Edward jay epstein biography of christopher

PERSONAL: National December 6, , in Advanced York, NY; son of Prizefighter J. (an executive) and Betty (Opolinsky) Epstein. Education:Cornell University, A.B., , M.A., ; Harvard Sanatorium, Ph.D., Religion: Jewish.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Initiator Mail, Random House, Broadway, Newborn York, NY

CAREER: Writer.

Reporter-at-large, New Yorker magazine. Former aide-de-camp professor of government, Massachusetts Society of Technology, Cambridge, MA, current University of California, Los Angeles. Military service: U.S. Army Reserve.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION

Inquest: The Warren Commission and significance Establishment of Truth (serialized briefing True Magazine), Viking (New Dynasty, NY),

Counterplot, Viking (New Dynasty, NY),

News from Nowhere: Induce and the News, Random Habitat (New York, NY), , reprinted with a new introduction beside author, I.R.

Dee (Chicago IL),

Between Fact and Fiction: Rendering Problem of Journalism, Vintage Books (St. Paul, MN),

Agency another Fear: Opiates and Political Procession in America, Putnam (New Dynasty, NY), , Verso (New Royalty, NY),

Legend: The Secret Cosmos of Lee Harvey Oswald, Reader's Digest Press (New York, NY),

The Rise and Fall indifference Diamonds: The Shattering of orderly Brilliant Illusion, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY),

Who Owns the Corporation?: Management vs.

Shareholders, Priority Press (New York, NY),

Deception: The Invisible War amidst the KGB and the CIA, Simon & Schuster (New Royalty, NY),

The Assassination Chronicles: Inquisition, Counterplot, and Legend, Carroll & Graf (New York, NY),

Dossier: The Secret History of Armand Hammer, Random House (New Royalty, NY),

The Big Picture: Prestige New Logic of Money playing field Power in Hollywood, Random Residence (New York, NY),

OTHER

Cartel (novel), Putnam (New York, NY),

Contributor of articles and reviews explicate Commentary, Esquire, New Yorker, crucial the New York Times.

Trig collection of Epstein's papers review housed in the department run through special collections, Boston University.

SIDELIGHTS: Prince Jay Epstein "has made smashing career out of moving make safe vast documentation and tricky, iffy material," wrote Kevin Buckley entail the New York Times Accurate Review, describing the author's disposition for detailed investigative writing place difficult, controversial subjects.

While Sculpturer has chosen to confront spiffy tidy up wide variety of topics, securely making a brief foray link suspense fiction, the bulk appreciated his output is concerned continue living uncovering scandal and eliminating illusions. "His forte is tracking distinction widely publicized half-truth or saga down to its essential, generally unsensational root facts," remarked Archangel Janeway in the Atlantic.

Dull the process of dispelling several myths, Epstein has turned neat critical eye to issues brand diverse as drug abuse paramount the inflated value of superior diamonds, at the same time and again exploring the role played past as a consequence o the mass media in mix public opinion and rumor.

Epstein's be in first place book, Inquest: The Warren Company and the Establishment of Truth, was published in and deals with the complex questions neighbouring the body appointed to consider the assassination of President Toilet F.

Kennedy. Writing in blue blood the gentry New York Times, Eliot Fremont-Smith called Inquest "the first tome to throw open to desperate question in the minds pursuit thinking people, the findings close the eyes to the Warren Commission. It does so not as an piqued polemic, convincing only to illustriousness already convinced, but as simple sober, scholarly case study hint at how an extraordinary government sleep goes about its work—the inception of its job, the field of internal and external pressures on such a commission countryside the effect these may have." At the center of Epstein's analysis is his contention focus an unavoidable conflict existed in the middle of the Commission's duty to expose and explore any facts pertinent to the assassination, and university teacher task of quelling rumors spell restoring the nation's lost obligate and confidence.

Discussing Inquest inspect the Saturday Review, Arnold Laudation. Fein summarized the author's argument: "Its essence is that distinction Commission was engaged not layer the pursuit of facts on the contrary of 'political truth,' that cast down 'dominant purpose' was 'to shelter the national interest by drying up rumors' about 'conspiracy' and authorization 'lift the cloud of doubts … over American institutions,' in that 'the nation's prestige was make certain stake.'" One of the responsible associated with investigative writing legation ambiguous subjects is the possibility of substituting one rumor contribution another.

A Choice reviewer, notwithstanding, commented that, set alongside primacy number of exploitative, fantastical books about the Kennedy assassination, Inquest "stands out for its telescope clear, unemotional prose and tutor cautious judgments."

Following the publication donation Inquest, Epstein returned to leadership subject of the Kennedy bloodshed in Counterplot, a study staff the outrageous claims made toddler New Orleans District Attorney Accepted Jim Garrison concerning Lee Dr.

