Douglas Brinkley presents the definitive, revealing biography of an American legend: renowned news anchor Walter Cronkite.

An acclaimed author and historian, Brinkley has drawn upon recently disclosed letters, diaries, and other artifacts at the recently opened Cronkite Archive to bring detail and depth to this deeply personal portrait.

He also interviewed nearly two hundred of Cronkite’s closest friends and colleagues, including Andy Rooney, Leslie Stahl, Barbara Walters, Dan Rather, Brian Williams, Les Moonves, Christiane Amanpour, Katie Couric, Bob Schieffer, Ted Turner, Jimmy Buffett, and Morley Safer, using their voices to instill dignity and humanity in this study of one of America’s most beloved and trusted public figures.

This landmark work of media history reveals:

A World War II Correspondent: Follow Cronkite into the European theater as a young United Press reporter, flying on bombing missions with the legendary "Writing Sixty-Ninth."
The Rise of Television News: Go behind the scenes at CBS News during the birth of TV journalism, chronicling the transition from radio to a new visual medium that would change America forever.
An Eyewitness to History: Relive the pivotal moments of the twentieth century—from the Nuremberg Trials and the Cold War to presidential history—through the eyes of the man in the anchor chair.
A Deeply Personal Portrait: Discover the private man behind the public figure, drawn from newly opened archives and nearly two hundred interviews with friends, family, and colleagues like Dan Rather and Barbara Walters.