This was a great book and almost impossible to read.

This book covers how journalists approach sources when reporting on traumatic stories ( think murders, traffic accidents, mass shootings, sex trafficking, etc.). The author surveyed over a hundred people about their experiences with the media and it led to this incredible eye-opening and harrowing book.

I say it was almost impossible to read because it is unflinching. I'm not sure what magic the author used to fully convey the horror and absolute helplessness people will feel during media circuses around tragedies but I could only handle it in small doses. This book explores so many fine lines: how do we tell people's stories without making it gratuitous? How do we respect privacy while wanting to remain transparent? How do we consume media about disasters without glorifying the perpetrators (and yes, we're looking at you, true crime genre). How do journalists handle their own vicarious trauma?

The book was written during the pandemic and touches on recent North American tragedies with a big focus on Toronto and Canada, which my Canadian self appreciated very much. While unflinching, the book remains sensitive and respectful towards people affected the Toronto van attack or the Pulse club shooting, among other things. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time and pay special attention when I next see tragedy reported in the news.

Recommended for anyone who's ever taken an interest in the ethics of true crime, who has an interest in journalism, and who has wondered what privacy means in the age when everything sensational is recorded somewhere.

Thank you to NetGalley for kindly providing me with an electronic advanced reader's copy!