Mae West, Johnny Carson, Taylor Caldwell, Elvis Presley, Carl Sandburg, Eleanor Roosevelt, Grace Kelly, Joseph P. Kennedy and Clark Gable are just a few of the people Jess Stearn crossed paths with in his storied career as a journalist and author. He met with the famous and the infamous, the proud and the humble, the glamorous and the plain. With every meeting, Stearn learned something about the world, about human nature -- and about himself. He learned about humility from the policeman who risked his life in turbulent waters to save a boy's dog. He learned about loyalty from Phil Donahue, who, on achieving superstardom, remembered those who stuck by him in the lean years. He learned about integrity from baseball great Sandy Koufax, who refused to blame other players for costly World Series errors that marred the end of his brilliant career.These snapshots from a reporter's notebook offer a compelling look at American history in the 20th century. Stearn's personal reflections on events suchas the Lindbergh kidnapping, the rise of rock 'n' roll music, and the Kennedy assassinations bring to life the prominent characters who molded our times.