I grew up watching Peter Sissons and was thrilled when I was offered the chance to publish his fascinating story. This isn’t just a book about news, it’s about Liverpool, the Beatles, being shot and much more besides. Peter isn’t afraid to launch both barrels when necessary and he gives some brilliant insights into what it’s like working in fast moving news operations and also the difficulties modern day news journalists encounter. It’s a life story, but it’s also a book that will appeal to anyone involved in news or wanting to get into journalism.
I read the manuscript while I was on holiday in Crete and it was truly gripping, especially the chapter describing when he was shot in Nigeria. Peter is also brutally honest about his time hosting Question Time and about how news is reported at managed at the BBC.
I'm often sceptical about media memoirs, but I knew as soon as I had finished reading the manuscript I wanted to publish it. I suspect a few feathers are going to be ruffled by it.
* By the way, that illustration is not going to be real cover, before anyone tells me how awful it is!
One thing I've never been able to discover is when - if ever - the fatwa on Peter Sissons was lifted. I remember at the time of the Salman Rushdie brouhaha, Sissons' interview with a Muslim cleric created real angst in Tehran; hence the fatwa. I'm assuming that, like Rushdie's, it was eventually revoked but have never heard a definitive on this. Do the memoirs elaborate on this point?
ReplyDelete'Peter is also brutally honest about his time hosting Question Time and about how news is reported at managed at the BBC.' Anything to interest those of us interested in the BBC's appalling bias?
ReplyDeleteI hope he is kind about my appearance on QT when he chaired it!!
ReplyDelete