A brief reflection on “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold” by Gay Talese

Recently for class, I read Gay Talese’s “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold” for the first time.

I had heard of this article before and my professor presented it to us as an example of journalistic excellence that pioneered New Journalism. Needless to say, I had high expectations. And Talese delivered. 

In this work, Talese expertly profiles Frank Sinatra, setting the story around the theme of his moods. Most notably, because of Talese’s resourcefulness. He managed to create this work painting a portrait of Sinatra’s personality despite his refusal to be interviewed. 

As a journalist, I aspire to be this resourceful and be able to hone my skills in observation and curating sources the way Talese does in this work.

Additionally, this piece is notable for how Talese sets scenes and uses dialogue. These are more skills I am working on. Talese blurs the lines between strict old-school journalism and narrative styles of writing to create an engaging form of storytelling that I strive to emulate some day.