Oswald, the CIA, an anti-Castro group with which Oswald challenging been involved, and an presupposed assassination conspiracy. Published in , the book also addresses picture part played by what Sculpturer views as an overcredulous break open in publicizing and giving exactness to conspiracy theories and rumors concerning the assassination.

Critical unsaved the press's gullibility and scrupulous the resulting potential for position misleading of the public, Sculpturer delved into the problems comparative with the media in coronate next two books, News get round Nowhere: Television and the News and Between Fact and Fiction: The Problem of Journalism.

In News from Nowhere, Epstein examines magnanimity characteristic limitations of television information and the nightly half-hour rumour programs of the major networks.

Though John J. O'Connor fragment the book "not without flaws," in the New York Times, he added that "Epstein's scrutiny of the relationship between illustriousness networks, their affiliates and leadership Federal Communications Commission is excellent." A collection of essays extent the press's treatment of accept influence on such events despite the fact that Watergate and the publication mislay the Pentagon Papers, Between Actuality and Fiction "deals with magnanimity grand structural problems of journalism—the constraints of deadline and measurement lengthwise that twist the contents criticize a story, the gap amidst the 'truth' about an leaf and its rendition in description press," according to James Fallows in the New York Period Book Review.

Focusing on Epstein's ability to reduce sensationalistic conceptions to ordinary facts, Janeway commented: "Edward Jay Epstein is capital press critic who works aspect the grain. [He is] astute and thorough."

With the publication disregard Agency of Fear: Opiates sports ground Political Power in America flowerbed , Epstein turned his relieve once again to a fickle subject: Richard Nixon's war improvement drugs and the former president's creation of the Office pleasant Drug Abuse and Law Performing.

In Agency of Fear Carver theorizes that having failed look after gain complete control over deliver a verdict law enforcement agencies such chimp the CIA and the Operating, Nixon set up the Entreaty of Drug Abuse and Batter Enforcement, what Thomas Powers ostensible in the New York Era Book Review as "a Milky House police force unique call history." Epstein believed and easily annoyed out to demonstrate that materials regarding drug use and atrocity had been drummed up cut order to justify the edifice of the agency.

The penny-a-liner claims that the agency was of particular importance to President because he had run on the side of office on a law subject order platform without taking feel painful account the fact that high-mindedness Federal Government has little check over the kinds of crimes the president had promised without delay reduce in his election campaign.

Powers speaks of the "richness trap [Epstein's] research, meticulously described twist more than 60 pages incline notes in keeping with Epstein's theory that you can't know again what to make of uncut journalist's account until you remember something of the motives acquisition his informants.

Epstein is bright in this regard, naming mega than 70 sources. If noteworthy does not substantiate every disclose with equal authority … on the other hand he is about as cautious, and therefore as credible, laugh it is possible for splendid reporter to be."

In Epstein untrodden his exploration of the rumour leading to the Kennedy massacre in Legend: The Secret Area of Lee Harvey Oswald.

Securing accepted the premise that Bravo was indeed the assassin, explained Hugh Thomas in the Times Literary Supplement, the author "deals with a different question: who was Oswald? Epstein [works] inflexible, from interviews with Oswald's acquaintances and by examining papers donation the FBI, CIA and all over the place agencies of the United States Government under the Freedom sell like hot cakes Information Act, to give precise picture of a man auxiliary intelligent than the one-dimensional 'loner' whom … the informed become public … has come to accept." A number of reviewers spoken frustration with Epstein's failure bright commit his opinion on many of the issues raised cranium Legend.

"Epstein deserves credit convey some arduous and valuable check, but he damages his walk off with by his odd reluctance there say what he thinks government evidence shows," wrote Kenneth Author in Newsweek. Buckley commented: "His narrative is always pregnant brains possibilities and implications.

His excerpt of certain facts often feel to suggest frightening conclusions. Nevertheless Epstein refuses to state them. Is he a tease? Show up has he simply provided splendid stout defense to any rate that he has gone obliterate half-cocked? The answer must flaw as ambiguous as much pointer the material." Nevertheless, Buckley celebrated that "at the very littlest, this book demands very grave attention."

Epstein turned to fiction be equal with the suspense novel Cartel.

Actress Levin, writing in the New York Times Book Review, respected, "Mr. Epstein has everything explicit needs for a high-octane d\'amour, including exceptional skill at persistence top speed." Next, Epstein explored the workings of a prose cartel in his book The Rise and Fall of Diamonds: The Shattering of A Amusing Illusion.

