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The Time Of Our Lives
Tom Brokaw, known and beloved for his landmark work in American journalism, turns his attention to the challenges that face America in the new millennium, to offer reflections on how we can restore Americas greatness. Rooted in the values, lessons and verities of generations past and of his South Dakota upbringing, Brokaw weave together inspiring stories of Americans who are making a difference and personal stories from his own family history, to engage us in a conversation about our country and to offer ideas for how we can revitalize the promise of the American Dream.
291 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
129 people are currently reading
1204 people want to read
About the author
Tom Brokaw
102 books177 followersThomas John Brokaw is an American television journalist and author, previously working on regularly scheduled news documentaries for the NBC television network, and is the former NBC News anchorman and managing editor of the program NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. His last broadcast as anchorman was on December 1, 2004, succeeded by Brian Williams in a carefully planned transition. In the later part of Tom Brokaw's tenure, NBC Nightly News became the most watched cable or broadcast news program in the United States. Brokaw also hosted, wrote, and moderated special programs on a wide range of topics. Throughout his career, he has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors.
Brokaw serves on the Howard University School of Communications Board of Visitors and on the boards of trustees of the University of South Dakota, the Norton Simon Museum, the American Museum of Natural History and the International Rescue Committee. As well as his television journalism, he has written for periodicals and has authored books. He still works at NBC as a Special Correspondent.
Brokaw serves on the Howard University School of Communications Board of Visitors and on the boards of trustees of the University of South Dakota, the Norton Simon Museum, the American Museum of Natural History and the International Rescue Committee. As well as his television journalism, he has written for periodicals and has authored books. He still works at NBC as a Special Correspondent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
June 2, 2013
The Time of our Lives provides observations from an experienced sage of current affairs. Listening to the audio edition of this book was similar to sitting across a coffee shop table listening to an extended commentary about life from an erudite and enlightened observer.
Tom Brokaw is close enough to my age (he’s 6 years older) that I could identify with most of his sentiments reflecting on past life experiences. If we were in a real two-way conversation I would have had a few retorts, occasionally agreeing and occasionally disagreeing. But I certainly would have found him to be a rational observer and thinker to be respected. (i.e. The sort of person I wish I could be.)
A gamut of policy issues are touched upon, but there’s probably little substantive or new material here for policy wonks. He reminisces on the past, quips about the present, and expresses hopeful optimism for the future. It was published in November 2011, so comments about the present are a bit dated. But nonetheless, it's an interesting book.
Tom Brokaw is close enough to my age (he’s 6 years older) that I could identify with most of his sentiments reflecting on past life experiences. If we were in a real two-way conversation I would have had a few retorts, occasionally agreeing and occasionally disagreeing. But I certainly would have found him to be a rational observer and thinker to be respected. (i.e. The sort of person I wish I could be.)
A gamut of policy issues are touched upon, but there’s probably little substantive or new material here for policy wonks. He reminisces on the past, quips about the present, and expresses hopeful optimism for the future. It was published in November 2011, so comments about the present are a bit dated. But nonetheless, it's an interesting book.
December 12, 2011
I was so horribly disappointed in this book. I grew up watching Tom Brokaw on Nightly News every single night for years and years. I like him as a journalist, and thought that with all of those many years of studying politics, cultures and the like, maybe he'd have some good things to say about our future as a generation and a nation. But no. The vast majority of the "solutions" he suggests I believe to be very misguided. His chapters on education almost made me physically ill... I had to read those chapters in really short bursts they were so painful to read.
May 3, 2018
Little did I know that another #metoo scandal would erupt over the author of the random book I had selected to read this week. While the claims are still being hotly debated, his sermonizing commentary comes across as sanctimonious for now.
Still, this book gives insight in American life in a fashion that only Tom Brokaw, former editor of NBC ightly News for over twenty years, can provide.
He starts each chapter with a fact, followed by a question. The opening chapter starts with a real zinger:
“FACT: In every century of America’s history we have been the beneficiaries of sacrifice and selflessness in the face of great odds to build a stronger country: The Founding Fathers of the eighteenth century fought a bloody revolution for freedom. The great losses of the Civil War were necessary to preserve the union.
The pioneers who pushed west endured countless hardships as they opened the rest of the continent. The generation that came of age in the Great Depression helped save the world in World War II and gave us modern America.
QUESTION: A hundred years from now, what will be our indelible and measureable legacy? What will our grandchildren say of us? Of our country? Historians will not judge our time by Barack Obama, George W. Bush, or the Tea Party alone. We’re all in the dock.”
He covers a vasy array of political topics from educational reform to voting along party lines, mainly concentrating on the baby boomer generation, with a sprinkling of the greatest generation and the bridge generation that followed.
He is unexpectedly funny, although it occurs sparsely in the book and is never indulgent about it.
“Rush Limbaugh took to the airwaves to declare me a “self-hating liberal.” Rush, of all people, should know that those of us who make a very good living listening to the sound of our own voices are incapable of self-hate. We think we’re grand, and I include Rush in that fraternity.
Rush is at least an original, and his power is indisputable. He relishes his influence and the financial rewards that come with it. However you regard his message or personal style, he has earned his fortune by creating an enormous audience of the faithful, or “ditto-heads,” as they like to be called. A ditto-head is someone who worships at the altar of Limbaugh’s preaching, never questioning his conclusions or reasoning. Equivalents can be found on the left as well, slavishly loyal to the shibboleths spouted by the liberal faithful. You’ll find very little self-doubt or second thoughts on left-leaning websites such as Daily Kos or MoveOn. Org.”
