By The Books — And Piece Work

Edward Kosner was the editor of Newsweek, New York Magazine, Esquire, and The New York Daily News during a 46-year career in journalism. After retiring, he published a memoir, "It's News to Me", and began contributing book reviews and other pieces to the Wall Street Journal, Commentary, the British magazine The Oldie, and others.

2024

"LeRoy Neiman" by Travis Vogan (WSJ)

"LeRoy Neiman" by Travis Vogan (WSJ)

"The Power Broker" by Robert A. Caro (WSJ)

"The Power Broker" by Robert A. Caro (WSJ)

"Paradise Bronx" by Ian Frazier (WSJ)

"Paradise Bronx" by Ian Frazier (WSJ)

"The Incorruptibles" by Dan Slater (WSJ)

"The Incorruptibles" by Dan Slater (WSJ)

"I Never Did Like Politics" by Terry Golway (WSJ)

"I Never Did Like Politics" by Terry Golway (WSJ)

"Jimmy Breslin: Essential Writings" by Jimmy Breslin (WSJ)

"Jimmy Breslin: Essential Writings" by Jimmy Breslin (WSJ)

"The Freaks Came Out To Write" by Tricia Romano (WSJ)

"The Freaks Came Out To Write" by Tricia Romano (WSJ)

"Covert City" by Vince Houghton & Eric Driggs (WSJ)

"Covert City" by Vince Houghton & Eric Driggs (WSJ)

"The King of Diamonds" by Rena Pederson (WSJ)

"The King of Diamonds" by Rena Pederson (WSJ)

"The Inner Game of Tennis" by W. Timothy Gallwey (WSJ)

"The Inner Game of Tennis" by W. Timothy Gallwey (WSJ)

2023

"Times Square Remade" by Lynne B. Sagalyn (WSJ)

"Times Square Remade" by Lynne B. Sagalyn (WSJ)

"Starkweather" by Harry N. MacLean (WSJ)

"Starkweather" by Harry N. MacLean (WSJ)

"The Hijacking of Flight 119" by John Wigger (WSJ)

"The Hijacking of Flight 119" by John Wigger (WSJ)

"The War of Words" by Molly Guptill Manning (WSJ)

"The War of Words" by Molly Guptill Manning (WSJ)

"Bartleby & Me" by Gay Talese (WSJ)

"Bartleby & Me" by Gay Talese (WSJ)

"The Right Call" by Sally Jenkins (WSJ)

"The Right Call" by Sally Jenkins (WSJ)

"Unscripted" by James B Stewart (WSJ)

"Unscripted" by James B Stewart (WSJ)

Spring Books: Sports (WSJ)

Spring Books: Sports (WSJ)

"Power Players" by Chris Cillizza (WSJ)

"Power Players" by Chris Cillizza (WSJ)

"Battle of Ink and Ice" by Darrell Hartman (WSJ)

"Battle of Ink and Ice" by Darrell Hartman (WSJ)

2022

"American Caliph" by Shahan Mufti (WSJ) (Copy)

"American Caliph" by Shahan Mufti (WSJ) (Copy)

"The New Yorkers" by Sam Roberts (WSJ) (Copy)

"The New Yorkers" by Sam Roberts (WSJ) (Copy)

"Retail Gangster" by Gary Weiss (Commentary Magazine) (Copy)

"Retail Gangster" by Gary Weiss (Commentary Magazine) (Copy)

"American Demon" by Daniel Stashower (WSJ) (Copy)

"American Demon" by Daniel Stashower (WSJ) (Copy)

"Like a Rolling Stone" by Jann Wenner (WSJ) (Copy)

"Like a Rolling Stone" by Jann Wenner (WSJ) (Copy)

"The Liar" by Benjamin Cunningham (WSJ) (Copy)

"The Liar" by Benjamin Cunningham (WSJ) (Copy)

"Undelivered" by Jeff Nussbaum (WSJ) (Copy)

"Undelivered" by Jeff Nussbaum (WSJ) (Copy)

"Seventeen and Oh" by Marshall Jon Fisher (WSJ) (Copy)

"Seventeen and Oh" by Marshall Jon Fisher (WSJ) (Copy)

