In the world of Washington politics, where journalists are notorious for trading objectivity for access, I.F. "Izzy" Stone remained aloof from the blandishments of the government establishment and became renowned as an outspoken, zealous pursuer of truth. He relished being a pariah, and in his independent newsletter I.F. Stone's Weekly, he opposed Cold War policies when other journalists were cheerleaders, battled Joseph McCarthy when most others were silent, and called the Vietnam Gulf of Tonkin incident a sham excuse to escalate the Vietnam War years before other journalists conceded they had been duped. Based on 15 years of research and interviews—including access to Stone's 1600-page FBI file and the Soviet government's Verona files—Myra MacPherson's biography examines Stone's complex and controversial life and the five decades of turbulent politics he covered, as well as his profound impact on journalism and its role.
"Wonderful. This new biography shows why [Stone's] legacy matters. A biography with exceptional rigor, devotion and fairness."—Salon