Ditto-heads and shibboleths. Nice new additions to my own vocabulary.
When he started discussing the Great Depression and the “thrift gene” that accompanied that generation, I sat up and took notes.
“There was a common belief that it could happen again, a conditioning that stayed with this generation, and largely with their children, for the rest of their lives. That thrift gene from the Depression was built into the bloodlines on all sides of our extended family. It had to be, for survival. The cost of living was not a statistic issued by a government economist. It was a daily reality.”
Brokaw lists many examples of how the dark times of the depression brought out resilience and creativity. How can we reuse mashed potatoes? Add salt, beaten eggs, and grated onions and fry in bacon for hamburger patties! Finesse with stretching the grocery items was crucial, as was treating any luxury household appliances, like a refrigerator, as crown jewels. Every family member had to be skilled in maintenance, because having the funds to pay for a repairman was out of the question.
He holds nothing back when contrasting the thrift habits of yesteryear with the extravagant spending of today. Starting with Brokaw’s bridge generation, they were “still conditioned by the penurious culture of our parents but a little giddy by what we were earning and all the new opportunities to spend. Dining out became routine. A second car? Why not? Let’s fly, not drive, for vacation this year.”
And then the subject of homes, one of my favorite focuses of the book.
“The increasing size of the family home and the rising ownership of second homes seemed to have happened with little commentary or examination. There may not be a more telling example of the differences in spending habits than the housing model. In the 1950s and early ’60s, the Rocky Mountain ski areas were quaint villages; they erupted into glossy sprawls of trophy homes and condos. Florida coastlines and Arizona and California deserts blossomed with sun-dappled expensive weekend and winter housing. In every state, second homes morphed from rudimentary cabins on lakes and rivers to residences a huge percentage of the world’s population would consider palaces.”
Brokaw’s own parents, both highly intelligent with intense work ethics, lived in mobile homes and rented apartments for over twenty years before they could finally purchase a modest three-bedroom apartment with one bathroom and two door garage on a corner lot. I came away from that entire chapter very humbled and questioning my own assumptions about what is normal as determined by current culture.
“The average size of an American house expanded by 140 percent between 1950 and 2007, from just under 1,000 square feet to more than 2,400 square feet. That’s twice the average size of homes in France and Germany.”
After reading this book, I’m appreciative of Brokaw’s skill at contrasting current generations with the past. His ability to isolate the positive qualities from both bears a hopeful tone for the future.
Still, this book gives insight in American life in a fashion that only Tom Brokaw, former editor of NBC ightly News for over twenty years, can provide.
He starts each chapter with a fact, followed by a question. The opening chapter starts with a real zinger:
“FACT: In every century of America’s history we have been the beneficiaries of sacrifice and selflessness in the face of great odds to build a stronger country: The Founding Fathers of the eighteenth century fought a bloody revolution for freedom. The great losses of the Civil War were necessary to preserve the union.
The pioneers who pushed west endured countless hardships as they opened the rest of the continent. The generation that came of age in the Great Depression helped save the world in World War II and gave us modern America.
QUESTION: A hundred years from now, what will be our indelible and measureable legacy? What will our grandchildren say of us? Of our country? Historians will not judge our time by Barack Obama, George W. Bush, or the Tea Party alone. We’re all in the dock.”
He covers a vasy array of political topics from educational reform to voting along party lines, mainly concentrating on the baby boomer generation, with a sprinkling of the greatest generation and the bridge generation that followed.
He is unexpectedly funny, although it occurs sparsely in the book and is never indulgent about it.
“Rush Limbaugh took to the airwaves to declare me a “self-hating liberal.” Rush, of all people, should know that those of us who make a very good living listening to the sound of our own voices are incapable of self-hate. We think we’re grand, and I include Rush in that fraternity.
Rush is at least an original, and his power is indisputable. He relishes his influence and the financial rewards that come with it. However you regard his message or personal style, he has earned his fortune by creating an enormous audience of the faithful, or “ditto-heads,” as they like to be called. A ditto-head is someone who worships at the altar of Limbaugh’s preaching, never questioning his conclusions or reasoning. Equivalents can be found on the left as well, slavishly loyal to the shibboleths spouted by the liberal faithful. You’ll find very little self-doubt or second thoughts on left-leaning websites such as Daily Kos or MoveOn. Org.”
Ditto-heads and shibboleths. Nice new additions to my own vocabulary.
When he started discussing the Great Depression and the “thrift gene” that accompanied that generation, I sat up and took notes.
“There was a common belief that it could happen again, a conditioning that stayed with this generation, and largely with their children, for the rest of their lives. That thrift gene from the Depression was built into the bloodlines on all sides of our extended family. It had to be, for survival. The cost of living was not a statistic issued by a government economist. It was a daily reality.”
Brokaw lists many examples of how the dark times of the depression brought out resilience and creativity. How can we reuse mashed potatoes? Add salt, beaten eggs, and grated onions and fry in bacon for hamburger patties! Finesse with stretching the grocery items was crucial, as was treating any luxury household appliances, like a refrigerator, as crown jewels. Every family member had to be skilled in maintenance, because having the funds to pay for a repairman was out of the question.
He holds nothing back when contrasting the thrift habits of yesteryear with the extravagant spending of today. Starting with Brokaw’s bridge generation, they were “still conditioned by the penurious culture of our parents but a little giddy by what we were earning and all the new opportunities to spend. Dining out became routine. A second car? Why not? Let’s fly, not drive, for vacation this year.”
And then the subject of homes, one of my favorite focuses of the book.
