My Trade

A Short History of British Journalism

By: Andrew Marr

Narrated by: Andrew Marr

Length: 3 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

How do you decide what is a "story" and what isn't? What does a newspaper editor actually do all day? How do hacks get their scoops? How do the TV stations choose their news bulletins? How do you persuade people to say those awful, embarrassing things? Who earns what? How do journalists manage to look in the mirror after the way they sometimes behave?

The purpose of this insider's account is to provide an answer to all these questions and more. Andrew Marr's brilliant, and brilliantly funny, book is a guide to those of us who read newspapers, or who listen to and watch news bulletins but want to know more. Andrew Marr tells the story of modern journalism through his own experience.

This is an extremely accessible and utterly unique modern social history of British journalism, with all its odd glamour, smashed hopes, and future possibility.

© Andrew Marr; (P) Macmillan Publishers Ltd

Doesn't Pull Any Punches

I really enjoyed this. It sounds like a wonderful conversation with a very interesting man who gives you the inside view. But also he is not afraid to criticise journalists where he feels they are overmighty. Very well written, very well read.

Fascinating, engaging book

Andrew Marr offers an excellent insight into the world of journalism, notably political journalism, both assessing the print press and the BBC/broadcast journalism, interspersing his narrative with entertaining anecdotes and witticisms. Now over a decade old, this book offers a snapshot into the trade as it was prior to the rapid escalation of digital media and instant/24 hour news. Nevertheless it's assessment of journalism as a trade and the problems it faces is continually relevant today.

Insightful and decent but he is annoying!

Shame it is abridged but 3+ hours is not bad. I learnt a fair amount from it and it was interesting and insightful and well written. There’s no getting away from the fact that he is and continues to come across as a complete twat. That said, he is oddly aware of this ‘fact’ to the extent that he mentions it in the book - so fair play to him!

I wish it was available unabridged!

What made the experience of listening to My Trade the most enjoyable?

Being read by the author almost always enhances the experience of listening to an audio book. Andrew Marr reads his own books beautiful. There was the odd, slightly long pause, and even a couple of clicks of the microphone, but that did not detract from the experience here.

Have you listened to any of Andrew Marr’s other performances? How does this one compare?

He's always excellent!

Any additional comments?

I feel sure this would have been 5* if it was unabridged. I was left wanting more depth.

A Gallop Through the Press

Andrew Marr tells a good tale, and this exposition of journalism counterpointed his own experiences makes for a winning structure. However, there is something about his reading here and the occasional odd sounding sentence that vaguely irritates and makes me feel it was done in one take, no going back. Bish, bash, bosh, that'll do.