I'm Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers [Hardcover]

Tim Madigan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 8, 2006

Reminiscent of Mitch Albom and his phenomenal bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie: A journalist recalls how an encounter with the icon of kindness led to a wondrous, life-changing friendship.

It was 1995 when the Fort Worth Star-Telegram assigned Tim Madigan to write a profile of children’s television icon Fred Rogers. This fortuitous interview sparked a magnificent friendship between the two, one that would see both men through periods of grief as well as the hope of new beginnings. I’m Proud of You is the story of this friendship and of the enduring legacy left to us all by Fred Rogers.

Tim’s career as a journalist was flourishing when he met Fred Rogers, but his personal life was a shambles. As Rogers welcomed Tim into his family, his church, and his life, Tim found an advisor who imparted a gentle but powerful perspective on spirituality, marriage, depression, and the nature of true friendship. With his friend’s loving and patient guidance, Tim eventually came to understand that his emotional troubles were rooted in a deep fear that his father had never truly been proud of him. Hence the mantra of the friendship between the two, the phrase Rogers used to conclude dozens of letters and e-mail messages to Tim: “I’m Proud of You.” Tim’s friendship with Rogers helped him to mend his relationship with his father and become a better husband and father himself, all the while marveling at how many simple pleasures he had overlooked throughout his life.

Tim Madigan is an award-winning newspaper journalist and the author of two critically acclaimed books, See No Evil: Blind Devotion and Bloodshed in David Koresh’s Holy War and The Burning: Massacre Destruction and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. BACKCOVER: Advance Praise for I’m Proud of You

“Reveals in a gentle and powerful way how one person can make a difference. Fred Rogers took the time out to share the most powerful gift we can give another, our unconditional love. Hopefully this book will stimulate others to reach out without judgments, to give our peace and unconditional love to everyone we meet.”
—Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D., author of Love Is Letting Go of Fear

“A book to treasure, something very special, and a testament to human love that the late Mr. Rogers would indeed be proud of. . . .A truly inspiring book!”
—Michael Gurian, author of The Minds of Boys and The Wonder of Girls

“Even if readers don’t feel their day-to-day lives transformed by this luminous memoir, in times of grief or of loss they’ll know which book on their shelf to turn to.”
–Publishers Weekly (starred)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Fred Rogers, the "gentle icon" of public television's Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, taught generations of children and their parents how to express feelings and relate to others in a positive way. Rogers was also an ordained Presbyterian minister who regularly studied the important spiritual thinkers and shared his faith with an eclectic range of adult friends. Madigan, a journalist with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, became one of those friends after writing a piece on Rogers and Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) in 1995. Soon Madigan and Rogers were corresponding, and Madigan reprints here many of their letters and e-mails. They built a warm, supportive friendship, one that nourished Madigan through his self-doubt "Furies" and the difficult death of his dear brother. As Rogers grieved for Madigan's losses and several of his own, the two taught each other about the beauty of giving and receiving "unconditional regard" from a beloved friend. So close did they become that readers may share Madigan's shock at discovering that Rogers was gravely ill—too weak for a last visit before his death in 2003. Even if readers don't feel their day-to-day lives transformed by this luminous memoir, in times of grief or of loss they'll know which book on their shelf to turn to. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine

The title of this memoir derives from Tim Madigan's request to Mister Rogers: "Will you be proud of me?" Rogers said yes, of course, and thanked Madigan for "offering so much of yourself to me." Although I'm Proud of You could have fallen into Hallmark treacle, it instead compassionately recounts the spiritual friendship that developed between the two men and offers a portrait of Rogers's exemplary character. Especially poignant are Madigan's recounting of his personal visits with Rogers and his difficult relationship with his brother. "It's here that Madigan writes most powerfully, with raw, universal emotion," notes the New York Times Book Review. Even if the memoir's message is familiar (a few critics compared the book to Mitch Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie), it is an inspiration on many levels.

Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Gotham; 1St Edition edition (August 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592402275
• ISBN-13: 978-1592402274
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #501,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spiritually uplifting book, August 17, 2006

By 

Marcus Valdes (Fayetteville, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I'm Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers (Hardcover)

I picked this book up on an impulse from the new release table at Barnes and Noble (I don't buy ALL my books on Amazon--just a lot of them). I'm glad I did. I still have a special place in my heart for Mr. Rogers. I'm sure many people my age do (I'm 36--a 70's child). I appreciate him even more now as my children watch his reruns. His soothing voice and manner are the ultimate role model. As I read this book, I could imagine his voice talking through the many letters and dialogue. The author is a very lucky man to have met him and become friends.

The other reason I was drawn to this book is I love books with personal letters. Something about letters is very revealing. I like books that are nothing but letters (Letters from a Nation for an example). This book has tons of them.

The authors narrative of his brother's cancer and his subsequent death are both a tragedy and uplifting. All in all a different sort of read than what I am used to, but good nonetheless.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I PICKED THIS UP AT THE LIBRARY ON AN IMPULSE, February 10, 2007

By 

William Meisel (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I'm Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers (Hardcover)

figuring it would be light reading, and thinking that this won't have that much effect on me. It is now midnight and I have spent one and a half hours finishing the wonderful story of a friendship between a newspaper reporter and Mr. Rogers over a ten to fifteen year period. A previous reviewer worries about the voyeruism rife in the world nowadays, and I understand his point, but I disagree with him in this case. Spending time with this book is the closest the rest of us will get to being friends with Mr. Rogers, and the experience, even secondhand, is worth having. Recommended.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read with a Box of Tissues, September 4, 2006

By 

Deborah B. Haydock (East Hartland, Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I'm Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers (Hardcover)

I happened upon this book by "accident" at Barnes & Noble and couldn't finish the first few pages without crying. It is a deeply touching book laden with spiritual insights which chronicle, primarily through the correspondence of Fred Rogers and the author/journalist, Tim Madigan, their very special friendship. Mr. Fred Rogers, famous for his Mr. Rogers Neighborhood children's show, shines as a stellar example of kindness, unconditional love, and profound and open friendship. The theme of "I am Proud of You" which runs through the book is touching and poetic. The author and Mr. Rogers tackle life problems together, primarily centered on Madigan's "Furies" of possible divorce, his brother's unrelenting cancer, and his not-so-perfect relationship with his father. Great book for those coping with the complexities of grief. Forgiveness and healing abound here in the letters between these two remarkable men who build a remarkable friendship. Mr. Rogers and Mr. Madigan show us how unconditional love and joy can prevail through life's painful times. PLEASE, if you are at all intrigued by Mr. Rogers, love spiritual books, or are coping with grief, GET this book. You will want to pass it on, and by doing so, you will make the world a better place. God Bless Mr. Madigan for writing this book, and to Mr. Rogers for his remarkable soul and for giving us a good, clear glimpse into true goodness. Warning: Read with tissues.