Pulitzer's Gold: Behind the Prize for Public Service Journalism

Acknowledgments

                ghe obstacles to writing this book were far less daunting than those facing the reporters and editors who broke their Pulitzer Prize stories. But I never could have overcome my own barriers without the steadfast encouragement and patience of my wife, Eileen Carol McIntyre. She and my sisters, Ann O’Keefe Brewer and Judy Wolman, also were my first readers, and I thank them for their many suggestions. The talented Poynter Institute faculty was bedrock for this project, and two directors , Jim Naughton and Karen Brown Dunlap, supported the research from its inception, as did Bill Mitchell and Pam Johnson. How nice that I was able to benefit from this support at Poynter’s St. Petersburg campus, especially during the New England winters. When I needed a tough but constructive editor to catch my clichés, Bill Blundell filled that role in spades. (Sorry, Bill.) Thanks go to Beverly Jarrett at the University of Missouri Press, and to my editor there, John Brenner. Bob Woodward provided a helpful and encouraging review of some early chapters . Pulitzer administrator Sig Gissler and deputy administrator Edward M. “Bud” Kliment at Columbia University provided invaluable access to the Pulitzer Prize files and generously shared their time. My editor at CFO magazine, Julia Homer, granted me the breaks I needed, and my associates there never complained about having to fill in while I was gone. At home, I had the support of my sons, Dave and R. J., and the spirit of their mom that they carry within them. Jesse, my stepson, offered constant hope that great journalism can have appeal for twenty-somethings too. I am indebted to numerous librarians who guided me to critical documents— especially Deborah Wassertzug and Bernard Crystal at Columbia and Anne Dalton at the Hingham Public Library. Thanks also to Johanna Seltz for her insights and editing help, and to Lauren Wolfe for her research assistance at Columbia. Finally, my appreciation to the scores of journalists who trusted me with their stories of a lifetime. It is a privilege to be able to tell them. ix câÄ|àéxÜËá ZÉÄw  ...