“The increasing size of the family home and the rising ownership of second homes seemed to have happened with little commentary or examination. There may not be a more telling example of the differences in spending habits than the housing model. In the 1950s and early ’60s, the Rocky Mountain ski areas were quaint villages; they erupted into glossy sprawls of trophy homes and condos. Florida coastlines and Arizona and California deserts blossomed with sun-dappled expensive weekend and winter housing. In every state, second homes morphed from rudimentary cabins on lakes and rivers to residences a huge percentage of the world’s population would consider palaces.”
Brokaw’s own parents, both highly intelligent with intense work ethics, lived in mobile homes and rented apartments for over twenty years before they could finally purchase a modest three-bedroom apartment with one bathroom and two door garage on a corner lot. I came away from that entire chapter very humbled and questioning my own assumptions about what is normal as determined by current culture.
“The average size of an American house expanded by 140 percent between 1950 and 2007, from just under 1,000 square feet to more than 2,400 square feet. That’s twice the average size of homes in France and Germany.”
After reading this book, I’m appreciative of Brokaw’s skill at contrasting current generations with the past. His ability to isolate the positive qualities from both bears a hopeful tone for the future.
December 26, 2011
I'd say this book was a huge disappointment, but that would imply that I had expectations. I'm not sure why I picked it up. I suppose the only excuse I have is that Cracker Barrel's selection was struggling. I prefer to listen to non-fiction while driving, and there were only 3 options. Anyway...chapters 1 & 2 were so boring I almost turned it off, but chapter 3 was about education so I kept listening. At the end of the book, I can honestly say I have no idea what it was really about. He talked in circles and repeated himself for most of the book...so much so that I thought the CD had restarted SEVERAL times. The "storyline" was super unorganized and not very well-connected; I had a hard time following what seems to just be Brokaw's meandering thoughts, memories, and personal anecdotes. Maybe reading it would have helped...but I wouldn't bank on it. (And I won't even get into the part where I disagreed with a large portion of his views on "America".)
April 13, 2022
He has had an interesting life and met interesting people and had a chance to think big. He includes some interesting things to think about, but the book meanders a bit. I don't think it had as much depth as I had hoped.
October 7, 2016
A Review of the Audiobook
Published in 2011 by Random House Audio
Read by the author, Tom Brokaw
Duration: 7 hours, 8 minutes
Unabridged
I picked up this audiobook in the hopes that former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw would be offering some in-depth analysis on a wide range of issues. After all, the cover promises to look at "Who we are, where we've been and where we need to go now to recapture the American Dream."
Instead, we get a lot of amiable reminiscing about Brokaw's family, his early career, and a bit of of a slanted history lesson with every chapter with some half-hearted advice that is based on discussion with industry leaders.
That is the essence of the problem Brokaw is a top-level journalist. He is a journalist emeritus - respected and admired for what he used to do but he is not doing the gritty stuff any more. He hobnobs and socializes with elites. If he wants to talk about some new trend in computers he can literally call Bill Gates and get his take.
But, here's the problem. Gates is no longer street-level. He's up in the clouds and he doesn't see everything any more. To make a comparison to a war situation, Brokaw is talking to the officers in their cushy offices far from the front and not talking to the people in the trenches. His sources are important people but they no longer know the realities of the daily grind. Brokaw is quoting CEOs about what is going on and not talking to the people doing the actual work.
It was most glaringly obvious in his discussions about education. He comes back to the topic time after time and his all sorts of "insights" that tell me he is talking to school corporation superintendents and not to actual classroom teachers (like me - this is my 27th year in the classroom).
For example, he refers to "charter schools" as a help to public schools. Almost no public school teacher or leader sees them that way. They see schools that are allowed to pick and choose who can attend, avoid rules that hamstring public schools (couldn't we help the public schools by removing those rules for everybody?) and hire unlicensed staff who get to become teachers with just a couple of weeks of training. A head of a school system might say that he welcomes the competition, but that's just a politician talking.
At one point Brokaw muses that maybe public schools would be better if they could use the methods that the Marines use in basic training to teach students. Sure, Tom, that would be great. Only take in the ones that make the cut (there are no physically disabled or mentally disabled Marines) and throw out anyone that won't get with the program. Tom - those are the methods that the most egregious charter schools use.
My least favorite quote from the book - I literally pulled over to write this one down because I was listening while driving:
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2016/...
Published in 2011 by Random House Audio
Read by the author, Tom Brokaw
Duration: 7 hours, 8 minutes
Unabridged
I picked up this audiobook in the hopes that former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw would be offering some in-depth analysis on a wide range of issues. After all, the cover promises to look at "Who we are, where we've been and where we need to go now to recapture the American Dream."
Instead, we get a lot of amiable reminiscing about Brokaw's family, his early career, and a bit of of a slanted history lesson with every chapter with some half-hearted advice that is based on discussion with industry leaders.
That is the essence of the problem Brokaw is a top-level journalist. He is a journalist emeritus - respected and admired for what he used to do but he is not doing the gritty stuff any more. He hobnobs and socializes with elites. If he wants to talk about some new trend in computers he can literally call Bill Gates and get his take.
But, here's the problem. Gates is no longer street-level. He's up in the clouds and he doesn't see everything any more. To make a comparison to a war situation, Brokaw is talking to the officers in their cushy offices far from the front and not talking to the people in the trenches. His sources are important people but they no longer know the realities of the daily grind. Brokaw is quoting CEOs about what is going on and not talking to the people doing the actual work.
It was most glaringly obvious in his discussions about education. He comes back to the topic time after time and his all sorts of "insights" that tell me he is talking to school corporation superintendents and not to actual classroom teachers (like me - this is my 27th year in the classroom).
