Rose Man of Sing Sing

James McGrath Morris is a former journalist, author of Jailhouse Journalism: The Fourth Estate Behind Bars , and a historian. He lives in Falls Church, Virginia, and teaches at West Springfield High School.

"Charles Chapin (the "rose man of Sing Sing") has faded from public memory. Although Morris attempts to remedy that, Chapin was so enigmatic that, despite meticulous research on Morris's part, he remains as much a mystery in biography as he did in life. His life as a convicted murderer is as sensational as almost anything printed in "yellow journalism." Arrogant, mean-spirited, and cold, Chapin rose quickly through reporting to important editorial positions, particularly with Pulitzer newspapers. At age 59, thinking he was drowning in financially troubled waters, he killed his wife as she slept and then did not follow through on his plan to commit suicide. Convicted and sentenced to Sing Sing for a minimum of 20 years, he emerged as a darling of the warden by reviving the prison newspaper and growing thousands of roses. Even then, his self-centered coldness continued. Chapin is a rather pathetic figure, but Morris succeeds, as any good reporter does, in presenting the facts objectively. The book, however, reveals little about Chapin's journalistic abilities or his professional impact. Summing Up: Optional. Useful in biography collections, rather than those supporting the study of journalism; undergraduates and general readers." -Choice "The author of Jailhouse Journalism tells extraordinary true story of legendary newspaper editor Charles E. Chapin..." -Baker & Taylor's Forecast "The reader is actually getting two books in one reading...The first 'book' is about one of the greatest and meanest city editors, Charles Chapin, a spendthrift who erred by killing his wife instead of himself. The second tale is about his life as a rose grower in Sing Sing, the well-know prison, his editing of the prison newspaper and two long-distance love affairs." -St. Joseph News-Press "...a damned good story in any era." -The Washington Post "The Best of the Year" "Chapin's story is engagingly told by James McGrath Morris." -Wall Street Journal "James McGrath Morris' well-researched narrative has the pace and detail of an engrossing historical novel." -Boston Herald "'Rose Man' is the story of an individual not only possessing a strong grasp on what was needed to attract readers in the heyday of stiff competiton among dailies, but one able to personally produce." -The Gazette "...recounts the life of Charles E. Chapin, a founding figure of modern journalism who killed his wife and died in prison." -Publishers Weekly "Chapin's life, that of a brilliant and limited man who eventually found horticultural redemption, is almost operatic in its sweep, and makes an unforgettable story." -The Times of Acadiana "In a book that reads more like a novel than the first biography of one of the legendary figures of newspaper journalism history, James McGrath Morris has done a laudable job of capturing the essence of Charles Chapin." -Journalism History