40 years of getting a "read" on politics.

• Author: Barrett, Wayne M.
• Position: Editorial

To write well, one must read well--and a lot. That axiom of journalism is embodied by Raymond L. Fischer, our Mass Media Editor, who, besides his many article contributions to our pages over the years, marks his 40th anniversary as a book reviewer with USA TODAY The Magazine of the American Scene with this issue. Fischer clarified his interest in the impact of media in politics while a graduate student at the University of Illinois, from which he received a Ph.D. in Communication. For 45 years, he taught at Illinois State University, Wisconsin State University (Oshkosh), and the University of North Dakota, where he served as Director of the Graduate School of Communication until his retirement in 1999. He has published two books and numerous journal articles.

Fischer's reviews long have been recognized for their exhaustive attention to detail, so much so that, in this politically...