Public Radio: Behind the Voices

by Lisa A. Phillips

An avid fan of public radio, Phillips was driven to know more about the people who deliver the news, the conversation, and the diverse programs that she and millions of others rely on every day. The result is Public Behind the Voices , a collection of personal stories from more than forty of the most listened to voices in public radio, including Noah Adams, Susan Stamberg, Scott Simon, Diane Rehm, and Terry Gross.

Genres: Nonfiction, Anthologies, Biography

334 pages, Hardcover

First published April 18, 2006

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a book to skip through than to read every page. For the record, I read about 75%, focusing mostly on those hosts I have heard.

If you've ever wondered who is behind the voices you have heard on NPR, this book gives you a short introduction to over 40 of them. Most of the bios are just 6 to 8 pages so there really isn't room for much more than a resume and an anecdote or two.

The few bios that are over 10 pages long (Michael Feldman and Marian McPartland are in this class) are interesting and informative, but most of the profiles are disappointingly sketchy.

[Fran · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not many real surprises here, most of the chapters are too short to be really revealing, some of the subjects weren't interviewed at all.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming profiles of the usual suspects of this fine cast of characters... Page 22: "But, once having left the [TV] medium, he [Schorr] worried about where his career would go. "Once when I went with my family to dinner, somebody was coming through the revolving door the other way and then went all the way around again in order to come out where I was, and he said to me, "Excuse me, didn't you used to be Daniel Schorr?" he said. "It drove home to me the effect of television-that if you're not on television, there's a question of whether you exist anymore.""

[Damon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm an NPR junkie. I admit it. I do, however, have a rule about it. I don't want to see their faces. I've already made up in my mind what they all look like and what they are like in their private lives. Don't screw with that made up world. I am, however, fascinated by their biographies and how they came to be where they are today.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love NPR and although I already knew a little about a few of my favorite personalities, I was intrigued by their stories and others who I wasn't familiar with. If you love any show on NPR you should read this book. I was disappointed that my favorites chose not to be interviewed, but I suppose they are entitled to their privacy as much as the next person.

[Lucas · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few tidbits of good gossip mixed with biographies so short they could appear as a sidebar on NPR's website. Ultimately, the author was too ambitious in trying to profile everyone on public radio. I'm not sure that this effort was necessary. Maybe I'm the only one who this occurs to, but all this "national treasure" business just makes me think of bad Nicholas Cage movies.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

i loved reading about one of my favorite things npr. while the information was all good and interesting, it was not written as well as it could have been. maybe Elton John or Beethoven could have written it better. MAYBE!

[Jack Cheng]

You'd have to be a real NPR nerd to enjoy this book; on the flipside, if you're already an NPR nerd, you probably know most of this stuff anyway. These mini-biographies are not at all critical and read like the mini-bios on the NPR websites with a few more quotes.

[Steven Spector · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impressive collection of NPR broadcaster bios. Those who have not passed away since publication appear to be in a similar age range. One wonders who the new "young lions" of public radio are and when the heck are we going to hear them?

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for any regular NPR listener.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun to learn more about the voices I hear so often on NPR.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provocative! I just love learning the more unique stories of my favorite public radio personalities.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for any public radio junkie. You will not be dissappointed (although, perhaps surprised at what your favorite radio personalities look like in real life).

[Lplencner · Rating 3 out of 5]

How terrific to put stories to the voices I have been listening to for years.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick short biographies of NPR personalities and hosts.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read about the voices and personalities behind familiar npr voices.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

D R Y

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introductions, but often too much filler that didn't speak to the essence of the subject.