A biographical character study that looked at the philosophy and actions of Mr Rogers as an educator. I am left with the impression that he was exactly who he was in the show. A man with a ministry to love those around him just as they are, especially children.

The writing was good, but not the wow of five stars. Fred Rogers was definitely five stars the more I read about him.

For years I have started my day at work singing the chorus of Won't You Be My Neighbor. Watching the show as a child made such a lasting impression on me, that I have wanted to share that message with those around me. This book just made it a more conscious choice to imitate Fred Rogers. That is what Saints inspire. ( )

This was an outstanding and detailed look into the life of an exception man and human being, as well as interesting insights into the foundations of public broadcasting. He was raised by weathly philanthropist parents and had the uncommon liberty throughout his life to pursue the highest purposes for his life without comprimise or financial motivations. He was driven by intelligent love and understanding of the developmental needs of children, and influenced several generations with his sincere faith-backed principles and purposes. He put feet to the concept of unconditional love. He was a man of great personal integrity, and reading this biography was informative and inspiring at the deepest level. This in-depth rendering of his life was thought-provoking, and I am different for having experienced it. Truly an outstanding read that was very hard to put down. ( )

Who doesn't remember Mr. Rogers? A man of modern myth and legendary kindness, Fred Rogers revolutionized educational content for children. This intimate walk through his life and work is as gentle, genuine, complex, and kind as he was - and read aloud by LeVar Burton himself. Fred Roger's story spans generations different than those of today, and his path to becoming the man in the sweater we all know is interesting and fascinating. A wonderful listen.

3.5 stars, but rounding up, because I really want people to read this book. Not because it's the best written book out there, but because of the subject matter. Mr. Rogers was truly revolutionary, practicing radical kindness and grace. The world would be a much, much better place if more people would adopt a these practices themselves. I saw the most recent Mr. Rogers documentary in the theater, and I still felt like I learned a lot from this book. ( )

Mr Rogers was exactly the kind of man he portrayed on the neighborhood - that made him an exemplary human, but not a very interesting subject for a biography. There were some interesting parts to his life, including some familiar relations and his less successful projects geared towards adults, but they were mainly constrained to the last 30% of the book. ( )

I wanted to like this book because I love the man Fred Rodgers, but alas, the narrative was far too encumbered with a level of unnecessary detail about the other personalities in Fred's circle, it sucked the air out of the story. It turned into a rather dry and academic affair and I lost interest about halfway through. ( )

This was a good book, however it could have been reduced about 1/3 or 1/2 the length. I really enjoyed the first half, but found it repeating much of the information, even using the same phrases at times. I am glad I read the book, however. ( )

The book felt very biased and I later found out that the author was not only an old coworker but great friends with Rogers and they both grew up in Pittsburgh. Any time there was a moment that for me, would humanize Rogers (getting mad, his relationship with his rebellious sons, anything slightly "negative"), the author would briefly mention it, then shower Rogers with praise and adoration. I do not doubt that Rogers was a great person, but he was placed so high on this pedestal that he didn’t seem relatable anymore. Was also really tired of the amount of praise quotes that bombarded me throughout the book, would have liked more stories from those the author interviewed rather than the endless "he loved children" or "he was so patient and kindhearted". Maybe Rogers and his family was so private that not even friends really knew them because once he and Joanne got married and had kids you don't really hear about them for the rest of the book. My last gripe was this “bullying” and “sad” childhood he had, aside from his loneliness from being an only child and one mention of bullying, there wasn’t enough evidence to convince me of this portrayed difficult childhood of his when the entirety of the book just focused on his privileged life and successes. ( )

A good exploration of Rogers’ life and legacy with some great highlights. Audiobook narration by Levar Burton is fabulous. ( )

A very feel good read. If you have ever appreciated Mister Rogers even a little, this will warm your heart. Makes me wish we still had him around. ( )

nonfiction biography
who doesn't want to hear Levar Burton talk about Mr Rogers? ( )

I didn't watch Mr. Rogers Neighborhood when I was a kid. I have no idea why – it seems like an amazing show. I've watched a few episodes since as an adult and have been amazed. Reading this had me tearing up in places at the empathy displayed by Fred Rogers throughout his life. There's something to just listening to people and telling them they're important just the way they are. ( )

If anyone thinks that Fred Rogers was not as real as he was on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, they need to read this book. I remember my littlest just being spell-bound by that show, never wanting to miss it. I know how calm he was in watching it and now I can understand the reason.
Fred Rogers was everything that was protrayed on his show. ( )

I watched Mister Rogers Neighborhood as a kid so I've always loved and admired Mr. Rogers. It wasn't until I read this book that I truly learned who Fred actually was.

I had no idea of his family history or his struggles as a child. It's obvious now how Rogers ended up being who he was, but not only in his love of people but how he showed the world that love.

I also had absolutely no clue how much it took to create the Neighborhood as I saw it on TV. What it meant to have a diverse cast, what it took in creating the screenplays and music, the imagination behind the puppets themselves.

No stone goes unturned in this biography. I absolutely loved it. ( )

My review of this book can be found on my Youtube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/9c27NmWcT_c

Enjoy! ( )

Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from EdelweissPlus in exchange for an honest review.

