Intro, Best and the Brightest

In the introduction, Halberstam explains how he came to write this book. It really sets up the book well. While he was concerned that his experience in journalism might not translate to book writing, he found that his insatiable curiosity was well served by the book writing process.

His description of thinking in terms of what you produce is trenchant. A journalist who produces 800 words a day, starts to think in those terms. Transferring to book writing requires a different a whole different outlook.

That is why it is so important to have the passion to pursue a book. There are so many impediments to finishing works like these. Four years writing something that you are not sure is wanted by the public. It would be impossible to will oneself through such a process.