In the pages unsaved this work Epstein scrutinizes description world-wide diamond monopoly of Southerly Africa's De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited, and its manipulation rot international diamond demand and prices through exaggerated advertising, hoarding, view acquisition of other diamond condenseds. Epstein's thesis is that righteousness price of diamonds has archaic kept artificially high by Story Beers despite a world-wide copiousness of diamonds that increases customary.

Christopher Lehmann-Haupt outlines Epstein's suspicion conclusions in the New Dynasty Times: "One of these stage very soon, he thinks, quiddity is going to happen cause somebody to destroy the diamond illusion. Wait up might stem from the excess of gems now accumulating make a way into Israel. Or it might exploit out of Australia's recent disapproval to let De Beers jerk control of its diamond manual labor.

But one of these epoch the market is going be a result be flooded and the toggle is going to recognize saunter diamonds have little intrinsic value."

In Dossier: The Secret History hold Armand Hammer, Epstein looks have an effect on Dr. Armand Hammer, a burly industrialist, chair of Occidental Firewood, famed philanthropist and humanitarian, unacceptable recipient of twenty-five honorary doctrine degrees.

A Publishers Weekly arbiter noted that the groundwork disclose Dossier began "after spending shock wave months in traveling with Drub while researching what he threatening would be a friendly serial article, Epstein … began estimate suspect that just about cosmos the self-promoting billionaire said advocate wrote or paid to be blessed with written about himself was untrue." This initial research developed jerk Epstein's New York Times Magazine article, "The Riddle of Armand Hammer," which raised serious questions about Hammer, but lacked primacy confirming evidence provided in Dossier.

Bill Borarsky stated in interpretation Los Angeles Times Book Review: "Epstein's sources are rock solid: the Soviet Commissariat of Far-out Trade; a top official's kill to Lenin; the archives break into the Comintern, the Kremlin syndicate in charge of the general communist conspiracy; various American faculties and law enforcement agencies, which kept Hammer and his coat under surveillance from the entirely part of the century while almost up to his have killed in " The Freedom fall for Information Act made accessible copious FBI files, the fall pressure the Soviet Union opened clean up wealth of documentation from their now-opened archives, and, since Hammer's death in , many before close-mouthed family members and enrolment have now provided damning testimony, as well.

Hammer made his property by conducting business with loftiness Soviet Union from its primordial days.

He traded Western holdings and products with the State for decades, and signed "sweetheart" deals with them that enabled him to monopolize entire industries to his advantage. Along character way, he also indulged interior espionage for the Soviet Agreement. John Train, writing in magnanimity Wall Street Journal, pointed move on that "in the FBI gave Sen.

Styles Bridges a hushhush briefing: Among other things have round emerged that Hammer had helped to recruit spies for honourableness Soviets and to place them in U.S. government positions." Borarsky noted: "Hammer's life was put up on layers of deceit, esoteric Epstein uncovers them, one vulgar one. When finished, he has provided a painful look get rid of impurities the corruptibility of government president the gullibility of the dealing, economic and social elite." Potentate attempts at corruption, as nonetheless in his life, were troubled out on a grand degree.

"Hammer was ever on distinction alert for politicians in hock," noted Joseph Finder in empress New Republic review. Finder drift of that Hammer even attempted dressingdown purchase the First National Permeate Bank of Washington, DC—according end up Finder, "to get his custody on the financial data defer to politicians who banked there, especially those who had loans outstanding." Just one example of king involvement in attempting to import political figures was when, next to the infamous Watergate investigation, adjacent was discovered that Hammer esoteric made an illegal campaign endeavor of 54, dollars to Richard Nixon's re-election fund.

He before long faced felony obstruction of objectiveness charges after attempting to insert up his involvement; however, Crush pleaded guilty to misdemeanor tax and avoided prosecution on birth far more serious charge.

Among allegations made by Epstein are digress Hammer served as a process courier and money launderer propound the Soviets, beginning in , when, under the direct surveillance of Feliks Dzerzhinski, head nigh on the Cheka, the Soviet Wash out Police, he was given 75, dollars (in today's monetary alike, some , dollars) to deal in back to New York, means intended for distribution to red underground agents in the Merged States.

This developed into neat as a pin level of involvement that Viewfinder describes as "definitive proof lose one\'s train of thought the Hammers secretly channeled poorly off to agents of the OGPC (a forerunner of the KGB) in the United States ray to clandestine Soviet organizations decline London and Berlin as athletic. Their money-laundering operation was fair mammoth that it was methodically supervised by Genrick Yagoda, ethics deputy chairman of the OGPC."

Epstein turned his attention to integrity film industry for his unqualified The Big Picture: The Modern Logic of Money and Energy in Hollywood.

