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122 reviews for:
Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR
Lisa Napoli
3.77 AVERAGE
122 reviews for:
Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR
Lisa Napoli
3.77 AVERAGE
3.5 ish stars?
Interesting read about interesting women. Might have liked to see more details on their contributions and interactions.
Interesting read about interesting women. Might have liked to see more details on their contributions and interactions.
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
informative
slow-paced
I was in my early twenties when we moved to Philadelphia in 1975. I don't know exactly when we discovered National Public Radio, it seems to have always been part of our life. We listened to Fresh Air, All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Thistle & Shamrock, World Cafe, Piano Jazz, Car Talk, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, Diane Rehm, and later Here and Now, 1A, plus classical music and folk music and jazz.
I recognized the voices of our virtual friends on the airwaves. But I did not know much about them.
Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie is the story of the "founding mothers" of NPR, whose voices we know like old friends. Lisa Napoli has written an entertaining, highly readable book that tells their stories and the barriers they broke. These women were integral to the rise of public radio. They were different in background and personality, but each rose to the top, bonded, and supported each other.
I remember my first full time job n 1972 and the sexism in the workplace. A coworker discovered her salary was far less than the salary of the man who had the position before her. He had a family to support, she was told; her husband was her support. Another coworker told me to get a credit card in my name, and a credit rating. When her husband passed, she was unable to get a car loan. It was a time when women were judged by their appearance and attraction. A black coworker was chastised for wearing 'ethnic' earrings. I was fired for a fashionable frizzy perm.
This was the world Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie encountered when forging their careers.
There were women who had broken the barrier into journalism to inspire them. When a young Linda Cozby (later, Wertheimer) saw trailblazer Pauline Frederick reporting the news, it was a revelation. "To hell with being Edward R. Murrow's secretary," she thought. "I'm going to aim higher."
In 1959, Susan Levitt Stamberg's "blue-chip" education wasn't as important in the workplace as her ninety-nine words a minute typing speed. She started as a secretary for the new 16 magazine where she chose the winner of the "I Miss Elvis Contest" when Elvis entered the U.S. Army. She advanced to secretary at The New Republic, which gave her a "crash course in Washington." When start-up station WAMU-FM needed a full time producer, at low pay, she found the challenging job she needed.
As a girl, Nina Totenberg, daughter of an eminent violinist, was inspired by Nancy Drew. It struck her that "journalism seemed as close to detective work as she could imagine." Her first job in journalism was working on the women's pages of a daily newspaper.
Cokie Boggs came from an elite background of democratic, Southern, Catholic, politicians. But when she fell in love with the Jewish Steve Roberts, who planned a career in journalism, she knew a political career was out. Cokie found employment in television, including Meet The Press. After Steve and Cokie married, she had a checkered career as her husband was assigned across the world. While having babies and raising her children, she worked with Steve. While abroad, reporting breaking news for CBS made her mark and her career.
NPR's development, advances, and economic woes is a major part of the book.
Susan earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cokie became one of the best-known women in America. Nina's coverage of the Supreme Court, including the Anita Hill sexual harassment suit against Clarence Thomas, earned her top awards. Linda was with NPR from its beginning, integral to All Things Considered, and reporting on Washington politics.
The book is as inspirational as it is informative.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
I recognized the voices of our virtual friends on the airwaves. But I did not know much about them.
Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie is the story of the "founding mothers" of NPR, whose voices we know like old friends. Lisa Napoli has written an entertaining, highly readable book that tells their stories and the barriers they broke. These women were integral to the rise of public radio. They were different in background and personality, but each rose to the top, bonded, and supported each other.
I remember my first full time job n 1972 and the sexism in the workplace. A coworker discovered her salary was far less than the salary of the man who had the position before her. He had a family to support, she was told; her husband was her support. Another coworker told me to get a credit card in my name, and a credit rating. When her husband passed, she was unable to get a car loan. It was a time when women were judged by their appearance and attraction. A black coworker was chastised for wearing 'ethnic' earrings. I was fired for a fashionable frizzy perm.
This was the world Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie encountered when forging their careers.
There were women who had broken the barrier into journalism to inspire them. When a young Linda Cozby (later, Wertheimer) saw trailblazer Pauline Frederick reporting the news, it was a revelation. "To hell with being Edward R. Murrow's secretary," she thought. "I'm going to aim higher."
In 1959, Susan Levitt Stamberg's "blue-chip" education wasn't as important in the workplace as her ninety-nine words a minute typing speed. She started as a secretary for the new 16 magazine where she chose the winner of the "I Miss Elvis Contest" when Elvis entered the U.S. Army. She advanced to secretary at The New Republic, which gave her a "crash course in Washington." When start-up station WAMU-FM needed a full time producer, at low pay, she found the challenging job she needed.
As a girl, Nina Totenberg, daughter of an eminent violinist, was inspired by Nancy Drew. It struck her that "journalism seemed as close to detective work as she could imagine." Her first job in journalism was working on the women's pages of a daily newspaper.
Cokie Boggs came from an elite background of democratic, Southern, Catholic, politicians. But when she fell in love with the Jewish Steve Roberts, who planned a career in journalism, she knew a political career was out. Cokie found employment in television, including Meet The Press. After Steve and Cokie married, she had a checkered career as her husband was assigned across the world. While having babies and raising her children, she worked with Steve. While abroad, reporting breaking news for CBS made her mark and her career.
NPR's development, advances, and economic woes is a major part of the book.
Susan earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cokie became one of the best-known women in America. Nina's coverage of the Supreme Court, including the Anita Hill sexual harassment suit against Clarence Thomas, earned her top awards. Linda was with NPR from its beginning, integral to All Things Considered, and reporting on Washington politics.
The book is as inspirational as it is informative.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
I was very excited about this book. I love Nina Totenburg and have admired her works for decades. Unfortunately, the book did not hold my attention like I hoped it would. I found it uneven and boring in spots.
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
informative
medium-paced
As a history of NPR and public radio news, this is interesting and informative. I struggled with some of the second-wave feminism and classism built into the biographies of the four women reporters known as the founding mothers of NPR.
I have been an NPR fan from near its beginning and admired the "founding mothers" throughout their careers. Non-fiction is a bit of a slog for me sometimes, and so I started this book, had it for two weeks from the library, had to return it and wait in the queue until it came a second time so I could finish it. But that is me.
The author has done her homework not only on the four women and their careers but also on the landscape as women began to move into the public eye of journalism and radio/TV more and more. Her previous work on Ted Turner/CNN and on NPR benefactor Joan Kroc gave her insights into the history and politics of the times and situations. Each of the women shines on her own, and their friendships are enviable. I think the author made the right decision--when offered a chance to write about Cokie Roberts who had recently passed away--to counter with a suggestion to write about the four "founding mothers"--it is a rich study.
The author has done her homework not only on the four women and their careers but also on the landscape as women began to move into the public eye of journalism and radio/TV more and more. Her previous work on Ted Turner/CNN and on NPR benefactor Joan Kroc gave her insights into the history and politics of the times and situations. Each of the women shines on her own, and their friendships are enviable. I think the author made the right decision--when offered a chance to write about Cokie Roberts who had recently passed away--to counter with a suggestion to write about the four "founding mothers"--it is a rich study.