Frank Devine SIR: The late Frank Devine fed the Harcourt family for eighteen months. I had resigned from a well-paid, sycophantic PR job. I submitted a story to the Reader’s Digest when Frank was editor. He called me in. We had a chat. I did a redraft. He wrote me a letter: “Bill, never make a point without an anecdote. Keep quotes short and remember the Digest needs real live people up front constantly.” The second redraft succeeded. Frank was a generous man. Bill Harcourt, Sydney, NSW. SIR: Vale journalist Frank Devine: in equal proportions, an “educated and learned” man—when…
Subscribe to get access to all online articles
Already a member?
Sign in to read this article
Digital Subscription
$98 / YR
Get the latest ideas from Australia’s most insightful writers.
- Digital Subscription includes
- Online editions of Quadrant Magazine
- Printed editions of Quadrant Magazine
- iPad ready PDF
- Access to Quadrant Archives
Printed & Digital Subscription
$118 / YR
For avid readers of leading ideas
from Australia’s brightest.
- Printed & Digital Subscription includes
- Online editions of Quadrant Magazine
- Printed editions of Quadrant Magazine
- iPad ready PDF
- Access to Quadrant Archives
- Quadrant Patron includes
- Online editions of Quadrant Magazine
- Printed editions of Quadrant Magazine
- iPad ready PDF
- Access to Quadrant Archives
- All new editions of Quadrant Books
- Exclusive invitations to Quadrant Dinners, book launches and events.
- Quadrant Patron includes
- Online editions of Quadrant Magazine
- Printed editions of Quadrant Magazine
- iPad ready PDF
- Access to Quadrant Archives
- All new editions of Quadrant Books
- Exclusive invitations to Quadrant Dinners, book launches and events.