Tom Wicker (2002). On the Record: An Insider's Guide to Journalism. (Boston & New York: Bedford/St. Martins). ix + 164 pp. ISBN 0-312-25844-5. (paper). Index.

Wicker, who worked for The New York Times as a political columnist and associate editor from the 1960s until his retirement in 1991 provides in this slim volume the kind of mentoring from which all young reporters would benefit. It is one man's story of the ethical (and professional) problems that he faced in his career-and they included some of the most important professional problems of the latter part of the 20th century. As a result, whether one agrees with the ethical decisions made or not, this is a valuable book to read on a trip or whenever one has time to ponder whether Wicker's decisions would be the kind that the reader would make.

The above article was published in Media Ethics , Fall 2003 (15:1), p. 54.