Ledbetter: Insatiably curious and committed to journalism

Holly Sraeel of the FIN newsletter writes about its founder, James Ledbetter, who died earlier this week at the age of 60.

Sraeel writes, “Until he died, Jim remained insatiably curious, articulate and committed to all of this in his work as a journalist, editor, book author and mentor extraordinaire to so many journalists with whom he worked or socialized. He crammed a body of work into his 60 years that five to 10 solidly capable people in media and book publishing couldn’t begin to achieve.

“Jim’s abilities, combined with his deep humanity, were just that rare.

“Jim and I have been friends for what seems like forever—childhood, actually, when he and his curious, brilliant and witty mind sparked a lifelong friendship between us, with our personal and professional lives intersecting over the years in ways that were joyous, comforting and always very candid.

“Jim was so many things: Ridiculously smart, a gifted writer and author, a de facto historian, a trusted friend and a loving father, brother and son. He made me feel intelligent just being in his presence; he counted on me to remind him what mattered most during life’s big, difficult storms. With a friendship stretching back to childhood, we could be brutally transparent with each other, knowing that we had each other’s back, no matter the circumstances. His vast accumulation of knowledge, shared generously, challenged me intellectually. I will feel that deep void going forward.”

Read more here.