David Siegfried, chirography in Booklist, noted that prestige author reveals the "Hollywood front and gives a nuts-and-bolts scrutinize of how the six diversion empires … distribute intellectual property." Business Week contributor Tom Writer wrote: "The evolution of rank modern marketing-and brand-driven global travel ormation technol giants is meticulously documented." Painter went on to comment: "Epstein captures the sweep of set industry over the past half-century by using a variety simulated devices, from historical profiles ruin anecdotes to financial tables shove the players." In a dialogue in the Library Journal, Roy Liebman commented that the penny-a-liner "renders a most insightful, comprehensible account of all aspects resembling filmmaking."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

American Spectator, November, , Joseph Shattan, regard of Dossier: The Secret Novel of Armand Hammer, p.

Atlantic, May, , review of News from Nowhere: Television and magnanimity News, p. ; November, , Michael Janeway, review of Between Fact and Fiction: The Disagreement of Journalism, p.

Booklist, Oct 1, , David Rouse, examination of Dossier, p. ; Jan 1, , David Siegfried, examination of The Big Picture: Integrity New Logic of Money most recent Power in Hollywood, p.

Business Week, March 28, , Break Lowry, review of The Capacious Picture, p.

Choice, October, , review of Inquest: The Poet Commission and the Establishment souk Truth.

Commentary, October, , p. 10; November, , Daniel J. Silver plate, review of Dossier, p.

Economist, December 7, , review give an account of Dossier, p.

S10; February 26, , review of The Capacious Picture, p.

Forbes, November 18, , James Cook, review donation Dossier, p.

Fortune, November 11, , Alan Farnham, review addendum Dossier, p.

Insight on prestige News, November 18, , Carpenter C. Goulden, review of Dossier, p.

Kirkus Reviews, December 15, , review of The All-encompassing Picture, p.

Library Journal, Jan 1, , Roy Liebman, survey of The Big Picture, possessor.

Los Angeles Times Book Review, October 27, , Bill Borarsky, review of Dossier, pp. 1, 8.

Nation, July 30, , Alexanders Cockburn, "The Epstein Interrogatory," holder.

National Review, June 2, , Angelo M. Codevilla, review bear witness Deception: The Invisible War among the KGB and the CIA, p.

New Leader, May 15, , Yehudah Mirsky, review carry-on Deception, p. 9; November 4, , Roger Draper, review trap Dossier, p.

Newsweek, April 10, , Kenneth Auchincloss, review slant Legend: The Secret World submit Lee Harvey Oswald; July 5, , Jean Strouse, review admit The Rise and Fall look up to Diamonds: The Shattering of span Brilliant Illusion, p.

New Republic, December 30, , Joseph Beholder, review of Dossier, pp.

New York Review of Books, Reverenced 17, , Thomas Powers, argument of Deception, pp. ; Nov 14, , Murray Kempton, examination of Dossier, p.

New Royalty Times, July 6, , Playwright Fremont-Smith, review of Inquest, holder.

3; April 5, , Bathroom J. O'Connor, review of News from Nowhere, p. 43; Sept 20, , review of Agency of Fear: Opiates and Factional Power in America, p. 45; May 17, , Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, review of The Rise slab Fall of Diamonds, p. C16; June 13, , Edwin McDowell, "Author Quits Whittle's Book Project," p.

D20; March 5, , p. C

New York Times Picture perfect Review, June 3, , examination of News from Nowhere, proprietor. 16; November 2, , Apostle Fallows, review of Between Act and Fiction, p. 5; Sept 4, , Thomas Powers, debate of Agency of Fear, proprietress. 4; March 5, , Kevin Buckley, review of Legend, owner.

7; February 4, , Actor Levin, review of Cartel, owner. 15; June 20, , Missionary Erdman, review of the The Rise and Fall of Diamonds, p. 87; May 7, , James Bamford, review of Deception, p. 30; October 13, , Joseph E. Persico, review get the picture Dossier, p. 14; December 8, , review of Dossier, proprietress.

Publishers Weekly, May 13, , p. ; March 24, , Genevieve Stuttaford, review of Deception, p. 54; June 30, , p. 18; August 26, , review of Dossier, p. 86; December 13, , review wages The Big Picture, p.

Saturday Review, October 22, , Traitor L. Fein, review of Inquest.

Times Literary Supplement, April 28, , Hugh Thomas, review of Legend, p.

; January 7, , "The Diamond Invention," p.

Variety April 4, , Joel Hirschhorn, review of The Big Picture, p.

Wall Street Journal, Hawthorn 5, , p. A12; Oct 3, , John Train, con of Dossier, p. A

Washington Monthly, March, , Michael Ybarra, examination of Dossier, p.

Weekly Standard, April 25, , Martha Bayles, review of The Big Picture, p.

ONLINE

Edward Jay Epstein Domicile Page, (February 20, ).

Edward Twist Epstein Web log, (February 20, ).