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This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women Audiobook
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(3.91) - 66 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Based on the NPR series of the same name, This I Believe features 80 Americans—from the famous to the unknown—completing the thought that begins with the book's title. The pieces that make up the program compel listeners to re-think not only what and how they have arrived at their own personal beliefs, but also the extent to which they share them with others. Featuring a star-studded list of contributors that includes John McCain, Isabel Allende, and Colin Powell (as well as pieces from the original 1950's series including Helen Keller and Jackie Robinson), the collection also contains essays by a Brooklyn lawyer, a woman who sells yellow pages advertising in Fort Worth, TX and a man who serves on the state of Rhode Island's parole board. The result is a stirring, funny and always provocative trip inside the minds and hearts of a diverse group of Americans whose beliefs, and the incredibly varied ways in which they choose to express them, reveal the American spirit at its best.
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"I went to 3 funerals/memorials in the first few months of 2011. The first was my grampa's funeral. At the funeral my aunt, his oldest daughter, talked about giving her dad this book to read. My grampa always had to have a book to read, my aunt also loves reading and so do I. Its a family thing. My grampa was also adamantly not into religion although his wife was a practicing Catholic and a few of his children are Baptist Christians. I always appreciated that he stood true to what he believed even those around him thought he was just being stubborn. I'm not big into religion either. In any case, my aunt had peaked my interest in this book and since it seemed death was invading my life where it never had before, I needed something like this book to help make sense of my feelings. I thought it was a great way to think about what I believe in the context of what others believe. Famous folks or just the average Joe, everyone had something unique to say about life and why we are here and what matters while we're here. This is a book you can go back to again and again. What is also pretty neat is that the editors who brought the "This I Believe" project back to life now have a website and resources for community/classroom learning with the book. I think this is a great idea and intend to check out the website in the future. I've written my first draft "This I Believe" but I'm sure it will go through many re-writes!"
— Megan (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“To hold this range of beliefs in the palm of your hand is as fine, as grounding, as it was hearing them first on the radio. Heartfelt, deeply cherished beliefs, doctrines for living (yet none of them doctrinaire). Ideas and ideals that nourish. You can see it in their faces, in the photos in this book. And read it in their words. I'm so proud that NPR helped carry this Edward R. Murrow tradition into a new century. And so glad to have it in print, to encounter again and again.
— Susan Stamberg, special correspondent, National Public Radio -
My father, Edward R. Murrow, said that "fresh ideas" from others helped him confront his own challenges. This superb collection of thought-provoking This I Believe essays, both from the new program heard on NPR and from the original 1950s series, provides fresh ideas for all of us!
— Casey Murrow, Elementary education publisher -
Reading this gives me a feeling about this country I rarely get: a very visceral sense of all the different kinds of people who are living together here, with crazily different backgrounds and experiences and dreams. Like a Norman Rockwell painting where all the people happen to be real people, and all the stories are true. It makes me feel hopeful about America, reading this. Hopeful in a way that's in short supply lately.
— Ira Glass, Producer and Host of This American Life -
Now, as then, when Edward R. Murrow introduced the idea of This I Believe, this forward-thinking compilation serves as a wonderful antidote to the cynicism of the age.
