$46.11
- Paperback
544 pages
- Release Date
2 November 2021
Summary
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…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780241513361 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0241513367 |
| Author: | Alistair Cooke |
| Publisher: | Penguin Books Ltd |
| Imprint: | Penguin Classics |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 544 |
| Release Date: | 2 November 2021 |
| Weight: | 398g |
| Dimensions: | 33mm x 131mm x 198mm |
| Series: | Penguin Modern Classics |
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Critics Review
No one else succeeded in explaining to the English-speaking world … the idiosyncrasies of a country at once so familiar, and yet so utterly foreign
Cooke had a matchless ability to convey the feelings of the American people at times of great historical importance. Accustomed to hearing these pieces rather than reading them, one is also struck by the quality of Cooke’s writing. His command of language and sharp eye for physical description shine in this collection as do his sense of humour and deep emotional sensitivity.
In its perspective on the United States in the latter half of the 20th century, this is as insightful a history book as you are likely to find. Much more than that, it is a fitting record of an erudite, much loved man.
No one else succeeded in explaining to the English-speaking world … the idiosyncrasies of a country at once so familiar, and yet so utterly foreign * Independent *
There is never going to be anyone else like Cooke, a chronicler of amazing times * Daily Telegraph *
Cooke was the special relationship * Daily Mail *
The range of Cooke’s experiences was awesome but he always had the personal touch – Jeremy Vine
Alistair Cooke
Alistair Cooke (1908-2004)
Alistair Cooke enjoyed an extraordinary life in print, radio, and television. Born in Salford in 1908, he was educated at the universities of Cambridge, Yale, and Harvard. Throughout his long career, he worked as a journalist and broadcaster for many different organizations and won numerous awards for his work.
He served as the Guardian’s chief American correspondent for twenty-five years and hosted Masterpiece Theatre and other groundbreaking cultural television programs. Cooke 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.
However, Cooke was best known both at home and abroad for his weekly Letter from America. Broadcast over five continents, the series totaled 2,869 broadcasts, becoming by far 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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