Publication
New York : Abrams Press, 2021.
Collection
Call number
Non Fiction N
Physical description
327 p.; 24 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
In the years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, women in the workplace still found themselves relegated to secretarial positions or locked out of jobs entirely. This was especially true in the news business, a backwater of male chauvinism where a woman might be lucky to get a foothold on the "women's pages." But when a pioneering nonprofit called National Public Radio came along in the 1970s, and the door to serious journalism opened a crack, four remarkable women came along and blew it off the hinges. Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie is journalist Lisa Napoli's captivating account of these four women, their deep and enduring friendships, and the trail they blazed to becoming icons. They had radically different stories. Cokie Roberts was born into a political dynasty, roamed the halls of Congress as a child, and felt a tug toward public service. Susan Stamberg, who had lived in India with her husband who worked for the State Department, was the first woman to anchor a nightly news program and pressed for accommodations to balance work and home life. Linda Wertheimer, the daughter of shopkeepers in New Mexico, fought her way to a scholarship and a spot on-air. And Nina Totenberg, the network's legal affairs correspondent, invented a new way to cover the Supreme Court. Based on extensive interviews and calling on the author's deep connections in news and public radio, Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie will be as beguiling and sharp as its formidable subjects.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member nancyadair
I was in my early twenties when we moved to Philadelphia in 1975. I don't know exactly when we discovered National Public Radio, it seems to have always been part of our life. We listened to Fresh Air, All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Thistle & Shamrock, World Cafe, Piano Jazz, Car Talk,
I recognized the voices of our virtual friends on the airwaves. But I did not know much about them.
Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie is the story of the "founding mothers" of NPR, whose voices we know like old friends. Lisa Napoli has written an entertaining, highly readable book that tells their stories and the barriers they broke. These women were integral to the rise of public radio. They were different in background and personality, but each rose to the top, bonded, and supported each other.
I remember my first full time job n 1972 and the sexism in the workplace. A coworker discovered her salary was far less than the salary of the man who had the position before her. He had a family to support, she was told; her husband was her support. Another coworker told me to get a credit card in my name, and a credit rating. When her husband passed, she was unable to get a car loan. It was a time when women were judged by their appearance and attraction. A black coworker was chastised for wearing 'ethnic' earrings. I was fired for a fashionable frizzy perm.
This was the world Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie encountered when forging their careers.
There were women who had broken the barrier into journalism to inspire them. When a young Linda Cozby (later, Wertheimer) saw trailblazer Pauline Frederick reporting the news, it was a revelation. "To hell with being Edward R. Murrow's secretary," she thought. "I'm going to aim higher."
In 1959, Susan Levitt Stamberg's "blue-chip" education wasn't as important in the workplace as her ninety-nine words a minute typing speed. She started as a secretary for the new 16 magazine where she chose the winner of the "I Miss Elvis Contest" when Elvis entered the U.S. Army. She advanced to secretary at The New Republic, which gave her a "crash course in Washington." When start-up station WAMU-FM needed a full time producer, at low pay, she found the challenging job she needed.
As a girl, Nina Totenberg, daughter of an eminent violinist, was inspired by Nancy Drew. It struck her that "journalism seemed as close to detective work as she could imagine." Her first job in journalism was working on the women's pages of a daily newspaper.
Cokie Boggs came from an elite background of democratic, Southern, Catholic, politicians. But when she fell in love with the Jewish Steve Roberts, who planned a career in journalism, she knew a political career was out. Cokie found employment in television, including Meet The Press. After Steve and Cokie married, she had a checkered career as her husband was assigned across the world. While having babies and raising her children, she worked with Steve. While abroad, reporting breaking news for CBS made her mark and her career.
NPR's development, advances, and economic woes is a major part of the book.
Susan earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cokie became one of the best-known women in America. Nina's coverage of the Supreme Court, including the Anita Hill sexual harassment suit against Clarence Thomas, earned her top awards. Linda was with NPR from its beginning, integral to All Things Considered, and reporting on Washington politics.
The book is as inspirational as it is informative.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
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Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, Diane Rehm, and later Here and Now, 1A, plus classical music and folk music and jazz. I recognized the voices of our virtual friends on the airwaves. But I did not know much about them.
Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie is the story of the "founding mothers" of NPR, whose voices we know like old friends. Lisa Napoli has written an entertaining, highly readable book that tells their stories and the barriers they broke. These women were integral to the rise of public radio. They were different in background and personality, but each rose to the top, bonded, and supported each other.
I remember my first full time job n 1972 and the sexism in the workplace. A coworker discovered her salary was far less than the salary of the man who had the position before her. He had a family to support, she was told; her husband was her support. Another coworker told me to get a credit card in my name, and a credit rating. When her husband passed, she was unable to get a car loan. It was a time when women were judged by their appearance and attraction. A black coworker was chastised for wearing 'ethnic' earrings. I was fired for a fashionable frizzy perm.
