Wednesday, April 22, 2009

This I Believe & This I Believe II / from NPR & Jay Allison, ed.

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Fans of NPR will recognize This I Believe, a collection of oral interviews examining the core values, independent philosophies and personal credos of a variety of individuals. Virtually every walk of life is touched upon. Both celebrity and everyman, living and deceased, domestic and international, old and young are granted a voice. Originally conducted and cataloged by Edward R. Murrow and Studs Terkel for radio broadcast in the 1950's, this 2006 updated anthology displays the wide array of beliefs, influences and principles which have served as the backbone of mankind's contributions to society.
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The likes of Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson, John Updike, Carl Sandburg, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Albert Einstein grace the pages of the first edition while a later--2008--adaptation entitled This I Believe II includes excerpts from "Dead Man Walking" nun Helen Prejean, skateboarder Tony Hawk, musician Yo-Yo Ma, peace corp volunteer and activist James Loney and Hurricane Katrina survivor Robin Baudier. Jay Allison, an independent broadcast journalist and frequent member on NPR's special interest panel, does a good job tying in all of the various personal essays and making each presentation worthwhile.

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