For example, he refers to "charter schools" as a help to public schools. Almost no public school teacher or leader sees them that way. They see schools that are allowed to pick and choose who can attend, avoid rules that hamstring public schools (couldn't we help the public schools by removing those rules for everybody?) and hire unlicensed staff who get to become teachers with just a couple of weeks of training. A head of a school system might say that he welcomes the competition, but that's just a politician talking.
At one point Brokaw muses that maybe public schools would be better if they could use the methods that the Marines use in basic training to teach students. Sure, Tom, that would be great. Only take in the ones that make the cut (there are no physically disabled or mentally disabled Marines) and throw out anyone that won't get with the program. Tom - those are the methods that the most egregious charter schools use.
My least favorite quote from the book - I literally pulled over to write this one down because I was listening while driving:
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2016/...
July 26, 2016
This was full of so many solid principles on a variety of topics. I loved it. Plus he mentioned GIS! It doesn't get any better than that.
I'm becoming a fan of Tom Brokaw. I like his writing style and his topics. He also seems, to me, pretty unbiased. Once again he calls for political friendliness which is badly needed in this day and age. However, I think the only thing that will help us head in that direction will be nothing short of a catastrophe. He's a supporter of the military and he points out the many social and personal benefits for the potential of shaping a person to be well-rounded upon joining and serving.
He mentioned being at his 50 year high school reunion when they were about 70 years old and he asked his fellow classmates which 70 year olds they remember when they were in high school. It got me thinking "What will I hope to be able to say about my life and what I accomplished when I'm 70 and chatting with old friends from school?" Then I got real quiet and nervous and fearful.
He gives terrific advice to calibrate our lives by prudent proportion. Successful people intuitively and actively arrange their affairs so they can weather the unexpected. Also learning new things slows the aging process. Sound advice for you old fogies that watch TV all dang day.
I wish was Tom was my grandpa or relative and I could chat with him all day about life.
I'm becoming a fan of Tom Brokaw. I like his writing style and his topics. He also seems, to me, pretty unbiased. Once again he calls for political friendliness which is badly needed in this day and age. However, I think the only thing that will help us head in that direction will be nothing short of a catastrophe. He's a supporter of the military and he points out the many social and personal benefits for the potential of shaping a person to be well-rounded upon joining and serving.
He mentioned being at his 50 year high school reunion when they were about 70 years old and he asked his fellow classmates which 70 year olds they remember when they were in high school. It got me thinking "What will I hope to be able to say about my life and what I accomplished when I'm 70 and chatting with old friends from school?" Then I got real quiet and nervous and fearful.
He gives terrific advice to calibrate our lives by prudent proportion. Successful people intuitively and actively arrange their affairs so they can weather the unexpected. Also learning new things slows the aging process. Sound advice for you old fogies that watch TV all dang day.
I wish was Tom was my grandpa or relative and I could chat with him all day about life.
December 24, 2011
I've never been a Brokaw fan, but I have respected him over the years. Never has his context as a privileged member of American society been made so clear to me as the voice and perspective in this reflection. I don't understand this penchant to ascribe equivalence between the Tea Party and figures such as Keith Olbermann. I suppose in his role as elder statesman as to the state of America, Brokaw thinks he has to adopt a "balanced" voice. I'd much rather an ACCURATE voice. Neither does his love of public-private partnerships soothe my worries about the state of our country. The names dropped by Brokaw are all people who benefit greatly materially from the way our society operates. While he may very well be aware that millions of Americans in 2011 have to live, still, in conditions he describes as belonging to the time of his grandparents, he, at least in my opinion, addresses the nation as if we all maxed out 12 credit cards and none of us lived within our means before the Great Recession. People with money can make more things happen. All of that activity doesn't mean they necessarily calibrate the fix the way it is needed.
January 18, 2018
I won a copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway.
I really enjoyed Brokaw's new book. He brought to light many salient points about the social and political scene in America today. Brokaw gently pointed out the failings of both ultra conservatives and ultra liberals in an inoffensive manner, chiding both sides for their sometimes hypocritical and often hostile behavior, especially towards each other. I particularly enjoyed the section on the dotcom age. While most of his points are hardly new, they are still worth bringing up as many people have not yet understood the potential implications of not knowing just how all of our new media is changing us and our environment. Each chapter begins with a fact and a related introspective question for the reader about our personal actions and beliefs, the future, or social/economic/political issues. These are a nice way to start a new chapter and begin to interact with the new subject before diving in.
I really enjoyed Brokaw's new book. He brought to light many salient points about the social and political scene in America today. Brokaw gently pointed out the failings of both ultra conservatives and ultra liberals in an inoffensive manner, chiding both sides for their sometimes hypocritical and often hostile behavior, especially towards each other. I particularly enjoyed the section on the dotcom age. While most of his points are hardly new, they are still worth bringing up as many people have not yet understood the potential implications of not knowing just how all of our new media is changing us and our environment. Each chapter begins with a fact and a related introspective question for the reader about our personal actions and beliefs, the future, or social/economic/political issues. These are a nice way to start a new chapter and begin to interact with the new subject before diving in.
June 22, 2015
A great book by one of the great news people/reporter/authors in American history. I listened to this as an audio, so I liked that it was his voice to his book. I read some of reviews that were negative suggesting he is out of touch, that he doesn't see a bright future for America for various reasons, his reporting on facts on some politicians, etc. Well people, most of what he said is true. The education system in America is screwed up and it needs fixing. The Dem's and Rep's usually can' agree on anything and they have really divided this country because they are so entrenched on what their respective parties beliefs are. I can see in some of the comments that Dem's took offense when he talked about a few of the Dem politicians and vice versa. It was an intelligent conversation that is worth listening to or reading. Maybe it comes across better in the audio format.
