Book of the Week (5/25/2020)

Political Godmother: Nackey Scripps Loeb and the Newspaper that Shook the Republican Party by Meg Heckman (Lincoln, NE: Potomac Books, 2020).

Newspaper publisher and GOP kingmaker Nackey Scripps Loeb headed the Union Leader Corporation, one of the most unusual—and unusually influential—local newspaper companies in the United States. Her unapologetic conservatism and powerful perch in the home of the first-in-the-nation presidential primary elicited fear and respect while her leadership of New Hampshire’s Union Leader gave her an outsized role in American politics. In Political Godmother Meg Heckman looks at Loeb’s rough-and-tumble political life against the backdrop of the right-wing media landscape of the late twentieth century. Heckman reveals Loeb as a force of nature, more than willing to wield her tremendous clout and able to convince the likes of Pat Buchanan to challenge a sitting president. Although Loeb initially had no interest in the newspaper business, she eventually penned more than a thousand front-page editorials, drew political cartoons, and became a regular on C-SPAN. A fascinating look at power politics in action, Political Godmother reveals how one woman ignited conservatism’s transformation of the contemporary Republican Party. -- Publisher's blurb

Join Concord Monitor alum Meg Heckman (in conversation with fellow Concord Monitor alum Pamela Walsh) virtually via Gibson's Bookstore, to share her new book on Wednesday, June 10th, 2020 at 7 pm.

From Gibson's Bookstore:
"We will be hosting Ms Heckman via ZOOM webinar. ZOOM is free for audience members to use. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with ZOOM ahead of time. A ZOOM widget (computer) or app (smartphone) and an internet connection are required to participate. There is no admittance fee to attend this virtual event, but event registration is required. A registration link can be found here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7515899915718/WN_dtMh0CYWQMmThmyQG90_ww Please note that registration serves only to deter casual zoom-bombers, and does not guarantee a spot if the meeting reaches capacity (100). The software fills the meeting room based on time of arrival, not registration date."