Customer Reviews

This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I've been working too much lately, getting into my car at night with my head still swimming about all the things that are going on at the office. I try not to get like this, but sometimes, especially at this time of year, it's hard not to. Someone sent me a copy of an interesting audiobook though and I wanted to share a bit about it with you. Listening to it in 15 minute snippets on the way to and from work these past few weeks has turned me around.

If you're a public radio junkie, the series it's based on is probably old news to you. It's called "This I Believe" and it's a compilation of essays from individuals writing about what they believe in. Very simple concept. The people who have written essays are young and old, famous and not, successful and not, religious and not. There are some from the 1950s, some from 2006. I'm finding that spending a few minutes on my drive to and from work every day where I stop thinking about what happened today or what needs to happen tomorrow does me good as a person. Some of them made me cry (probably more than I should admit) and some made me laugh. Some I fast-forward through b/c I've no interest in the topic - but with 80 distinct essays to listen to, you can fwd through quite a few and still have lots to listen to.

You might be one of those people who is going to think this is smarmy, a little too saccharin or otherwise not as clever as you'd like -- but you should at least listen to a couple of excerpts. You may be surprised by the range of this collection - there are essays on the belief in science and math and the written word; others about kindness and hope and family; some on pizza delivery drivers and good barbecue and feeding monkeys on your birthday. I'm tempted to point out a couple of my favorites but I won't - because I'm pretty sure the excerpts that speak most vividly to me will be different than the ones that touch you. You should give yourself a few minutes right now to sample one or two from the npr website. And then you should buy the audio or the print book. It's maybe exactly what you need right now.

Clearly, I'm in the minority on this one. But this book just didn't work for me at all. It seems like such a promising concept, too - "based on the NPR series of the same name, 80 essayists - from the famous to the previously unknown - complete the thought that begins the book's title".

But the result is - despite being a bestseller - a dreadful book. If I had checked it out in a bookstore, rather than buying it here on Amazon, I might have figured it out from the back cover. Here are the four 'quotes from inside' that the publishers use as a teaser:

"I believe in the goodness of a free society. And I believe that the society can remain good only as long as we are willing to fight for it." Jackie Robinson.
"I believe in empathy." Azar Nafisi.
"I believe in the pursuit of happiness. Not its attainment, nor its final definition, but its pursuit." Andrew Sullivan.
"Be cool to the pizza delivery dude; it's good luck". Sarah Adams.

Well, yes. Am I supposed to argue with any of these noble sentiments? Hardly (though I might suggest a different justification for being cool to the pizza delivery dude than trying to generate future good karma). But it's precisely the completely unobjectionable, generally safe nature of the assorted beliefs expressed in the book that make it - and I may burn in hell for this - a major YAWN. If you crack open the book and can wade through some of the most mind-numbingly pompous prose imaginable, there are further nuggets to be gleaned:

Benjamin Carson believes that "there is no job more important than parenting".
William F. Buckley believes in God, but, being WFB, finds it necessary to express himself thusly: "This I believe: that it is intellectually easier to credit a divine intelligence than to submit dumbly to felicitous congeries about nature".
Jackie Lantry believes in the power of love to transform and heal.

Again, I'm not questioning the validity of these beliefs (what would give me the right?), but they end up being expressed in most cases with a kind of cliched banality that is available free in any Hallmark store. More charitably, in considering why this book ended up being such a disastrous collection of woolly-minded writing, almost never rising above hackneyed cliches and Reader's Digest level banality, I believe that the problem lies in the formulation of the question. It seems that asking people to come on the radio for three minutes to sum up the core beliefs of their lives is a poor mechanism to generate anything of interest. It's a trap, causing most respondents to founder in banal generalities.

The (very) few interesting contributors were smart enough to avoid the lure of the pompously abstract profundity, and rooted their answers in the specific. Here are the opening sentences of the three most interesting (OK, let's be honest, the only three truly interesting) essays:

'I consider myself a feminist, and I feel like a moron admitting it, but it's true: I believe in Barbie.'
'I believe in always going to the funeral. My father taught me that.'
'There is no such thing as too much barbecue'.

Let me be clear again - this review is in no way a critique of the expressed beliefs and opinions of the contributors. It is concerned only with the interest level and readability of their efforts. On those criteria, this book has to be considered a dreadful, soporific, failure.

When I first received my copy of "This I Believe," I had no idea that it was actually from a popular 1950s radio show of the same name. Originally, "This I Believe" was hosted by Edward R. Murrow. It was aired throughout the United States and became so popular that two volumes of the essays were published and hit the Top-10 Bestseller's list for three years.

