One of the all-time greats of journalism
Very many years ago, when I was just starting out in journalism as a copyboy at The New York Times, I wrote a letter to David Halberstam. I told him how much I'd enjoyed reading his book, "The Best and the Brightest." I told him that I thought that I'd never read a more compelling work of nonfiction, and that I found his style totally engaging. To my surprise, I received a hand-written thank-you note from David. I still have it.
Over the next four decades, I got several opportunities to meet with David, and to interview him. I bought and read all his books; I once took the entire lot to his home, and he graciously autographed them all. They are my prized possessions.
Hard to believe that he's gone now, the victim of an automobile accident. Hard to believe that he won't be writing any more.