Get the Damn Story

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In the years between the Great Depression and the rise of cable television, Homer Bigart emerged as the leading reporter in the United States, known for his rumpled appearance and hard-drinking lifestyle. His impactful reporting spanned 26 years at the New York Herald Tribune and 17 at the New York Times, capturing pivotal events such as wars in Europe, the Pacific, Korea, and Vietnam, the civil rights movement, the establishment of Israel, the end of colonialism in Africa, and the Cuban revolution. Bigart was among the first to report from Hiroshima after the atomic bomb and to cover the Haganah, the militant Zionist group in Palestine. He also reported on significant events like the trial of Adolf Eichmann, the Army-McCarthy hearings, and the court-martial of William Calley. His versatility extended to topics like strip mining in Kentucky, poverty on the Bowery, and crime in Harlem. Despite winning two Pulitzers and numerous accolades, Bigart shunned fame and faded from public view after retiring from the New York Times in 1972. Few today recognize his profound influence on journalism, which inspired successors like Neil Sheehan and David Halberstam. This biography offers a comprehensive look at all aspects of Bigart's reporting career, beyond just his war coverage.