This was the world Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie encountered when forging their careers.
There were women who had broken the barrier into journalism to inspire them. When a young Linda Cozby (later, Wertheimer) saw trailblazer Pauline Frederick reporting the news, it was a revelation. "To hell with being Edward R. Murrow's secretary," she thought. "I'm going to aim higher."
In 1959, Susan Levitt Stamberg's "blue-chip" education wasn't as important in the workplace as her ninety-nine words a minute typing speed. She started as a secretary for the new 16 magazine where she chose the winner of the "I Miss Elvis Contest" when Elvis entered the U.S. Army. She advanced to secretary at The New Republic, which gave her a "crash course in Washington." When start-up station WAMU-FM needed a full time producer, at low pay, she found the challenging job she needed.
As a girl, Nina Totenberg, daughter of an eminent violinist, was inspired by Nancy Drew. It struck her that "journalism seemed as close to detective work as she could imagine." Her first job in journalism was working on the women's pages of a daily newspaper.
Cokie Boggs came from an elite background of democratic, Southern, Catholic, politicians. But when she fell in love with the Jewish Steve Roberts, who planned a career in journalism, she knew a political career was out. Cokie found employment in television, including Meet The Press. After Steve and Cokie married, she had a checkered career as her husband was assigned across the world. While having babies and raising her children, she worked with Steve. While abroad, reporting breaking news for CBS made her mark and her career.
NPR's development, advances, and economic woes is a major part of the book.
Susan earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cokie became one of the best-known women in America. Nina's coverage of the Supreme Court, including the Anita Hill sexual harassment suit against Clarence Thomas, earned her top awards. Linda was with NPR from its beginning, integral to All Things Considered, and reporting on Washington politics.
The book is as inspirational as it is informative.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
If you’re a fan of NPR you’ll want to read this “group” biography of the founding mothers. These four trailblazers were radical, but they paved the way for women to be working mothers. They fought the sexism for many of us who followed.
LibraryThing member hemlokgang
This book chronicles the birth and progression of NPR, and thereby also chronicles the careers of the "founding mothers of NPR". Chronicling these four careers is unavoidably a history of the women's movement as well.. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories of these women whose personal and professional
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lives reflect the momentous shifts in the United States as women finally become recognized for the gifts they bring to the workplace. Very good listen! Show Less
LibraryThing member ecataldi
Prior to reading this book I didn't know anything about the history of NPR or its founding mothers. I don't religiously listen to NPR but I really love the morning edition and other segments that I catch on my days off (I always have an audiobook going in my car so I can't listen there). NPR is
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educated, professional, and truly unbiased - they show the human element behind the stories and as a result NPR is universally regarded as one of the most trustworthy news sources out there. Lisa Napoli does a great job giving mini biographies of Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie discussing how they all got into journalism and eventually broadcasting. In a male dominated world of the sixties and seventies - these four women had to have more grit and determination than any other journalists, but they all eventually succeeded and made their way to the relatively new radio station, NPR. Not only is this book about these four women, it is also about the founding of NPR and the rocky road it started out on. A compelling look at everyone's favorite radio station and some of the pioneering women behind it! Show Less
LibraryThing member muddyboy
These are the stories of some early women pioneers in the radio business, more specifically the infancy of NPR. We get short biographies of their upbringing and their larger evolution to become influential women in the media world. Cokie Roberts will eventually become the most recognizable in the
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group especially because of her roll as a panelist on This Week on ABC. These are important words to hear on women's struggle for equality but also anyone who listen to NPR should want to read about the history of NPR over the years. Show Less
LibraryThing member lindapanzo
I've long enjoyed listening to NPR and also enjoyed reading this look at the "founding mothers" of NPR, namely Susan Stamberg, Linda Wertheimer, Nina Totenberg, and Cokie Roberts.
This was a very informative book as to how these women got their start in the business. The author tied their stories
My only gripe is that this book seemed to jump around quite a bit. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.)
This was a very informative book as to how these women got their start in the business. The author tied their stories
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in well with the times and efforts to advance womens' equality. My only gripe is that this book seemed to jump around quite a bit. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.)
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LibraryThing member etxgardener
This is both a group biography of the four woman, Susan Stamberg, Linda Wertheimer, Nina Totenberg, and Cokie Roberts who were at the creation of NPR radio and covered decades of world and American news. It is also the story of how women fought sexism to earn their rightful place in the working
It’s hard to believe that so much has changed in fifty years, but I’m awfully glad that it did.
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world and the story of friendship and women helping one another to succeed.It’s hard to believe that so much has changed in fifty years, but I’m awfully glad that it did.
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Language
ISBN
9781419750403