The Best of NPR: Eyewitness to History [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

National Public Radio (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998 | Series: Best of NPR

The best of the best on eyewitness accounts of history, this audiobook gives listeners a unique glimpse of the past 25 years from a variety of experts, and presents unforgettable moments as famous voices bring back milestones in American culture.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The audio essays here bring history to life as no written work could do. The voices of American men and women describing great events of this century as they knew them transport us to times and places that on paper can seem only distant by comparison. We learn firsthand from a Jewish athlete of the racism he encountered at Nazi Germany's 1936 Olympics--not only from Nazis but also from American Olympics officials. The stories of Americans liberating the concentration camps are chilling not only as the soldiers recall gruesome sights but as they disclose their emotional reactions: one man tells how, as a survivor clutched his leg, he could not pull away for fear of offending the woman even while he felt unworthy of her veneration. Former hostage Jackie Pflug details her harrowing hours on EyptAir flight 648 and the moment the plane's hijackers took her outside, pointed a gun to her head, and pulled the trigger. From descriptions by rural Americans of their first encounters with electricity to the recollections of those who attended Marian Anderson's historic concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, these compelling, emotionally charged pieces remind us that at the heart of all historical events are the human beings who experience them. (Running time: 90 minutes, one cassette) --Uma Kukathas

From AudioFile

EYEWITNESS TO HISTORY provides any National Public Radio fan just what one might expectÐpicture-perfect aural snapshots of world history that transport the listener to another time and place. True to form, NPR offers stories and anecdotes highlighting events from the moment rural Americans first received electricity to the assassination of President Kennedy to the fall of Saigon and beyond. Complete with dramatic background sound effects that capture what an eyewitness might have heard on location at these historic moments, each vignette tells a riveting story with power, intelligence and emotion. The format is perfect for listening while running errands, and the familiar voices of Terry Gross, Bob Edwards and other favorites are a natural addition to any tape from NPR. H.L.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; abridged edition edition (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570425841
• ISBN-13: 978-1570425844
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.7 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,077,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, December 17, 1998

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Best of NPR: Eyewitness to History (Audio Cassette)

I listen to tapes in the car every day, when I'm not listening to NPR, and this is one of the best tapes I've ever played. The stories are fascinating, poignant, and extremely revealing about what it is really like to be present at "historic" events.

I highly recommend the tape.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!, December 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Best of NPR: Eyewitness to History (Audio Cassette)

I so enjoy listening to books on tape while traveling. This book was unbelieveably poigniant in its ability to portray the thoughts and feelings of those who experienced this last century. At times, it was very difficult to keep listening, but we knew we had to finish the story. Our only wish was that this tape would have been twice as long.