The Good Neighbor Review-September Reading Life Update

Like many kids from my generation or younger. Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood was a staple in our household. There were so many lessons to be learned from Mr. Rogers: one, we are all unique and loved two, kindness and compassion are so important three, understanding our feelings and knowing how to deal with them is a crucial aspect of growing up. When I came across, The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers on my Libby app I knew immediately that it had to be my next read. An added bonus was that Lavar Burton, host of Reading Rainbow, another childhood favorite of mine, was the reader. What follows is a brief review and recommendation.

Written by Maxwell King in 2018, The Good Neighbor gives the reader a glimpse into Fred Rogers's childhood, college years, and finally his introduction to television, which is where he found his purpose in life. It was certainly enlightening to learn the background into what made Fred Rogers who he was as an adult. I was surprised to find out that his family was very wealthy (as well as philanthropic) and he grew up in Latrobe, Pennsylvania at the same time as famed golfer Arnold Palmer. It was great to read that Mr. Roger's influence still lives on through the Fred Rogers Production Company, which produces shows like Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood  Everything about his background and the influence of his generous mother seemed to lead him down a path of service to others; in his case, it ended up being children; an impact that continues today.

King also gave us a refreshing glimpse into his hobbies, affinities, and family life that those who watched the show may not have known. To see Mr. Rogers on vacation in his Nantucket home or to hear about how he would swim every single morning at a local athletic club was a window into the different compartments we have as people, not just the one-dimensional view we see in a particular environment. It was also refreshing, in the light of many famous people have the “skeletons in their closet” exposed in recent years, to read that many who were close to him spoke of the genuine character of Fred Rogers: meaning, who he was on the show was who he was in real life.

To nitpick a bit: the book was a little repetitive at times and King shared many of the same insights about Fred Roger’s life in successive sections of the book. This, at times, made parts of the book go by slowly. The repetitiveness aside, this book was an absolute joy to read and it has made me want to be a kinder, gentler person on a daily basis. I would give this book an A- and recommend it to anyone who aspires to live out their purpose and/or is a childhood fan of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.