"Finding Judge Crater" by Stephen J. Riegel (WSJ) (Copy)

"Finding Judge Crater" by Stephen J. Riegel (WSJ) (Copy)

"The Adventures of Herbie Cohen" by Rich Cohen (WSJ) (Copy)

"The Adventures of Herbie Cohen" by Rich Cohen (WSJ) (Copy)

Baseball Books: Golden Ages on the Diamond (WJS) (Copy)

Baseball Books: Golden Ages on the Diamond (WJS) (Copy)

"Last Call at the Hotel Imperial" by Deborah Cohen (WSJ) (Copy)

"Last Call at the Hotel Imperial" by Deborah Cohen (WSJ) (Copy)

"Manhattan Phoenix" by Daniel S. Levy (WSJ) (Copy)

"Manhattan Phoenix" by Daniel S. Levy (WSJ) (Copy)

"It's Better To Be Feared" by Seth Wickersham (WSJ) (Copy)

"It's Better To Be Feared" by Seth Wickersham (WSJ) (Copy)

2021

"Electric City" by Thomas Hager (WSJ)

"Electric City" by Thomas Hager (WSJ)

"Tinderbox" by James Andrew Miller (WSJ)

"Tinderbox" by James Andrew Miller (WSJ)

"Look" Magazine Review (WSJ)

"Look" Magazine Review (WSJ)

"The Forgotten First" by Keyshawn Johnson & Bob Glauber (WSJ)

"The Forgotten First" by Keyshawn Johnson & Bob Glauber (WSJ)

"The Master" by Christopher Clarey (WSJ)

"The Master" by Christopher Clarey (WSJ)

A Tale of Two Atrocities (The Oldie)

A Tale of Two Atrocities (The Oldie)

New York City’s Kristallnacht (Commentary Magazine)

New York City’s Kristallnacht (Commentary Magazine)

"The Director" by Paul Letersky (WSJ)

"The Director" by Paul Letersky (WSJ)

"Kennedy's Avenger" by Dan Abrams & David Fisher (WSJ)

"Kennedy's Avenger" by Dan Abrams & David Fisher (WSJ)

"Checkmate in Berlin" by Giles Milton (WSJ)

"Checkmate in Berlin" by Giles Milton (WSJ)

"Chasing the Thrill" by Daniel Barbarisi (WSJ)

"Chasing the Thrill" by Daniel Barbarisi (WSJ)

"The Confidence Men" by Margalit Fox (WSJ)

"The Confidence Men" by Margalit Fox (WSJ)

Magazine Heaven has gone to Hell (The Oldie)

Magazine Heaven has gone to Hell (The Oldie)

"The York Patrol" by James Carl Nelson

"The York Patrol" by James Carl Nelson

"The Snatch Racket" by Carolyn Cox (WSJ)

"The Snatch Racket" by Carolyn Cox (WSJ)

"Assignment Russia" by Marvin Kalb (WSJ)

"Assignment Russia" by Marvin Kalb (WSJ)

"Tiger Girl and the Candy Kid" by Glenn Stout (WSJ)

"Tiger Girl and the Candy Kid" by Glenn Stout (WSJ)

2020

"The Golden Thread" by Ravi Somaiya (WSJ)

"The Golden Thread" by Ravi Somaiya (WSJ)

"The Man Who Ran Washington" by Peter Baker & Susan Glassner (Commentary Magazine)

"The Man Who Ran Washington" by Peter Baker & Susan Glassner (Commentary Magazine)

"Operation Moonglow" by Teasel Muir-Harmony (WSJ)

"Operation Moonglow" by Teasel Muir-Harmony (WSJ)

"Catching the Wind" by Neal Gabler (WSJ)

"Catching the Wind" by Neal Gabler (WSJ)

"The Quiet Americans" by Scott Anderson (WSJ)

"The Quiet Americans" by Scott Anderson (WSJ)

"Fallout" by Lesley M.M. Blume (WSJ)

"Fallout" by Lesley M.M. Blume (WSJ)

"Dewey Defeats Truman" by A.J. Baime (WSJ)

"Dewey Defeats Truman" by A.J. Baime (WSJ)

"Up All Night" by Lisa Napoli (WSJ)

