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While journalist Brooke Kroeger's new biography of Nellie Bly does much to debunk the myths and legends surrounding the nineteenth century's celebrated stunt journalist, it also raises questions that remain unanswered because of the paucity of sources. But considering the blank space that used to be her story, this book does much to expose the real Bly to history.
Christened Elizabeth Cochran and affectionately called "Pink," she first added an "e" to her last name and then adopted the "Nellie Bly" sobriquet for practically all but her legal entanglements; she used "Nellie Bly" stationery and even signed letters "N.B" In this biography, Kroeger used dozens of magazine and newspaper articles written by and about Bly, peppered with the paltry primary evidence, to reconstruct the life story of the woman responsible for the age of stunt journalism.
In the process, the author exposes the flaws of Bly. Kroeger notes that she practiced a form of advocacy journalism that would...