HISTORY

The Freaks Came Out To Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture

by Tricia Romano
PublicAffairs: Perseus. Feb. 2024. 608p. ISBN 9781541736399. $35. HIST
COPY ISBN
When readers see the name of the NYC newspaper the Village Voice, they may instantly recall its radical and important journalistic coverage of some of the most important issues of the day, such as the Vietnam War, civil rights, the AIDS crisis, and 9/11. Romano interned and worked at the Voice for eight years. Her book is an absorbing firsthand history of the publication, recounting its history and cast of characters (from Mailer to Musto to Dash), either through their writings or the more than 200 interviews Romano conducted. Chapters about each era of the Voice are short, and there is little analysis. Instead, readers are left to interpret the vibe and meaning of those periods of Voice history.
VERDICT An exceptional resource in which readers get a real flavor of the exciting and troubling times throughout the Village Voice’s run and the opportunity to draw their own conclusions about its rise (and fall in 2017). Recommended for academic libraries and comprehensive journalism collections.
Reviewed by Maria Ashton-Stebbings , Jan 01, 2024
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

NONFICTION

Bloody Tuesday: The Untold Story of the Struggle for Civil Rights in Tuscaloosa
by Giggie, John M
NONFICTION

The Book-Makers: A History of the Book in Eighteen Lives
by Smyth, Adam
NONFICTION

When Women Ran Fifth Ave: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion
by Satow, Julie
NONFICTION

Reds: The Tragedy of American Communism
by Isserman, Maurice
NONFICTION

The Light of Battle: Eisenhower, D-Day, and the Birth of the American Superpower
by Paradis, Michel
NONFICTION

The Wrong Stuff: How the Soviet Space Program Crashed and Burned
by Strausbaugh, John
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?