I'll be home : the writings of Jim McGrath / edited by Darryl McGrath and Howard Healy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McGrath, Jim, 1957-2013, author.

Contributor:

McGrath, Darryl, 1957- editor.

Healy, Howard, 1941- editor.

Series:

Excelsior editions

Standardized Title:

Works. Selections

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

McGrath, Jim, 1957-2013.

McGrath, Jim.

Journalists--New York (State)--Albany--Biography.

Journalists.

New York (State)--Albany.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xiv, 202 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Albany : State University of New York, [2019]

Summary:

"The winner of more awards than any editorial writer in the Times Union's history, Jim McGrath was both an Albany institution and a keen observer of the world beyond his beloved adopted city. When he died at age 56, the newspaper lost a writer who combined a passionate advocacy for society's most vulnerable people with a scathing disregard for the elite whose actions created an underclass in the United States. His writing was often elegiac, but his take on his adopted home state of New York and his beloved Albany was variously bemused, witty, irreverent, and indignant. He could relate to the plight of the minimum-wage worker as easily as he could talk to a US senator, and he feared no one. His editorials and commentaries charted many of the most critical issues in New York and the country: the death penalty, civil liberties, gay rights, historic presidential campaigns, the economy, terrorism, and more--all with an incisiveness that remains relevant, if not more so, in the present political era. In addition to his editorials and op-eds, I'll Be Home contains essays, critiques, and other writings that have never before been published, as well as appraisals of his work and life by former colleagues Rex Smith, Fred LeBrun, Dan Lynch, and others. The book is both a tribute to a memorable newspaperman and an insider's perspective on politics and life through the lens of an editorial writer, a position that Jim described as 'a great seat at a really weird show'"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Albany p. 1

Introduction: The City That Jim Embraced p. 3 / Howard Healy

The Race Is On in Albany, January 16, 1997 p. 5

A Sad Note on Lark Street, February 19, 1997 p. 6

Slayings Tarnish Soil of Albany's Great Park, December 26, 1997 p. 7

Drop This Case, April 27, 1998 p. 9

Come Clean, Mr. Jennings, July 10, 1998 p. 10

...A Defeat for the Machine, September 17, 1998 p. 11

Albany's Hot-Dog Politics, April 5, 1999 p. 13

Justice for Ms. McEneny, May 7, 1999 p. 14

Time to Right a Wrong: President Bush Should Award the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Henry Johnson, April 24, 2001 p. 15

Renewing Democracy Is Humbling, September 28, 2001 p. 17

Jennings, Who Else? November 4, 2001 p. 18

Outsiders Defy Odds in Albany, November 10, 2001 p. 20

Whose City Is It? May 10, 2002 p. 22

Albany's Anguish, January 3, 2004 p. 23

It's All about the Guns, June 18, 2008 p. 25

Audit the Ghosts, January 20, 2009 p. 27

Jerry Jennings's Fifth Term, Fall 2009 p. 28

Memories of Larks at a Tavern, May 6, 2011 p. 30

Politics p. 33

Introduction: Jim. McGrath Loved Politics p. 35 / Howard Healy

Local

Preaching to the Faithful, March 17, 1995 p. 37

All Eyes on Albany, December 22, 1999 p. 40

Uneasy justice, December 29, 2003 p. 42

New York

A Voting Outrage, May 19, 2001 p. 43

Voter Beware, November 8, 2005 p. 45

Transcript of As It Happens Interview on Eliot Spider's Resignation, March 12, 2008 p. 48

It's Senator Clinton, November 8, 2000 p. 51

National

Farewell, Mister Speaker, January 9, 1994 p. 52

Some Names Worth Hearing Once Again, November 16, 2002 p. 55

International

A Chance for Peace in Ulster, May 22, 1997 p. 57

Mr. Adams and Mr. Blair, December 20, 1997 p. 59

Ireland's Peace Must Prevail, August 20, 1998 p. 60

George Mitchell, Peacemaker, October 22, 1998 p. 61

Day of Terror, September 12, 2001 p. 62

The Day After, September 13, 2001 p. 64

Rising from the Ruins One Year Later, A Pause to Ponder How We Have Changed, September 11, 2002 p. 66

