The Journalist and the Murderer

By: Janet Malcolm

Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin

Janet Malcolm delves into the psychopathology of journalism using a strange and unprecedented lawsuit as her larger-than-life example: the lawsuit of Jeffrey MacDonald, a convicted murderer, against Joe McGinniss, the author of Fatal Vision. Examining the always uneasy, sometimes tragic relationship that exists between journalist and subject, Malcolm finds that neither journalist nor subject can avoid the moral impasse that is built into the journalistic situation.

This audiobook is a work of journalism as well as an essay on journalism: It at once exemplifies and dissects its subject. In her interviews with the leading and subsidiary characters in the MacDonald-McGinniss case, Malcolm is always aware of herself as a player in a game that she cannot lose. The journalist-subject encounter has always troubled journalists, but never before has it been looked at so unflinchingly and so ruefully. Hovering over the narrative is the MacDonald murder case itself. The Journalist and the Murderer derives from and reflects many of the dominant intellectual concerns of our time, and it will have a particular appeal for those who cherish the odd, the off-center, and the unsolved.

©1990 Janet Malcolm (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

"An elegantly written, thought-provoking, and sometimes outrageous essay that should be in every media collection." ( Library Journal)

Story about a story

Nice even voice. Interesting behind the scenes look at what goes on in journalism. Eye opening

Wow.

I didn’t think I would finish this book. At first, I read five minutes and put it aside. Then I began reading it again for five more minutes and read it for 3 hours. Then I went to bed, woke up, and finished the last 2 hours right away.

One of the best narrations I have ever heard.

A rare book

A distinguished journalist takes a close, hard look at the ethics of her own profession.

A Journalistic Classic

Janet Malcolm’s world-famous essay on the journalistic ethics (or lack there of) of the best-selling author Joe McGinniss during his Ill-fated partnership with his Fatal Vision subject Jeffrey MacDonald is told and narrated with superb distinction. This book is a classic work of non-fiction and is made infinitely better by the Audible experience.

Good Reporting & Bad Philosophic Discussion

Excellent presentation of the facts and issues in the case. Boring philosophic review of such things as the differences in fiction and nonfiction characters.

Brilliant

Beautiful prose, insightful commentary — this is a major work that is delivered in elegant style. Something to savor.

Incredibly Insightful

I've been reading Malcolm for a long time, and have always admired the elegance of her prose and her tireless devotion to discover as much as possible about her subject.
This book is on another level: Malcolm is fearlessly honest about her own weaknesses, and seems to never "pretend" any particular emotion about the people in this book, even if it makes her appear far away or overly neutral.
To me, it seems Malcolm covers many topics in this book - fiction vs. journalism, the nature of the relationship between journalist and subject, the responsibility of non fiction writers; and of course, the stories themselves - and she somehow intertwines all of these topics together.
Amazing.

What was the point ?

I honestly struggled to get through this book. At times the author expressed sympathy for Jeffrey Macdonald when he didn’t deserve it. I don’t think this book was necessary, and there are far more worthy topics to cover than Joe McGuiness’ journalistic integrity.

Self-aggrandizing and boring

Boring read by a self-important author who... isn't. The performance wasn't bad, but the personality of the author is awful.

Struggled to Finish

Very boring. Would not recommend. I thought there would be new info on the case and all it was was someone's opinion of how the original book was written.