"Up All Night" by Lisa Napoli (WSJ)

Jew Tagging @ Wikipedia (Commentary Magazine)

Jew Tagging @ Wikipedia (Commentary Magazine)

"Yogi: A Life Behind the Mask" by Jon Pessah (WSJ)

"Yogi: A Life Behind the Mask" by Jon Pessah (WSJ)

"Fighting Words" by Nancy Cott (WSJ)

"Fighting Words" by Nancy Cott (WSJ)

Bright Lights, Blighted City (Commentary Magazine)

Bright Lights, Blighted City (Commentary Magazine)

"The Strenuous Life" by Theodore Roosevelt (WSJ)

"The Strenuous Life" by Theodore Roosevelt (WSJ)

2019

"Boss of the Grips" by Eric K. Washington (WSJ)

"Boss of the Grips" by Eric K. Washington (WSJ)

"The Suspect" by Kent Alexander (WSJ)

"The Suspect" by Kent Alexander (WSJ)

"Crying The News" by Vincent DiGirolamo (WSJ)

"Crying The News" by Vincent DiGirolamo (WSJ)

"The Ride of a Lifetime" by Bob Iger (WSJ)

"The Ride of a Lifetime" by Bob Iger (WSJ)

"The Last Pirate of New York" by Rich Cohen (Commentary Magazine)

"The Last Pirate of New York" by Rich Cohen (Commentary Magazine)

"One Giant Leap" by Charles Fishman (WSJ)

"One Giant Leap" by Charles Fishman (WSJ)

"The Vagabonds" by Jeff Guinn (WSJ)

"The Vagabonds" by Jeff Guinn (WSJ)

"War and Peace" by Nigel Hamilton (WSJ)

"War and Peace" by Nigel Hamilton (WSJ)

"Working" by Robert Caro (WSJ)

"Working" by Robert Caro (WSJ)

"Funny Man: Mel Brooks" by Patrick McGilligan (WSJ)

"Funny Man: Mel Brooks" by Patrick McGilligan (WSJ)

"Spies of No Country" by Matti Friedman (WSJ)

"Spies of No Country" by Matti Friedman (WSJ)

"Camelot's End" by Jon Ward (WSJ)

"Camelot's End" by Jon Ward (WSJ)

2018

"Flash" by Christopher Bonanos (NY Review of Books)

"Flash" by Christopher Bonanos (NY Review of Books)

"Victory City" by John Strausbaugh (Commentary Magazine)

"Victory City" by John Strausbaugh (Commentary Magazine)

"The League" by John Eisenberg (WSJ)

"The League" by John Eisenberg (WSJ)

"Frank and Al" by Terry Golway (WSJ)

"Frank and Al" by Terry Golway (WSJ)

"Hubert Humphrey: The Conscience of a Country" by Arnold A. Offner (WSJ)

"Hubert Humphrey: The Conscience of a Country" by Arnold A. Offner (WSJ)

"Arthur Ashe: A Life" by Raymond Arsenault (WSJ)

"Arthur Ashe: A Life" by Raymond Arsenault (WSJ)

"A Brotherhood of Spies" by Monte Reel (WSJ)

"A Brotherhood of Spies" by Monte Reel (WSJ)

"Above and Beyond" by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias (WSJ)

"Above and Beyond" by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias (WSJ)

"Paul Simon: The Life" by Robert Hilburn (Commentary Magazine)

"Paul Simon: The Life" by Robert Hilburn (Commentary Magazine)

"A Season in the Sun" by Johnny Smith and Randy Roberts (WSJ)

"A Season in the Sun" by Johnny Smith and Randy Roberts (WSJ)

"The Roger Kahn Reader" by Roger Kahn (WSJ)

"The Roger Kahn Reader" by Roger Kahn (WSJ)

"American Colossus" by Allen M. Hornblum (WSJ)

"American Colossus" by Allen M. Hornblum (WSJ)

"Separate and Unequal" by Steven M. Gillon (WSJ)

"Separate and Unequal" by Steven M. Gillon (WSJ)

"The Most Dangerous Man in America" by Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis (WSJ)

"The Most Dangerous Man in America" by Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis (WSJ)

2017

"Pale Rider" by Laura Spinney (WSJ)

