Review of 'The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
The book repeats itself a lot, but I suppose Mr. Rogers is one person that bears repeating.
English language
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers
by Maxwell King
4 stars
(4 reviews)
Review of 'The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
As a child, I was not a particular fan of Mr. Rogers, though I watched his show regularly. That came when I had kids of my own. While I don't share his theology, I often share his philosophy. Treating others with care, kindness, and respect goes so far in developing good relationships, even beyond what it does for child development.
The early part of the book covers quite a bit of Rogers' education in music and child development, both of which were interesting. It's refreshing that his very wealthy family (of origin, as well as his family/household as an adult) generally used their considerable wealth and power for good.
I might rate this 3.5 overall. In the first half of the book, I might have rated it 4. However, a better editing should have been done so that we weren't hearing the same stories over and over and over again.
Review of 'The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I'm thankful that the author, who worked in journalism in the past but had never written a book, chose to write this one. I knew only a little about Rogers beforehand, and now I admire him even more. King obviously put a lot of work into researching and writing, and has done a service to our and future generations.
If I have a problem with the book, it's that it could use a little editing. As others have said, the author would sometimes made the same point or recount the same event multiple times, with no indication that the repetition was deliberate. Also, it bugs me when a biography gets too gushy. Yes, I think Rogers is a role model and a standout human being. but I'd rather the book stick to showing why this is true, rather than telling me.
But these are minor gripes. It's a good book …
I'm thankful that the author, who worked in journalism in the past but had never written a book, chose to write this one. I knew only a little about Rogers beforehand, and now I admire him even more. King obviously put a lot of work into researching and writing, and has done a service to our and future generations.
If I have a problem with the book, it's that it could use a little editing. As others have said, the author would sometimes made the same point or recount the same event multiple times, with no indication that the repetition was deliberate. Also, it bugs me when a biography gets too gushy. Yes, I think Rogers is a role model and a standout human being. but I'd rather the book stick to showing why this is true, rather than telling me.
But these are minor gripes. It's a good book that I'd recommend to anyone who fondly remembers Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, or just appreciated having a prominent public figure with Rogers's mix of kindness, intellect, and self-disciplined motivation driven by faith.
