Robert Draper visited Newhouse this Thursday to talk about his rather exuberant career in magazine journalism. First deciding to become a writer because “it was the only thing I could do well,” Draper had ample encouragement at an early age to pursue his talent. Originally aspiring to be a novelist, Draper stated that it took him a while to turn his “juvenile interest into a career.” Like many of us, Draper was unsure of what exactly he wanted to do. Yes, he entered college in hopes of becoming an author, however, he left as a free-lancer, writing for any magazine that would take him. To me, it is people like Draper who are clearly passionate about their careers. Making very, very little money, as he put it, Draper took on whatever stories he could. It was not about pay or notoriety, but rather doing as much as he could and proving that he was capable of succeeding in this field. “I prefer the dabbling approach,” he stated, doing a little bit of this and that, never limiting himself. Today, Draper continues to writer for a number of magazines, most notably The New York Times and National Geographic.
For The New York Times, Draper writers about domestic politics. Mainly focusing on Republican figures, Draper has written pieces about people as acclaimed as George W. Bush. Bush was one of the first public figures Draper wrote about. I find it compelling to have the opportunity to meet such luminaries in the field. You get the chance to interact with them, interview them, and hold conversations with them. During the lecture, Draper even went on to discuss the things he has learned about Bush since doing stories on him; “he’s a very intelligent guy but intellectually lazy,” “a great polemicist…able to pick out the weak link,” has “rigorous intelligence,” is “very complex.” Overall, Draper has come into contact with a variety of notable persons within politics. He is considered the “republican explainer” to The New York Times’ liberal readers.
In addition to being a writer for The New York Times, Draper has also done a considerable amount of work for National Geographic. When talking about travel writing, Draper stated how it is no “luxury” vacation. There are no nice hotels in the south of France, or wonderful sights to be held as you walk through the streets of Italy. It is visiting places where there are stories to be told; war stricken, poverty ridden, distressed countries. For Draper, this included places such as Madagascar, Libya, the Congo, Afghanistan, and, the most memorable in my opinion, Somalia. Somalia was the first truly dangerous places Draper visited to retrieve a story. It was at the time when Doctors Without Borders was the last U.S. organization present in the area. People with the organization said it was senseless for Draper and his co-workers to go into Somalia at this point. “You would either be killed or kidnapped” when leaving your hotel, one person told him. However, Draper and his team decided to proceed. Immediately upon arrival “we were targeted for assassination,” Draper said. After he had received permission to stay without fear of prosecution, Draper went on to interview natives, surrounded by heavily armed security. “You can’t interview people when you’re surrounded by guns. But in Somalia, I had no choice.” It was also in Somalia that Draper met Amanda Lindhout, a name many perhaps are familiar with. Lindhout was a self-styled free-lance journalist, kidnapped by Islamist rebels in southern Somalia. Draper, very likely, could have been in Lindhout’s position. Somalia was a trip that throughly shook up Draper, evidence that not all travel writing is glamourous.
Out of the speakers I have attended at Newhouse, Draper was the one guest who completely captivated my attention. Perhaps I am partial due to my major as a magazine journalist, but Draper’s success and profound contributions to journalism cannot be impeached. He was truly an accomplished and enjoyable speaker to listen to.