Katharine Graham's Washington

Katharine Graham, author and former owner of the Washington Post, died in July of 2001 at the age of 84.

Ms. Graham had lived most of her life in the city of Washington, D.C. As far as Ms. Graham was concerned, Washington, D.C. was the greatest city in the world!

In her second and final book, titled Katherine Graham's Washington, she looks back at the city that she loved and tells stories about the city and its people, covering the period from 1917 to 2001.

She said "I was privileged to have been so often over my many years in Washington if not in the center of the rich life of the city, then at least hovering near. My father always taught me that with privileges come responsibilities, and I began to think that my unique perspective over eight decades might be of some interest to others who love our capital and would like a fuller glimpse into the constituents of this place we call Washington."

Well, I don't know Washington well enough to love it or not love it, but I'm always interested in learning more about the cast of characters that have inhabited the city from its inception as our nation's capital.

In the "Foreword" to her book, Ms. Graham further explicates what the city has meant to her:

One of the happy results of my backward glance at this city that I love is that, despite all the changes, it reminds me of some of what lasts in Washington, what endures--including society, civility, great men and women (and some colorful rascals), and devotion, respect, and good work."

When I read that my first response was "Is she talking about the same Washington, D.C. that I know?" Then I remembered she died before she was able to experience all the "benefits" of the Bush administration.

Today, one would never describe Washington, D.C. as a city of "civility, great men and women..." although you might write several lengthy essays on the not-so-colorful rascals! And it is hard to fathom how in 2008 one could use the words, "devotion, respect, and good work" in a sentence that contained the words, "Washington, D.C."

That's all very sad. But that's the way it is!