Read The Good Neighbor The Life and Work of Fred Rogers eBook Maxwell King

Product details File Size 5224 KB Print Length 436 pages Page Numbers Source ISBN 1419727729 Publisher Abrams Press (September 4, 2018) Publication Date September 4, 2018 Language English ASIN B07BF6BVWK

The Good Neighbor The Life and Work of Fred Rogers eBook Maxwell King Reviews

• Fred Rogers slowed down my sons' TV viewing thirty five years ago. Compared to Sesame Street, where every moment seemed spent in frenetic movement, the Mr Rogers show was calm and deliberately paced. Fred Rogers seemed to be able to speak directly to a child. I always wished I could speak so intimately to my own children but then most mothers I knew felt the same way. Fred Rogers is the subject of a superb new bio, "The Good Neighbor The Life and Work of Fred Rogers", by Maxwell King.
  
  Fred Rogers was born to be "Mr Rogers". He was an only child for many years, born and raised in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburg. His family was very wealthy, owning local companies, and were liberal in their outlook. His mother, in particular, was very, very charitable in the community and both parents encouraged young Fred in his artistic interests. Fred went through a typical adolescence as a rich kid in a small town, complete with the embarrassment that age and wealth bring. He went to Dartmouth for two years - enduring endless partying in the wilds of New Hampshire by others - before transferring to Rollins College in Florida. He found a ready-made community of other music majors. He soon knew he wanted to combine music with the teaching of children. He met his wife, Joanne, at Rollins. He soon moved into the new medium of television and soon found his place. And he was perfect for public television, where he found a home after disagreeing with the monetizing of children's TV.
  
  Fred Rogers came from a religious family. They had long been active in the Presbyterian Church and Fred eventually became a Presbyterian minister. I never thought he pushed his Christian beliefs in his show but I always appreciated the religious-aura he lent to his words.
  
  Maxwell King takes a measured look at Fred Rogers, his career, and his huge influence on generations of children who were raised with his gentle voice and words. There wasn't much "wrong" in Fred Rogers' life; he was lucky that way, but he also worked at contributing to the society around him. Now that I have grandchildren, I miss Mr Rogers.
• This is a definitive biography of Fred Rogers, bringing into focus the span of his entire life with ease, warmth and authority. The author did an excellent job creating a wonderful read, filled with details that will stay with the reader. We really need this biography to help keep Fred Roger's work and outlook alive. You will come away from this book with a deeper and richer appreciation of the varied landscape of his life and work. And you'll be richer for it. This book is important. A must read for people in all walks of life who care about children and our world. "The Good Neighbor", is a great book about an amazing human. Enjoy!
• Reading Maxwell King 's biography of Fred Rogers (frequently with tears in my eyes), I wondered what words Mr. Rogers would have for us in a world characterized by intolerance, violence (much of it committed against the young), and a lack of authenticity. I am grateful for the opportunity to be immersed in the life, the work, and the legacy of the man behind the puppets that I enjoyed watching as a young child--full disclosure as a young Pittsburgher. This is the man who wrote on the back of photos of himself that I picked up for my sons at a conference keynoted by his executive producer, and took with me to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary to have him autograph when I heard he was in the continuing education class after mine, "Through the kindness of your dad." I learned so much about his history and his connections thanks to King's thorough research, and will be proud to continue delighting (or distressing) friends, family, and neighbors with my almost-daily renditions of "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" as I walk out the backdoor, regardless of the weather, and into a world made better because Fred McFeely Rogers was (and continues to be) part of It.
• Anyone who is not too old for apple juice and cookies is not too old for Mister Rogers! I simply could not put this excellent biography down! Mister Rogers' core virtue is compassion. King shows how Mister Rogers treats children with the utmost respect, but far more than a children's television host, Mister Rogers was a brilliant musician, playwright, and caring pastor. I was amazed that this sweet man avoided negativity even when presenting things about which he strongly disagreed. For example, in a Christmas show, he, as the writer, displays a dislike for the song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by having Santa tell Daniel Tiger that not a spy, and that good people are not always good - they only try to be good. Through Mister Rogers' example, I myself try to be good. As I reflect on my own childhood memories of television, I think of the other men on the shows I watched Gomez Addams was handsome and funny, but we never see him as a friend - we only see him with his family. Gordon on Sesame Street was with his television neighbors, but even when off-duty, he could not stop being a teacher - it was important for him to teach children, for example, the alphabet. As for Bozo, whom I never liked, we see him only at work as a clown - and King points out that Mister Rogers was against "clowns and balloons" being presented to children in their shows because children deserve far more than that - they deserve love and respect. Mister Rogers alone provides children with what they - and adults - need the most unconditional love. King presents Mister Rogers as the loving and compassionate neighbor whom everyone wants to have as a neighbor, and through King's book, I am trying very hard to be that sort of person.