Archive: Nov 2004

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The Weight of a Family’s Hopes

By Notable Narratives November 16, 2004

Hull uses detail to full effect but also embeds comments in her narrative that advance her larger point. Notice this phrase in the lead paragraph of this third installment: Amy’s school supplies are “all the gear needed for a well-planned … Read more

The Terrorist Within

By Notable Narratives November 16, 2004

This series was written by Hal Bernton, Mike Carter, David Heath and James Neff. It builds plot skillfully, progressing through a classic beginning, middle and end. It also offers what seems to us to be rare in these dangerous … Read more

Getting In

By Notable Narratives November 16, 2004

Gross’s series is an example of using profile to examine larger social contexts or processes, in this case the college-admissions game. The style is airy, the content more weighty, the mix of which makes the piece both entertaining and substantive. Read more

Skye’s the Limit

By Notable Narratives November 16, 2004

DeGregory chronicles the efforts of a 13-year-old devout Christian girl and her backstage mom to make the girl a pop star. DeGregory deftly writes for both believer and nonbeliever: Her words can be taken ironically or straight. She provides the … Read more

Mrs. Kelly’s Monster

By Notable Narratives November 16, 2004

Franklin leads his readers through the grisly, tense terrain of brain surgery, moment by moment. We experience the story as if it were live reporting: Franklin tells it in present tense, sound by sound, image by image. The pop, pop, … Read more

The Hurt Between the Lines

By Notable Narratives November 16, 2004

In this final installment of the Times race series, a reporter turns her attention to another journalistic effort to address race in America. The Akron Beacon Journal won a Pulitzer Prize for its series exploring the racial attitudes of its … Read more

Which Man’s Army

By Notable Narratives November 16, 2004

Holmes spent a year reporting this story about two drill sergeants—one black and one white—in a company at Fort Knox, Ky. The piece chronicles their jockeying for power, advancement and recognition. The men’s candor is remarkable—their comments about each other … Read more

Lost in the Music

By Notable Narratives November 16, 2004

Stabler’s series about a black music prodigy is well-reported and -written. We like the rich detail, the elegant descriptions, deft characterizations. What seems left out are more insights into why the 16-year-old, Sam Johnson, has such a hard time. Stabler … Read more

Two Jobs and a Sense of Hope

By Notable Narratives November 16, 2004

In this final, sad chapter of the series, a West African immigrant, Adama Camara, scrubs toilets and wipes tables for 16 hours a day. The world is a grimy, dreary, bone-tired place. There’s too much work for too little gain, … Read more