'Infamous Scribblers'

Eric Burns Looks Back To Find The Media Have Feisty Roots

(CBS)  Eric Burns appeared on The Early Show Friday to talk about his latest book, "Infamous Scribblers."

About the book, Publishers Weekly says, "With so much attention on the Founding Fathers in recent years, many sections, like those on Ben Franklin's early publishing career and the intense rivalry between (Thomas)Jefferson and (Alexander) Hamilton, each of whom underwrote a paper to propagate his point of view, will be familiar. For every recognizable anecdote, however, Burns weaves in fresh elements like the vicious feud between publisher James Franklin (Ben's older brother) and Cotton Mather over smallpox inoculation, keeping the entertainment levels high."

To watch the segment, click here.

Click here to read an excerpt from "Infamous Scribblers."

Burns is the host of Fox News Channel's "Fox News Watch." A former NBC News correspondent, Burns was named one of the best writers in the history of broadcast journalism by the Washington Journalism Review.

He is also an Emmy winner for media criticism. He is the author of four previous books, including "The Spirits of America: A Social History of Alcohol," which was named one of the best academic press volumes of 2003 by the American Library Association.