“Read takes us back to the post-Gold Rush era, when San Francisco was closer to the Hobbesian jungle of HBO's ‘Deadwood’ than a modern metropolis . . . War of Words is an engrossing tale of old San Francisco. Any fan of true crime or the seedy origins of the newspaper you are now reading will enjoy it.”
San Francisco Chronicle
"Here is a narrative with the pace of a true crime work . . . A true tale of the Old West, replete with smoking guns, brothels, and rugged individualism, this entertaining work will appeal not only to those interested in U.S. history, particularly of the West, but of newspaper history."
Library Journal
"The Kalloch/de Young feud brims with a colorful cast of characters and explosive plot twists, and Read relates it in melodramatic style. His exuberant prose, liberally spiced with quotes from his florid predecessors, is well suited to this tale of political and journalistic mayhem and murder."
Providence Journal
A real-life Barbary Coast, War of Words details the bloody birth of the San Francisco Chronicle.
In the San Francisco of the Old West, bad news was considered the best news and the term "circulation war" was literal. In this midst, Charles de Young—cofounder of the San Francisco Chronicle—launched his fledgling paper in 1865 intending to stay out of the fray. His impartiality wasn't to last. With a nose for news and an ear for gossip, he promoted politicians he favored and lambasted those he scorned. Intent on cleaning up the rough and tumble city, de Young's weapon of choice for ridding San Francisco of corruption was not sword or pistol, but pen.
De Young's verbal venom soon targeted Isaac Kalloch, a golden-tongued preacher with a tainted past. Kalloch’s run for mayor infuriated de Young, who editorialized with disdain. Insults volleyed back and forth between the two men until the verbal blows erupted into explosive violence on the streets of San Francisco.
Using newspaper accounts, diaries, and letters, Simon Read reaches back in time to reconstruct a news story that captivated the nation. Read shines a light on the war of words that escalated to physical violence, granting modern newshounds in-the-moment access to the shocking events that led to the start of one of America's most renowned newspapers.
You can can buy your copy today on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Also, check with your local independent bookstore.
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