The Influencing Machine: Brooke Gladstone on the Media is a nonfiction graphic novel by journalist Brooke Gladstone and cartoonist Josh Neufeld. Gladstone describes the book as "a treatise on the relationship between us and the news media." It was further described by the New York Observer as "a manifesto on the role of the press in American history as told through a cartoon version of herself." The title of the book refers to On the Origin of the "Influencing Machine" in Schizophrenia, a 1919 article written by psychoanalyst Viktor Tausk.

Publication history The Influencing Machine was released in hardcover in May 2011. A paperback edition with a new cover was released in May 2012. A tenth anniversary edition, with a new cover, interior revisions, new material, and a new afterword, was released in January 2021."The Influencing Machine," W.W. Norton website. Retrieved Feb. 14, 2021.

Synopsis Much in the vein of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, Gladstone appears in the book as an illustrated character, taking the reader through two millennia of history — from the newspapers in Caesar's Rome to the penny press of the American Revolution and the activities of contemporary journalism. Issues discussed include bias, objectivity, misinformation, ethics, and a large chapter on war reporting. In a reference to the Trausk's "Influencing Machine," the book debunks the notion that “The Media” is an external force, outside of our control. Instead, it posits that the media is a mirror — sometimes a distorted one — reflecting society's beliefs and morals back at itself.

Reception The Influencing Machine received recognition from magazines, newspapers, and websites such as The New Yorker,"Briefly Noted," The New Yorker (October 3, 2011), p. 79. National Public Radio,"AUTHOR INTERVIEWS: 'The Influencing Machine' Traces Myths Of The Media," National Public Radio "Weekend Edition" (May 21, 2011). the Associated Press,Ramde, Dinesh. "'Influencing Machine': We get the media we deserve," Associated Press (Deseret News) (June 7, 2011). The Nation,Richardson, Reed. "Our Media Ourselves," The Nation (JULY 15, 2011). Columbia Journalism Review,Rall, Ted. "Media Illustrated: Brooke Gladstone's new book, The Influencing Machine, reviewed in comic format," Columbia Journalism Review (May/June 2011). and many others.

The book was named one of the best comics/graphic novels of 2011 by Publishers Weekly'Best Books 2011: Comics," Publishers Weekly (Nov. 7, 2011). and the Library Journal.Cornog, Martha and Steve Raiter. "Best Books 2011: Graphic Novels," Library Journal (Dec. 1, 2011). It was listed on a number of 2011 holiday gift guides, including New York magazineKim, Wook. "The 2011 Vulture Holiday Gift Guide," New York (Nov. 30, 2011). and BoingBoing.Doctorow, Cory. "Influencing Machine: Brook Gladstone's comic about media theory is serious but never dull," BoingBoing (JUL 7, 2011). It was selected for 1book140, The Atlantic.com's reading club.Matias, J. Nathan. "1book140: Recapping Our Twitter Chat with The Influencing Machine's Creators," TheAtlantic.com (Aug. 23, 2013).

The Influencing Machine has been selected as a common read by a number of universities, including Alaska Pacific University, American University,"LITERATURE: 2014 Writer as Witness Colloquium," American University website (August 15, 2014). Millersville University,Barcoski, Maria. "Campus Unity Through Reading," The Snapper (Sept. 7, 2012). the University of Alaska Anchorage,"Brooke Gladstone talks about "The Influencing Machine," UAA Podcasts: University of Alaska Anchorage (Feb. 26, 2014). and the University of Maryland."FYB 2012: The Influencing Machine," University of Maryland website. Accessed Sept. 19, 2016.

Editions The Influencing Machine has been translated into Korean,DIGESTING THE MEDIA: Detailed History of Media; Eloquent Media Criticism (translated from Korean) (DoddleSaeghim, 2012). Italian,ARMI DI PERSUASIONE DI MASSA (Rizzoli Lizard, 2012). French,LA MACHINE À INFLUENCER (Çà et Là, 2014). and German.DER BEEINFLUSSUNGSAPPARAT (Correctiv, 2016). The Influencing Machine (English paperback edition) , W.W. Norton, May 2012 Digesting the Media: Detailed History of Media; Eloquent Media Criticism (Korean edition), DoddleSaeghim, 2012 Armi di Persuasione di Massa: Abbiamo i media che ci meritiamo (Italian edition) , Rizzoli Lizard, February 2013 La Machine à Influencer: Une historie des medias (French edition) Çà et Là, April 2014 Der Beeinflussungsapparat (German edition) , Correctiv, April 2016 The Influencing Machine (10th anniversary paperback edition) , W.W. Norton, January 2021

See also On the Media

References

External links The Influencing Machine page on the W. W. Norton website The Influencing Machine book trailer "Objectivity," a chapter from The Influencing Machine, hosted on Slate "The Goldilocks Number," a section from The Influencing Machine, hosted on Slate