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A Firing Offence (1997)

by David Ignatius(Favorite Author)

3.81 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0747248362 (ISBN13: 9780747248361)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Headline Book Publishing

review 1: The cover of David Ignatius' "A Firing Offense" carries the following promotional blurb from former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee: "A dynamite thriller with the coolest, smartest journalist that fiction ever produced." Bradlee's known some smart journalists in his day, including Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. I'm sure that there are some journalists who have outwitted French and American intelligence (and been outwitted by the CIA as well). But most journalism is not the stuff of thrillers. It's covering local, state, and federal agencies; covering community events and business and interest activities; and, all to often, rewriting news releases.But Ignatius knows journalism at the highest level, and through his reporting knows the ins and outs of the intelligence co... moremmunity. And because he knows both so well, he addresses with conviction the ethical concerns of a journalist who must reconcile his obligation to his profession and his concern his country. Foreign correspondent Eric Truell hits the big time when, as a Paris-based correspondent for a major American newspaper, he unravels corruption within the French government while reporting on a hostage situation. In his zeal to get to the bottom of the scandal, Truell makes a Faustian bargain with the CIA - receiving information vital to his story, and agreeing to gather information for the CIA on a biological weapons program in China. That agreement to help the CIA is the "firing offense" of the title. Truell is an interesting - if modestly fanciful - character. But the star of the book is legendary reporter Arthur Bowman, a veteran correspondent who has surreptitiously already committed his firing offense. Brash, egotistical, insecure, womanizing, epicurean, Bowman draws Truell into a maelstrom of deception, eventually offering Truell his path to salvation.Ignatius is a very good writer, and a master of suspense. This is a most enjoyable book.
review 2: H Ignatius ingeniously explores what happens when a reporter crosses the line between information and covert action. Looking into the secret life of a respected colleague, hotshot journalist Eric Truell finds a much better story than he expected--and a huge moral dilemma, which gets bigger the more he digs.Private trade war involving France, China and USA discovers infiltration of the newspaper business. less

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