Mark Hertsgaard

Last updated

Mark Hertsgaard at the 2011 Brooklyn Book Festival Mark Hertsgaard (6160520833).jpg
Mark Hertsgaard at the 2011 Brooklyn Book Festival

Mark Hertsgaard (born 1956) is an American journalist and the co-founder and executive director of Covering Climate Now. He is the environment correspondent for The Nation , and the author of seven non-fiction books, including Earth Odyssey (1998) and Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth (2011). [1]

Contents

He has covered climate change, politics, economics, the press, and music since 1989. His best-known work as an author is On Bended Knee: The Press and the Reagan Presidency (1988), which described the way the Reagan White House "deployed raw power and conventional wisdom to intimidate Washington's television newsrooms." [2] He has also written for magazines and newspapers such as The Guardian , Vanity Fair , Scientific American , Time , Harper's , and Le Monde . [3] He has been a commentator for the public radio programs Morning Edition, Marketplace, and Living on Earth, and taught writing at Johns Hopkins and the University of California, Berkeley. Hertsgaard lives in San Francisco.

Career

Hertsgaard received a B.A. in international studies from Johns Hopkins University in 1977 and was one of the founders of the Baltimore City Paper . According to his fellow Johns Hopkins alumnus Russ Smith, he worked in the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C., after graduation. [4]

While compiling a feature article for The New Yorker in 1993, Hertsgaard broke the news that the three surviving members of the Beatles were going to issue previously unreleased music from the group's career, as part of their multimedia Anthology project. In addition, they were reuniting to work on new recordings. [5] At this time, he was granted rare access to the band's EMI recording archives in London, gaining insight that informed his 1995 book A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of the Beatles. [5] Writing in 2000, Nick Bromell, professor of English at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the founding editor of Boston Review , described A Day in the Life as "the best single book on the music of the Beatles". [6]

During the 1990s, Hertsgaard's attention turned to the ecology of the Earth. He embarked upon a seven-year global tour to investigate the issue of environmental degradation. The journey spanned four continents, 19 countries and hundreds of interviews. [2] This resulted in the book Earth Odyssey: Around the World in Search of Our Environmental Future (1999), which was reviewed favorably in The New York Times Book Review and Time magazine. [7]

Hertsgaard also wrote about climate change adaptation in Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth (2011), published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. [1] From 2011 to 2013, he was Schmidt Family Foundation Fellow at New America Foundation researching the linked challenges of climate change, food security, poverty, and ecological agriculture.

In May 2013 19 people were shot and wounded during a neighborhood Mother's Day second line parade in New Orleans. The attack took place at the corner of Frenchmen Street and North Villere in the city's 7th Ward, where hundreds of people had gathered near the French Quarter. Victims included 10 men, 7 women, a boy and a girl. Three people were seriously wounded. The Associated Press reported that three suspects were seen fleeing the scene. Police authorities classified it as part of the gun violence in the city. [8] Hertsgaard has written about being one of the victims. [9] (subscription required)

Bibliography

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Mark Hertsgaard biography". The Nation . April 2, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Schneider, Keith (January 17, 1999). "A Dirty Shame: A journalist offers an environmental report card on the planet". The New York Times .
  3. "Stories by Mark Hertsgaard". AlterNet . Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  4. Smith, Russ (November 2016). "Pictures of You (#60)". Splice Today . Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Kimsey, John (2009). "'An Abstraction, Like Christmas': The Beatles for sale and for keeps". In Womack, Kenneth (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 232. ISBN   978-0-521-68976-2.
  6. Bromell, Nick (2000). Tomorrow Never Knows: Rock and Psychedelics in the 1960s. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. p. 188. ISBN   9780226075624.
  7. Skow, John (January 11, 1999). "Travels on an Ailing Planet: An eco-conscious Marco Polo has sad tales to tell". Time .
  8. Associated Press (May 12, 2013). "19 Wounded in New Orleans Shooting". New York Times. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  9. Hertsgaard, Mark (May 14, 2013). "I Got Shot in New Orleans".

Related Research Articles

<i>Beatles for Sale</i> 1964 studio album by the Beatles

Beatles for Sale is the fourth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on 4 December 1964 in the United Kingdom on EMI's Parlophone label. The album marked a departure from the upbeat tone that had characterised the Beatles' previous work, partly due to the band's exhaustion after a series of tours that had established them as a worldwide phenomenon in 1964. Beatles for Sale was not widely available in the US until 1987, when the Beatles' catalogue was standardised for release on CD. Instead, eight of the album's fourteen tracks appeared on Capitol Records' concurrent release, Beatles '65, issued in North America only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Jude</span> 1968 single by the Beatles

"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in August 1968. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The single was the Beatles' first release on their Apple record label and one of the "First Four" singles by Apple's roster of artists, marking the label's public launch. "Hey Jude" was a number-one hit in many countries around the world and became the year's top-selling single in the UK, the US, Australia and Canada. Its nine-week run at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 tied the all-time record in 1968 for the longest run at the top of the US charts, a record it held for nine years. It has sold approximately eight million copies and is frequently included on music critics' lists of the greatest songs of all time.

