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Letter from America
1946-2004
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
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Check link for latest rating. ( 416 ratings, 44 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Letter from America
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
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Description
A defining collection from Alistair Cooke's legendary BBC Radio broadcasts guiding us through nearly sixty years of changing life in the United States.
When Alistair Cooke retired in February 2004, he was acclaimed as one of the greatest broadcasters of all time. His Letter from America radio series, which began in 1946 and continued every week for fifty-eight years until his retirement, kept the world in touch with what was happening in America. Cooke's wry, humane and liberal style both informed and entertained his audience.
The selection here, made largely by Cooke himself and supplemented by his literary executor, gives us the very best of these legendary broadcasts. It covers key moments from the assassination of Kennedy through to the Vietnam War and Watergate to 9/11, the Iraq War and anticipates the 2004 elections. It includes portraits of the great and the good from Charlie Chaplin to Martin Luther King, Jr, and topics as varied as civil rights, golf, jazz and the changing colours of a New England fall.
Each Letter contributes to a captivating portrait of a nation - and of a man.
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Letter from America by Alistair Cooke is praised for its ability to convey the emotions and experiences of Americans during significant historical events, with Cooke's skillful writing and keen observations shining throughout. The book is noted for its insightful perspective on 20th-century America, offering both historical depth and a tribute to Cooke's remarkable life and character. Reviewers commend Cooke for uniquely explaining the distinct aspects of American life to the English-speaking world, highlighting his personal and authoritative account of the era.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780241513361
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 05 August 2021
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Penguin Classics
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 31.0mm
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 196.0mm
Weight: 397g
Pages: 544
About the Author
Alistair Cooke (1908-2004) enjoyed an extraordinary life in print, radio and television. Born in Salford in 1908 and educated at the universities of Cambridge, Yale and Harvard, throughout his long career he worked as a journalist and broadcaster for many different organisations and won numerous awards for his work. He was the Guardian's chief American correspondent for twenty-five years and the host of Masterpiece Theatre and other ground-breaking cultural television programmes. He achieved acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic for his thirteen-part BBC series America- A Personal History of the United States and the accompanying book sold two million copies. Alistair Cooke was, however, best known both at home and abroad for his weekly Letter from America, which was heard over five continents and totalled 2,869 broadcasts, becoming far and away the longest-running BBC radio series in broadcasting history. He died in March 2004, just a few weeks after his retirement.
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