Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh will discuss his bestseller "Chain of Command" on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at Williams College. The talk is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Chapin Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is available on a first come basis.
"Chain of Command: The Road from 9/11 to Abu Ghraib" chronicles the path from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 to the American prisoner abuse scandals of Abu Ghraib. The book is based on articles that originally appeared in The New Yorker magazine.
In a 2004 interview in Salon, Hersh said that he thought that Rumsfeld and senior administration officials had a chance in the fall of 2002 to set the limits and chose not to.
"The chain of command is very responsive," he said. "If you put out the word that you're not going to tolerate this, it's not going to happen. But that's not the word they put out."
Hersh is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and has written dozens of stories on military and security matters surrounding the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq.
One of the most controversial and award-winning journalists in the past 40 years, he was the first to expose the My Lai massacre of the Vietnam War in 1969.
He also revealed the wiretapping authorized by Henry Kissinger during the Nixon administration and the C.I.A.'s sale of U.S. weapons to Libya during the 1980s. More recently, Hersh uncovered the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib.
His work has won more than a dozen major journalism prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting and four George Polk Awards.
His best-selling books, "The Dark Side of Camelot" about President Kennedy and "The Price of Power: Kissinger in the Nixon White House," won major national awards and were on bestseller lists for weeks.
His other book prizes include the 1983 National Book Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times award for biography, and the Sidney Hillman award.
He won an Investigative Reporters & Editors prize for the Kissinger book in 1983, and another in 1992 for "The Samson Option," a study of American foreign policy and the Israeli nuclear bomb program.
In 2004, Hersh won a National Magazine Award in public interest for his three pieces, "Lunch with the Chairman," "Selective Intelligence," and "The Stovepipe," an investigation of neoconservatives at the Pentagon. Richard Perle threatened to sue Hersh for libel after "Lunch with the Chairman" was published, but he failed to file suit.
Hersh began his career in journalism working for The New York Times.
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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Cozy Place to Be
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Are you looking for a move-in ready home close to the downtown area? Then this just might be the house you're looking for.
Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 193 Cold Spring Road.
This 1950 single-family has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house is 2,184 square feet on a little less than an acre of land. The price is $469,900.
The house not only comes with a 3.5-car basement garage but also a detached two-car garage with additional storage space above. The house includes the kitchen appliances like the dishwasher, range, and refrigerator, and has a fireplace, screened porch, and back deck. The home is also generator-ready.
We spoke to Suzette Lyons with Burnham and Gold Real Estate, which has the listing.
What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?
Lyons: Location, location, location!! This property is a short distance from downtown Spring Street. It's nestled conveniently away from the road and provides substantial privacy. Plus, the home has a well-maintained exterior and interior.
What was your first impression when you walked into the home?
What a gem! The workmanship is lovely and shows the home has been loved. There is an abundance of space with four bedrooms for family or work/home office space.
The opportunities are endless.
Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?
The home was built in the mid-1950s by the owner of Yeadon Farm Dairy on the edge of the farm, now the Thornliebank/Buxton Hill neighborhood, with lumber cut from the property.
Along with thick plaster walls and ceilings on the first floor, quality craftsmanship is abundant throughout.
The house has been owned by the same family who built it and the grandson has made every effort to match the original design and style with all of the renovations, including custom-milled natural woodwork for the private second-floor primary bedroom suite. Family pride in ownership is evident in every space of this well-constructed and maintained house now waiting for a new family to call it "home."
What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?
This home appeals to many buyers. There are four bedrooms sufficient for a full-time family, singles or second homeowners. Opportunity for in-law suite. Also, ample room for a home/office business. Lots of storage space with 3 1/2 garages and additional storage space above the oversized two-car garage.
Are there any standout design features?
Lots of personal touches with natural woodwork throughout, freshly painted light colors to maximize natural light, new flooring in several rooms. Spacious four-season room for relaxing or home/office use. Also, offers a beautiful primary suite on the second floor.
What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?
A peaceful retreat in the woods. Cozy up to the fireplace on winter nights, enjoy the morning coffee on the back porch or the four-season sunroom. Spend the afternoon gardening in your beautiful yard and connecting with nature. A pet-friendly home offering a fenced yard and durable flooring. A family friendly home directly on the school bus routes.
How would you describe the atmosphere or feel of this home?
The home has a welcoming feel with natural elements offering a place of comfort and belonging.
You can find out more about this house on its listing here.
*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.
From couture to canines and from crochet to carols, Williamstown Holiday Walk has you covered if you want to get into the spirit of the season this weekend. click for more
The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce reflected on this past year's success and the launch of a new coupon sales promotion at its annual meeting last week at Greylock Works.
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