News Media Alliance Summer Reading List

Our top picks for books by, for and about journalists

It’s summer, and that means it’s time to grab a book and head to the beach. We polled the staff for their favorite industry books, new and old. The list is by journalists, for journalists, about journalists. Do you have a suggestion? Tweet us suggestions with the hashtag #NAASummerReading, and we’ll add our favorites to the list.

1. “Playing to the Edge: American Intelligence in the Age of Terror” by Michael V. Hayden

This book is for anyone who wants an “inside the intelligence community” view on Snowden, torture and a host of other issues that dominated the headlines for years.

Recommended by NMA CEO & President David Chavern

2. “In My Place” by Charlayne Hunter-Gault

This heart-warming memoir is a classic. Hunter-Gault, a national correspondent for the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour discusses her role as one of two black students who desegregated the University of Georgia in 1961. She chronicles the tales of harassment and support, as well as her growth as a journalist.

Recommended by API Editorial Coordinator Laurie Beth Harris

3. “Alter Egos: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and the Twilight Struggle Over American Power” by Mark Landler

This thought-provoking book by New York Times correspondent Landler gives insight into the SCOTUS and POTUS and how their once bitter rivalry evolved into a partnership. This book goes beyond the speeches and press conferences, to Oval Office powwows and South Lawn jaunts.

Recommended by NMA VP Innovation Michael MaLoon

4. “Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks” by Juliet Eilperin

Celebrate Shark Week with this book by The Washington Post’s White House bureau chief. Eilperin dives into the world of sharks, taking the readers on a journey around the globe as she tries to understand why these massive creatures cause such hatred and fear.

Recommended by NMA Social Media & Blog Editor Kirsten Ballard

5. “Newswomen: 25 Years of Front Page Journalism” by Joyce Hoffmann

This anthology of works, essays and biographies covers the best female journalists over the past two decades. A large percentage of college journalism students are women, yet the industry is in many ways considered male-centric. This book features 17 great female reporters whose writing has won awards.

Recommended by API Senior Research Project Manager Jane Elizabeth

6. “Shaky Ground- The Strange Saga of the US Mortgage Giants” by Bethany McLean

Gain insight into the real reasons behind the 2008 housing collapse and highly questionable takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by the US government. McLean, a contributing editor of Vanity Fair and columnist at Reuters, digs into the story of Fannie and Freddie seven years after the meltdown.

Recommended by NMA CFO Robert Walden

7. The Raleigh Harmon Mystery Series by Sibella Giorella

Giorello was a newspaper feature writer for many years before she began writing fiction thrillers featuring Raleigh Harmon, a geologist-turned-FBI agent. While most of these books are written for adults, the series also includes “prequels” about Raleigh Harmon as a teenager — perfect for your favorite teen reader.

Recommended by API Senior Research Project Manager Jane Elizabeth

Reader Recommendations:

  •  “In Cold Blood” by Truman Captone submitted by Maddy Will on Twitter
  • “Code of the Forest” by Jon Buchan submitted by Jen Barclay Madden on Twitter