Here are 26 books that NPR fans have personally recommended if you like
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As a career journalist who has worked in print, online, on the radio and on television, I’ve long been intrigued by the influence of mass media and the vast technological changes in how information is transmitted that have occurred over the course of my career. Burnt out from the daily deadlines and transformed by a chance to work in the Kingdom of Bhutan, I began writing books and gravitate toward the “origin stories” of influential US entities.
For a critical look at the financial structure of public broadcasting and its intricacies as and after it became a powerhouse, Ledbetter's book can't be beat. I just wish he'd update it! Few people understand how public radio in particular is financed. Having written a book about the great philanthropist Joan Kroc and her landmark gift to NPR when she died, I found this book particularly illuminating. Anyone who gives to the pledge drives should read this.
Made Possible By...is an engrossing history of public broadcasting, from its initial idealist attempt to reshape the vast wasteland of television, to its current lamentable state - safe, consistently mediocre, and as dependent on corporate financing as its commercial counterparts.
As a career journalist who has worked in print, online, on the radio and on television, I’ve long been intrigued by the influence of mass media and the vast technological changes in how information is transmitted that have occurred over the course of my career. Burnt out from the daily deadlines and transformed by a chance to work in the Kingdom of Bhutan, I began writing books and gravitate toward the “origin stories” of influential US entities.
Mitchell was the first person hired by NPR when it was first charted in 1970. He was appointed its first producer after the first initial, scattered year of production of its first news program, All Things Considered, which debuted in May, 1971. This is an excellent survey of the early years from the perch of a behind-the-scenes insider and offers to clues about how the network developed.
Public radio stands as a valued national institution, one whose fans and listeners actively support it with their time and their money. In this new history of this important aspect of American culture, author Jack W. Mitchell looks at the dreams that inspired those who created it, the all-too- human realities that grew out of those dreams, and the criticism they incurred from both sides of the political spectrum. As National Public Radio's very first employee, and the first producer of its legendary All Things Considered, Mitchell tells the story of public radio from the point of view of an…
As a career journalist who has worked in print, online, on the radio and on television, I’ve long been intrigued by the influence of mass media and the vast technological changes in how information is transmitted that have occurred over the course of my career. Burnt out from the daily deadlines and transformed by a chance to work in the Kingdom of Bhutan, I began writing books and gravitate toward the “origin stories” of influential US entities.
Stamberg is a pioneer broadcaster, whom Mitchell appointed to host a nightly newscast and as someone who worked in public radio back when it was called "educational broadcasting." Read this book of annotated transcripts of some of her best interviews and see why she got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for putting public radio on the proverbial map. Bonus: Linda Wertheimer's Listening to America, derived from her years as host of ATC, and long-time Morning Edition host Bob Edwards’ memoir, A Life in the Box.
As a career journalist who has worked in print, online, on the radio and on television, I’ve long been intrigued by the influence of mass media and the vast technological changes in how information is transmitted that have occurred over the course of my career. Burnt out from the daily deadlines and transformed by a chance to work in the Kingdom of Bhutan, I began writing books and gravitate toward the “origin stories” of influential US entities.
NPR turns fifty this year, but this book offers a survey of its first forty years. Though it was produced by the network itself, it's relatively devoid of unbridled boosterism, and offers a fair and fun look behind the scenes of what has become a beloved and respected network heard each day by millions.
Funny, moving, and comprehensive, this beautiful volume is the ultimate gift for the NPR fan, packed with transcripts, photos, and contributions from the most famous and beloved contributors from throughout the organization's 40-year history. The chapters, organized by decade, are wirtten by some of the most beloved NPR hosts: Foreword - Cokie Roberts Introduction - Susan Stamberg 1970's - Noah Adams 1980's - John Ydstie 1990's - Renee Montagne 2000's - Ari Shapiro Epilogue: David Folkenflik Sidebar material appreas throughout the book froma who's who of NPR corespondants and guest contributors: Steve Inskeep, Peter Sagal, Ira Glass, David Sedaris, Neal…
As an author, I run my own business and have a hand in all aspects of my product, from creation to promotion. My work is my passion, so I love to write (and read!) books about women who have that same dedication to their careers. I enjoy seeing these ladies strive for success and how they handle challenges along the way. And, of course, since RomComs are my genre, those challenges often involve a man because where else is a workaholic going to find her soulmate? The witty banter, sizzling sexual tension, snort-laugh moments, and surprising plot twists on the pages of all these books, including mine, are guaranteed to entertain you.
