even the criticism that he allowed ABC's ratings to slip by refusing to devote more airtime to O.J. Simpson's murder trial is immediately followed by praise for his expanded coverage of the Bosnian genocide. Sections on his personal life along with testimonials from statesmen like Bill Clinton and Colin Powell flesh out the portrait, reminding readers of the commanding presence Jennings held over broadcast journalism.
November 1, 2007
This account of the life of a longtime anchor of American evening news was culled largely from interviews conducted for a televised remembrance of Peter Jennings, which aired shortly after his death in 2005. Presented verbatim, the material comes from Jennings's colleagues, friends, and family members and is arranged into a handful of loose themes with little added information or research. As such, the work is more akin to an extended eulogy than a biography. Indeed, the editors themselves, among them Jennings's wife, Kayce Freed Jennings, make no claims that this is an exhaustive examination of the man's life. Some of the anecdotes, such as, for example, assertions that Jennings was unhappy with TV coverage of the Iraq War, would have benefited tremendously from supporting evidence. All told, this is a lively collection of stories about one of television's most successful newsmen, told by those who loved and respected him. Some stories are touching, some funny, and a handful provide insight into how his personality was a natural fit for TV news. Fans of Jennings will appreciate the effort.Fred Baerkircher, Twinsburg P.L., OH
Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.