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"'No, I tell you who I want; Boot.'
'Boot?'
'Yes, Boot. He's a young man whose work I'm very much interested in.'"
No-one questions the demands of newspaper magnate Lord Copper and so with these words Lord Copper sets in motion the unlikely rise to fame of retiring countryman William Boot rather than launching the newspaper career of aspiring novelist John Courtney Boot.
Sent off to the wilds of the African Republic of Ishmaelia, Boot is clueless and well out of his depth among the cut-throat world of international reporters. Fortunately he has a knack for making friends and being in the right place at the right time: The only question is whether he is able to spot the scoop that is in front of his face! Dodgy ethics, famous reporters, bribery, secret police and international politics all play a roll - no-one is interested in what good for the people as long as they get their scoop!
While the story shows it's age in the way Africans are treated the slipshod way international powers treat poorer countries when resources are involved hasn't changed at all.
This is a commentary on news, the hunt for a story, the fight to grab the audience, and journalism, that is just as relevant in today's internet age as it was when it was written. There is still a very interesting story here - this is one book I would love to see a contemporary version created. Not that I'm usually keen on remakes but i'd love to see an insider's view of internet age reporting with the same style and humour.
'Boot?'
'Yes, Boot. He's a young man whose work I'm very much interested in.'"
No-one questions the demands of newspaper magnate Lord Copper and so with these words Lord Copper sets in motion the unlikely rise to fame of retiring countryman William Boot rather than launching the newspaper career of aspiring novelist John Courtney Boot.
Sent off to the wilds of the African Republic of Ishmaelia, Boot is clueless and well out of his depth among the cut-throat world of international reporters. Fortunately he has a knack for making friends and being in the right place at the right time: The only question is whether he is able to spot the scoop that is in front of his face! Dodgy ethics, famous reporters, bribery, secret police and international politics all play a roll - no-one is interested in what good for the people as long as they get their scoop!
While the story shows it's age in the way Africans are treated the slipshod way international powers treat poorer countries when resources are involved hasn't changed at all.
This is a commentary on news, the hunt for a story, the fight to grab the audience, and journalism, that is just as relevant in today's internet age as it was when it was written. There is still a very interesting story here - this is one book I would love to see a contemporary version created. Not that I'm usually keen on remakes but i'd love to see an insider's view of internet age reporting with the same style and humour.