The Journalist and the Murderer

by Janet Malcolm

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This is an enquiry into the morality of journalism. The author takes as the axis of her argument the case of Joe McGinniss, author of "Fatal Vision", the story of a doctor convicted of murdering his wife and two daughters. Malcolm explores the inherent imbalance that lies between journalist and subject. In her interviews with the leading characters in the case - the principals, their lawyers, the members of the jury and the various people who testified as expert witnesses at the trial - Malcolm is always conscious of herself as a player in a game that, as she points out, she cannot lose. This book reflects some of the dominant intellectual concerns of our time. Read Less

This is an enquiry into the morality of journalism. The author takes as the axis of her argument the case of Joe McGinniss, author of "Fatal Vision", the story of a doctor convicted of murdering his wife and two daughters. Malcolm explores the inherent imbalance that lies between journalist and subject. In her interviews with the leading characters in the case - the principals, their lawyers, the members of the jury and the various people who testified as expert witnesses at the trial - Malcolm is always conscious of ... Read More