Driven
A Life in Public Service and Journalism from LBJ to CNN
Published on 1. October 2025
Book
Hardback
368 pages
978-0-8203-7453-6 (ISBN)
Description
Driven brings a seasoned perspective to today's conversations about government, media, and the future of truth in the form of a deeply personal and long-awaited autobiography by Tom Johnson, an award-winning journalist who helped shape the twenty-four-hour news media as we know it. Johnson's storied career in public service and journalism that began as a reporter at the Macon Telegraph in Georgia spans the Lyndon B. Johnson administration, where he was an eyewitness to painful negotiations on Vietnam and notified the president that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated, through the executive leadership of the LA Times and, finally, Ted Turner's upstart CNN in Atlanta.
From his perspective "inside the room," Johnson provides eyewitness accounts of LBJ's triumphs and failings as well as an on-the-ground view of the magnificent achievements and significant shortfalls of late twentieth-century American journalism. Johnson is also candid about his lifelong struggle with depression and has actively worked in retirement as a leader in mental health, cancer research, Alzheimer's, and addiction treatment and recovery. With more than eight decades behind him, Driven is not just Johnson's look at the past but a chance for his story to offer guidance about finding balance in an uncertain future.
From his perspective "inside the room," Johnson provides eyewitness accounts of LBJ's triumphs and failings as well as an on-the-ground view of the magnificent achievements and significant shortfalls of late twentieth-century American journalism. Johnson is also candid about his lifelong struggle with depression and has actively worked in retirement as a leader in mental health, cancer research, Alzheimer's, and addiction treatment and recovery. With more than eight decades behind him, Driven is not just Johnson's look at the past but a chance for his story to offer guidance about finding balance in an uncertain future.
Reviews / Votes
President Johnson invested more confidence in the young man from Georgia and Harvard than he did anyone else on his White House staff, and it is no coincidence that Tom Johnson wound up writing this insider's account of LBJ's most crucial moments. This is a fascinating and valuable read. -- Bill Moyers * former White House press secretary * Tom Johnson has lived and worked at the heartbeat of history, and the value and originality of his memoirs are self-evident. This book offers fresh, new details and insight into some of the most historic events of the late twentieth century. -- Ashton G. Ellett * Director, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies * I've been waiting for this memoir from Tom Johnson for more than fifty years. Tom knew Lyndon B. Johnson as few others did, and that deep knowledge is on full display in this warm, humorous, and penetrating portrait of this giant figure. And that captivating image of LBJ is matched by insightful writing of the two other larger than life figures that Tom worked for-Otis Chandler at the Los Angeles Times and Ted Turner at CNN. What a remarkable life! What a remarkable story! -- Doris Kearns Goodwin * presidential historian, LBJ presidential advisor, and prizewinning author * Tom Johnson is the best leader in CNN and Los Angeles Times history. -- Robert Allbritton * founder of Politico * Tom Johnson has written a fascinating book. I read every word and am so glad I did. He's done brilliantly. There is one interesting story after another. -- Don Graham * former publisher of the Washington Post * It's my immense privilege to have known Tom Johnson for over 50 years. I have enormous respect for his career in journalism and in public service. The core of that respect is trust in a man who exemplified excellence, integrity, patriotism, and heart. -- William Webster * former FBI director and former CIA Director * My pal, Tom Johnson, made an indelible mark on CNN while serving as president from 1990 to 2001. He stood for the best of cable news, the best of journalism, and the best of humankind. A treasured and trusted leader and a kind and connected mentor who embodied the journalistic principles of truth, integrity, and quality, Tom helped advance CNN's revolutionary approach to news coverage with a looking glass to the world. He moved the needle on how wars were covered-inspiring a gold standard for democracy and greater cultural understanding. -- Ted Turner * founder of CNN, philanthropist, and conservationist * This book reveals Tom Johnson's journey from Old South Macon, Georgia, to New World Visionary with a reflection of Heaven in his heart and mind. He sees what is and what could be. -- Andrew Young * activist and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations * After former President Lyndon Johnson's death at his ranch in Texas, Tom Johnson, with the help of the funeral home staff, dressed the late president in his favorite suit, tie, and silver star pin in his lapel. The depth of intimacy is what distinguishes Driven, which provides an unrivaled look into the workings of late twentieth-century politics and journalism. -- Landon Parvin * speechwriter for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Georgia
United States
Product notice
With dust jacket
Illustrations
75 b&w images
Dimensions
Height: 226 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 41 mm
Weight
771 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8203-7453-6 (9780820374536)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
TOM JOHNSONserved as chief executive officer of two of America's most respected news organizations, the Los Angeles Times and CNN. Part of the first White House Fellows class, he eventually became assistant press secretary under Bill Moyers, then assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson, following LBJ back to Texas after he left office. He is a recipient of several awards, including the Horatio Alger Award, Ten Outstanding Young Americans, the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism, and the Paul White Award. In 2006, he also received the John Gardner Legacy of Leadership Award by the White House Fellows for lifetime achievement in public service. A native of Macon, Georgia, and graduate of the University of Georgia and Harvard Business School, Johnson lives in Atlanta with his wife, Edwina.