"Pale Rider" by Laura Spinney (WSJ)

"The Vanity Fair Diaries" by Tina Brown (WSJ)

"The Vanity Fair Diaries" by Tina Brown (WSJ)

"Hoover" by Kenneth Whyte (WSJ)

"Hoover" by Kenneth Whyte (WSJ)

"Electric October" by Kevin Cook (WSJ)

"Electric October" by Kevin Cook (WSJ)

"Greater Than Ever" by Daniel L. Doctoroff. (WSJ)

"Greater Than Ever" by Daniel L. Doctoroff. (WSJ)

"The Voice of America" by Mitchell Stephens. (WSJ)

"The Voice of America" by Mitchell Stephens. (WSJ)

"Careful: A User’s Guide to Our Injury-Prone Minds" by Steve Casner (WSJ)

"Careful: A User’s Guide to Our Injury-Prone Minds" by Steve Casner (WSJ)

"Do I Make Myself Clear?" by Harold Evans (WSJ)

"Do I Make Myself Clear?" by Harold Evans (WSJ)

"Leo Durocher: Baseball’s Prodigal Son" by Paul Dickson (WSJ)

"Leo Durocher: Baseball’s Prodigal Son" by Paul Dickson (WSJ)

"Blue on Blue" by Charles Campisi (WSJ)

"Blue on Blue" by Charles Campisi (WSJ)

2016

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Ronald D. Lankford (WSJ)

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Ronald D. Lankford (WSJ)

"Twenty-Six Seconds" by Alexandra Zapruder (WSJ)

"Twenty-Six Seconds" by Alexandra Zapruder (WSJ)

"Mary Astor's Purple Diary" by Edward Sorel (WSJ)

"Mary Astor's Purple Diary" by Edward Sorel (WSJ)

"The Crash Detectives" by Christine Negroni (WSJ)

"The Crash Detectives" by Christine Negroni (WSJ)

"Seinfeldia" by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (WSJ)

"Seinfeldia" by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (WSJ)

"Famous Nathan" by Lloyd Handwerker (WSJ)

"Famous Nathan" by Lloyd Handwerker (WSJ)

"Peter Arno" by Michael Maslin (WSJ)

"Peter Arno" by Michael Maslin (WSJ)

"Out of my League" by George Plimpton (WSJ)

"Out of my League" by George Plimpton (WSJ)

"Willie" by Teresa Nicholas (WSJ)

"Willie" by Teresa Nicholas (WSJ)

"West of Eden" by Jean Stein (WSJ)

"West of Eden" by Jean Stein (WSJ)

"The Defender" by Ethan Michaeli (WSJ)

"The Defender" by Ethan Michaeli (WSJ)

2015

"Alex Haley" by Robert J. Norrell (WSJ)

"Alex Haley" by Robert J. Norrell (WSJ)

"Woody" by David Evanier (WSJ)

"Woody" by David Evanier (WSJ)

"Sinatra's Century" by David Lehman (WSJ)

"Sinatra's Century" by David Lehman (WSJ)

"Sinatra" by James Kaplan (WSJ)

"Sinatra" by James Kaplan (WSJ)

"Razzle Dazzle" by Michael Riedel (Commentary Magazine)

"Razzle Dazzle" by Michael Riedel (Commentary Magazine)

"Vigilance" by Ray Kelly (WSJ)

"Vigilance" by Ray Kelly (WSJ)

"Irrepressible" by Emily Bingham (WSJ)

"Irrepressible" by Emily Bingham (WSJ)

"The Lufthansa Heist" by Henry Hill (WSJ)

"The Lufthansa Heist" by Henry Hill (WSJ)

"Carolina Israelite" by Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett (Commentary Magazine)

"Carolina Israelite" by Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett (Commentary Magazine)

"Let's Be Less Stupid" by Patricia Marx (WSJ)

"Let's Be Less Stupid" by Patricia Marx (WSJ)

"Unbuttoning America" by Ardis Cameron (WSJ)

"Unbuttoning America" by Ardis Cameron (WSJ)

"Billy Martin" by Bill Pennington (WSJ)

"Billy Martin" by Bill Pennington (WSJ)

