All The Lives Fit To Print

GORDON: How long will this take? JAMIESON: Eight months, nine months. We’re going to try to do everyone. We want to do everyone.

Will readers still be interested come next March? I think these pages are going to grow in impact. We’ll start getting back to our lives, and these faces will still be appearing in the paper every day.

Is this a coveted assignment or a dreaded one? Both. It’s a lot of work for a small story and no byline. But I think the reporters are surprised to find it as hugely fulfilling as it is. I have seen reporters crying on the phone with people. I’ve also seen them laughing. There’s so much death in the paper now, but you’re writing about people’s lives.