 |
This book is a rousing celebration of a lasting and rare kind of friendship on multiple levels—especially in the journalism profession. The special friendship between a man and a woman (authors Latimer and Kady) defies the social norm that men and women typically have romantic relationships—not friendships. To the contrary, Latimer and Kady forge a treasured friendship that endures through the turbulent 60s, the Kent State shooting, the 1972 election, women in sports, and the UPI (United Press International) bankruptcy. Despite the good times and not so good times, the authors manage to continue to work together, even though they were both married to someone other than each other.
On another level, Latimer and Kady defy the traditional nature of the profession of journalism in that it is inherently a competitive job—particularly at wire services such as UPI—so often, there is a lack of camaraderie, but instead an intense drive to “scoop” other journalists on breaking news stories.
Friendships such as the one formed by Latimer and Kady are not typical in the journalism profession—especially regarding reporting about “hard news.” In the journalism profession, “hard news” is typically news such as a massive explosion that devastates a city block, as compared to news about a county fair. The authors’ friendship is tested in early 1973 when Kady’s life spirals downward because of his alcohol addiction, and results in a divorce. Despite Kady’s personal crisis during this period of his life, Latimer remains his friend through 2013, when Kady dies. Indeed, this book’s authors are a shining example of the term, “friends until the end.”