Pulitzer's Gold A Century of Public Service Journalism by Roy J.Harris Jr.

Pulitzer's Gold A Century of Public Service Journalism by Roy J.Harris Jr. published by Columbia University Press is a beautiful book that, according to me every journalist should read about the most important and serious award assigned every year to the most important reporters/newsmagazines/magazines in the USA: the Pulitzer.
This book was revised and updated because the Pulitzer celebrated 100 years in 2016.

Wanted by Joseph Pulitzer, the purpose and inspiration that animates this award is still the old one: to remark with a prize the best public service journalism recognizing the key role of a good information, in grade to make the difference in the society.

The Pulitzer followed all the biggest events of these 100 years: from the arrival of the Great War, to  the courageous choices of the Commercial Appeal of Memphis; the newsmagazine, in fact, started a crusade in the 1920s against the Ku Klux Klan; in some cases reporters and their newsmagazines won the award because they defended  the right of free press or because they followed cases involving corruptions, gambling, environmentalist problems, a rape; great resonance has had the Watergate scandal treated by the Washington Post like also the incredible and horrible story of the pedophile priests followed by the Boston Globe.

The system of assignment of the Pulitzer changed thanks to Gene Patterson member from 1973 to 1984. Latinos, black, women for example the past decades were not taken in consideration; the board decided to publicly naming finalists for the award. Journalism categories expanded from 13 to 14.

I highly suggest this book to everyone because it is a fascinating discovery in the world of the best American Journalism.

The Pulitzer is a mirror: the mirror of a journalism free and healthy, courageous, in grade to vibrantly ask some changes thanks to the cases put at the attention of readers, sometimes causing "quakes" for the love of truth, integrity, passion, devotion.


I thank Columbia University Press for the physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori