Bob Schieffer's America Unabridged edition by Schieffer, Bob published by Penguin Audio (2008) [Audio CD]

by Bob Schieffer

The Face the Nation commentator delivers "a fitting companion to his career memoir, This Just In " ( Texas Monthly ).Bob Schieffer's America brings together 171 of his smart, humorous, and pitch-perfect from today's hard issues to the human stories that show readers who they are; from politics and presidents and tragedy to the things that touch them, make them laugh, or record the small shifts in culture that just creep up. In addition, Schieffer has written "commentaries on my commentaries" that run throughout the book, offering further anecdotes, reflections, updates, and insights.

Genres: Nonfiction, Journalism, Biography, History

Unknown Binding

First published September 9, 2008

About the author

Bob Lloyd Schieffer is an American television journalist. He is known for his moderation of presidential debates, where he has been praised for his capability. Schieffer is one of the few journalists to have covered all four of the major Washington national assignments: the White House, the Pentagon, United States Department of State, and United States Congress. His career with CBS has almost exclusively dealt with national politics. He has interviewed every United States President since Richard M. Nixon, as well as most of those who sought the office.
Schieffer has been with CBS News since 1969, serving as the anchor on the Saturday edition of CBS Evening News for 20 years, from 1976 to 1996, as well as the Chief Washington Correspondent from 1982 until 2015, and moderator of the Sunday public affairs show, Face the Nation, from 1991 until May 31, 2015. From March 10, 2005, to August 31, 2006, Schieffer was interim weekday anchor of CBS Evening News, and was one of the primary substitutes for Katie Couric and Scott Pelley.
Following his retirement from Face the Nation, Schieffer has continued to work for CBS as a contributor, making many appearances on air giving political commentary covering the 2016 presidential election. Schieffer is currently releasing episodes of a new podcast, "Bob Schieffer's 'About the News' with H. Andrew Schwartz".
Schieffer has written three books about his career in journalism: Face the Nation: My Favorite Stories from the First 50 Years of the Award-Winning News Broadcast, This Just In: What I Couldn't Tell You on TV, and Bob Schieffer's America. He co-authored a book about Ronald Reagan, The Acting President, with Gary Paul Gates, that was published in 1989. In his memoir, This Just In, Schieffer credits the fact he was a beat reporter at CBS for his longevity at the network.
Schieffer has won virtually every award in broadcast journalism, including eight Emmys, the overseas Press Club Award, the Paul White Award presented by the TV News Directors Association, and the Edward R. Murrow Award given by Murrow's alma mater, Washington State University.
Schieffer was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2002, and inducted into the National Academy of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame in 2013. He was named a living legend by the Library of Congress in 2008.
Schieffer is currently serving as the Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center.

Reviews

[Jeff Clausen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit underwhelming, given the title, as it encompasses America in very general terms: we’re all in this together, never forget 9/11, where are all the good old fashioned politicians, etc. Schieffer is an accomplished journalist who learned from the best, such as Walter Cronkite and Eric Severeid, so he knows his stuff, and his best stuff is when he’s relating anecdotes about other well-know folks. He does however have a tendency to slip into curmudgeonly ways but they are still entertaining. He also has a good eye for the failings of Washington and pulls no punches. But the book is missing real drama, or humor, or something memorable. This is mostly a snapshot of our condition in the 90s and early 2000s, and so is significant for that, if nothing more groundbreaking.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, well-written reflections on American history, politics, and various current events. I really liked Bob Schieffer's writing style.

[Harron68 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with many of the previous reviewers. It's a quick read, intros to sections are longer than the reprints of the brief "closing commentaries" he gave in the '90s following his moderating of the CBS show "Face The Nation" shows each Sunday. He includes some of his misguided support for events that went wrong. He continues to saw away at the government branch labeled 'BUREAUCRACY' criticizing its waste and bad management.
He's not a superior writer, coming from the news business where long deep thought isn't demanded. Clear, to the point writing is, and he does well. There is one spot, a few lines, where he recalls being in the A&P as a young boy. His Mother was pushing the shopping cart (they had carts back then too!) when they got the news F.D.R. died. Everybody was crying. Such a powerful image! I give it 3 stars because it breaks no new ground, is more history than contemporary, interesting material, and pieces are so short they don't add much. Still, it's a very fast read and if one wants to remember the '90s news, Schieffer does a commendable job.

[David H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent A collection of his closing comments of episodes of Face The Nation. Followed by a further list of funny and interesting occurrences in his lifetime of reporting the news. Read this if you were born before 1950 and you will know the players in every clip, and laugh a lot.

[Beth Paul]

This is a nostalgic book of columns and commentaries from Scheiffer's early career up to the publication of the book in 2008.

[Nicole Marble · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bob was a long time reporter, best known on CBS TV. He complains a lot about the venality of politics in America. Which is fine except that Bob is part of the problem when he praises Reagan for his wit and charm but totally misses what Reagan was saying, namely that government was the problem. Of course, we now know that Reagan was the problem.
You'll save a lot of time if you just skip to his 'afterward' where he sums up his point of view. As Dorothy Parker would say - the covers of this book are too far apart.

[Richard Tolleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy Bob immensely on FTN, and really liked this book, too. It was like a visit with an old friend. Bob's common sense is in short supply these days. Not all of this book is about politics. He writes about the things that interest him. A good reporter must be curious, and Bob has never lost his sense of wonder. As Bob said when he finished the biography of John Adams,I hated for this book to end. I'm going to miss the guy.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather nice, but not weighty, collection of Schieffer's essays over the years. These are very brief, close-of-the-broadcast commentaries that reflect his view on a wide variety of subjects -- politics, society, popular culture, etc. Schieffer is the kind of guy you don't see much on television anymore: someone you'd like to work with, or just have a good conversation with.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of some of Bob Schieffer's commentaries that he gives at the end of Face the Nation. Really well organized with some humorous stories. Great book when you don't have a lot of time to read, as each commentary only takes a couple of minutes to read.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lets be fair, Bob Schieffer's a pretty smart dude. He's been up to his neck in the political muck of DC for a while and knows a thing or two about how things work in this here nation. A very insightful work, and timely (even when what he was writing about was 20 or 30 years ago...).

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

These are some of his essays that he reads at the end of the Sunday morning show - I think I enjoy listening to him better than reading the essays. Some were dated and others too repetitive. I'm glad I picked it up but it didn't keep my attention.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bob Schieffer's voice resonates with me. He is a natural story-teller with "tough-talkin' Texas twang" that I find irresistible. His essays are short and easy to read, and I found that I laughed out loud at some of them.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just repeats after a while

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

He is my favorite journalist/anchor. This is a collection of comments and very short stories about his experiences over the last 4 decades.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good train/plane read. Short, folksy essays written by a reporter I actually respect.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

He is a bit preachy, but something to listen to in the car.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

His commentary from years of "Face the Nation"

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

a collection of essays on politics and life in general. and they are well written and prove everything changes but nothing changes.