The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember [Hardcover]

Fred Rogers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2003

A timeless collection of wisdom on love, friendship, respect, individuality, and honesty from the man who has been a friend to generations of Americans here are few personalities who evoke such universal feelings of warmth as Fred Rogers. An enduring presence in American homes for over 30 years, his plainspoken wisdom continues to guide and comfort many. The World According to Mister Rogers distills the legacy and singular worldview of this beloved American figure. An inspiring collection of stories, anecdotes, and insights-with sections devoted to love, friendship, respect, individuality, and honesty, The World According to Mister Rogers reminds us that there is much more in life that unites us than divides us. Culled from Fred Rogers' speeches, program transcripts, books, letters, and interviews, along with some of his never-before-published writings, The World According to Mister Rogers is a testament to the legacy of a man who served and continues to serve as a role model to millions.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When he died in early 2003, Rogers was one of the most recognizable (and beloved) people on television, even though Mister Rogers' Neighborhood had actually stopped production a few years earlier. This small volume collects many of his writings-from songs he wrote for the show to his acceptance speech at the Television Hall of Fame-organized around themes like "The Courage to Be Yourself" and "We Are All Neighbors." The format is occasionally tantalizing: When he said, "I'm proud of you for the times you came in second, or third, or fourth, but what you did was the best you had ever done," was he talking to his TV neighbors, or to one of his own children? The few biographical hints his writings offer about the show's origins and his personal life, plus an introductory reminiscence by his widow, may leave many readers eager for a full biography. Every message is infused with a simplicity and sincerity that any child could understand, as when he describes September 11 as "what some people do when they don't know anything else to do with their anger." But ultimately the book isn't for kids, it's for adults who watched the show as children-and reminds readers that before we learned everything we needed to know in kindergarten, or had our first taste of chicken soup for the soul, Rogers taught valuable lessons about playing make-believe, keeping one's promises, finding strength through helping others and not being afraid to cry.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Bits of philosophy and advice from a man who lived a life we could all emulate." -- San Diego Union-Tribune

"Humanity-Affirming thoughts" -- Los Angeles Times

"Life stories in bite-size pieces [that] shares the gentle philosophy that made Rogers one of America's most-beloved public figures." -- Tim Madigan, Knight Ridder News Service

"Words of courage and inspiration -- simple statements that made Mister Rogers a household name." -- Judy Lin, AP

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (October 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401301061
• ISBN-13: 978-1401301064
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #269,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Fred Rogers: March 20, 1928 - February 27, 2003

Producer, magician, writer, puppeteer, minister, husband, father, Fred Rogers started out in children's television thirty years ago. The direction he trailblazed was the "creation of television programming that spoke, with respect, to the concerns of early childhood, not as adults see it but as children feel it." He has received virtually every major award in the television industry for work in his field, and dozens of others from special-interest groups. Fred Rogers lived in Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Posthumous Gift From Our Very Best Neighbor!, October 4, 2003

By 

Barron Laycock "Labradorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember (Hardcover)

If ever there was a man in contemporary America who should serve as a wonderful role model, it was the late Fred Rogers. Using love and compassion as a flag for his humanitarian endeavors on public television and elsewhere, Fred Rogers became a symbol of all that is best and right with this country. I first became hooked on him as my then toddling daughter watched him every evening on public television, and while he was hardly either macho or particularly masculine, there was an undoubtedly appealing aspect to his persona that literally would warm the room. Here we have a selection of essays from Rogers that illustrate his deep philosophical concern for children as well as his abiding human compassion for others, something in seeming short supply today. Preaching a Christian cant of charity and tolerance, he continually lit a veritable beacon of positive examples through his words as well as in his life.

The selection gathered here range from his acceptance speech when inducted into the Television Hall Of Fame discussing having the courage to be an individual to various songs on his program, and an abiding message of love, the value of learning, and the desperate need to center our society around the enduring needs of children. I remember being moved each time he would gaze into the camera and seemingly tell my entranced toddler that he was proud of her, that she was special, and that to be herself was okay. She didn't have to be first, or to do anything other than to be whoever she was. His program format as being your neighbor worked magic, and tended to calm down my daughter as she watched his program and giggled at many of the hilarious antics of the puppets. But Rogers delivered some important messages to our children, and it is no mistake his programs run still, as I am sure they will forever.

His writing style is straightforward and direct, written in simple language that even younger children will comprehend. But this is not to suggest the book is meant for children. Rather it is meant for the rest of us, dazzled as we are by his daring to be himself, and to leave behind such memorable treasures, as are these essays and other works he wrote along the way. For whether he is counseling children as to how the attack on the world trade center was a result of people being so angry they didn't know what else to do with it, or counseling us as to how to express our pent-up love, caring, and compassion, Fred Rogers was a remarkable human being, and one many of us can profit by reading and heeding. Enjoy!

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We Love You Mr. Rogers and We Miss You!!!, November 20, 2003

By 

jeanne-scott (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember (Hardcover)

This was a beautiful gift from one of my daughters. If you ever watched Mister Rogers and sensed his honesty and integrity and his open heart you will love this book. It is a collection of thoughts and ideas that Fred Rogers felt were important to know and remember in order to raise children to grow up into caring, responsible adults who will pass on those same traits to their children. It is a pure delight to read. It is encouraging, supportive and insightful. It is heartwarming and down to earth.
I n a world that at times seems to be full of gray areas Fred Rogers writes- "It's not the honors and the prizes and the fancy outside of life that ultimately nourish our souls. It's the knowing that we can be trusted, that we never have to fear the truth, that the bedrock of our very being is firm."
His observation about the scarey realities of life, particularly since September 11th, seem truly timeless. He wrote- "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me. "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day especially in times of "disaster", I remember my mother's words., and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers-so many caring people in this world."
How appropriate in this new awareness of the world we live in.

That this was a gift from my daughter made it all the more wonderful and one of those rare "signs" a parent gets that all the hard work was very much worth it!!

55 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warm and meaningful, October 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember (Hardcover)

This wonderful book reminded me how much I learned from Fred Rogers. He was my dad (I didn't know my real dad) and showed me what it takes to be a loving person. This book is a must-read. I also recommend Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self which showed my how to make the most of my thinking and feelings, deal with self-sabotage once and for all, and make the most of everything that comes my way.