Monday, October 21, 2019

Catch and Kill Part 1

This book needs two weeks - at least.  Ronan Farrow is no light weight when it comes to journalism.  Every word counts; every sentence carries weighted information that informs the following sentence.  No skimming or skipping while reading Catch and Kill.  Tense and dense.

I'm sure you're all aware of the whole Harvey Weinstein debacle and Farrow's relentless investigation that eventually up-rooted the entertainment industry.  His work, which earned him a Pulitzer, resulted in the evolution of the Me Too movement and the demise of once revered industry leaders such as Matt Lauer.

Farrow's book lets us see behind the closed door of powerful people who...well...more about that next week.  What I really want you to know right now about this book is that, in part, it is a compelling record of Farrow's years of investigation, the meticulous verification of each component - he took no chances of being wrong.  This is not a tell-all by any means.  It is an intelligent presentation of ugliness that many before him tried to expose and failed.  It is not a gossipy book.  It is a book filled with terrifying examples of how money, power and greed can create systemic practises that quickly and regularly stripped individuals of safety and dignity. These norms have remained in place for years, virtually ignored by many who saw the injustices, but feared repercussions of taking acton.  Despite threats on his life, Ronan Farrow took those chances and, thanks to him, voices became louder, and change has begun.

More next week.

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