Dan Barry: The genius of Jimmy Breslin

You Decide with Errol Louis

Few people have had more of an impact on modern journalism than Jimmy Breslin. Breslin was a Pulitzer Prize Award-winning New York journalist and author who rose to fame in the 1960s, with columns that attracted millions of readers. Breslin displayed an unrivaled mastery at deadline journalism, whether he was covering John Lennon’s murder, the assassination of Malcolm X or the man who dug John F. Kennedy’s grave. His influential style has resonated long after his six-decade career came to an end and continues to this day.

One person who was influenced by Breslin’s writing is New York Times columnist Dan Barry. Barry is the editor of a brand new anthology of Breslin’s best work, titled “Jimmy Breslin: Essential Works.” Barry joined NY1’s Errol Louis to discuss their shared love of Breslin’s columns, as well as how he changed journalism. They also discussed the way he wrote about the people who rarely made the headlines. Finally, they touched on the current state of the New York Times, where he continues to work.

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