Bad City

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

The most shocking thing about this book was how the Los Angeles Times went to great lengths to protect the University of Southern California. A decade ago, a hotel manager called 911 to report a woman’s overdose. Also in the room was Carmen Puliafito, the Dean of Medicine at USC. When the author of this book, Paul Pringle, heard about it, he began digging deeper into the story. After thorough reporting, his managing editor squashed the article entirely.

Pringle wasn’t going to be stopped by that, though. He continued working on the story without approval. He tried contacting Puliafito, the college president, and all those involved. Eventually, he discovered the woman’s identity, and the story broke open. After all this happened, another story broke. At every step of the way, the story was killed. Over and over and over. Clearly, USC had its hands in the Times.

The campus gynecologist was accused of sexual harassment, and an investigation uncovered reports dating back to the 1990s, yet he still had the job. I just could not believe how hard the journalists had to fight to get the stories published. Outstanding reporting and captivating book. Loved this one!