John R. McLean was prominent for many years as a newspaper publisher, politician, and multimillionaire. He learned journalism working from the bottom up at the Cincinnati Enquirer, of which his father was part owner, and of which he acquired ownership. For years he gave much financial support to the Democratic party in Ohio and used his newspaper to influence his party and his state, though he was unsuccessful in seeking public office. After failing with a newspaper in New York, McLean moved to Washington, D.C., where he became a civic leader, continued to amass a fortune in real estate and business, and purchased the Washington Post. Under his ownership, the paper suffered loss of prestige and revenue, but it managed to survive. After McLean's death in 1916, the Post fared even worse during its sixteen years under the ownership of McLean's son; it was sold in 1933. A personal...