One of my favorite things about this book was its setting in the workplace environment of public radio and how much I learned about what goes on behind the scenes of their call-in shows!
Heroine Shay is a producer who dreams of being a host. She gets her chance when her boss likes her idea about doing a show with two exes who talk about relationships. Too bad the co-host assigned to Shay is her booth-hogging co-worker, Dominic, and they have to pretend like they used to date.
Shay and Dominic’s on-air repartee is so much fun I wished The Ex Talk was a real show I could listen to! The progression of their relationship from enemies to friends to more and how it affects their jobs makes for a real page-turner.
Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon's sparkling romantic comedy debut.
Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio.
When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live,…
How do ideas about gender, sexuality, and race show up in our political culture? And how do people’s political needs play a role in constructions of race, sex, and gender? I’ve been researching the intersections between ideas about gender, sexuality, and political culture in the modern United States for almost twenty years. And I think history can show us the ways ideas about sex, gender, and race suffuse political culture, revealing hierarchies of power that often discriminate, alienate, and silence. By reading books like the ones on this list we can understand how this power works, we can recognize it more clearly in the present, and we can find ways to dismantle it.
I am recommending this book because Elaine Tyler May offered one of the earliest analyses of gender and sex tied directly to the dictates and needs of political culture. She insightfully delineates “domestic containment,” a component of Cold War culture which paralleled the foreign policy initiative to contain communism and nuclear arms throughout the world. But in this case the sphere of influence was the home. By excavating Cold War culture (for example, Life Magazine’s coverage of a couple honeymooning in a bomb shelter) and some fascinating longitudinal data May demonstrates the way domestic containment sought to keep women and men in their proscribed domestic roles, and she reveals the difficulty many families had living up to the ideal. Her history illuminates our long-lasting nostalgia for the “traditional” family and remains so relevant today.
When Homeward Bound first appeared in 1988, it forever changed the way we understand Cold War America. Previously, scholars understood the post-World War II era as a time when Americans turned away from politics to enjoy the fruits of peace and prosperity after decades of depression and war, while their leaders remained preoccupied with the Soviet threat and the dangers of the Atomic Age. Homeward Bound challenged the idea of an apolitical private arena, demonstrating that the Atomic Age and the Cold War were not merely the concerns of experts and policy makers, but infused American life on every level,…
I grew up in the 1960s in the Midwest, in a male-dominated family, where appearances were highly important, where no one seemed to focus on anyone’s feelings or plans (particularly as a female member of the family). As a result, I’m drawn to books where the author explores this type of problematic relationship, of a protagonist trying to carve out her identity in the midst of often overwhelming obstacles. It also interests me to read about women who, like me, somehow managed to discover who they were (I use the word “translate” in my memoir), to carve out an identity that is separate from the idea that people around her erroneously hold to be true.
This book is particularly good for anyone who was/is in the baby-boomer generation and/or who had issues with their mother.
I identified with Meyer’s ongoing struggles with her mother, a mother who was born during a period when women were normally not allowed to stretch their wings and live their own lives. This was my situation and – in hindsight – I often wonder if many of my personal struggles with my mother were due to the fact that I was afforded so many more opportunities than my mother, through no fault of her own.
This compassionate and gripping memoir tells the story of three generations of daughters who, though determined to be different from their absent mothers, ultimately follow in their footsteps. Myers's new afterword continues the saga, allowing her to confront her family legacy and come full circle with her daughter and grandchildren.