"Around The World in 50 Years" by Albert Podell (WSJ)

"Around The World in 50 Years" by Albert Podell (WSJ)

"Dalton Trumbo" by Larry Ceplair (WSJ)

"Dalton Trumbo" by Larry Ceplair (WSJ)

"The Rag Race" by Adam D. Mendelsohn (WSJ)

"The Rag Race" by Adam D. Mendelsohn (WSJ)

2014

"Bohemians, Bootleggers, Flappers, and Swells" by Graydon Carter (WSJ)

"Bohemians, Bootleggers, Flappers, and Swells" by Graydon Carter (WSJ)

"Information Doesn't Want to be Free" by Cory Doctorow (WSJ)

"Information Doesn't Want to be Free" by Cory Doctorow (WSJ)

"Whistle Stop" by Philip White (WSJ)

"Whistle Stop" by Philip White (WSJ)

"Cosby" by Mark Whitaker (WSJ)

"Cosby" by Mark Whitaker (WSJ)

"The Last Great Walk" by Wayne Curtis (WSJ)

"The Last Great Walk" by Wayne Curtis (WSJ)

"Price of Fame" by Sylvia Jukes Morris (WSJ)

"Price of Fame" by Sylvia Jukes Morris (WSJ)

"Michael Jackson, Inc." by Zack O'Malley Greenburg (WSJ)

"Michael Jackson, Inc." by Zack O'Malley Greenburg (WSJ)

"American Romantic" by Ward Just (WSJ)

"American Romantic" by Ward Just (WSJ)

"How About Never—Is Never Good for You?" by Bob Mankoff (WSJ)

"How About Never—Is Never Good for You?" by Bob Mankoff (WSJ)

"Machine Made" by Terry Golway (WSJ)

"Machine Made" by Terry Golway (WSJ)

"Kitty Genovese" by Kevin Cook (WSJ)

"Kitty Genovese" by Kevin Cook (WSJ)

"Mad as Hell" by Dave Itzkoff (WSJ)

"Mad as Hell" by Dave Itzkoff (WSJ)

"Little Failure" by Gary Shteyngart (WSJ)

"Little Failure" by Gary Shteyngart (WSJ)

2013

"Strong Boy" by Christopher Klein (WSJ)

"Strong Boy" by Christopher Klein (WSJ)

"One Summer" by Bill Bryson (WSJ)

"One Summer" by Bill Bryson (WSJ)

"The Rise of Abraham Cahan" by Seth Lipsky (Commentary Magazine)

"The Rise of Abraham Cahan" by Seth Lipsky (Commentary Magazine)

"Johnny Carson" by Henry Bushkin (WSJ)

"Johnny Carson" by Henry Bushkin (WSJ)

"The Family" by David Laskin (WSJ)

"The Family" by David Laskin (WSJ)

"A Mayor's Life" by David Dinkins (WSJ)

"A Mayor's Life" by David Dinkins (WSJ)

"Ring Lardner: Stories & Other Writings" by Ring Lardner (WSJ)

"Ring Lardner: Stories & Other Writings" by Ring Lardner (WSJ)

"No Joke" by Ruth R. Wisse (WSJ)

"No Joke" by Ruth R. Wisse (WSJ)

"The Joker: A Memoir" by Andrew Hudgins (WSJ)

"The Joker: A Memoir" by Andrew Hudgins (WSJ)

"Junius and Albert's Adventures in the Confederacy" by Peter Carlson (WSJ)

"Junius and Albert's Adventures in the Confederacy" by Peter Carlson (WSJ)

"The Outsider" by Jimmy Connors (WSJ)

"The Outsider" by Jimmy Connors (WSJ)

"Bad Boy" by Eric Fischl (WSJ)

"Bad Boy" by Eric Fischl (WSJ)

"Operation Storm" by John J. Geoghegan (WSJ)

"Operation Storm" by John J. Geoghegan (WSJ)

"Finding Florida" by T.D. Allman (WSJ)

"Finding Florida" by T.D. Allman (WSJ)

"Al Capp: A Life to the Contrary" by Michael Schumacher (WSJ)

"Al Capp: A Life to the Contrary" by Michael Schumacher (WSJ)

"Give Me Everything You Have" by James Lasdun (WSJ)

