[.ca] Somebody Told Me: The Newspaper Stories of Rick Bragg (ISBN 0375725520)

Totally Awesome!!!:
I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Rick Bragg this past weekend at the first annual Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and I have to say that he's a living doll! I bought this book to get his autograph and read it in one sitting when I got home. This man has a God-given gift for writing about people, places and events closest to the heart and soul. I highly recommend all of his books....\o...\c, this one is worth the price just for the cute picture on the cover!

Somebody Told Me:
I'm about to finish my undergraduate degree in journalism, and I really wish someone had given me a copy of this book back in high school. When I began college and said the words "literary journalism" when asked what I wanted to do, I was told there was "no place for me" in newspapers. Through Bragg and many other wonderful writers I've discovered in the past few years, I now know that simply isn't true. Bragg's book should be required reading for any journalist who considers themself, first and foremost, a storyteller. Bragg is one of the very finest order, and his work far transcends the date at the top of the newspaper page it's printed on. I will keep it in close reach always, most importantly for the spark of inspiration it provides.

Somebody Told Me:
I'm about to finish my undergraduate degree in journalism, and I really wish someone had given me a copy of this book back in high school. When I began college and said the words "literary journalism" when asked what I wanted to do, I was told there was "no place for me" in newspapers. Through Bragg and many other wonderful writers I've discovered in the past few years, I now know that simply isn't true. Bragg's book should be required reading for any journalist who considers themself, first and foremost, a storyteller. Bragg is one of the very finest order, and his work far transcends the date at the top of the newspaper page it's printed on. I will keep it in close reach always, most importantly for the spark of inspiration it provides.

Journalism As It Should Be!:
I never could stand aesthetic writers, those who would have you believe that life is full of "please" and "thank-you." That's precisely why Bragg is one of my favorites. I can trust him to tell the truth. I have always believed that it would be great to sit on the porch with Bragg and pick his brain. But after finding "Somebody Told Me," I am filled with a sense, for the time being, of utter satisfaction. Here is what journalism should be; one would never line a birdcage or wrap fish with any of these stories. I was so in love with this book, I bought a second copy and sent it to a friend. If you know a fledgling writer, this is the book that will provide the best example of what a real journalist's work should do, pierce the soul.

A lesson on feature writing!:
I picked up this book after reading his wonderful book "It's All Over But the Shoutin", an endearing tribute to his mother. This collection of essays from his days as a journalist to the place he won a Pulitzer Prize, The New York Times. When Bragg writes a story, a few words or phrases he uses give that extra zing to bring the story to life, some dimension to the characters, and most of all, you can't help picturing those words to vivid and heartfelt images. Bragg has the ability to make you feel part of the story. He is conversational, casual, and descriptive. He writes about people, places, and covers another side of events. And, it is this compilation of words phrases, metaphors, etc., in a sentence that sets him apart from average writers. When writing about a man whose continuous crime is to get a square meal without paying, Bragg writes: "He is a thief who never runs, a criminal who picks his teeth as the police close in." You can just picture that so well, the criminal callously waiting for his arrest after another satisfying unpaid meal. Also included are some national stories including a few on the OKC bombing, The Susan Smith Trial, and some disturbing events in Haiti. Equally interesting are stories from New York. If you have an interest in writing special feature stories, essays, here is your teacher. If you just enjoy excellent writing, and entertaining stories, this is the book for you. ......MzRizz