An Afternoon With Andrew Nagorski

-First, a stream of consciousness about the wintry late afternoon I got to spend with a remarkable local.-

Day two without my Subie, and I have no complaints. Mom’s car is on the fritz yet again. She has much more driving to do than I, so I gladly loaned her my car and Lyfted around town. I had a bright outlook throughout the work day. It was my resolve to live up to Lindsey’s description of me as ”sunshine” in her thoughtful greeting card.

After work, I hailed a Lyft to Andrew Nagorski’s house. It was calming to sit in the back seat of Larry’s Mazda reviewing my interview notes with few distractions. I could never be absorbed in research while behind the wheel. These are things I considered when loaning mom my car. Vehicle ownership can be such a burden.

Andrew’s house was the picture of opulence. His roof is made of green tile, and the exterior is mostly white. His house sits on the marsh with a view of the historic district. It was a thrill to get this writing assignment for St Augustine Social’s April/May issue. Molly left me a note referencing Andrew’s bio, which was impressive. He was a Newsweek correspondent for 35 years. Andrew has written seven books, traveled the globe, and under his tenure Newsweek launched various language editions of its publication. His writing often centers on World War II and the Nazi regime. Andrew observed that by and large, we were somewhat blind to the gravity of what was happening in Germany during Hitler’s reign. A major turning point in history was unfolding, yet those on hand for the critical moment would only appreciate its weight later.

Climbing the home’s entry steps, I was first greeted by Skye, a white and red Irish Setter. He was easily visible through the glass doors. Then came Mr. Nagorski. He introduced me to his hospitable, gracious wife, who prepared tea and cinnamon cookies for us while we settled into Andrew’s office. He was in the final stages of his new book when we met. In kindness, he showed me a mock-up.

“Is this my life?” This thought crosses my mind occasionally when I get to embark on journalistic or creative assignments. The flavor of wonder and adventure that I get to taste in my own city is enriching. When I travel overseas, these feelings bubble up almost daily. I’d say I last felt this way locally over the summer when I interviewed Rachel Sobenesdesme for my Local Perspectives series. Passing time at Kookaburra before the video shoot and then soaking up the marina sun with a colorful Crave salad with my videographer pal Bill...it was all a fruition of my younger dreams. What a blessing.

For about an hour, I got to pick Andrew’s brain about his background, his study of languages, his mentors, morning rituals, and so forth. We covered a lot of ground. The piece I’m writing will only be about 450 words, but I’d rather have an excess to trim than grope for additional content.

In Tim Ferriss’ fashion, I asked Andrew which books he most often gifts or recommends. He might have taken this as a roundabout means of me asking for a copy of one of his books. Really, by asking the question, I hoped to gain additional insights into his sensibilities. In the end, he did graciously gift me The Nazi Hunters. I was fascinated when he related the minutiae of his foray into Newsweek. I only wish I had time to get a play by play of the writing of his first book in Rome after being expelled from the Soviet Union. Maybe I’ll shoot him an email and ask about that - the process of writing, editing, publishing, promoting.

While we sat in his office, Andrew’s wife was busy preparing for guests. One of them happened to be a local artist named Holly Blanton. She’s a twin, and I’m pretty sure we follow each other on Instagram. It was surreal to shake her hand. I also got to meet Andrew’s daughter Eva, who he mentioned during our interview. His wife asked me if I wanted to stay for dinner, which I found incredibly hospitable.

By this time, my Lyft was four minutes away. I walked toward the main gate and hopped into the driver’s car. His name turned out to be Dennis Headrick, which struck me, because I went to school with a Dennis Headrick as a kid.

-What follows is the resulting piece that appeared in St. Augustine Social’s April/May 2019 issue-
• • •

First things first: we need mental resets to achieve clarity in our fast-paced world with its beaming screens and myriad notifications. For journalist Andrew Nagorski, morning rituals help. His days begin with walks along the marsh with Skye, his Irish Setter. Upon returning, Andrew might stretch before enjoying a hard copy of the newspaper. Easing into work and letting writing flow freely sometimes involves aquatics. "If I just go for a swim and stop thinking about it, I get out of the ocean and say, 'Oh, now I know,'" Andrew explains.

A former Newsweek correspondent, Andrew keeps busy with speaking engagements, writing for The Daily Beast, and completing his seventh book, The Year Germany Lost the War: 1941. Reviewing past titles like The Nazi Hunters makes clear Andrew's expertise. But to grasp how he reached his current destination, we'll look back at events set in motion before his birth - a microcosm of a World War II era Europe.

Born and raised in Poland, Andrew's parents married a year before the war's outbreak. His father was enlisted against German forces. Soon Germany overwhelmed Poland, anticipating surrender. But Andrew's father fled to France where other Polish troops regrouped. As we know, France faced defeat at Germany's hands, meaning British forces evacuated their troops along with Polish units. Andrew's mother gained passage with her husband. When Andrew was born, his parents found themselves in Scotland with other military families. They quickly emigrated to New York, where his father became a diplomat. So Andrew grew up in Egypt, South Korea and France.

His interest in journalism was somewhat blood-borne. Andrew's father was a correspondent and news agency founder. By the 6th grade, Andrew started a modest school publication. Later as an Amherst College history major, he wrote for the campus paper. After college, Andrew decided he wanted a career in journalism. When The Boston Globe and The Christian Science Monitor seemed out of reach, he found that he was only a few degrees of separation from key players at Newsweek. Andrew was invited to a high stakes "tryout." It lasted for up to six months with weekly check-ins resulting in a farewell, or continued training. Andrew landed the role, as it were. The next 35 years were spent with the magazine.

Looking back on those years, Andrew finds a highlight in his Moscow assignment during the 80s. There he was, breaking stories in a tightly sealed society. His sources were courageous enough to break away from "surface conformity" in the interest of furnishing substantial information. This was in the face of KGB monitoring and harassment. Andrew describes it all as a "deadly serious game." But to see the oppressed take a stand for the values they held dear was an inspiration.

Andrew's rise to success is itself an inspiration. Rewards await those who pursue goals and dreams for the long haul.