Buried by the Times

Buried by the Times chronicles how The New York Times reported on Nazi persecution of Jews during World War II and the Holocaust. The book examines the newspaper's editorial decisions, particularly focusing on story placement and the language used to describe Jewish victims. Author Laurel Leff documents the paper's pattern of relegating crucial news about Jewish persecution to back pages, despite the magnitude of these events. Her research reveals that between 1939 and 1945, only 26 front-page stories focused on the systematic destruction of European Jews, with most coverage buried in brief articles deep within the paper. The book explores the role of Times publisher Arthur Hays Sulzberger and his views on Judaism in shaping the paper's coverage. It also analyzes the work of Times correspondents in Europe during this period, examining their reporting choices and the editorial processes that influenced the final published stories. This examination of journalistic choices during a pivotal historical moment raises questions about media responsibility, institutional bias, and the power of editorial decisions to shape public understanding of world events.

Readers commend Leff's thorough research and documentation of how the New York Times failed to prominently cover Jewish persecution during WWII. Many note the book reveals institutional patterns rather than just criticizing individual decisions. Readers appreciated: - Clear evidence showing article placement and sizing - Analysis of internal NYT communications and decision-making - Documentation of how Jewish news was deliberately downplayed - Examination of publisher Arthur Sulzberger's complex motivations Common criticisms: - Writing can be dry and academic - Some sections feel repetitive - Limited examination of other newspapers' coverage for comparison Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (38 ratings) Several academic reviewers praised the book's contribution to journalism history. One Amazon reviewer called it "meticulously researched but difficult to get through." Multiple Goodreads reviews noted the book changed their view of the NYT's historical reputation.

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🗞️ The New York Times published only 26 front-page stories about the Holocaust between 1939 and 1945, despite receiving extensive information about the genocide. 📚 Author Laurel Leff spent more than six years researching this book, examining over 2,000 individual New York Times articles and reviewing thousands of documents in archives. 👥 Publisher Arthur Hays Sulzberger was a Reform Jew who believed strongly in assimilation and worried that highlighting Jewish issues would promote antisemitism and accusations of bias. 🏆 The book won the 2005 National Jewish Book Award in the Jewish-Christian Relations category and has become required reading in many journalism ethics courses. 📍 Many crucial stories about the Holocaust were buried in brief articles on inside pages, including the first report of the Nazis' plan to exterminate European Jews, which appeared on page 10 in 1942.