A Prairie Home Companion 25th Anniversary Collection [Audiobook] (Audio Cassette)

~ Garrison Keillor (Performer)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It's been 25 years since Garrison Keillor first began charming audiences with the goings-on of the strong women, good-looking men, and above-average children in his mythical Minnesota town. Keiller's storytelling alchemy (part literary orchestra, part gossip), gentle humor, and deadpan (or is that just Midwestern?) delivery are what have made Prairie Home Companion a stalwart of public radio. This collection commemorates the quarter century of the program's continuing success with 15 monologues (7 of which have not previously been available) and 33 of the most (in)famous songs and jingles, including "Cowpies," Keiller's tribute to the brains behind the impeachment trial; "Gospel Birds"; and "The Secret Lutherans." (Running time: 6 hours, 4 cassettes) --Natasha Senjanovic

From Library Journal

This anthology of material originally presented over the past 25 years on Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion radio show on Minnesota Public Radio is a delight from start to finish. The last cassette alone, which is a compilation of songs from various musical groups who have appeared on the show and the cast of the show, would make this production worth purchasing. But the stories from Lake Wobegon and other reminiscences by Keillor are equally wonderful vignettes of life in the Midwest. If there are natives of the region who may object to the author's often comical characterizations of the denizens of the "town that time forgot," they should just get over it and realize that Keillor is writing about small-town life in Anywhere, U.S.A., and lovingly at that. The stories range from the remarkably moving "Truckstop," about an elderly couple who become separated on a road trip, to the hilarious "Clarence Cleans His Roof," which taps into the hazards of the formidable winter weather of the Midwest. It is clear that careful selection was made of the stories to be included, from the many they could have chosen, to assure not only high quality but also balance in the anthology. Highly recommended.AMark Pumphrey, Polk Cty. P.L., Columbus, NC
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Highbridge Audio; Original radio broadcast edition (June 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565113241
• ISBN-13: 978-1565113244
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #945,007 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Narrow Slice of the Pie, August 2, 2005

By	Lightholder - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Prairie Home Companion: 25th Anniversary Collection (Audio CD)

I purchased this 25th anniversary collection with great anticipation and, have to say, I was surprised and disappointed to find that this compendium consists ONLY of Garrison's monologues with a few musical selections thrown in. This collection has none of the short skits, Guy Noir bits, or cast-inclusive pieces of brilliance that punctuate and vary the pacing of the live radio show. Don't get me wrong, Garrison's stories are wonderful in themselves and quite enjoyable, but I feel that a 25th anniversary collection should consist of more than just this one aspect of the show. If, like me, you want a more rounded Prarie Home experience, you'll need to buy some of the other Prarie Home CD releases to suppliment this purchase which, I think, is a shame. This collection should be clearly labelled as monologues & music, not as an overall collection of the show.

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, June 18, 2002

By	Michele Cozzens "www.michelecozzens.com" (Cloud 8) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Prairie Home Companion: 25th Anniversary Collection (Audio CD)

Garrison Keillor is nothing less than a genius. I listen to his stories while I clean my Northwoods cabins and they take me completely away from the fact that I'm making 33 beds and scrubbing kitchens and bathrooms. They whisk me to the lovely place known as Lake Wobegon and make me laugh out loud. I highly recommend this collection.

Michele Cozzens, Author of I'm Living Your Dream Life and The Things I Wish I'd Said.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Entertainment for a Road Trip, August 1, 2005

By	R. Canby (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Prairie Home Companion: 25th Anniversary Collection (Audio CD)

We listened to this CD set on a recent trip between California and Colorado. The time just flew. Garrison Keillor moves so smoothly from hysterical silliness to poignant truth-telling. He's an absolute master storyteller... we keep thinking he just can't get any better, but he does.