The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers by Amy Hollingsworth

The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers

by Amy Hollingsworth

Celebrate the release of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood starring Tom Hanks with an inside look on Mr. Rogers' spiritual legacy. It shows us a man who, to paraphrase the words of St. Francis of Assisi, "preached the gospel at all times; when necessary he used words."

Tom Brokaw of NBC Nightly News once said of the American icon Fred Rogers, "Mister Rogers was an ordained minister, but he never talked about God on his program. He didn't need to."

Eight years before his death, Fred Rogers met author, educator, and speaker Amy Hollingsworth. What started as a television interview turned into a wonderful friendship spanning dozens of letters detailing the driving force behind this gentle man of extraordinary influence. Educator? Philosopher? Psychologist? Minister? Here is an intimate portrait of the real Mister Rogers.

The Simple Faith of Mr. Rogers focuses on Mr. Rogers' spiritual legacy, but it is much more than that. It shows us a man who, to paraphrase the words of St. Francis of Assisi, "preached the gospel at all times; when necessary he used words."

Reviewed by jnkay01 on

3 of 5 stars

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A welcome antidote to the more famous 90s-era profiles written by men who interviewed Rogers and ended up Columbus-ing feelings. Hollingsworth came prepared for her interactions with Rogers, and it shows, and the result is a more thoughtful consideration of his legacy.

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  • Started reading
  • 16 September, 2020: Finished reading
  • 16 September, 2020: Reviewed