RIP David Halberstam

I would have bought that 1958 NFL title game book in a heartbeat.
We're losing the giants of this business.
RIP.

 

Right about now, I hope David's starting work on his book on the Afterlife.

RIP.

 

FWIW, Halberstam became pretty close with Bill Belichick after "The Education of a Coach." Patriots released a statement from the head coach tonight. "It was a privilege and honor to watch David practice his craft and an even greater one to call him a friend. David was as warm, considerate, intelligent, interesting and accomplished a person as I have ever met and his loss is heartbreaking."

 

We've lost a great man and great writer.

Just great, great reporting on Breaks of the Game, Summer of 49 and 1964. I really enjoyed those books and wished I could report like Halberstam could.

Damn I'll miss his work. Enjoyed listening to him, too. Very sad.

 

Greetings from Australia. I'm always interested to have a look at your site every few days and I enjoy it immensely. Today I decided to register to add a few words re David Halberstam. I was shocked when a mate phoned with the news. He is also a Halberstam fan. My cadet counseller commended his books in 1988 and I've since collected about 10 of them. I've always admired his ability to flush out so many stories and snips about his subjects, and present them so coherently and concisely. Shit, I feel like I've lost a friend. He was certainly an inspiration.

 

The business has lost another Promethean.

A true crossover star with talent to burn.

 

A nice line from the NY Times obit:

Tall, square-jawed and graced with an imposing voice so deep that it seemed to begin at his ankles, Mr. Halberstam came into his own as a journalist in the early 1960s covering the nascent American war in South Vietnam for The New York Times.

 

A second for "The Breaks Of The Game," which ranks among the all-time great sports books.

 

From the Journalism Topics board:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003678482_kelley24.html

 

Obit says he'd finished his huge Korea book.
Not to break the somber mood, but I think that Powers-That-Be era Doonesbury strip in which DH is following Rick Redfern around is a classic.

DH (thought balloon): "He liked his coffee black, totally black, utterly without cream and sugar."
RR: "Knock it off, please."

 

I wonder how many college classes use his books as main sources for texts?

I took a 1950s class for my American Studies minor and our only book: Halberstam's "The Fifties."

I'm still in shock of this news.

 

Whew, that's some heavy lifting for a starting point with Halberstam. I'd go with 'The Breaks of the Game' before you tackle 'The Best and the Brightest.'