The New York Times: The Complete Front Pages: 1851-2008 Reviews

• Great resource, but some days and entire months missing

  
  By AHXLANQCSP84U on 2008-11-02
  This is a terrific resource for history buffs. You can follow news stories as they happened, look up front pages for the day you were born, the days your parents and grandparents were born, and so on. What's great about following consecutive front pages is that you can follow not only the major stories day to day, but also the slightly less important stories that were unfolding simultaneously.
  
  Three DVDs contain all (well, not all -- see below) front pages since the Times began publishing in September 1851. The pages are all in PDF format (one PDF file per month), so if you have Acrobat Reader on your computer, as most people do, you don't need to install any special software.
  
  The product isn't perfect, though.
  
  One: there are missing front pages. In fact, I've had the product for just two days and I've already found two entire months missing: May 1926 and September 1994. If you click on those months, you see the pages for the wrong year. I also saw that the front page for June 17, 1971, is missing -- which was at the height of the Pentagon Papers crisis, a very important period for the Times! It makes me wonder what else might be missing. I hope the publishers will issue replacement DVDs or a downloadable patch to fix the various errors.
  
  Two: for some reason, many PDF files have days out of order. This is not a problem if you click on the date for an individual page, but if you want to use the arrow keys or your mouse's scroll wheel to scroll through consecutive days' pages, you can't always do that. Sometimes the first page in the file is for, say, the 19th day of the month, and then later the file skips from day 18 to another day. It would have been better if they had put all pages in correct chronological order in each month's file.
  
  Three: when you click on the masthead of a front page, it's supposed to take you to the Times website and bring up a list of front page articles for that day. But sometimes when you click on a masthead it brings you to the wrong day's articles.
  
  Four: the text of the articles is blurry and not always easy to read, no matter how much you magnify the text. This is odd, because the PDFs of the exact same articles on the Times website are much clearer and easier to read. It's not a problem on the front pages that are in color (the Times front page has been in color since October 16, 1997). Those are much clearer.
  
  As for the book that accompanies the DVDs -- it's terrific. It includes important front pages over the last 150 years, including full-size foldouts of the following events:
  
  * Lee's surrender at Appomattox
  * Lincoln assassination
  * San Francisco earthquake of 1906
  * Titanic sinks
  * Russian czar abdicates
  * World War I armistice
  * Scopes trial
  * Lindbergh's flight
  * 1929 stock market crash
  * FDR inaugurated
  * Pearl Harbor
  * Hiroshima
  * Brown v. Board of Education
  * Sputnik
  * 1963 March on Washington
  * Kennedy assassination
  * Moon landing
  * Nixon resigns
  * 9/11
  * War in Iraq begins
  
  Despite the missing page files, this is still a great product at a great price. Hopefully they'll take steps to fix the problems for those of us who have already bought the product.
  
  

• Wow! What a fabulous and lavishly printed treasure.

  
  By AUHG8KSHI529U on 2008-10-27
  The New York Times has been one of the top resources for news for more than 150 years. Despite its recent economic and editorial woes, and despite what some claim to be the declining importance of actual newspapers, I remain a firm believer in the value of daily physically printed newspapers. There is real value in having news gathered and printed on a daily basis by organizations of professional journalists. Not only do they inform the public in a more coherent way than the random impressions vibrating from the Web, they also provide a lasting record of what happened on a given day and what was thought about those events at the time they happened. You cannot rely on what we think of past events today as connected in any way to how events were regarded by those who lived them. I am very saddened to see the way the role of our daily newspapers are being diminished and am troubled that young people are not picking up the habit of reading daily newspapers in their printed form.
  
  This lavish edition rewards its readers in several ways. First the print edition provides more than 300 important front pages of key historical events (the Emancipation Proclamation, Pearl Harbor, Oswald being shot, to name just three). While all are given at least full page printing in this very large format book, some are given a heavy stock foldout that shows the page in a more true to life format. The book also includes a plastic sheet magnifier that makes reading even the smallest print on the page much easier for those of us with less than perfect visual acuity. The book also has periodic sections that provide important photos, editorial cartoons, and mini-essays that explain the selection of the images and why they help us better understand that period in history. When the times introduced color images, the book also switches to color printing (better quality than you get in the paper).
  
