The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers

Learn About the Man Behind the Cardigan Sweater

I was a preschooler in the late sixties. So, I was among the first generation of “PBS kids.” I have fond memories of watching Mister Rogers Neighborhood, Sesame Street, The Electric Company and Zoom. So, needless to say, I am an admirer of the work of Fred Rogers. Although he was a well-known and beloved by millions, unlike most television celebrities, during his career he avoided excessive media attention. Now over a decade after his death, to keep his legacy alive, the Rogers family finally authorized this biography.

If you don’t know much about Fred Rogers’ life, but want to learn more, The Good Neighbor is the book for you. For example, without spoiling it for you, I was surprised to learn that Mr. Rogers grew up in a very wealthy family and that he was an ordained Presbyterian minister. I learned so many cool facts about his life that I think a good alternative title would have been “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Man Behind the Cardigan Sweater and Sneakers.”

I really enjoyed listening to this book. After completing it, readers will have a better understanding of why he is regarded by many in the field as a true ground-breaking innovator in children’s educational television. However, the most refreshing thing that I gleaned from this book is, contrary to what many cynics may think, his colleagues revealed that Mister Rogers on-air personally was not an act. He was a genuinely kind and respectful person off-screen and was revered by most people who met him. Also, the “icing on the cake” for this audiobook presentation is that it is narrated by LeVar Burton, who was the host of PBS’s Reading Rainbow as well as a cast member on Star Trek’s Next Generation series.