BACKSTORY

Ericka, Sylvia, and Gregor McFadden are journalists who report on some of the most urgent issues of the day, from thawing permafrost in Siberia to the coronavirus pandemic in Shanghai and the war in Ukraine. The book follows them through their working lives and shows how a single news story takes shape, including the research and effort behind each article.

Readers get a close look at what drives reporters today: the determination and passion that keep them going. The book suits anyone curious about how journalism works and about the people who gather the facts that the public relies on.

With guidance from William Sargent, the book stresses the serious effects of climate change and the need for prompt action. It asks readers to take the reporters' findings seriously and to consider what they can do with them.

Sargent is a science writer and consultant for NOVA who has written 28 books about science and the environment. BACKSTORY received the Boston Globe's Winship Award for best book by a New England author.