Social Justice p. 81

Introduction: A Certain Faith in Humanity p. 83 / Bill Federman

More Unabomber Injustice, May 18, 1997 p. 85

Cold Weather, Cold Truths, September 28, 1997 p. 87

A Lesson Taught Too Late, July 20, 2001 p. 88

Homeless in Albany, November 25, 2002 p. 90

"No Room for Mercy," September 5, 2003 p. 92

Injustice, February 15, 2006 p. 94

A Proud Day for New York, June 26, 2011 p. 96

The World Owes So Much to Mandela, December 7, 2013 p. 97

Journalism p. 99

Introduction: McGrath Thought That Newspapers Ought to Tell the Truth p. 101 / Dan Lynch

Royko Was the Real People's Court, May 1, 1997 p. 103

J. Anthony Lukas, June 10, 1997 p. 105

Finding Fame in Telling Fibs, July 10, 1998 p. 106

Mike Bamicle's Sad Fall from Grace to Disgrace, August 8, 1998 p. 108

Editorial and Op-Ed Page Critique of the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram, August 1999 p. 110

Reality Check at Skidmore, November 16, 1999 p. 114

Sports p. 115

Introduction: A Red Sox Fan Above All p. 117 / Phillip Blanchard

Introduction: "Hey, Jim, How Does Yaz Spell His Name?" p. 119 / Howard Healy

A Spectator's View from the Seats, July 23, 1995 p. 121

Stanford's Band of Cruel Foots, October 15, 1997 p. 125

Sox Appeal, June 20, 2004 p. 127

Thanks for the Memories, February 20, 1999 p. 130

How 'Bout Those Sawx? October 22, 2004 p. 131

Why Didn't He Do More? November 10, 2011 p. 133

I'll Be Home p. 135

Introduction: A Man at Last at Peace with Himself p. 137 / Darryl McGrath

Somebody's Thinking of Charlie McGrath, June 20, 1993 p. 139

A Road to New Hampshire, December 25, 1994 p. 142

Soldiering On: Another Generation, Another War, Another Cause to Honor and Remember, May 26, 2002 p. 143

"Journeys Like Mine Should Never Really End," 2006 p. 145

"I'll Be Home": Statement about My Work and My Goals, 2011 p. 149

A Vanishing Call of the Wild, August 10, 2009 p. 150

Boston, the Bulgers and Me, August 19, 2013 p. 152

Small Town's Appeal Crosses Generations: Cooperstown Sparks Musings of the Past and the Future, August 30, 2013 p. 154

Jim McGrath's Albany p. 159 / Fred LeBrun

Jim McGrath: A Newspaperman p. 161 / Robert Whitcomb

Meet My Not-So-Silent Partner, June 11, 1996 p. 165 / Dan Lynch

Times Union Editorial Writer Appointed, November 7, 1996 p. 167

Guild Mourns the Loss of Jim McGrath, September 5, 2013 p. 168

McGrath's Keen Eye, Passion Recalled: Times Union's Chief Editorial Writer, 56, Died While Vacationing, September 6, 2013 p. 169 / Steve Barnes

James M. McGrath, 1957-2013, September 8, 2013: Times Union Editorial Board p. 172

Obituary, September 12, 2013 p. 173 / Darryl McGrath

Eulogy, September 14, 2013 p. 175 / Darryl McGrath

Remembering Albany's Voice of Reason, October 4, 2013 p. 180 / Lauren Mineau

Empowered to Do the Right Thing, December 7, 2013 p. 182 / Darryl McGrath.

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

9781438474229

1438474229

OCLC:

1048025211