The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers

Maxwell King

Sep 2018 · Oasis Audio · Narrated by LeVar Burton

About this audiobook

Fred Rogers (1928-2003) was an enormously influential figure in the history of television and in the lives of tens of millions of children. As the creator and star of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, he was a champion of compassion, equality, and kindness. Rogers was fiercely devoted to children and to taking their fears, concerns, and questions about the world seriously.

The Good Neighbor, the first full-length biography of Fred Rogers, tells the story of this utterly unique and enduring American icon. Drawing on original interviews, oral histories, and archival documents, Maxwell King traces Rogers's personal, professional, and artistic life through decades of work, including a surprising decision to walk away from the show to make television for adults, only to return to the neighborhood with increasingly sophisticated episodes, written in collaboration with experts on childhood development. An engaging story, rich in detail, The Good Neighbor is the definitive portrait of a beloved figure, cherished by multiple generations.

Ratings and reviews

What a great study in the life and career of Fred Rogers. From childhood, college, career and his raising his own family ... there is a wealth of stories from interviews and Fred's own works. If you were ever intrigued on how he became Mister Roger's and don't want to just read a Wikipedia article, this is a great choice for your curiosity. Levar Burton is an exquisite choice for reading this for the audiobook and if there are awards for audiobook narration he needs to be nominated.

It's Mr Rogers

About the author

Maxwell (Evarts Perkins) King is an American journalist and editor, born in Alliance, Ohio. He earned a B.A. from Harvard University and attended Stanford Executive Program at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. He worked in journalism for almost thirty year and is the former editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer (1990-1998). After leaving the Philadelphia Inquirer, he has worked on several boards. He became the president of The Heintz Endowments. Currently, he is the CEO and President of The Pittsburgh Foundation. He is the author of The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rodgers.