December 8, 2011
I'm sorry to say that I was deeply disappointed in this book. I always respected Brokaw as a journalist and thought The Greatest Generation was one of the most spot on books I've ever read. I'm sorry to say that I found this examination of where we are and where we are going as a country to be over-simplified, condescending and borderline insulting in it's assumption of the readers lack of intelligence. I am getting very tired of people who will never have a financial worry in their lives (read polititians here also) telling me to learn to live with the idea that the "American Dream" is dead and that I'd best get used to the idea that we may well be headed toward becoming a third world country.
January 15, 2012
Having read it I find Brokaw is a really nice friendly guy. However his presentation of our issues is over simplified and lacks depth. It's a "nice, nice," book. Everything is handled correctly and no judgments are made.
I am struck by the sections about his family in the depression. He looks with pride on their perseverance and independent pride. Yet his answers for today's issues consist of mushy wish lists. I don't see him drawing from yesterday's strength to address tomorrow's issues. To require our generation to exhibit guts and sacrifice like our grandparents is beyond his expectation.
Toward the end I realized that exactly what I don't like about network news is also what I didn't like about this book.
I am struck by the sections about his family in the depression. He looks with pride on their perseverance and independent pride. Yet his answers for today's issues consist of mushy wish lists. I don't see him drawing from yesterday's strength to address tomorrow's issues. To require our generation to exhibit guts and sacrifice like our grandparents is beyond his expectation.
Toward the end I realized that exactly what I don't like about network news is also what I didn't like about this book.
December 23, 2011
Brokaw surveys life in America, both now and in the past, with an eye towards what will make the future better. I enjoyed the personal reminiscences, but I think he puts a little too much stock in altruistic individuals setting inspiring examples for us all. The several pages he spends on an approving profile of largely discredited educator Michelle Rhee points out one of the pitfalls of that approach, but I think he also misses the need for incentives within a system that encourage change and improvement.
A good book for fans of history and Tom Brokaw, maybe not so good for fans of economics and the psychology of social change.
A good book for fans of history and Tom Brokaw, maybe not so good for fans of economics and the psychology of social change.
December 11, 2012
I listened to this as an audio book. A respected journalist and newscaster since the mid 1960’s, Tom Brokaw's voice was a pleasure for me to listen to. This book covers a wide range of topics from politics, his personal life, America then and now, and his views on the wide range of changes he’s seen in the last fifty years. At times it was a look at the future, yet at other times it was a nostalgic look at the past. He offered suggestions, not magic solutions, on how to make America’s future stronger. I enjoyed the book, and it made me realize, which we sometimes forget, the amazing changes that have occurred during the last fifty years.
June 11, 2020
How is it that a well known news reporter who communicated with few words and with a lot of pictures could write a book in 2011 that has the power to inform our world today. Perhaps the answer comes from the Preface when he says about “:….what happened to America I thought I knew?” ix Then he asks “What has happened to us? Have we lost our way?” And he ads in the opening pages, “these were not questions I was asking in August 1962, when I was a newlywed and a rookie journalist.” ( ix)
His theme of the book\ is “One often repeated question is the most troubling of all, because it challenges an American belief so fundamental it might as well be carved in a stone on a Washington monument: “Will you children and grandchildren have better lives than us?” x
He reminds us that he is not a sociologist or psychologist: “I am a journalist, and observer and a synthesizer… “ x
In chapter 1 begins with “A hundred years from now, what will our indelible and measurable legacy?” He adds “…President Obama learned again, as all presidents do, that it is the unanticipated and unexpected events that can be the most perilous for a chief executive.” 12
Each chapter begins with two paragraphs . “Fact” and “Question.” For example, chapter 3 begins “The US Department of Education estimated in 2020 that more than forty million American are functionally illiterate.” 28 Then he asks a question; For example That the money given to education from the federal movement was $4.35 million to make changes in how education is done. “That was less than what the Department of Defense spent in Iraq in June of the same year Does this make sense to you?” 28
The lead question in chapter 4 “Old School Ties and New World Requirements” is
“What exactly does higher education mean in a modern global society….” 57
In Chapter 6, “Church of Thrift” is “When was the last time you had a family conversation about your short- and long-term financial goals?
The book takes a broader scope about America and its citizens. Chapter 9 we get ‘Uncle Sam Needs Us” and the question is do you know anyone in the armed forces? In chapter 10, “The US Academy of Public Service” the question is “Should there be such a thing?
His questions keep on coming, with themes about our souls as journalism, “grandma and grandpa” and more.
In the final pages, he touches on how we are dealing with getting order. For example, he tells us (as a journalist should) what has happened in the world. The last chapter about the future is warmer than the others.
With a little humor, he reminds us that Robert Redford became a grandparent (and, now that is ten years old.)
The book has been on the rack in libraries and stores. The world we have now makes the book worth a read.
