Books: The Last Trumpet

THE VIEW FROM THE FORTIETH FLOOR (468 pp.)—Theodore H. White—Sloane ($4.95).

Humpty Dumpty is one of the unsung muses. While a rise to eminence frequently appears studied, seemly, and something of a bore, the fall of a man, an enterprise, or a reputation is often nakedly dramatic.

Fictionally speaking, a great failure can be a stunning success.

The Humpty Dumpty that plummets in this virtually guaranteed bestseller (Literary Guild selection for June; movie rights sold to Gary Cooper for $85,000) is Trumpet, a magazine suspiciously li late Collier's, on which Theodore White served as a...