David Maraniss
David Maraniss
David Maranissis an American journalist and author, currently serving as an associate-editor for The Washington Post...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionJournalist
CountryUnited States of America
beautiful optimistic mean
Well, there is something beautiful about ruins. I mean, in one sense it's not that different from going to Rome and looking at the Forum. But it's changing. It truly is. I'm optimistic but skeptical.
reality actors adjusting
Natural politicians are skilled actors, recreating reality, adjusting and ad-libbing, synthesizing the scenes, saying the same thing over and over again and making it seem that theyare saying it for the first time.
reading lines bills
It is?classic Bill Clinton, sincere and deceptive at the same time, requiring a careful reading between the lines.
book focus shapes
I want my books to last, to stand the test of time, and to do that I focus on the forces that shape the subject - the cultural and sociological geography - to capture them in a way that will explain them no matter what they are doing.
jobs school mean
So, I mean, there's still vast swaths of the city that are suffering from a lack of jobs and poor housing and poor public schools, but they are building momentum - you know, techies, foodies, artists, musicians, all coming to Detroit. So there is this vibrancy. You see it in the newspapers every day - some story about the new Detroit.
writing said persons
I said that I'm only there to write the truth, I'm not going to cover anything up, but I'll put everything in context and get as close to the truth of this person as I can.
book two looks
I look for two things when I am about to launch into a book. First, there has to be a dramatic arc to the story itself that will carry me, and the reader, from beginning to end. Second, the story has to weave through larger themes that can illuminate the world of the subject.
philosophy saint humans
My basic philosophy is that no human being is a saint.
song guy black
You know, I'm too old to be an Eminem guy, but I love the back beat of that song. And he walks into the Fox Theatre and a black gospel choir is rising in song. And he turns to the camera and says...
writing perspective people
I discovered in writing the biography of Bill Clinton that it is actually easier to write a biography of someone who is dead. Although you can't interview them, you have a fuller perspective on their whole life after they're gone and people are more willing to talk about them.
humble character people
It's hard to know exactly how people develop the characters they do. There could be people from humble beginnings that turn into jerks. Some characteristics are just part of that special soul of that human being.
writing want moments
I want to write for history, not for the moment.
athletes era gave happened haunted help larger life memories people situation soon sort thoughts tragedy ways
As soon as this tragedy happened in New Orleans, I just was haunted by memories and thoughts about Roberto Clemente and sort of how he gave his life to help people in a situation like this. It was very heartening for me to see athletes of this era come through in ways larger than themselves.
bad certain clinton good great major people separate
People always try to separate the good from the bad in Clinton and say that, if he had not done certain things, he would have been a great president. But you can't do that. Those were his major characteristics.