For reading that is energizing, inspirational, thought provoking, and filled with hope for the future along with an understanding of the past, pick up This I Believe: The personal philosophies of remarkable men and women. Based on National Public Radio's series of the same name, This I Believe brings together the thoughtful essays of eighty people, some famous, some not, but all remarkable thinkers.
Fifty years ago, NPR ran a series of on-air essays by well known people, hosted by Edward R. Murrow. This series was resurrected last year and opened to the public. Contributions came from the well known, such as Bill Gates and Newt Gingrich, as well as regular people like you and me. The book contains sixty essays from current contributors intermixed with twenty essays from the original 1950's series. Notable among the 50's essays are contributions from Helen Hayes, Albert Einstein, and Helen Keller.
Reading these essays fills me with hope for the future and reinforces my beliefs in the inherent strength, resilience, honesty, and integrity of the majority of people. These days we're flooded with news of human injustice, cruelty, disrespect, and misfortune, often exposed to disturbing events as they occur.
Human kindness, strength, and everyday courage don't make imperative stories though, and we can easily fall into the trap of believing that what we see on the news and read in the papers represents the totality of human activity. It doesn't.
This I Believe restores the balance somewhat by showing us the reflective and insightful side of people in their own words. Rekindle your pride and confidence in human nature with This I Believe.