"Give Me Everything You Have" by James Lasdun (WSJ)

"The Fall of the House of Dixie" by Bruce Levine (WSJ)

"The Fall of the House of Dixie" by Bruce Levine (WSJ)

2012

"Selected Letters of William Styron" by William Styron (WSJ)

"Selected Letters of William Styron" by William Styron (WSJ)

"The Patriarch" by David Nasaw (WSJ)

"The Patriarch" by David Nasaw (WSJ)

"Reflections in a Mirror" by Raoul Felder (WSJ)

"Reflections in a Mirror" by Raoul Felder (WSJ)

"Cemetary John" by Robert Zorn (WSJ)

"Cemetary John" by Robert Zorn (WSJ)

"The Statue of Liberty" by Edward Berenson (WSJ)

"The Statue of Liberty" by Edward Berenson (WSJ)

"A Disposition to Be Rich" by Geoffrey C. Ward (WSJ)

"A Disposition to Be Rich" by Geoffrey C. Ward (WSJ)

2011

"Inferno" by Max Hastings (WSJ)

"Inferno" by Max Hastings (WSJ)

"Elizabeth and Hazel" by David Margolick (WSJ)

"Elizabeth and Hazel" by David Margolick (WSJ)

"The Eleventh Day" by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan (WSJ)

"The Eleventh Day" by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan (WSJ)

"Stories My Father Told Me" by Jeffrey Lyons (WSJ)

"Stories My Father Told Me" by Jeffrey Lyons (WSJ)

"Lost on Treasure Island" by Steve Friedman (WSJ)

"Lost on Treasure Island" by Steve Friedman (WSJ)

"Harlem: The Four Hundred Year History" by Jonathan Gill (WSJ)

"Harlem: The Four Hundred Year History" by Jonathan Gill (WSJ)

2010

"Jackie as Editor" by Greg Lawrence (WSJ)

"Jackie as Editor" by Greg Lawrence (WSJ)

"The Encyclopedia of New York City" by Kenneth T. Jackson (WSJ)

"The Encyclopedia of New York City" by Kenneth T. Jackson (WSJ)

"The Recessionistas" by Alexandra Lebenthal (WSJ)

"The Recessionistas" by Alexandra Lebenthal (WSJ)

"Poisoning the Press" by Mark Feldstein (WSJ)

"Poisoning the Press" by Mark Feldstein (WSJ)

"Getting it Wrong" by W. Joseph Campbell (WSJ)

"Getting it Wrong" by W. Joseph Campbell (WSJ)

"The Zeroes" by Randall Lane (WSJ)

"The Zeroes" by Randall Lane (WSJ)

"The Publisher" by Alan Brinkley (WSJ)

"The Publisher" by Alan Brinkley (WSJ)

2009-2007

"Late Edition" by Bob Greene (WSJ)

"Late Edition" by Bob Greene (WSJ)

"1959: The Year Everything Changed" by Fred Kaplan (WSJ)

"1959: The Year Everything Changed" by Fred Kaplan (WSJ)

"Joseph P. Kennedy Presents his Hollywood Years" by Cari Beauchamp (WSJ)

"Joseph P. Kennedy Presents his Hollywood Years" by Cari Beauchamp (WSJ)

"Playboy and the Making of the Good Life in Modern America" by Elizabeth Fraterrigo (WSJ)

"Playboy and the Making of the Good Life in Modern America" by Elizabeth Fraterrigo (WSJ)

"The Godfather of Tabloid" by Jack Vitek (WSJ)

"The Godfather of Tabloid" by Jack Vitek (WSJ)

"The Night of the Gun" by David Carr (WSJ)

"The Night of the Gun" by David Carr (WSJ)

"How to Get Rich" by Felix Dennis (WSJ)

"How to Get Rich" by Felix Dennis (WSJ)

"A Place To Be" by Roger Mudd (WSJ)

"A Place To Be" by Roger Mudd (WSJ)

"The Star Machine" by Jeanine Basinger (WSJ)

"The Star Machine" by Jeanine Basinger (WSJ)

"The Grand Surprise" by Leo Lerman (WSJ)

"The Grand Surprise" by Leo Lerman (WSJ)