A new collection of inspiring personal philosophies from another noteworthy group of people
This second collection of This I Believe essays gathers seventy-five essayists—ranging from famous to previously unknown—completing the thought that begins the book's title. With contributors who run the gamut from cellist Yo-Yo Ma to ordinary folks like a diner waitress, an Iraq War veteran, a farmer, a new husband, and many others, This I Believe II, like the first New York Times bestselling collection, showcases moving and irresistible essays.
Included are Sister Helen Prejean writing about learning what she truly believes through watching her own actions, singer Jimmie Dale Gilmore writing about a hard-won wisdom based on being generous to others, and Robert Fulghum writing about dancing all the dances for as long as he can. Listeners will also find wonderful and surprising essays about forgiveness, personal integrity, and honoring life and change.
Here is a welcome, stirring, and provocative communion with the minds and hearts of a diverse, new group of people—whose beliefs and the remarkably varied ways in which they choose to express them reveal the American spirit at its best.
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"This collection of voices is moving and hopeful and challenging. I love hearing these on the radio, too. I love how different but how interconnected--like opposite colors in a prism-- these heart-felt beliefs are...And what an invitation to consider my own core beliefs!"
— Rebecca (5 out of 5 stars)
" Another excellent collection of essays from the NPR series This I Believe, read by the authors of the essays. "
— Ryan, 2/18/2014" Really it was just 2 page mini stories of anonymous people's life lessons learned. Most of them felt similar in themes which were weak more often than not and overall it felt short sighted to me of all the examples they had access to from submitters. "
— Mary, 2/1/2014" I love these essays! I listen to them on disks, so I can hear the voices of the authors. Great! "
— Donna, 1/31/2014" My mom got me II before I could read the first. Anyhow, I found it really enjoyable and has since inspired me to revisit the personal narrative. "
— Chea, 1/31/2014" Liked this better than the first one! "
— Kathleen, 1/29/2014" I loved the radio series but sometimes felt listening to the program didn't allow me opportunity to "digest" the reader's essay. I appreciated TIBL in book form because it gave me the opportunity to reread poignant essays. "
— Mike, 1/20/2014" A terrific birthday gift I received from my daughters; full of wisdom and insight in short essays by a diverse collection of authors "
— Dan, 12/31/2013" More short essays, similar to the original book; good read. "
— Kris, 12/30/2013" Really inspirational! "
— Beth, 12/14/2013" Inspiring and thought-provoking. I'd listen to This I Believe III in a heartbeat if it comes to be. "
— Selwa, 11/30/2013" This is just as good as the first one. I love this idea of sharing beliefs without fear of judgment or repercussion. "
— Linda, 11/12/2013" This is a good coffee shop read. Some of the stories are inspiring and some are funny. And if you don't like the title of the story, you can skip it. All of the stories are 2-1/2 pages---3minutes on the NPR show. Perfect for an afternoon in the coffee shop. "
— Sandra, 8/7/2013" I don't listen to audio books very often, but I particularly enjoyed listening to the various authors read their own essays aloud. I felt it made the experience even more moving. "
— Lori, 7/28/2013" Very moving. I want to share these essays with my family but can't read them aloud without crying. I would recommend this to everyone. Inspiring. "
— Michelle, 6/5/2013" You can read it one day and it made me think and opened my mind to others and their circumstances. "
— Rachel, 10/27/2012" Fantastic book. I love stories like these, they're so inspiring. "
— Jennifer, 9/26/2012" I enjoyed these essays a lot. I didn't read the first book, but I think I will. You can read 2 or 3 quickly and they are all interesting and enlightening. Each essay is 500 words or less. "
— Nancy, 7/21/2012" Continued in the spirit of the NPR original. Excellent short essays that make you think and lift your spirits. "
— Stasha, 6/3/2012" This is the second book of collected essays that originally began as a radio series on NPR. Very concise (300 words) and easy to read....I recommend to everyone. "
— Lisa, 4/7/2012" Short, impactful strikes, mostly. People have the most wonderful stories to tell, if only some of them had the chance. For a lot of the essayists in this book, this is/was their chance. And they did well. "
— Matt, 3/25/2012" A fantastic read. I had heard many of them before, but it was wonderful to re-read them. I might have to purchase of a copy of this for my own collection. "
— Sara, 1/15/2012" Loved the first one, can't wait to read this one too. "
— Maryanne, 4/17/2011" A terrific collection of essays from a diverse group of people. I often found myself itching to underline phrases to remember and reflect on later. Lucky for me, it was a birthday gift rather than a library book, so mark it up I will! "
— Snickety, 4/11/2011" Excellent so far. Will use in classroom. "
— Cheryl, 3/20/2011" Although I certainly didn't agree with all the philosophies, there was remarkable diversity, and the writing was actually very good. "
— Jessa, 3/13/2011" I'm listening to this on my iPod as I work out. I like the short, quick excerpts. "
— Chrissy, 2/28/2011" Good collection of short, thought provoking essays drawn from the current NPR series and the original 1950s version. "
— Nicky, 2/21/2011" Interesting as it is essays by. various people, famous and everyday folks. The essays are 300-600 words expressing their philosophy about life. Quick read "
— Nminnig, 2/6/2011" Excellent collection of short, meaningful and sometimes witty essays. A great book for a dear friend. "
— Stasha, 1/30/2011" i liked this and was often inspired, but a lot of the essays were also trite and boring. my favorites were the more random ones about barbecue or going to funerals. i do have to say that my "this i believe" essay would probably be trite and boring too. "
— Abby, 1/26/2011" Collection of essays. Some I liked and some I didn't. "
— Read4Fun, 1/13/2011" I didn't find all the essays equally compelling, but as a whole they were very moving. I want to get students to write one of these. I want to write one. . . to two. Really good writing. I'm reading the second volume now. "
— Deborah, 1/13/2011" An inspiring book full of stimulating anecdotes and excellent quotes. "
— Mark, 1/8/2011Jay Allison is one of public radio’s most honored producers. He has produced hundreds of documentaries and features for radio and television and has won virtually every major award, including six Peabodys. He is a founder of the Public Radio Exchange (prx.org), a distribution system for public radio, and Transom.org, a site that helps people tell their own stories. He produces The Moth Radio Hour and was the curator and producer of This I Believe on NPR. He is also the founder of the public radio stations for Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Cape Cod where he lives.
Dan Gediman is executive director of This I Believe, a nonprofit organization that collects and presents the core personal philosophies of Americans, ranging from the famous to the previously unknown. These short statements of belief have been featured on public radio since 2005. A twenty-five-year public radio veteran, Gediman’s work has won many of public broadcasting’s most prestigious awards, including the duPont-Columbia Award.