... could be characterized as a series of war stories best enjoyed by journalists, past and present. This would be a disservice to history lovers who will relish his behind-the-scenes narratives of some of the world’s biggest stories during his 44 years at The Washington Post, including 17 years as executive editor until his forced retirement in 2008.

... straightforward style.

Downie is extremely well-placed to offer a history of the last 50 years in news, from the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., to Watergate, the Jonestown Massacre, Bill Clinton's impeachment, the Unabomber, the Sept. 11 attacks, and the invasion of Iraq. But All About the Story also functions as a primer on journalistic ethics.

In his extraordinary 44-year career as a reporter and top editor at the Washington Post, Leonard Downie Jr. was deeply engaged in making critical decisions about what was considered newsworthy. He writes about the key roles he played in the superb All About the Story: News, Power, Politics, and the Washington Post.

With the recent denigration of journalists by government officials and purveyors of fringe media, stories such as Downie’s are important. Aspiring journalism students and readers of the Post would especially appreciate this biography..

As befitting a master editor, Downie’s memoir is both tight and revelatory; facts are well augmented with insider details, supporting a forthright professional critique of the newspaper’s standards for publishing nationally sensitive or controversial stories. At a time when the press is under relentless attack from the Trump administration, Downie’s engrossing memoir reminds readers of the personal sacrifices journalists make in pursuit of a story and the rigorous criteria they apply in delivering the news..

Though much has been written about Watergate, Downie, who oversaw much of the Watergate coverage as deputy metropolitan editor, has his own story to tell.

... a colorful account full of behind-the-scenes office politics and sharply eyed character sketches, but Downie’s overriding theme is the contrast between his tenure during journalism’s golden age and a present-day mediascape where news reporting often degenerates into shallow clickbait and vitriolic opining.