Smith has always been best known for his commentaries, and Events Leading Up to My Death, in addition to being an elegantly written account of a fascinating life, is an eyewitness analysis of the times in which he lived. In his role as a journalist, Smith has written the first draft of history, and in this deeply personal book, he looks back over a lifetime of reporting and commenting to trace the threads that tie this century and his life together. His is a remarkable achievement.