His theme of the book\ is “One often repeated question is the most troubling of all, because it challenges an American belief so fundamental it might as well be carved in a stone on a Washington monument: “Will you children and grandchildren have better lives than us?” x
He reminds us that he is not a sociologist or psychologist: “I am a journalist, and observer and a synthesizer… “ x
In chapter 1 begins with “A hundred years from now, what will our indelible and measurable legacy?” He adds “…President Obama learned again, as all presidents do, that it is the unanticipated and unexpected events that can be the most perilous for a chief executive.” 12
Each chapter begins with two paragraphs . “Fact” and “Question.” For example, chapter 3 begins “The US Department of Education estimated in 2020 that more than forty million American are functionally illiterate.” 28 Then he asks a question; For example That the money given to education from the federal movement was $4.35 million to make changes in how education is done. “That was less than what the Department of Defense spent in Iraq in June of the same year Does this make sense to you?” 28
The lead question in chapter 4 “Old School Ties and New World Requirements” is
“What exactly does higher education mean in a modern global society….” 57
In Chapter 6, “Church of Thrift” is “When was the last time you had a family conversation about your short- and long-term financial goals?
The book takes a broader scope about America and its citizens. Chapter 9 we get ‘Uncle Sam Needs Us” and the question is do you know anyone in the armed forces? In chapter 10, “The US Academy of Public Service” the question is “Should there be such a thing?
His questions keep on coming, with themes about our souls as journalism, “grandma and grandpa” and more.
In the final pages, he touches on how we are dealing with getting order. For example, he tells us (as a journalist should) what has happened in the world. The last chapter about the future is warmer than the others.
With a little humor, he reminds us that Robert Redford became a grandparent (and, now that is ten years old.)
The book has been on the rack in libraries and stores. The world we have now makes the book worth a read.
August 31, 2020
The first impression is that this book is very political (and by that, I don't mean biased), and attempts to highlight as well as uplift American values, and what better time to read this than during the weeks of DNC and RNC?!
The Time of Our Lives by veteran journalist Tom Brokaw touches upon various basic aspects that citizens of a country need to contemplate - the nation's education system, healthcare, the policies in the internet era, housing and spending in general, the lives and future of the elderly etc, and analyzes each subject by categorizing it into its past, present, and future (which is termed 'promise' euphemistically). The "fact" at the beginning of each chapter offers a nice base to the analysis in the rest of it.
The book is teeming with interesting information and innovative ideas about various cultural aspects and their impact on the American society, which the author refers to as "daring new ideas tested in the laboratories of everyday life". To name a few, the Tunisian fruit vendor which became a catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring; the Nation at Risk report that compares American education system with the rest of the world, and with the elite C9 of China in particular; the extremely competitive and demanding Korean school system where kids wait in front of the school gates at 6:30 AM in the morning; Michele Rhee's controversial "Capital Gains" program where students received money for good grades and behavior; author's own suggestions to extend the school hours to 11 months; the curious McKinsey report that highlights that only 10% of Chinese trained in their country were ready for the demands of the global workspace; Start-up Nation and the story of Israel's economic miracle and IDF's role and influence in shaping an Israelite; the concept of "Silver Tsunami", a generational shift in the age gaps; the widespread prevalence of coupons in American shopping; volunteering; the story of the Robin Hood Foundation etc.
I was pleasantly surprised to see some Google interview questions in the book - like the puzzle to find out the heavier of the eight balls, sorting a million integers, even hash-tree and a binary search tree references!!
In conclusion, I'd recommend giving this book a chance, and if nothing else, it would certainly feed you with a lot of information about the evolution of current affairs (as in, what has constituted historically, and what constitutes current affairs now) in the US.
The Time of Our Lives by veteran journalist Tom Brokaw touches upon various basic aspects that citizens of a country need to contemplate - the nation's education system, healthcare, the policies in the internet era, housing and spending in general, the lives and future of the elderly etc, and analyzes each subject by categorizing it into its past, present, and future (which is termed 'promise' euphemistically). The "fact" at the beginning of each chapter offers a nice base to the analysis in the rest of it.
The book is teeming with interesting information and innovative ideas about various cultural aspects and their impact on the American society, which the author refers to as "daring new ideas tested in the laboratories of everyday life". To name a few, the Tunisian fruit vendor which became a catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring; the Nation at Risk report that compares American education system with the rest of the world, and with the elite C9 of China in particular; the extremely competitive and demanding Korean school system where kids wait in front of the school gates at 6:30 AM in the morning; Michele Rhee's controversial "Capital Gains" program where students received money for good grades and behavior; author's own suggestions to extend the school hours to 11 months; the curious McKinsey report that highlights that only 10% of Chinese trained in their country were ready for the demands of the global workspace; Start-up Nation and the story of Israel's economic miracle and IDF's role and influence in shaping an Israelite; the concept of "Silver Tsunami", a generational shift in the age gaps; the widespread prevalence of coupons in American shopping; volunteering; the story of the Robin Hood Foundation etc.
I was pleasantly surprised to see some Google interview questions in the book - like the puzzle to find out the heavier of the eight balls, sorting a million integers, even hash-tree and a binary search tree references!!
In conclusion, I'd recommend giving this book a chance, and if nothing else, it would certainly feed you with a lot of information about the evolution of current affairs (as in, what has constituted historically, and what constitutes current affairs now) in the US.
October 13, 2017
I found this book to be an enjoyable read that I think will appeal across generations of readers.
Tom Brokaw writes about the challenges that are being faced by Americans in the 21st century, and offers some suggestions as how to face them. Some of the discussions the reader will find within the pages of the book are:
- We, as a people and a country have experienced a great many crises in a short period of time. Factor in the new political paradigm in the USA that makes it an unwritten rule to not work with someone who is not in your political party. This makes politics and interpersonal interactions so divided and divisive that politics does not work. What Tom Brokaw suggests is that it’s time to “establish a climate for listening as well as shouting”. He further suggests that “we can learn from the past as we grapple with the present and work to renew and fulfill America’s promise”.