  The book also provides three DVDs with all 54,000 plus front pages that have been printed by the New York Times since its inception through 2008 (except for the periods the Times was on strike, obviously). If you are a subscriber to the times, you also can use links from these DVDs to get to the full articles in every one of these papers. However, if you don't subscribe, you have access but it is limited in period and by volume. There is a coupon for getting a subscription to the Times at 50% off for 26 weeks. If you think about it, that discount more than pays for the book (if you want the subscription to the paper).
  
  This book is remarkable and can help you in many ways from satisfying idle curiosity through digging pretty seriously into what the Times had to say about important events for the past century and a half.
  
  Strongly recommended.
  
  Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
  
  
  

• The Almost Complete New York Times!

  
  By A3CM9FBBOL2WWB on 2008-11-17
  I've had this book/DVD set for several days, and debated between rating it 3 stars and 4 stars. I would have gone 3 1/2 if given the option. If I had the choice to buy it again I would do so in a heartbeat despite some errors and limitations.
  
  The big plus with this set is it contains NEARLY all the front pages ever published. I say nearly, because in just a few days I noticed some days are missing. In searching through the Lindbergh baby kidnapping in March 1932 I noticed a couple of missing dates, and also in April 1932. Since I've only checked a few hundred pages, I've got to think there are other missing pages. Another BIG problem is many of the pages are very difficult to read, as one of the other reviewers has already pointed out. Many pages are also not in the correct order for the month. I have saved copies of some front pages from another source on the web, and the pages are much clearer than many of these reproductions (scanned copies).
  
  The printed book is done very well, although why they didn't include the Titanic sinking is beyond me.
  
  

• a great resource that throws the present product into stark relief

  
  By AFITFTAG0FKG4 on 2008-11-03
  The New York Times is currently nothing more than propaganda written by corrupt hacks with NO respect for their profession. The paper's performance as an enterprise suggests it isn't much longer for this world. But it wasn't always this way. For nearly 150 years, it was THE newspaper in America - a shining jewel. This book and the accompanying discs are a wonderful historical resource, as well as a sad reminder of how quickly generations of hard work can be destroyed by a small, dedicated group of petty tyrants.
  
  

• Eyesore

  
  By A2HJSE9079B0LW on 2008-11-24
  I returned the book since the readability of the pages was near impossible. Including a little plastic magnifying "glass" was a joke. The disks crashed my computers (HP Pavilions). All in all the expectations were great but the product was very disappointing.
  
  
• Great idea, poor implementation.
  By A1MNF59A2V4Z45 on 2008-12-03
  I bought this book and 3 dvd combination hoping that it would be completely thorough. Unfortunately, after using it for less than an hour, I've already found many months that are missing. Worse, I've found that certain months are mis-indexed. August 1977 actually pulls up December 1977. So the entire month of August 1977 is missing as well.
  
  This DVD set goes until April 1, 2008. It does NOT go to November 1, 2008, which corresponds to the publication date.
  
  The positive note, is that the months that *are* there are perfect. I just wish the publisher did some fact checking. Also, they are in PDF format without any security so you can export them as JPGs. I bought this to create a photobook for my baby, so I could have the NY Times front page on her date of birth. Much more economical than buying the front page print version from nytimes.com
  
  
  **UPDATE (12/3/08)**
  The NYTimes.com and publisher anticipate releasing a new set of DVDs with corrections in Feb/Mar. I'm sure the publisher will make a generalized announcement. www.blackdogandleventhal.com
  
  
• Missing One of the Most Historic Events in U.S. History
  By A38OO9M8P79QQ0 on 2008-11-11
  The suits at New York Times should have waited a few more months before putting this book in production to see how the election went for president. Now we have a book that probably was quite time-consuming in its editing and we are missing the front page of Barack Obama's historic presidential election. The book should from now till corrected be called The Incomplete Front Pages. Maybe the suits at New York Times planned on it this way so they can get everyone to go out and buy the updated version coming out just in time for Christmas!
  
  
• Priceless Historical Reference
  By A32KAUWX8FU9RE on 2008-12-06
  Those who conspire to make government work for the privileged in exploitation of the masses have as their enemy an independent and authoritative journalistic enterprise. The New York Times is one of the last and strongest bastions of an energetic and powerful fourth estate in a democracy continually under assault from formidable internal interests who would dismantle generations of progress for personal gain. Americans and citizens of the world owe great thanks for the heroic work of The Old Grey Lady. Long may she live and prosper.
  
  I anticipate many years of pleasure and insight from this valuable, well crafted survey of history.
  