Fred Rogers has helped to develop the minds of youth for many generations, so it’s wonderful to learn how he developed into everyone’s favorite neighbor.

As you read about his sheltered childhood in Latrobe, PA, you will glean some insight into why Fred Rogers is so invested in children’s development. Then moving on to his college years and early adult life, you find how he combines his love of music, puppetry, children, and the church into the beginnings of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. As his career flourishes, you learn how dedicated he is to the quality and care he gives to his show and interactions with others. Myths are addressed and debunked, and memories (happy and sad) are shared. The chapter on Rogers' final weeks are heart-wrenching, but resolve somewhat hopefully in the following chapter when learning of the legacy he left behind.

The author seems to lose focus in a few places as he writes mini-bios on some of the significant figures in Rogers’ life, dedicating an entire chapter to the child psychologist he worked most closely with. Although interesting, it detracts from the main focus of the book. There are also many points throughout the book that are quite repetitive - retelling little stories, quirks, or other facts. If one takes frequent breaks reading this book, I can see how that would be helpful, but if you're reading several chapters at a time, it becomes tiresome. Also, the author seems to have glossed over, or entirely missed, some of the more interesting parts of his life - like how he wouldn't let the cast member who played Officer Clemens come out as homosexual on the show for fear he would lose sponsorship, but later encouraged the actor to pursue a long-term gay relationship and became a great friends with many people in the LGBTQ community; how he addressed the Vietnam War in his first week of the show; or what he did/how he felt when 9/11 happened.

If you’re looking for a conflict-driven expose, you won’t find it here. Much like the famed show, the author wrote a calm and slow-paced narrative. Although some may critically view it as an informal canonization of Fred Rogers, it's still a nice, and rarely seen view into the life behind-the-scenes of a genuinely kind and wonderful man. ( )

The audiobook is narrated by LeVar Burton. Just lovely.

Good gracious this took forever to finish listening to. Mr Rogers is The Best, and LeVar Burton reading is just icing on the cake. I enjoyed the documentary more, though, for the live action input from the man himself. The best format is always the one where he connects directly with viewers, since that was his gift. ( )

During a rough month, this was like a balm to my heart. ( )

A wonderful tribute to the beloved entertainer/educator, but the it was very slow in the beginning. ( )

The past few days i've been listening to the audiobook version of this book. The cool thing is that the book is read/narrated by Levar Burton. The reason that's cool is because Levar Burton was the guy who read the stories on Reading Rainbow. Having him read this book is perfect. Not only is he excellent, but you tell how much he is enjoying reading it. I highly recommend listening to this book rather than reading it. The book is thorough and tells this man's story well. It even has a chapter dealing with all the crazy rumors about Mr. Rogers which a scattered around the internet. I love biographies and this is a good one. ( )

Fred Rogers strived to be and was an ordinary man Maxwell King has captured that well in his telling of the man in the Neighborhood. The references to his wealthy childhood and his opportunities are woven well into the work ethic and interest he had in creating quality television for children. The book is an homage, and clearly that. There is no place for retractors.

The knowledge that he was a perfectionist and unable to delegate is treated with a generous hand. His team was with him for decades.

I was left with a odd feeling with his decision to put off his health issues. Mr. King accepts that as his choice, but for a man that was so in tune with his health, that felt off.

The world was a better place with his contributions. I checked out streaming episodes of the neighborhood. They work today

Enjoy ( )

This meticulous, well-researched biography is the first authorized biography to exist of famed children's television host and creator Fred Rogers. In it, King not only provides biographical details about Mister Rogers, but also meanders down relevant byways with information about the Pittsburgh area at the time of Rogers's childhood, the early days of television, and theories of child development and education.

Unlike many other biographies of well-loved celebrities, there are no skeletons in the closet here. It appears Rogers was just as wonderful off screen as he was on it. This is a perfect book to read when it seems like the whole world is falling apart; somehow Rogers is still able to provide a sense of peace and hope.

The audiobook version is narrated by LeVar Burton, who reads it in a calm and evenly paced manner, similar to way Mister Rogers addressed children through his show (and also similar to the way Burton himself narrated Reading Rainbow). This version also ends with an interview of the author. ( )

Fred Rogers deserves a better biography. The facts are here but the book needs editing, with too much unnecessary repetition and a lack of organization. ( )

I grew up watching Mister Rogers Neighborhood and didn't really know much about Fred Rogers but always assumed he must have been a genuinely decent guy. I've had this book on my to read list for a while and my library had a copy, so I figured I'd find out more.

This was an interesting biography about a fascinating man. I found it hard to put down just because I was so interested in Fred Rogers. Thankfully for this book, my interest in the subject overcame the limitations of the book. Frequently the author would mention things along the lines of "but he wasn't always such a saint, sometimes he would get angry and impatient" and then never follow up with an example of the selfish / angry / impatient / etc. behavior. The author frequently referred to Fred as an "only child," even though he had a younger sister. The chronology of the book was sometimes hard to follow and seemed to repeat itself at times.

That all said, I genuinely enjoyed this book. I would have obviously liked it a lot more given better editing, but it was definitely well worth my time to get to know such an influential part of my childhood better. ( )