- Education in the US is lacking and while funds that are provided by the government is a drop in the bucket compared to what we spend on defense and politician’s special projects, there are alternatives available when people in leadership roles become creative. Also, he suggests that we should focus on science as that is the path to success, not only for the individual but also for the country.
- Living within our means is another topic that he broaches. People in America have gotten away from saving for the future, and have been living on credit cards and purchasing houses that we can’t afford, especially after the bottom dropped out of the housing market.
There are a lot of additional stories included in the book, ranging from changes in public service to people admitting mistakes and acknowledging that they are human. Tom Brokaw makes some pretty good points about a variety of topics, though admittedly it is from a liberal point of view. As a matter of fact, it is a nice compliment to the book written by Laura Carno, “Government Ruins Nearly Everything”, which was written from a conservative standpoint. Reading both books, there are a number of areas and points that they agree on. I would recommend this to anyone interested in the American social and political system.
Tom Brokaw writes about the challenges that are being faced by Americans in the 21st century, and offers some suggestions as how to face them. Some of the discussions the reader will find within the pages of the book are:
- We, as a people and a country have experienced a great many crises in a short period of time. Factor in the new political paradigm in the USA that makes it an unwritten rule to not work with someone who is not in your political party. This makes politics and interpersonal interactions so divided and divisive that politics does not work. What Tom Brokaw suggests is that it’s time to “establish a climate for listening as well as shouting”. He further suggests that “we can learn from the past as we grapple with the present and work to renew and fulfill America’s promise”.
- Education in the US is lacking and while funds that are provided by the government is a drop in the bucket compared to what we spend on defense and politician’s special projects, there are alternatives available when people in leadership roles become creative. Also, he suggests that we should focus on science as that is the path to success, not only for the individual but also for the country.
- Living within our means is another topic that he broaches. People in America have gotten away from saving for the future, and have been living on credit cards and purchasing houses that we can’t afford, especially after the bottom dropped out of the housing market.
There are a lot of additional stories included in the book, ranging from changes in public service to people admitting mistakes and acknowledging that they are human. Tom Brokaw makes some pretty good points about a variety of topics, though admittedly it is from a liberal point of view. As a matter of fact, it is a nice compliment to the book written by Laura Carno, “Government Ruins Nearly Everything”, which was written from a conservative standpoint. Reading both books, there are a number of areas and points that they agree on. I would recommend this to anyone interested in the American social and political system.
March 13, 2019
I have previously read The Greatest Generation and I found that book masterful. This book...is okay. As a national news anchor who traveled the world reporting for what in my time was the one of the "Big Three" news networks his perspective of historical events was interesting. I enjoyed the stroll thorough his immigrant and Native American family tree that is the frequent story of so many Americans. I wish he had included more of that and less of his commentary on how to support public education which I found to be not well researched or in line with what most in the field would consider best practices. I also found it strange that education is a topic he spends some time on considering by his own admission he initially flunked out of college at The University of Iowa because of spending to much time on "beer and co-eds" He later graduated from The University of South Dakota which basically ended his experience with public schools and since graduating his children and now is grandchildren all attend exclusive private schools. Take out the rather extensive sections where he claims teachers working for free on Saturdays, as one example, will solve the problems public education or that if we just "had more business funding" and this book probably would get to 4 stars. I wish he had spent more time of his memories of reporting on the rise and fall of the Nixon administration of which he was one of the primary reporters on the story for the full year prior to Nixon's resignation but this gets only a cursory telling. I listened to this as an audio book which he reads and his distinctive voice takes me back to watching evening news as a kid, before the advent of cable news networks and the 24 hour news cycle. I am glad I read it but isn't the masterful story telling from The Greatest Generation.
August 9, 2018
My copy of this book is underlined, written in and dogeared as Mr. Brokaw wrote about so many things that touched this American's heart. This is a well-written, easy read of many difficult topics--especially given today's politics. Published in 2011, as I read, I kept wondering what he thinks of everything going on in our country today. The sections are: Getting the Fundamentals Right, Assignment America, Help Me Make it Through this New Dot com Age and What Now, Grandma and Grandpa.
Mr. Brokaw speaks eloquently about what has made America a great place to live and challenges we face and throws out ideas on how we might overcome them. "None of us has all the answers, but so many of the problems are self-evident that we should begin by first addressing those that threaten our core values: political pluralism, broad-based economic opportunity, national security secured by means other than the barrel of a gun, cultural and religious tolerance."
I particularly enjoyed the chapter "Stepping Up and Signing Up" which told me about non-profits I've never heard of doing great things. Why aren't these types of organizations the focus of newscasts instead of always depressing topics?
I'd be surprised if reading this book doesn't make you think about things in a new light.
Mr. Brokaw speaks eloquently about what has made America a great place to live and challenges we face and throws out ideas on how we might overcome them. "None of us has all the answers, but so many of the problems are self-evident that we should begin by first addressing those that threaten our core values: political pluralism, broad-based economic opportunity, national security secured by means other than the barrel of a gun, cultural and religious tolerance."
I particularly enjoyed the chapter "Stepping Up and Signing Up" which told me about non-profits I've never heard of doing great things. Why aren't these types of organizations the focus of newscasts instead of always depressing topics?
I'd be surprised if reading this book doesn't make you think about things in a new light.