It was easy to become hooked as I read the first essay, and though some of the essays are 50 years old, they are still very relevent to what we are going through now as individuals and as a society.

The essays (of which there are 79) are 3-4 pages each and are essentially a brief outline of why the writer has a particular belief. The essays are personal stories which are written in a positive manner without being judgmental, preachy or obnoxious.

Some of the more well known writers include: William F. Buckley, Jr., Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, Bill Gates and Penn Jillette (of Penn and Teller fame).

In the "Afterward" written by Dan Gediman, he explains the history of the famous radio show and how he was inspired to put together a book of some of the more famous essays from the show, while including some new essays from both famous and unknown writers of our day.

The appendix includes the original introduction of the radio show "This I Believe" by Edward R. Murrow, how to write your own "This I Believe" essay, and suggestions on how to use "This I Believe" in your own community. They also challenge you to write your own "This I Believe" essay and send it in to their website www.thisibelieve.org.

"This I Believe" is thoughtful, inspiring and thought provoking. It would provide invaluable insights and topics for those interested in public speaking or blogging. For teachers it can provide inspiration to help students find out their own belief systems.

Really an essay of the human heart, "This I Believe" challenges you to discover what your own belief system is. Do you know what you believe?

"This I Believe" can be approached as a quick read of a couple hours or a casual read with occasional stops to contemplate the latest essay. Even though the collection is an extract from a large number of contributions, there will be some you can skim right through, thinking, "yeah, whatever" or that it wasn't that interesting a thought. I admit I felt almost guilty for not giving some of the authors more than a moment's notice, considering the person was talking about a core belief with passion. My guess is that a typical reader will feel the same, only for a different group within the diverse set.

However, there are others that should prompt more serious thought. After all, the purpose of the essays is two-fold: give a window into what other people hold true, and also promote thinking about one's own values and beliefs. To me, it's less important to try to write my own essay than to ponder whether I agree with the author's belief, or how it might apply to me, or whether I recall family members or others with similar beliefs.

Even so, these are not long, deep essays, given the limit of a couple of minutes when spoken. The ones focused on religion, for example, are only a key thought or two, usually with a relevant example of their application or their origin. Others recall an important moment or two in one's life, perhaps where somebody else made a difference in the author's future. These are often the most personal and best essays.

I found "This I Believe" on NPR. The ones I recall from this book are fine as short essays, but they are even better on the radio. The amusing take on barbeque is an example: made to be spoken. Many others are really personal stories that read well, yet probably would be an even nicer CD for the car.

The mixture of famous people and "regular" (albeit articulate enough) people was absolutely necessary. Reprinting some from the 1950s was a good touch, showing that many beliefs hold true fifty years later, as you would expect. The new essay by a woman who also contributed fifty years ago was one of the highlights.

The book could maybe have used some "bad guys" or cynics to express their beliefs. The authors are good folks (please leave aside whether you think Bill Gates, Newt Gingrich, etc. are "good"), in that they describe positive beliefs and values, people who often want to make a positive contribution to the world. Maybe some meanies or troublemakers could have explained what beliefs made them tick, too.

The background on the original "This I Believe" from the 1950s complements the individual contributions and was very helpful. Jay Allison's introduction also nicely reviews the genesis of the NPR program and how the process unfolded.

I don't believe,I KNOW... that this one great book! The title along with the subtitle are responsible for me picking this up and deciding that I had to read it. The sub-title: "The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women" drew me in like a magnet because I think we can all learn a lot from eachother and that is, I think, the whole point of this book. I do want to know what 'remarkable' people believe!

This book is essay style. Contributors are widely varied, the famous and non. The essay's are perfect in length, cutting straight to the point. -I love that! There were some essays that left me wanting more, I wanted to keep on reading because what they were saying was wonderful!

As I was reading through the book, I took a piece of paper to bookmark a good spot that I wanted to go back to later, then I tore the bookmark in half to save a spot at a part that I thought would be good to mention in my review, and then I tore another piece, until finally I stopped bookmarking all together because it's all so good, (and because I was running out of bookmark)that if I started quoting excerpts in my review, it would most likely get outta hand and then the review police here would go cutting out half of my review. (yes they will too!)

There's a lot of things to think on in this book. The thing I was thinking as I was reading this was: What do I believe? I mean, it must have been hard to pick one thing to write about when there are so many subjects we have beliefs in. Ya know? -Well, there was one guy who believed that "There is no such thing as too much barbecue." -that was a fun one.

