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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
2.5 stars
In this laboriously long-winded account, King lets the reader know that Fred Rogers' famous television show came from a deeply caring and conscientious man. Rogers was a true academic, in his pursuit of multiple degrees and in ever-refining his understanding the burgeoning study of early childhood development. It was fascinating to learn of his involvement in the early days of advertisement-free television and his part in the creation of public television, a precursor to PBS.
But, for all the good intentions of Rogers and his dreams for helping young children, he came from enormous wealth which made all his risky decisions possible. None of this would have come to pass if not for his silver spoon life. Born into a family who skimmed over the 1928 stock market crash and lived high through the depression, it seems that any whim could have been a success.
King writes as if he doesn't believe that anyone is paying attention. Repetition at every turn made this interesting biography into a slog. Each chapter began with a summary of what had just been said in the previous one. Sometimes even the words chosen were the same.
Another weak point is that much of the book goes off on tangents which have little or nothing to do with Rogers himself and the choices he made - the history of TV, the business pursuits of his father's friends, the details of the Presbyterian beliefs, etc. I believe some tight editing could have made this 200 pages fewer and more captivating.
An up-side was the audio narration by LaMar Burton (of Reading Rainbow fame) whose soothing timbre made the hours (14+ hours) flow.
In this laboriously long-winded account, King lets the reader know that Fred Rogers' famous television show came from a deeply caring and conscientious man. Rogers was a true academic, in his pursuit of multiple degrees and in ever-refining his understanding the burgeoning study of early childhood development. It was fascinating to learn of his involvement in the early days of advertisement-free television and his part in the creation of public television, a precursor to PBS.
But, for all the good intentions of Rogers and his dreams for helping young children, he came from enormous wealth which made all his risky decisions possible. None of this would have come to pass if not for his silver spoon life. Born into a family who skimmed over the 1928 stock market crash and lived high through the depression, it seems that any whim could have been a success.
King writes as if he doesn't believe that anyone is paying attention. Repetition at every turn made this interesting biography into a slog. Each chapter began with a summary of what had just been said in the previous one. Sometimes even the words chosen were the same.
Another weak point is that much of the book goes off on tangents which have little or nothing to do with Rogers himself and the choices he made - the history of TV, the business pursuits of his father's friends, the details of the Presbyterian beliefs, etc. I believe some tight editing could have made this 200 pages fewer and more captivating.
An up-side was the audio narration by LaMar Burton (of Reading Rainbow fame) whose soothing timbre made the hours (14+ hours) flow.
I loved watching Mister Rogers Neighborhood as a child. As I grow up I want to be like Fred Rogers. I LOVED learning more about Fred and he is just so inspiring. We regularly have Daniel Tigers Neighborhood on in my house and now I am so excited to introduce Emma to Mr Rogers himself!
I bumped this rating from 3 stars to 4 simply because of the subject matter. Mister Rogers is an icon, and deserves the praise lavished on him by this book. I loved the quotes and stories about him- particularly the ones where he swore or got angry. Otherwise, there was little that was surprising about this pioneer. The writing itself was choppy, and seemed to rely on nostalgia for any emotional connection. I’m glad to have read it, but I can’t help but wish it were better.
LeVar Burton reading a book about Mister Roger’s? Goodbye hot girl walk
Hello sobbing girl stroll
Hello sobbing girl stroll
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
I loved Mr. Rogers as a little girl. As an adult, I still do. This was a beautifully written exploration of the man who made us feel seen and loved “just the way you are.” Highly recommended.
What a walk down memory lane! I loved watching his show as a child and enjoyed reading this as an adult. It certainly gave me a different perspective on the show and what Fred Rogers did for children's programming. This man was truly one of a kind and as a society, we should all strive to be more like him in our daily lives. If you grew up watching his show, this is a must read.
Love Mr Rogers, did not care for the book. It is desperately in need of editing, so much repetition. Feels like reading a high school student’s essay where they are just trying to fill the word/page requirement.
Interesting insight on Mr. Rogers! Was great to learn more about who I used to watch on TV as a child.
Great information but I felt that it was too long.
Great information but I felt that it was too long.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racism