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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Another book read before to bring to Goodreads.
We meet a boy. Overly protected by parents.
Grandparents help him to spread his wings.
He learns piano on a Steinway purchased by his Grandmother that follows him through his life.
The gift of a puppet leads to setting up a puppet theater in the attic of his home.
The morally serious student doesn't fit in at Dartmouth transfers to the music school at Rollins in Florida.
He meets Joanne, the love of his life. While Joanne completes her studies, he goes to New York, gets a job as an apprentice on NBC, and before we know it, so much happens with his life.
Even as he tries the seminary (that isn't a good fit), he still sees he is good with children.
As readers, we see him as perennially kind and caring in everything he does.
He may not have been best with his own sons, but, he found a way to translate how to be a good Dad on to the television screen.
Rogers lived simply. He sang and spoke through puppets. To read about him is to be elevated.
But mostly it is to ask ourselves one simple question, "am I a good neighbor?"
If you are interested in knowing more about the man, this book will give you those insights. 3.5 stars.
We meet a boy. Overly protected by parents.
Grandparents help him to spread his wings.
He learns piano on a Steinway purchased by his Grandmother that follows him through his life.
The gift of a puppet leads to setting up a puppet theater in the attic of his home.
The morally serious student doesn't fit in at Dartmouth transfers to the music school at Rollins in Florida.
He meets Joanne, the love of his life. While Joanne completes her studies, he goes to New York, gets a job as an apprentice on NBC, and before we know it, so much happens with his life.
Even as he tries the seminary (that isn't a good fit), he still sees he is good with children.
As readers, we see him as perennially kind and caring in everything he does.
He may not have been best with his own sons, but, he found a way to translate how to be a good Dad on to the television screen.
Rogers lived simply. He sang and spoke through puppets. To read about him is to be elevated.
But mostly it is to ask ourselves one simple question, "am I a good neighbor?"
If you are interested in knowing more about the man, this book will give you those insights. 3.5 stars.
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
This book could have benefitted from a good editor. The book was written over 7 years, and it came across like that -- there was a lot of repetition and details in areas that did not enhance the book. Having said that, it was interesting to learn more about the man who was Fred Rogers and he has my deep respect for realizing and promoting the importance of early childhood education, especially during that time. He appeared to live his life as he was on tv - it was written many times that he wasn't a saint, and he definitely had human quirks and tendencies, but he strived to treat everyone as an equal -- what a great message to send to the world.
As much as I love Fred Rodgers, I felt that this 1st biography of his, focused too much on details that weren't necessary. It just seemed like sometimes the details focused on people around him rather than Fred Rodgers himself. It was nice to learn that Fred, was more human than expected, he cursed, and perhaps not as perfect as what one would think. I just wanted more focus on him and less on those around him.
It’s almost everything you wanted to know about Fred Rogers. And there’s nothing to be afraid to ask. Yes, Fred Rogers was that good. Yes, he was sincere, and yes, he loved and esteemed children and really knew how to teach them what they needed to know at the right times.
Author Maxwell King obviously respects Rogers. His book is glowing, and his record of Rogers trailblazing work is impressive. The funny thing is, readers don’t hear the voice of Fred Rogers very much, as easily the first half of the book is about Rogers’ childhood and early days in television.
Photos from Fred’s childhood and his shows bring more personality to the book. Still, he seems just out of reach for the reader. We know where he came from, how he behaved, who he consulted, who he loved, who he respected, but he comes across as an icon, when he might have wanted to be remembered as a man with a vision.
Author Maxwell King obviously respects Rogers. His book is glowing, and his record of Rogers trailblazing work is impressive. The funny thing is, readers don’t hear the voice of Fred Rogers very much, as easily the first half of the book is about Rogers’ childhood and early days in television.
Photos from Fred’s childhood and his shows bring more personality to the book. Still, he seems just out of reach for the reader. We know where he came from, how he behaved, who he consulted, who he loved, who he respected, but he comes across as an icon, when he might have wanted to be remembered as a man with a vision.
Good gracious this took forever to finish listening to. Mr Rogers is The Best, and LeVar Burton reading is just icing on the cake. I enjoyed the documentary more, though, for the live action input from the man himself. The best format is always the one where he connects directly with viewers, since that was his gift.
It would be nice to see more people like this man in the world, he was a great example. He put no pressure on a person from either an expectation of religion, sexual orientation, or race. This man practiced what he preached and set a great example in the process. We need more like him, and just reading it and remembering watching his show, I want to emulate him and will try my best. This book doesn't try to make it seem like he was perfect, he wasn't. It notes his faults. But he is an example we need in today's society, of seeing the best in people, and trying to be our best selves in the process.
I liked reading more about Fred Rogers and what a nice person he genuinely was. I needed a feel good read and this was perfect.
Summary: Drawing on original interviews, oral histories and archival documents, the author traces the iconic children's program host's personal, professional, and artistic life through decades of work.
Summary: Drawing on original interviews, oral histories and archival documents, the author traces the iconic children's program host's personal, professional, and artistic life through decades of work.
Because I admire Fred Rogers so much, it feels heretical or anti-American to give this book a 2.5. I thought the book was overly detailed and repetitive.
This book had me bawling my eyes out so many times. Fred Rogers was just so generous and loving and just a genuine person his entire life. I used to love his show growing up and I HIGHLY recommend this.
Bonus: if you listen to the audiobook version, LeVar Burton does the reading, making this just extra magical.
Bonus: if you listen to the audiobook version, LeVar Burton does the reading, making this just extra magical.