<i>The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions</i> Beatles reference book by Mark Lewisohn

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions is a 1988 reference book on the English rock band the Beatles written by Mark Lewisohn. It was published by Hamlyn in the UK and by Harmony Books in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomorrow Never Knows</span> 1966 song by the Beatles

"Tomorrow Never Knows" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released in August 1966 as the final track on their album Revolver, although it was the first song recorded for the LP. The song marked a radical departure for the Beatles, as the band fully embraced the potential of the recording studio without consideration for reproducing the results in concert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ballad of John and Yoko</span> 1969 single by the Beatles

"The Ballad of John and Yoko" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles that was released as a non-album single in May 1969. It was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership, and chronicles the events surrounding the wedding of Lennon and Yoko Ono. The song was the Beatles' 17th UK number-one single and their last for 54 years until "Now and Then" in 2023. In the United States, it was banned by some radio stations due to the lyrics' reference to Christ and crucifixion. The single peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song has subsequently appeared on compilation albums such as Hey Jude, 1967–1970, Past Masters, and 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Things We Said Today</span> 1964 single by the Beatles

"Things We Said Today" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released in July 1964 as the B-side to the single "A Hard Day's Night" and on their album of the same name, except in North America, where it appeared on the album Something New. The band recorded the song twice for BBC Radio and regularly performed an abbreviated version during their 1964 North American tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dig a Pony</span> 1970 song by the Beatles

"Dig a Pony" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album Let It Be. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The band recorded the song on 30 January 1969, during their rooftop concert at the Apple Corps building on Savile Row in central London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dear Prudence</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"Dear Prudence" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. The song was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. Written in Rishikesh during the group's trip to India in early 1968, it was inspired by actress Mia Farrow's sister, Prudence Farrow, who became obsessive about meditating while practising with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Her designated partners on the meditation course, Lennon and George Harrison, attempted to coax Farrow out of her seclusion, which led to Lennon writing the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Day Sunshine</span> 1966 song by the Beatles

"Good Day Sunshine" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album Revolver. It was written mainly by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. McCartney intended it as a song in the style of the Lovin' Spoonful's contemporaneous hit single "Daydream". The recording includes multiple pianos played in the barrelhouse style and evokes a vaudevillian mood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girl (Beatles song)</span> 1965 song by the Beatles

"Girl" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album Rubber Soul. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. "Girl" was the last complete song recorded for that album. "Girl" is considered to be one of the most melancholic and complex of the Beatles' earlier love songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In My Life</span> 1965 song by The Beatles

"In My Life" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, released on their 1965 studio album, Rubber Soul. Credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership, the song is one of only a few in which there is dispute over the primary author; Lennon wrote the lyrics, but he and McCartney later disagreed over who wrote the melody. George Martin contributed the piano solo bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Reply (song)</span> Song by the Beatles

"No Reply" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1964 album Beatles for Sale. In North America, it was issued on Capitol Records' variant on the British release, Beatles '65. The song was written mainly by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Lennon originally gave the song to another artist managed by Brian Epstein, Tommy Quickly, in June 1964, but Quickly decided not to use it. The Beatles recorded the track in London soon after returning from their first full tour of the United States. The lyrics typify Lennon's more introspective and mature songwriting on the Beatles for Sale album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Every Little Thing (Beatles song)</span> 1964 song by the Beatles

"Every Little Thing" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their album Beatles for Sale, issued in the UK in December 1964. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was written by Paul McCartney. Capitol Records first issued the song in the US on Beatles VI in June 1965. The track is an early example of the Beatles' use of non-rock instrumentation on a recording, through the addition of timpani drum over the choruses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">There's a Place</span> 1963 song by the Beatles

"There's a Place" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their debut album, Please Please Me, released in March 1963. It was written primarily by John Lennon and credited to McCartney–Lennon. In the United States, the song was released in July 1963 on the group's first US LP, Introducing... The Beatles, later reissued in January 1964 as Beatlemania surged there. It was also issued as a non-album single in the US, in March 1964, as the B-side to "Twist and Shout", reaching number 74 in the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Down</span> 1965 single by the Beatles

"I'm Down" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on a non-album single as the B-side to "Help!" in July 1965. The song originated in McCartney's attempt to write a song in the style of Little Richard, whose song "Long Tall Sally" the band regularly covered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She's a Woman</span> 1964 single by the Beatles

"She's a Woman" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on a non-album single in November 1964 as the B-side to "I Feel Fine", except in North America, where it also appeared on the album Beatles '65, released in December 1964. Though it was the B-side, it charted in the US, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number eight on the Cash Box Top 100. The song originated in McCartney's attempt to write a song in the style of Little Richard. The lyrics include the first reference to drugs in a Beatles song, with the line "turn(s) me on" referring to marijuana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)</span> 1973 single by George Harrison

"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released as the opening track of his 1973 album Living in the Material World. It was also issued as the album's lead single, in May that year, and became Harrison's second US number 1, after "My Sweet Lord". In doing so, the song pushed Paul McCartney and Wings' "My Love" from the top of the Billboard Hot 100, marking the only occasion that two former Beatles have held the top two chart positions in America. The single also reached the top ten in Britain, Canada, Australia, and Holland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Only Love</span> 1965 song by the Beatles

"It's Only Love" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first released in 1965 on the Help! album in the United Kingdom and on the Rubber Soul album in the United States.

"Sue Me, Sue You Blues" is a song written by English musician George Harrison, released on his 1973 album Living in the Material World. Harrison initially let American guitarist Jesse Ed Davis record it for the latter's Ululu album (1972), in gratitude to Davis for his participation in the Concert for Bangladesh. When writing the song, Harrison drew inspiration from the legal issues surrounding the Beatles during the early months of 1971, particularly the lawsuit that Paul McCartney initiated in an effort to dissolve the band's business partnership, Apple Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eight Days a Week</span> 1964 single by the Beatles

"Eight Days a Week" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon based on McCartney's original idea. The song was released in the United Kingdom in December 1964 on the album Beatles for Sale. In the United States, it was first issued as a single in February 1965 before appearing on the North American release Beatles VI. The song was the band's seventh number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, a run of US chart success achieved in just over a year. The single was also number 1 in Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands.