The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers

A friend, who just recently had his 100th book published, once told me that the biography that he most wanted to write was the life of Fred Rogers. I was intrigued. In the months before Mister Rogers' death, I read the articles that began to appear about him. I even came across an article that he wrote, which appeared in Reader's Digest. What I read confirmed to me that he was an extraordinary man. When I saw that this book had come out, I couldn't wait to read it. My expectations were high, and I was not disappointed. Just pages into it, an obscure image from the movie review section of the San Francisco Chronicle summarized what I was feeling. On weekends the Chronicle published summary reviews of movies in a pink Datebook edition. Each review was accompanied by a depiction of a man sleeping, looking bored, sitting and clapping, or out of his seat clapping fanatically. It served as a visual summary of how good the movie was. As I read through the introduction and opening chapters of Amy's book, inside I was like the little man who was out of his seat clapping hysterically. I was singing on the inside. This book is a delight. Not only is it extremely well written, the author made a great choice in how to present the material. It's not a beginning to end life story of Mister Rogers. Instead the author gives an overview of his life in the introduction and sets the stage for what is to follow. The book has more to do with the legacy of Mister Rogers-what we can learn from him-than a chronology of events. Each chapter covers a different subject. How Mister Rogers lived and thought about solitude and silence, prayer, the work of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, difficult times and other subjects are covered. The opening chapter on taking time to be alone and quiet immediately captivated me. Mister Rogers knew that he was a quiet person. He didn't try to be what he was not. I'm not a quiet person, someone might think. The beauty of Mister Rogers' legacy was that he encouraged people to be themselves. I was inspired by what I read; in fact, I found it to be potentially life-changing. Mister Rogers made taking time alone and being quiet seem so natural. There was nothing mystical about it. Inside I was thinking, yes, this is right. I ought to do this. I received the gentle encouragement. That was Mister Rogers' way. This book never would have come into being if it were not for an interview. The author was granted a rare interview in part because she came to the defense of Mister Rogers when he was criticized unfairly by a newspaper columnist. That first interview led to return visits and a deep friendship developed. We are fortunate that the author is able to share from her personal experience and correspondence with Fred Rogers. We get the viewpoint of a close friend rather than a detached observer. I thank God for this book. It's sprinkled with so many simple yet profound and life-changing truths. It's

Amy Hollingsworth does a superb job of sharing not only the incredible impact that Mister Rogers had in her life, but in the lives of countless people of all ages. It was so refreshing to read behind the scenes stories that reveal the same wonderfully warm and caring character of Mister Rogers that was broadcast daily into the homes of millions. I personally have very fond memories of watching Mister Roger's Neighborhood nearly everyday as a child. As a psychologist, I know how powerful the principles and values shared and lived out by Mister Rogers are and am very pleased that they are so thoughtfully and eloquently remembered in this exellent book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who truly desires to learn, or be reminded of, some of life's most important truths.

When Amy Hollingsworth scored a rare interview with Fred Rogers in 1994, it began a relationship of letters and phone calls between the two that spanned eight years, lasting until three weeks before his death in 2003. It culminates in this compelling inspirational book, THE SIMPLE FAITH OF MISTER ROGERS: Spiritual Insights from the World's Most Beloved Neighbor. Using the analogy of "toast sticks," a treat Rogers cited as a milestone in his childhood, Hollingsworth gathers up the "spiritual toast sticks" Rogers bequeathed to her --- toast sticks of the heart (inner disciplines), for the eyes (seeing others), and for the hands (using practical things we've learned). She adeptly weaves snippets of her own life throughout, exemplifying the influence Rogers had on her life. Hollingsworth paints a portrait of a disciplined, contemplative man of deep faith ordained by the United Presbyterian Church as an evangelist with a unique charge to serve children and families through television. And rather than conform to what passed for quality children's programming, he determined to chart his own course. "I'm so convinced that the space between the television set and the viewer is holy ground," he told Hollingsworth. There was no frantic Sesame Street action in "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." Each of the 900 episodes opened with a traffic light flashing in yellow. Slow down, was the message. Take time. "And so, for me, being quiet and slow is being myself, and that is my gift," Rogers told Hollingsworth. "Sometimes slow is better: in understanding, in learning to be patient, in 'going deeper' spiritually," observes Hollingsworth, a self-confessed Type A, hyperactive person. Rogers also used the unlikely medium of television to teach about silence. Hollingsworth relates the story of cellist Yo-Yo Ma playing a composition on the show and Rogers telling children: "Let's take some quiet time to remember, to sit and think about what we've heard." And he did. Silence, Hollingsworth says, wasn't dead air to Rogers --- it was thanking the God who inspires and informs all that is nourishing and good. "Fred may have considered silence his most important legacy." Right next to feelings, that is. Rogers referred to himself as an "emotional archaeologist," Hollingsworth writes, wanting to get to the root of what motivates people. As a child, he was overweight and teased by bullies. He wanted someone to tell him it was okay to feel bad. As an adult, he encouraged children to open up about their feelings through setting an example of vulnerability on the show himself. His plea for public television as a venue for teaching about feelings helped him sway the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Communications to come through on a $20 million grant for the medium in 1969. "It's one of the most important parts of the Neighborhood, knowing that feelings are all right. You know, that you don't have to hide them and that there are ways that you can say how you feel that aren't going t

I have a connection to Mister Rogers because he answered my sister's letter to him with a personal letter back. This book describes the spiritual dimension behind his incredible kindness. The author carried on a friendship and correspondence with Fred over the years. Thankfully she documented all the correspondence and organized them into a beautiful remembrance of the man. It is not just full of platitudes but gives Mr. Rogers some real depth. My admiration for him grows everytime I add some more knowledge of his life. You find out the real strength behind his patience and kindness was Jesus. The author organizes each chapter methodically with a series of lessons she learned from Mr. Rogers. She has done a nice job documenting the human inspirations for Fred as well. Who knew of his friendship with Henri Nouwen? I didn't want the book to end. I found a lot more spiritual depth than you might expect from a children's televsion host.

This book is truly excellent and I plan to give many copies to friends and relatives as gifts. At first I wondered what Hollingsworth could say that wouldn't simply be a paraphrase of Fred Rogers, but soon realized this is far more than that, and well worth taking the time to read quietly. Thank you, Amy Hollingsworth for letting us share your friendship with this amazing man!