The truth is, this is an excellent read. I feel you will come away from this book feeling like a better person for having read it. Something you read from this book just may change the way you think about or do something (big or small) in your life.

In 1951, it would have been hard to find four more powerful men than Edward R. Murrow, Bill Paley, Ward Wheelock and Donald Thornburgh. Murrow was one of the country's most respected journalists. Paley was the founder and CEO of the CBS television network. Wheelock was an influential advertising executive from Pennsylvania, whose accounts included the Campbell's Soup Company. Thornburgh was the general manager of the local CBS affiliate in Philadelphia.

Over lunch one day, the four men "bemoaned the spiritual state" of the nation. In order to counteract the negativity they had observed, they decided to "produce a daily five-minute radio program featuring a well-known, successful man or woman sharing his or her personal philosophy. The hope was that these programs would be provocative, stimulating, and helpful to listeners."

The men asked prominent citizens to put their beliefs on paper as an encouragement to those struggling with "atomic warfare, increasing consumerism, and loss of spiritual values." The men sought "to point to the common meeting grounds of beliefs, which is the essence of brotherhood and the floor of our civilization."

Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson, Harry Truman and Albert Einstein were some of the show's original contributors.

The show was a resounding success, airing from 1951 until 1955. Shortly after the program premiered, a housewife took its founders to task, pointing out that common folk had beliefs, too. Heeding the housewife's advice, the show soon broadened its scope to include people from all walks of life and, as a result, the program enjoyed great popularity.

In 1952, Murrow edited a book of essays from the show. It became a best-seller, outpaced only by the Bible. A sequel, This I Believe 2 was published in 1954.

The series was dealt two crippling blows in the mid 50s. In 1954, Campbell's Soup Company, Wheelock's primary advertising account, pulled their business from the Philadelphia agency. Without their business, Wheelock did not have the financial resources to continue underwriting the show. When Wheelock was lost at sea in early 1955, Murrow personally financed the final few installments and then halted the show's production.

In 2005, National Public Radio revived the series. Prompted by the many submissions, Allison and the show's co-producer Dan Gediman, recently compiled a printed collection of essays, including several from the original series.

The essays contained in This I Believe bridge the gap between divergent cultures, viewpoints, tenants and socioeconomic levels.

The messages found in This I Believe are as timeless as they are hopeful. Running through this multi-layered tapestry of beliefs and tenants are the comman threads of hope, love, family and faith. Treat yourself and pick up a copy of this book. Keep it on your bedside table and use it to open your eyes to the goodness that lies in the human heart and rely on it to help you through life's more difficult times.

Enjoy!

I like the extensive mixture found here. Among the essayists are Leonard Bernstein, Warren Christopher and Bill Gates - as well as pediatric psychologist Debbie Hall, astrophysicist Allan Lightman, restaurant critic Jason Sheehan, retired elementary school teacher Ruth Kamps and part-time hospital clerk Jackie Lantry.

The book's dust jacket says it's "a stirring and provocative trip inside the minds and hearts of a diverse group of people whose beliefs - and the incredibly varied ways in which they choose to express them - reveal the American spirit at its best."

My hope is that readers will not only find delight and encouragement in these readings but will be prompted to share their own personal philosophies. Everyone has them. They're the core set of beliefs which form the lens by which people view the world.

The reality is, most people live by a set of beliefs they would have a hard time identifying. And even if they could articulate them, many would not want to hold them out to scrutiny. Yet, the effort and risk seems very much worth it all. This is what the authors in this book have done. They've shared what is most personal - and unfortunately for many people, most private.

If through dialog and discussion we understand each other better, then this is a much needed book. It's a view into our humanity and the very condition of our culture.

Furthermore, it seems we refine our beliefs through sharing them, and hearing viewpoints which differ from ours. If we are all on a process of discovery then we should not only be reading about what others believe, but talking about these things with those in our communities. I'd suggest this book is step in doing that. Lastly, if truth exists, then humility regarding my beliefs is certainly a virtue. If there's something I currently believe which isn't true, I want to know it. And that's the challenge of viewing my own and other's beliefs (including those in this book) with a perspective of care and evaluation.

I wish the book had included an outline for identifying a person's own beliefs. Maybe questions like this could have been included.

- What does it mean to be human?
- What is best in this world?
- What is worth aspiring towards?
- Why are we here?
- How should we live?
- Where did we come from?
- Where are we going?
- What happens if we're wrong?
- What's reliable?
- How can we know?