I have been a coach to business owners for the last 25 years, with a concentration on exit planning for the last twelve. During that time I have personally worked with over 500 owners. I’ve written 4 books on the subject, two of which were award winners. I’ve seen so many owners who built excellent businesses, but are stymied by how to leave them without deserting their employees and customers. Almost two-thirds of business owners over 60 years old have no plan for the transition of their businesses. I am on a mission to fix that.
I don’t know Richard Jackim, but Peter Christman is the founder of EPI, and this book is often described as “Where exit planning for business owners began.” It was the first to outline exit planning as a process that requires a team. It discusses tax and legal strategies, coordinating with estate planning, and developing a plan for due diligence. Written mostly for advisors, the focus is on the M&A process for middle market companies, but no list of exit planning books would be complete without it.
The $10 Trillion Opportunity shows business advisors how to develop comprehensive, integrated exit plans for business owners. With the baby boomer generation approaching retirement age, exit planning has become one of the hottest topics for business advisors. Exit planning is a process that asks and answers all of the personal, business, financial, legal, estate and tax issues involved in selling or exiting from a privately held business. The $10 Trillion Opportunity is a logically structured book with a no-nonsense approach to exploring and addressing a topic that is often misunderstood and at times overwhelming for business owners and their advisors…
I’m passionate about sharing our family stories for the next generations. Everyone has a story. They are powerful and we bond through them. As a baby boomer, I’m especially ardent about preserving WWII stories. So much so that I wrote a book, Unintended Hero, about my father’s experiences and battles aboard his ship, the USS Denver, in WWII. These first-hand account stories, not found in classroom history books, must be preserved. I believe we owe a debt of gratitude to the Greatest Generation, whose sacrifices have made our nation what it is today, and I enjoy speaking to high school students about the Greatest Generation’s zealous patriotism.
Although the title of this non-fiction book suggests the level is for teenagers, as a baby boomer, I thoroughly appreciated the author’s portrayal of the historical arc of the war.
Hands down, it’s a great book for adults as well. Mack-Jackson’s timelines and descriptions of the major battles and military strategies, including the prelude to World War II, are very well researched and written for easy comprehension of a worldwide war.
The allegiance to country and sacrifices to a cause beyond self of the Greatest Generation American soldiers, pilots, and sailors can never be doubted after reading this book.
Explore WWII from the front lines in this teen history book
Help history come alive in a way that's easy for teens to connect with and enjoy. World War II History for Teens dives deep into the major battles, providing a core, compelling framework that allows teens to better understand what really happened during the war. From the conquest of Europe all the way through the end of the Pacific Theater, they'll get an up-close look at the course of the Second World War and learn how it created the world they live in today.
I am economist who first started exploring retirement planning for my own personal situation. I became so captivated by the topic that I changed fields and was selected as the Professor of Retirement Income at the American College of Financial Services. I am a past curriculum director for the Retirement Management Analyst designation and past program director for the Retirement Income Certified Professional designation. More recently, I am the co-creator of the Retirement Income Style Awareness and co-host of the Retire with Style podcast. I enjoy learning and teaching about all topics related to retirement.
Michael Zwecher’s Retirement Portfolios is a classic that lays out the case for thinking about retirement from the income perspective, instead of just in terms of portfolio returns.
It provides the philosophy behind income flooring, whether that is done from a lifetime perspective or from a founding of building the income floor rung-by-run over time. This book helped to establish the foundations for treating retirement income planning as distinct from traditional investment management and wealth accumulation.
Retirement portfolio guidance for finance professionals
Retirement is one of the most important parts of the financial planning process. Yet only two percent of financial advisors describe themselves as competent in retirement planning.
Constructing a retirement portfolio is viewed as a difficult endeavor, and the demands facing financial advisors responsible for this task continue to grow. The pressures are particularly intense due to events such as the financial crisis and oncoming rush of retiring baby boomers. It is imperative that financial advisors be equipped and ready to create appropriate retirement portfolios. That's why Michael Zwecher-a leading expert on retirement income-has…
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