The Brass Check: A Study of American Journalism

"The Brass Check: A Study of American Journalism" by Upton Sinclair is a non-fiction exploration of early 20th-century American journalism. Sinclair's book throws open the doors to the inner workings of news organizations during a period of great social and political transformation. The author seeks to uncover dishonest journalistic processes, and demonstrate just how much the press can sway both what the public thinks and society itself. The book begins with the author's reasons for writing, instantly grabbing the reader. Sinclair starts with a letter revealing a deep worry about the press in that era, and describes it as a destructive force. Sinclair presents himself as someone who has been treated unfairly by the media for 20 years and pledges to present both his own stories, and the stories of others, in order to accurately show American journalism for what it is. He builds a story using personal stories and larger comments about society, as well as setting the scene for tough questions about journalism's power to affect debate and government.