— Daniel Schorr, Senior News Analyst, NPR, and former colleague of Edward R. Murrow
Awards
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Among longlisted titles for Amazon.com Top 10 Editor's Picks: Audiobooks, 2008
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Among shortlisted titles for Audie Audiobook of the Year Finalist, 2007
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Winner of Audie Award Winner, 2007
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Among longlisted titles for AudioFile Best Audiobooks, 2007
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Among shortlisted titles for Audie Award Finalist, 2007
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Amazon .com Top 10 Editor's Picks: Audiobooks, 2008
This I Believe Listener Reviews
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" From the NPR series. I look forward to the sequel. "
— Laura, 2/20/2014 -
" Great Book....I've heard a few of the NPR shows in the past, but it was really great to read the ones from 50 years ago. It's so interesting to see how things still stay the same over the course of time. "
— Beth, 2/7/2014 -
" I was given this book as a gift and knew nothing about it. I find myself picking it up off and on. It is very thought provoking. Made me examine my own beliefs. It is something it woudl be good for everyone to read. "
— Carol, 2/7/2014 -
" This is an amazing collection. Old and new essays, beautifully intertwined. It's thought provoking to see how essays written fifty years ago, if they are sound of theme, still resonate today. "
— Frances, 2/4/2014 -
" Just an okay collection of essays on personal beliefs. I really liked that they are all short and concise. Definite plus! I didn't like that some of them were so intellectual and quite frankly boring. I also didn't like that so many of them had been written over fifty years ago. I would have like to see more modern ones. I liked the few that were quirky and fun and didn't take themselves too seriously... and I REALLY liked the one by the kid who espoused his father's encouragement that "tomorrow will be a better day!" LOVED that one! "
— Mari, 1/27/2014 -
" Read a few of these essays each night. Some are predictable, others inspiring. Very diverse collection of writers--folks you've heard of, others regular civilians like you and me--writing about what they've come to believe in life, in about 2 pages. Neat yet substantive. "
— Katie, 1/20/2014 -
" overall good book. some were better than others but it's a quick read and good. "
— Megan, 1/19/2014 -
" Awesome.. easy to read... all kinds of perspectives.. made you think of other's views and how things affect people differently. loved this !! "
— Keith, 12/30/2013 -
" This is Miami University's "freshman read" this year. Caters to the student with a short attention span, I suspect. But, still some good essays, and it was an enjoyable fast read. Although I think I enjoyed hearing them on the radio more than reading them. "
— Michelle, 12/26/2013 -
" There are a few significant ideas and comments in here, but you'll have to wade through a lot of platitudes and nonsense. "
— The, 12/23/2013 -
" I liked this more than I thought I would, very thought provoking. "
— Grace, 12/21/2013 -
" Just started it. I always enjoy this series on the radio, I suppose it loses a little bit for me when I can't hear the author reading their individual essay aloud. "
— Christan, 11/28/2013 -
" When my sister chose this book for our family book club I thought it was going to be a cheesy inspirational read, but I absolutely LOVED it! It's a perfect bathroom book to just pick up and read in small doses. It really is one of my favorite reads in the last couple years. "
— Arin, 7/21/2013 -
" Wonderful book! I'll come back to this one often. "
— Victoria, 4/8/2013 -
" I think this would be a good book club book because it encourages you to think about other people's ideas, and your own. I really enjoyed it. "
— Tonya, 4/20/2012 -
" I thought this would border on the trite, but I was very pleasantly surprised at the variety of philosophies. I liked that they included some from the 50's too. It really shows how we are all the same, and all so different :) "
— Susan, 1/1/2012 -
" I really enjoyed the "This I Believes" from the ordinary folks. The others sounded too formulaic. Plus I skipped some boring ones, woops. But, what a great writing exercise. I'm already thinking about what I believe. On to book #2. "
— Jenn, 12/26/2011 -
" Full on philosophies of life from authors ranging from Elenor Roosevelt and Hellen Keller to Gloria Steinem - and the odd blue collar worker or house-wife. It challenges the reader to think what exactly we all would say if asked to articulate exactly what we believe in a short essay. "
— Lindsey, 11/21/2011 -
" Read this with my students in mind and think it will help with essay writing and thesis statements, justification etc. Also made me want to write my own This I Believe piece. "
— Chalida, 7/27/2011 -
" I really love this program on NPR, and I enjoyed reading the stories. However, it just doesn't measure up to listening to them. "
— Chelsea, 7/10/2011 -
" A collection of short essays from famous and ordinary folk expressing their fundamental philosophies of life. Some are from the 1950s NPR radio series. Very interesting. It's the Ripon College Reading Experience pick for 2011. "
— Kris, 6/27/2011 -
" 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, 1/8/2011
About the Authors
Jay 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.