From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. In the 1950s, the Edward R. Murrow–hosted radio program This I Believe prompted Americans to briefly explain their most cherished beliefs, be they religious or purely pragmatic. Since the program's 2005 renaissance as a weekly NPR segment, Allison (the host) and Gediman (the executive producer) have collected some of the best essays from This I Believe then and now. "Your personal credo" is what Allison calls it in the book's introduction, noting that today's program is distinguished from the 1950s version in soliciting submissions from ordinary Americans from all walks of life. These make up some of the book's most powerful and memorable moments, from the surgeon whose illiterate mother changed his early life with faith and a library card to the English professor whose poetry helped him process a traumatic childhood event. And in one of the book's most unusual essays, a Burmese immigrant confides that he believes in feeding monkeys on his birthday because a Buddhist monk once prophesied that if he followed this ritual, his family would prosper. There are luminaries here, too, including Gloria Steinem, Warren Christopher, Helen Keller, Isabel Allende, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Updike and (most surprisingly, considering the book's more liberal bent) Newt Gingrich. This feast of ruminations is a treat for any reader. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Audiofile
For NPR listeners, "This I Believe" will be familiar broadcast program in which people from a diverse cross section of life read a short essay expressing fundamental beliefs, personal creeds, or quirky individual mission statements. The program originally broadcast in the 1950s and hosted by Edward R. Murrow was revived in 2005. This collection mixes 20 essays from the Murrow era (Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, Leonard Bernstein) with contemporary pieces that include prominent figures (Colin Powell, John Updike, Bill Gates) and everyday people. The essays, each read by the author, surprise, inspire, and touch the heart. Curator Jay Allison's short introductions of each remarkable writer are very fine and avoid repetitions that would prove tiresome in this collected form. Careful, skilled production of not just the individual pieces but the overall program, just adds icing to this exceptional audio collection. Do not miss it. R.F.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
