I realized that if I was going to dedicate a small portion of my life to the reading of such highly esteemed works, I should know a little bit about the man and the legend. So... May I introduce you to Mr. Joseph Pulitzer, "the most skillful of newspaper publishers, a passionate crusader against dishonest government, a fierce, hawk-like competitor who did not shrink from sensationalism in circulation struggles, and a visionary who richly endowed his profession." Oh, did I forget to mention the Pulitzer Prize? My bad.
He may not be much to look at, but he is the epitome of the American dream. His is a rags-to-riches story in which he, the son of a Hungarian father and German mother, finds his way to America by enlisted in the U.S. Union Army through a bounty recruiter. Upon his arrival, he jumps ship to keep the bounty for himself by enlisting for a year in the Lincoln Calvery. From there he worked his way to St. Louis, where he worked odd jobs and through himself into the study of English and Law at the local library. A chance encounter with the two editors of the leading German language daily, Westliche Post, over a chess game led to a job offer. The rest, as they say, is history.
I must admit I was pleased to discover that Pulitzer, himself, was an immigrant. How appropriate that the ultimate award acknowledging American life in fiction, life in a nation of immigrants, was founded by a Hungarian Jew! Knowing this, for me anyway, makes what I am doing a little bit more worthwhile.
Happy reading!
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