I'm Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers [Bargain Price] [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.

Unabridged CDs - 12 CDs, 14 hours

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Warning stickers should be attached to this audiobook warning people not to listen while driving or operating heavy machinery. Only Oscar the Grouch could resist weeping during this affecting tale of the unlikely friendship between children's television host Fred Rogers and Texas journalist Madigan. After writing a profile of Rogers, the two began to correspond. With Rogers's help, Madigan began to find emotional healing from old wounds and to repair broken relationships. Baskous narrates with a voice that is warm, deep and, well, neighborly. At times he slips into an inexplicable Southern accent, which fits neither the Minnesota-bred Madigan or the Pittsburgh-based Rogers, but the rich and smooth cadences of his narration bring Madigan's remembrances to life. The uplifting nature of the memoir and the satisfying tenderness of Baskous's interpretation will make this a welcome gift for anyone who has struggled with depression or loss.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Gotham (August 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592402275
• ASIN: B000YT7KVE
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #589,639 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
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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
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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
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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.