The Paper's Papers: A Reporter's Journeys Through the Archives of the New York Times

Neither a history nor a memoir, this amiable browse through Times archives and the memories of 50-year Times veteran Shepard won't ruffle any feathers. The author remembers the days of cut-and-paste copy and drinking deskmen, adding personal commentary about the many sections of the paper for which he worked: cultural news editor, obit writer, etc. Using documents found in the archives, Shepard offers anecdotes about the dynamic publisher Punch Sulzberger and editor Abe Rosenthal and the rise of the Op-Ed page. Before describing the way foreign reporting evolved from governmental pronouncements to conveying the texture of life, and how the Pentagon Papers came about, Shepard catalogues the paper's devotion to crossword puzzles, bridge, chess and food news. While he has remained associated with the paper since his retirement in 1991, this book is hardly current: Shepard doesn't address changes (in the Magazine, the Styles section) that suggest Times editors are grappling with the role of the paper. Illustrations not seen by PW. (May)