MANSFIELD READS "ONE CITY ONE BOOK"
ABOUT THE BOOK
I'm Proud of You by Fred Rogers
Courtesy of Gotham Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA):
It was 1995 when the Fort Worth Star-Telegram assigned Tim Madigan to write a profile on children's television icon Fred Rogers. One November morning, he met Fred at the WQED station in Pittsburgh. Fred greeted him with a smile and said a heartfelt, "Welcome to our Neighborhood." Madigan, watching from the sidelines, saw an episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood unfold, and then later had a chance to sit down and talk with Fred. They spoke about family, friends, childhoods, religion and heroes - a talk that was unlike any profile interview Madigan had ever had. A few days later, after following Rogers around and quizzing him regularly, something happened that was unthinkable to Madigan at the time - Rogers called him at his hotel room: "Tim, this is Fred Rogers. If you don't have other plans, I was wondering whether you'd like to join my family and me for church tomorrow." Of all the people who had profiled Rogers, Madigan was the first he ever invited to church.
After suffering marital problems and struggling with depression, Tim found an advisor in Rogers who imparted a gentle but powerful perspective on spirituality, marriage, depression, and the nature of true friendship. With his friend's loving and patient guidance, Tim eventually came to understand that his emotional troubles were rooted in a deep fear that his father had never truly been proud of him. Hence the mantra of the friendship between the two, the phrase Rogers used to conclude dozens of letters and e-mail messages to Tim: I'm Proud of You.
It has been said that a person is lucky if, at the end of his life, he can count his true friends on the fingers of one hand. I'M PROUD OF YOU: Life Lessons from My Friend Fred Rogers, is the story of two men who formed just such a friendship. Read it, and meet the man behind Mister Roger's Neighborhood: the ordained minister, the loving husband, father, grandfather, and devoted friend.
WHERE TO GET THE BOOK
I'm Proud of You is currently available at Barnes and Noble in Arlington and from Barnes&Noble.com.
Many other online booksellers and bookstores also have it in stock.
The book will be available for purchase from the Friends at the library after March 23rd. The library will have multiple copies available for checkout.
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