The New New Journalism

The New New Journalism examines the work methods and philosophies of today's leading narrative nonfiction writers through extensive interviews. Through conversations with writers like Ted Conover, Susan Orlean, and Gay Talese, Robert S. Boynton documents how they gather material, conduct research, and craft their stories. Boynton structures each chapter as a combination of biographical background, career history, and detailed discussions of specific writing projects. The writers share their approaches to immersion reporting, relationship-building with subjects, note-taking systems, and the challenge of maintaining objectivity while becoming deeply involved in their stories. The book draws connections between these contemporary practitioners and the original "New Journalism" movement of the 1960s and '70s led by Tom Wolfe and others. Boynton positions these modern writers as evolving the form beyond stylistic experimentation toward a focus on sustained, in-depth reporting and socially conscious subject matter. The collection offers insights into how literary journalism adapts classic storytelling techniques to explore complex real-world issues. Through these conversations, larger questions emerge about truth, ethics, and the responsibilities of writers who aim to create both art and reportage.

Readers value the book's interview format which provides direct insight into journalists' research and writing processes. The collection helps writers understand immersive reporting techniques and shows how top journalists structure their work. What readers liked: - Concrete examples of reporting methods - Behind-the-scenes look at interviewing strategies - Practical advice for aspiring writers - Diverse range of journalistic approaches What readers disliked: - Repetitive questions across interviews - Some interviews feel superficial - Limited discussion of digital journalism - Focus on established writers only "The interviews read like masterclasses in longform journalism," noted one Amazon reviewer. Another reader on Goodreads said "some interviews could have gone deeper into the actual writing process." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (90+ reviews) LibraryThing: 4.0/5 (50+ ratings)

The Art of Fact by Barbara Lounsberry and Gay Talese. This anthology collects groundbreaking works of literary journalism from the 1700s to the modern era and traces the development of the genre.

Literary Journalism by Norman Sims, Mark Kramer. The book presents in-depth profiles of writers who shaped literary journalism and examines their reporting methods, writing techniques, and career paths.

The Gang That Wouldn't Write Straight by Marc Weingarten. This work chronicles the rise of New Journalism in the 1960s and 1970s through the stories of its pioneering practitioners including Tom Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson, and Joan Didion.

Reality Radio by John Biewen and Alexa Dilworth. Radio producers and reporters reveal their methods for creating narrative journalism in audio form, exploring the intersection of storytelling and documentary work.

The Art of Creative Nonfiction by Lee Gutkind. The founder of Creative Nonfiction magazine outlines the techniques and practices used by writers who combine journalistic research with literary storytelling methods.

🔖 This collection features in-depth interviews with 19 prominent literary journalists including Susan Orlean, Jon Krakauer, and Gay Talese 📝 The term "New New Journalism" builds on Tom Wolfe's "New Journalism" of the 1960s-70s, but emphasizes immersive reporting over stylistic experimentation 👥 Author Robert S. Boynton directs NYU's Literary Reportage concentration and has written for publications like The New Yorker and Harper's 📚 The journalists featured in the book often spend months or years researching a single story, with Ted Conover even working as a prison guard for his reporting ✍️ Many of the profiled writers pioneered techniques for sustaining long-form narrative journalism in an era of shrinking print media and declining attention spans