Bob Edwards Weekend, October 13-14, 2012
HOUR ONE:
Los Angeles Times columnist Doyle McManus joins Bob to talk about the latest political news.
Author Paul Tough believes that character is the most important factor in early childhood development. In fact, Tough argues, that skills such as perseverance, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and self-control are more important than intelligence in determining success. Tough’s latest book is titled How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character.
Sonia Manzano has played Maria on Sesame Street since the 1970’s. As a writer on the series, she’s racked up 15 Emmy Awards since then, and now Manzano has published her first novel. The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano is a young girl’s coming-of-age tale set in Spanish Harlem as young Evelyn struggles with adolescence… and ancestry. Bob talks to Manzano about her book and her life.
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series This I Believe, we hear the essay of Scott Saalman. As children, our blueprints for love come from our parents. We watch how they show their love to us and each other, and those experiences shape our expectations of marriage. As a child, Saalman watched his parents’ kiss goodbye as his father left for work every day. He was a swing shift worker at a factory, and so the kiss happened at different times, depending on his work assignment. But it always happened. Saalman still holds that clockwork show of devotion as an ideal of love.
HOUR TWO:
Lee Gutkind started the nation’s first MFA program in creative nonfiction at the University of Pittsburgh and is the founder of the literary magazine Creative Nonfiction. His new book is You Can’t Make This Stuff Up: The Complete Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction from Memoir to Literary Journalism and Everything In Between.
English writer and satirist Craig Brown chronicles the 20th century’s most bizarre celebrity meetings in his book Hello Goodbye Hello: A Circle of 101 Remarkable Meetings. Each chapter focuses on one of the odd pairs he uncovered, from Groucho Marx and T.S. Eliot to Martha Graham and Madonna.
Bob Edwards Weekend airs on Sirius XM Public Radio (XM 121, Sirius 205) Saturdays from 8-10 AM EST.
Visit Bob Edwards Weekend on PRI’s website to find local stations that air the program.
I was driving in my car with my 10 year old daughter and came across the middle of the interview with Sonia Manzano. I did not know who she was at first, but listened because Bob Edward's interviews are intriguing and thought-provoking. As I continued listening, I realized that the woman I was listening to sounded like Maria on Sesame Street, and told my daughter such. As we continued listening we heard Bob Edwards acknowledge that role and I was thrilled! I hadn't heard her voice in so long, and yet the power of that voice, and those memories I had last to this day, in my 45th year.
What fond memories I have of seeing her, Luis, Bob, and Mr. Hooper going about their day and learning and signing with them on Sesame Street. I was born in 1967 and grew up on Sesame Street, and my mom was so grateful for the show – so many times she has said, "Thank goodness for Sesame Street" as it was the only appropriate show for kids on the TV. At one point, Bob Edwards commented that the character Maria was the first introduction of a Latina to millions of Americans. I was one of those millions- our town was lily-white and the best part about seeing and loving Maria was that I didn't know or care what race she was, just that she was that kind, smiling, friendly and loving person whom I wanted to see every day. Thank you, Mr. Edwards, for bringing back those special memories and thank you, Ms. Manzano, for your dedication and making a difference. You are part of our collective, and I am so grateful for that. 🙂