  
• Amazing book, but some flaws
  By A276O0PWMD92UN on 2008-12-15
  I'm a big fan of the New York Times and I have a previous version of this book ("Page One" published in 1988). After exploring the new book for the past week, here's some info that those considering a purchase may find helpful:
  
  Pluses:
  * The quality of the photographic reproductions is a major improvement compared with the older book. The text, while certainly small, is quite sharp and clear. Occasionally the dimensions appear out of whack, but on the whole the appearance of each front page is excellent. The 20 fold-out pages are an especially nice touch.
  * The new volume covers the entire period from 1851 through March 2008, whereas Page One started with 1920 and went through August 1988. The editors' selections are often outstanding, and you will be guaranteed countless hours of fascination. I might quibble with the selection of particular dates over others for certain events, such as why they picked the front page of Amelia Earhart's plane crash in 1937 while ignoring the much more dramatic banner headline from 1928 (included in Page One) announcing she was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Having said that, I think you could look back on this book after 50 years and still find most of the front pages historically important.
  * Even more than the book itself, the best reason to buy it is the included DVDs. I've barely begun to explore them, but so far they work well, and I love that you can link directly to the NYT website to read the full articles from any date you want.
  
  Minuses:
  * Most glaringly, there is zero coverage of presidential elections. Zero. Zip. Nada. This was a major disappointment, since the previous book had a ton of presidential coverage. This volume does have a few random inaugurations and deaths, plus the Bush v. Gore decision, but that's it. Perhaps the NYT is planning a front pages book devoted solely to presidential history in the near future? If so it would be nice to see all the conventions, election day results, inaugurations, and deaths, along with each president's major speeches, in one volume. Here's hoping!
  * While the selections from 1851 through the 1960s are mostly solid, after that it's hit or miss. Examples: There is no coverage of Nixon's visit to China, the Yom Kippur war, the death of Mao, the Iranian revolution, the assassination of Sadat, the death of Brezhnev, the terrorist attack on US marines in Beirut, the invasions of Grenada and Panama, the Soviet putsch and Yeltsin's rise, the end of the Persian Gulf war, and Clinton's impeachment and acquittal. The fall of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1989 is represented by just one front page, the fall of the Berlin Wall, when it would have been great to see a few other key dates involving Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Romania during this dramatic period. The selections for the post-9/11 period are especially weak.
  
  Despite the nit-picking, I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in history. If you have the earlier Page One volume, you'll definitely want to hold on to it though, since that book has almost 250 dates that are missing here.
  
  
• A Good Idea, But...
  By A23U71WY9KGPBS on 2008-12-17
  The disks wouldn't run on my computer at work, even after installing the latest version of Adobe Reader. No luck with my laptop either. On my new computer, only the third disk contained clear images. On the first two disks, the text was readable for about a sixteenth of a second, then got fuzzy. I tried all kinds of adjustments but nothing helped. Several of the front pages were out-of-order on the readable disk. It would have been better if the pages were in a different format than pdf. I was able, however, to complete my project, which was to read every front page from the time Bush took office until the September 11th terrorist attacks, and see what he and his administration were concentrating on. For similar projects, assuming you don't have to go back too far, this could be useful.
  
  
• Good, but a glaring omission...
  By AAHK01OG9V31F on 2008-12-28
  I am pleased with the book and would like for those of you with good eyesight to know that you will not have trouble reading the print. It is small but not too small.
  
  The one omission from the book (not the disc) that I think is worthy of noting is the Virginia Tech Shooting. I felt like this was a bigger story in 2007 than Bhutto's assasination and the fact that Global Warming is "Unequivocal" -- the only two headlines included in the book from that year.
  
  Overall, if this seems like a book you would enjoy, buy it -- it is exactly what it seems.
  
  
• Fabulous NY Times front page compendium
  By A9YX8MNWVHK5D on 2008-11-26
  This is a Christmas gift that hasn't been opened yet, but I studied the reviews prior to ordering it, and it was a must-have for daughter/son in law's history teacher library. Also, Amazon had the book for less $ than the Times sells it for.
  
  
• The Complete Front Pages of New York Times, 1851-2008
  By A3016IHOS3T2AK on 2008-12-14
  The New York Times: The Complete Front Pages: 1851-2008
  This item arrived quickly and appears to contain, what the title implies, except it is not "The COMPLETE Front Pages", just some selected ones. The book is HUGE (Size), Very Hard to read, but with a struggle it can be done for those items in which you have interest.
  
