Knight Foundation

News University celebrates its 100th webinar. Photo credit: Kenny Irby / The Poynter Institute  Last week, I wrote about the steady stream of books by Knight Foundation journalism and media innovation partners. Here are some more highlights: ·      Steve Brill’s latest book, Class Warfare, focuses on a La Brea Tar Pit of public policy, our messy education system. The New York Times review begins with a good summary: “Steven Brill a graduate of Yale Law School and the founder of Court TV, and in his new book, “Class Warfare,” he brings a sharp legal mind to the world of education reform. Like a dogged prosecutor, he mounts a zealous case against America’s teachers’ unions. From more than 200 interviews, he collects the testimony of idealistic educators, charter school founders, crusading school superintendents and billionaire philanthropists. Through their vivid vignettes, which he pieces together in short chapters with titles like “ ‘Colorado Says Half of You Won’t Graduate’ ” and “A Shriek on Park Avenue,” Brill conveys the epiphanies, setbacks and triumphs of a national reform movement. “ One of the positive aspects of doing the book, Brill told me, was his discovery of a couple of excellent nonprofit news organizations writing about education issues, Gotham Schools, and Education News Colorado

There’s a steady stream of books being written by Knight Foundation journalism and media innovation partners. Today, the hottest best-seller among them; next week, the rest: ·      Walter Issacson’s latest biography of an American giant, this time Steve Jobs, is a must-read for anyone trying to understand the complex, fast-moving psychology of Silicon Valley. In designing the most popular communications products of the digital age, Jobs followed the advice of scientist Alan Kay: “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” And so, among many other things, we now have the iPod, iPhone and iPad – and entirely new ways to think about music, telephones and publishing.   Walter Issaacson, Pesident and CEO The Aspen Institute Nearing the end of his astonishing go-for-it career, Jobs himself, in his Stanford commencement speech, gave this advice: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”