People have the illusion that all over the world, all the time, all kinds of fantastic things are happening. When in fact, over most of the world, most of the time, nothing is happening.

This social history was largely based on his own observations as a young reporter in the city. David McClure Brinkley (July 10 1920 – June 11 2003) was an American newscaster for NBC and ABC in a career lasting from 1943 to 1997. Their concern proved unfounded.

Over the course of his career Brinkley received ten Emmy Awards three George Foster Peabody Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He wrote three books including the critically acclaimed 1988 bestseller Washington Goes to War about how World War II transformed the nation's capital.