  The CD'd are absolutely the best part of the
  "Package".
  
  
• NY Times Front Pages
  By A2G03R9PH4ZRC5 on 2008-12-27
  A great idea, and the information content is fascinating and valuable. I would recommend buying it for yourself. But I bought it as a gift, and I was terribly disappointed at the quality of the product. There were numerous illegible misprinted and overprinted pages
  
  
• But what are the reasons for the changes on the front page?
  By A1W6ZLDLFEU599 on 2008-11-17
  This is a fascinating look at one well-respected newspaper's visual and editorial presentation of daily history for the last century and a half. It is a remarkable resource for students of journalism and history, as well as newspaper experts and lovers of the daily news digest of ink on paper. What this book warrants is a deeper discussion of the economic and cultural reasons why newspapers have changed. I looked into the sourcing, style and content shifts of 20 American newspapers (including the New York Times) in brief periods of 2001 and 2004, and studied the possible explanations for the changes in front pages. My third book, "Everyman News: The Changing American Front Page" (University of Missouri, 2008) is a discussion of these changes. Take a look and see if you agree. Everyman News: The Changing American Front Page
  Michele Weldon
  
  
• Small Print!
  By ATTCBQ43VWJYP on 2008-12-16
  This book CD set is a real window on history. It gives the modern viewer a real look at the issues of past times. The Print however is very small. The publisher was very thoughtful to include a magnifing sheet in the back of the book. My family will get many hours of enjoyment and eduction from this set. Thanks
  
  
• Charge it rent...
  By A2C9CB0Q136KQQ on 2008-12-22
  The book probably weighs 5-7 pounds and is so huge/heavy reading it is cumbersome to handle. Suggest not leaving it on your glass coffee table for fear that if is slips out of your guests hands; the table will be reduced to pieces. In addition the book does not fit on a standard book shelf, and will ultimately be stored under the bed somewhere.
  The print is "very small" and although I noticed as the dates of the front pages become more current, the print fonts increase; yet the book remains hard to handle.
  Possitive features include you can't find a more detailed and concise account of NYT articles (with photos)of years gone by.
  
  
• Excellent Overview of History's Details
  By A3FVAWZNKW9GX on 2008-12-24
  "The New York Times: The Complete Front Pages: 1851-2008" is a perfect Saturday rainy day book. There are over 150 years represented, and, obviously, covers a lot of history, and, as such, will intrigue almost every interest level along the way.
  
  Some events became massively famous, but were, back in the day, not realized as significant as later known. Other events were huge news then but not now, like deaths of movie stars who have been since forgotten. All of it is chronicled.
  
  What this book is not is a bathroom book. Too heavy at 8+ lbs to manage. Instead, imagine reading it on a trip to a summer cottage when a storm hits. Pour a drink, and flip through it page-by-page at the table.
  
  Also, it is an excellent teaching tool for homeschoolers and standard classroom students alike. It puts history in the context of the moment. As today's news shapes tomorrow's news, readers of this book can look back, and watch each step. See, for example, the entire Vietnam War told from 1959 to 1975, and all of the surrounding concerns, protests and stories.
  
  You will close the book smarter than when you started. I did, reconnecting with high school history class, and finding out things I never heard of before.
  
  Although the New York Times has as of late found itself in scandalized journalism (Jayson Blair's plagiarism, succumbing to consistent political bias, etc.), it remains one of the world's most influential newspapers. Through its long tenure, it has defined what a newspaper can be, and is
  the benchmark of aspiration for any writer.
  
  I fully recommend "The New York Times: The Complete Front Pages: 1851-2008."
  
  Anthony Trendl
  http://AnthonyTrendl.blogspot.com
  
  
  
• a good premise, but doesn't live up to expectations
  By A19ZJ1V0TKB9YT on 2009-01-06
  I wanted to review day by day the great depression, and other historical events. Looking page by page was interesting, but not great. The pages are a little hard to read with ease both on the C/D's and in the book........and only being allowed to look at the first page printed per day was just a little incomplete as to details....yet, I did spend a pleasant afternoon with this product
  
  
• Excellent collection
  By A376FGGTQLNW90 on 2009-01-06
  We bought this awesome book for our son who immediately upon receiving it looked for the most important headlines in the last 50 years. A great book!
  
  

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