Kindness and Wonder: Why Mister Rogers Matters Now More Than Ever

Description

A pop culture celebration of Fred Rogers and the enduring legacy of his beloved, award-winning PBS show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood that offers essential wisdom to help us in our troubled times. Won't you be my neighbor For more than thirty years, Fred Rogers was a beloved fixture in American homes. Warm and welcoming, he spoke directly to children-and their parents-about the marvels of the world, the things that worried them, and above all, the importance of being themselves. Dressed in his cardigan and sneakers, Fred Rogers offered a wholesome message of generosity and love that changed the landscape of television and shaped a generation of children. Kindness and Wonder pays tribute to this cultural icon: the unique, gentle man who embodied the best of what we could be. Today's audiences will be reminded of Mr. Rogers's uplifting persona in the TriStar Pictures film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, where Tom Hanks stars as the real-life Fred Rogers. Looking back at the history of the show and the creative visionary behind it, pop culture aficionado Gavin Edwards reminds us of the indelible lessons and insights that Mister Rogers conveyed-what it means to be a good person, to be open-hearted, to be thoughtful, to be curious, to be compassionate-and why they matter. Beautifully crafted, infused with Mister Rogers' gentle spirit, and featuring dozens of interviews with people whose lives were touched by Fred Rogers-ranging from Rita Moreno to NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann-Kindness and Wonder is a love letter to this unforgettable cultural hero and role model, and the beautiful neighborhood he created.

Gavin Edwards is the New York Times bestselling author of eleven books, including The Tao of Bill Murray, Last Night at the Viper Room, The World According to Tom Hanks, and the wildly successful 'Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy series of misheard-lyrics collections. A longtime contributor at Rolling Stone, he has written for the New York Times, Wired, Billboard, Details, and GQ; and appeared on television programs including the Today show, Entertainment Tonight, and Jeopardy! He's also moonlighted as a game designer, a photographer, and a demolition derby driver. Gavin lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife, museum curator Jennifer Sudul Edwards, and their two sons.

"Edwards (The Tao of Bill Murray) affectionately captures the spirit of Fred Rogers (1928-2003) in a crisply told biography that focuses on the enduring lessons Rogers shared with his viewers.... Edwards's enthusiastic prose vibrantly captures Rogers's spirit and wisdom." - Publishers Weekly