When I first picked up this book it fell open to the essay by Albert Einstein. As a physicist, this was like receiving a message directly from the gods. It was only after reading his entry that I understood that here were the semi-private thoughts of many of our leading thinkers.

The book is based on the radio program first created by Edward R. Murrow and then revived half a century later by National Public Radio. The concept of the radio programs is simple. People explain their personal philosophy in a relatively few words. Some of these come from the original show aired in the 1950's, many are more recent. The original show featured people from the carefully selected upper crust of society. The current show does that, but also allows more ordinary people to participate. In fact Appendix B invites you to participate by writing and submitting your own essay.

As you would expect the essays vary greatly. Some of the philosophies are enlightening and help you to form your own. Others are less interesting, just not applicable to you. In collection however, the philosophy that comes through is helpful and enlightening.

In 1951, National Pubic Radio began a program in which participants used a few hundred words to encapsulate their deepest-held beliefs. The program, though incredibly popular, lost funding after a couple of years, was discontinued, and then reborn in 2005.

Now, editors Jay Allison and Dan Gediman have compiled eighty of the essays from both the original set of broadcasts and the most recent ones. The result is a stunning compilation of the beliefs of courageous individuals.

Browsing through the table of contents, you will be struck immediately by the famous individuals that have submitted their essays. From Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, and Jackie Robinson to Bill Gates, Collin Powell and Isabel Allende, these popular figures become transparent and vulnerable as they reveal their most closely held beliefs. And yet, often it's the essays by the ordinary among us, the laborer, the abandoned, the teacher, the AIDS researcher, that will bring tears to your eyes and move your heart profoundly.

These essays are extremely readable due to their short length and the intimacy of the project. If you pick up this book, you may find yourself compelled to read on, fascinated by how differently (and similarly) we live.

Perhaps the greatest impact this book has on its reader is in its implicit invitation to create one's own "This I believe" statement. Reading others' reflections on life causes one to wonder, "How would I put my deepest beliefs into words?" Just having the chance to sit back and to wonder about this is extremely rewarding.

In the words of one essayist, a civil engineer, given this chance to reflect, we find that "we are more than the inhabitants of our cubicles, more than engineers or even parents, husbands, and wives...we are transformed and connected by the power and beauty of our creativity."

This I Believe is an outstanding book. In this day and age, we are constantly driven to go, go, go. Don't miss this opportunity to sit back and learn about what your fellow citizens believe and to think about what you hold to be most dear and true.

Armchair Interviews says: We all need our own "This I believe" statement in this trying world.

I just finished THIS I BELIEVE,
edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman, and now find myself
wanting to listen to the National Public Radio series of the same name.

The book is a compilation of 80 essays that have been written
by the famous to the unknown, each one looking at how the author
arrived at his or her own personal beliefs and then shared them
with others.

I liked the fact that it featured such well-known contributors as
Colin Powell, William F. Buckley Jr. and Gloria Steinhem, in
addition to such others as a Brooklyn lawyer, a man who serves
on the state of Rhode Island's parole board and a part-time hospital
clerk from Rheboboth, Massachusetts.

As the subtitle indicates, these are the PERSONAL PHILOSOPHIES
OF REMARKABLE MEN AND WOMEN, and I found almost
all of them quite thought-provoking . . . and though some of them
were actually quite old (having been featured in the 1950 series
hosted by Ed Murrow), they were still as relevant today as this
statement from Oscar Hammerstein II indicates:

I have an unusual statement to make. I am a man who believes he is
happy. What makes it unusual is that a man who is happy seldom
tells anyone. The unhappy man is more communicative. He is eager
to recite what is wrong with the world, and he seems to have a talent
for gathering a large audience. It is a modern tragedy that despair has
so many spokesmen, and hope so few.

Among the other tidbits of wisdom I gained from reading were
the following:

* [Brian Grazer] The answer is simple. Disrupting my comfort zone,
bombarding myself with challenging people and situations, this is the
best way I know to keep growing. And to paraphrase a biologist I once
met, if you're not growing, you're dying.

* [Pen Jillette] Believing there's no god means I can't really be forgiven
except by kindness and faulty memories. That's good; it makes me
want to be more thoughtful. I have to try to treat people right the first
time around.

* [Steve Porter] I believe in the 50-percent theory. Half the time things
are better than normal; the other half, they are worse. I believe life is
a pendulum swing. It takes time and experience to understand what
normal is, and that gives me the perspective to deal with the surprises
of the future.

A striking set of selected portraits by Nubar Alexanian added to my
enjoyment of this fine book.