This collection highlights Celestine Sibley’s 60-year journalism career, featuring major stories like Margaret Mitchell’s death and the Anjette Lyles murder case. Richard Eldredge’s introduction draws from Sibley’s own words, offering insight into her work from cub reporter to seasoned journalist.
Limited Copies Left!
Non-Fiction
Hardback, 288 pages
January 1, 2001
Published in 2001 by Hill Street Press, this 60-year journalism collection takes the best of the best from Celestine Sibley's days as a beat reporter: from her stint, beginning in 1932 at age fifteen, as a cub reporter at the Mobile Press, through her work with the Pensacola News-Journal, and the high points of her 50-year career at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, including covering the death of “Gone With the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell, the infamous Anjette Lyles arsenic murder case and her five-year stint in California, interviewing Hollywood stars, including Clark Gable and Joan Crawford for the Sunday magazine. Eldredge's well-researched introductory material draws heavily on Sibley's own words.
This in-depth and chronological selection takes the best of the best from Celestine Sibley's days as a beat reporter: from her stint, beginning in 1932 at age fifteen, as a cub reporter at the Mobile Press, through her work with the Pensacola News-Journal, and the high points of her career at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. For historical perspective and behind-the-scenes interest, commentary from Sibley's peers discussing her style and giving remembrances of various news stories accompany many of the articles. Sibley frequently recalled those interesting early assignments in her later columns and Richard L. Eldredge's well-researched introductory material draws heavily on Sibley's own words.
Like other females in America's newsrooms at the time, Sibley was frequently called upon for "sob sister" duties-the art of female reporters commiserating with women in dire straits, frequently murder suspects, coaxing them to open themselves up emotionally and then turning the result into a tear-stained yarn for the next day's edition. Sibley was once sent to the Fulton County jail to interview the so-called Madam X, an unidentified robbery suspect. Evelyn Kobert-on deadline, Sibley got the shamed unemployed clerical worker to reveal her name-was accused of holding up an Alabama Street liquor store with a cap gun. Attempting to make her getaway with $62 in cash while being shot at by the store clerk, Kobert ran straight into two Atlanta police officers. Unlike many of her fellow sob sisters, Sibley managed to get the facts for the front-page story without degrading her subject.
By the late 1940s, Sibley had become equally nimble in the courtroom. Sibley was such a frequent figure at high-profile
murder trials, her Constitution colleagues had crowned her "the murder queen."
We are excited to present our initial list of titles, coming soon. As we continue to grow, we're committed to expanding our collection with a diverse range of compelling narratives and inspiring voices. Stay tuned for upcoming releases that promise to captivate, inspire, and ignite your passion for reading.
