Reviews

The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays and The Birth of Public Relations by Deborah Brody, Larry Tye

julesjim's review against another edition

2.0

Interesting topic, but the author fails to give a real overview of what Bernays actually did, and how much he actually influenced (or not) his world. Most chapters are a long series of facts, quotes, and newspapers, but the big picture is hard to get there.

christianbennett's review against another edition

4.0

Really enjoyed this book — Edward Bernays is a fascinating man, and this book touches on a lot of the greatest hits of his career. That being said, I would have liked to see more of the overall context: it jumps from project to project, and is relatively light on the connection between them. The final chapter does discuss some of the other big PR names of the time period, but it isn't an in-depth discussion. I particularly would love more exploration of Ivy Lee and how he interacted with Bernays.

panashe's review

3.0

A book that anyone who is interested in the political history of the United States in the 20th century, or public relations and propaganda, should read. It is quite a dry read, otherwise it'd get a higher rating, but still a good book.