June 26, 2020
Tom Brokaw has been around a long time and witnessed a lot over the years. His wisdom and incite remains relevant today. In this audiobook, Brokaw talks about history, about government, about the school system and many other topics. He talks about things that worked and things that didn't. One thing in particular that stayed with me was his comment about our legislators. When he first came to Washington, he met many senators and congressmen. They may have been Republicans and Democrats with differences, but at the end of the day, they were friends who talked to each other and listened to one another. There was respect and they understood that they were all Americans. Today, our politicians do not talk and do not want to know each other. There is no negotiating, only blame. Makes me sad to think that this is what we have become. A good book will make you think, and Brokaw succeeded in doing just that. Maybe we should all take a step back and read what this man had to say. His words are more relevant than ever.
March 15, 2025
This review is going to sound like a lot of the other (disappointed) reviews - this is a pleasant recitation of a bunch of anecdotes that are not applicable to most situations. It would have been great if Tom had called out some of the villains that he has met, if he had warned us about more things to watch out for. He tells us that we would be better off if we had grown up without the comforts that we take for granted today - and in many ways I agree.
It is certainly DATED today, in 2025, since it was released in 2011. The world today is far far darker than it was then, we are divided as have not been in decades. The internet which he described does bring us the chance to talk to our families easily but has been twisted to deliver lies and conspiracy directly into everyone's home daily. I have a lot of faith in most Americans and think that we are going to get through this scary time - but we all need to realize that a lot of the hate and fear that Tom wrote as if it was in the past has come back.
It is certainly DATED today, in 2025, since it was released in 2011. The world today is far far darker than it was then, we are divided as have not been in decades. The internet which he described does bring us the chance to talk to our families easily but has been twisted to deliver lies and conspiracy directly into everyone's home daily. I have a lot of faith in most Americans and think that we are going to get through this scary time - but we all need to realize that a lot of the hate and fear that Tom wrote as if it was in the past has come back.
May 20, 2017
This book I think should be read by everyone. In the book, Tom Brokaw tells where our society is headed and what we can do about it and I thought he brought up some very valid points. The first one for example is polarization of politics and how we can't just discuss things civilly anymore but the other side is adamantly wrong and he thinks the nation is worse for it. Since the time this was written, I think it has gotten worse, but he had many more interesting points on how we could all be good citizens.
I thought it was interesting how one reader said it was on Bill Gates list of books he would have everyone read, and I agree, everyone should read this book because it will make you think about things you already know, but there is Tom Brokaw to bring them up. I think if every citizen of America thought about them, it may make better citizens. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I thought it was interesting how one reader said it was on Bill Gates list of books he would have everyone read, and I agree, everyone should read this book because it will make you think about things you already know, but there is Tom Brokaw to bring them up. I think if every citizen of America thought about them, it may make better citizens. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
July 3, 2019
I was looking forward to listening to this book. I grew up on the broadcasting of Tom Brokaw and was expecting some great insights. While the observations are keen and the broadcast voice resonates as he reads through the book, I was left wanting. The book provides a great many observations from someone that has been around the world and had the opportunity to see many things, but it lacks the punch of clear plans and direct methods to solve the various issues that he defines. Very much the reporter and journalist, not the leader that will bring the solutions to the table. That said, it was enjoyable to hear his observations and for the challenges he reports on, there were common sense admonishments about what could and should be done to address those issues beyond the typical political lip service that we generally hear.
May 1, 2020
Right now is one of America's darkest days and the news every day is horrific. America has the worst president it has ever seen. This book gave me hope for the America to once again become the super power it once was. The news is something that has always been on in my house growing up to now and Brokaw is one of those news guys that is just soothing to me, like if he was telling us things were going to be ok then they were going to be ok. I just always felt I could trust his reporting. I really liked how he wrapped everything together past present and future. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! He has a huge section in this book where he talks about education and where America ranks in many subjects. He also analyzed study and school habits for kids in America vs the rest of the world.
June 25, 2018
This wasn’t a bad book; I just didn’t learn anything from it. It didn’t make me think about the world in a different way. Basically he claims that the way he lived his life is the right way. His house was the perfect size. Anything bigger would be wasteful. His girls had the advantage of his financial help when needed, but no reflection (that I remember) is given for children without that advantage. Although, maybe I’m sounding too harsh - he did acknowledge how lucky his situation was. I think the bigger problem is just that his reflections don’t bring anything new or interesting to the table.
July 3, 2017
Brokaw discusses the way he feels the past was in America and where he feels the country is headed. In doing so he goes recounts the stories of some of the people he's met over the years as a journalist. Along the way, he offers up some of his own thoughts about how to solve America's problems. Sometimes I agreed and sometimes I didn't, but my biggest complaint would be that too many times the issues were grossly oversimplified. The moments of the book that truly stand out and shine are when Brokaw tells stories about his own family and the lessons they've taught him.
February 18, 2018
This was a book on disc. I listened to a good portion of the first and last discs so I am giving myself credit for having "read" it. I found I would feel impatient while listening to it, but not in a good way that I wanted to find out what happened. In the Preface he talked about an old clock and the passing of time. He gave lots of examples and interspersed them with "Tick tock." That phrase came back to haunt me when I would feel frustrated and impatient. I gave this book enough time and am moving on.
October 26, 2017
This was an interesting look by Brokaw at the state of American culture and how we can achieve the dreams that we once held as a collective society that now seem out of reach today. It offers innovative suggestions of how to return to the national prosperity that we once achieved and how to pursue the service-centered thought process that once shaped our national identity.
June 3, 2020
It's mostly outdated having been written in 2012, but some insights are timeless. Technology is still continuing to change our world. We still need to serve - whether in a volunteer organization, our community or in the military. Grandparents are influential. Racial inequities persist. It's a great read so long as it's kept in mind that so much has changed since the time of its writing.
September 8, 2025
I love audiobooks on CD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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