Scotty: James B. Reston and the Rise and Fall of American Journalism

James "Scotty" Reston was a reporter of amazing skill, a writer of easy and graceful prose, a shaper of public opinion, and a man who almost single-handedly revolutionized American journalism. The son of Scottish immigrants, his hustle and smarts eventually made him the single most important and influential columnist in America. Along the way he helped make "The New York Times" the greatest paper in the world. He was the first person presidents turned to when they wanted to confide, and the person they called late at night when something went wrong.

Reston is, along with the "Washington Post's" Ben Bradlee, a towering figure of American newspapers in the 20th century. Only John Stacks could have captured Reston so well-both in his glory and in his downfall. But SCOTTY is more than just the amazing story of an amazing man. Because Reston was so powerful and such a dominant force in Washington, the book is also a history of American politics since World War II-indeed, a secret history, a tale of what went on behind closed doors, of the stories that shaped our world and the stories that never made the papers.

John F. Stacks reported for "Time" for three decades. He supervised the magazine's coverage of Watergate as Washington news editor and later served as chief of correspondents and deputy managing editor. He lives in New York.