BOOK REVIEW: susan, linda, nina and cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR by Lisa Napoli

Our book group will be meeting next week to discuss susan, linda, nina & cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR by Lisa Napoli. The book uses mini-biographies of Susan Stamberg, Linda Wertheimer, Nina Totenberg, and Cokie Roberts to tell the story of the birth and growth of National Public Radio. It incorporates references to or anecdotes about newsworthy events of the 60's thru the 2000's, providing historical context. And it serves as a reminder of just how unequal the playing field was just 50-60 years ago. White men ruled simply by virtue of being white men. The women (not only these four) who insinuated themselves into newsroom spaces and worked to break through the glass ceiling are inspirational. And it’s disturbing to think that the achievements of not so long ago can be forgotten, dismissed, or rolled back.

The message of the book is important and it is good to pay homage to these “Founding Mothers of NPR.” However the book is not as focused on the four women in the title as I might have liked. It veered off quite a bit into the contributions of the various men (NPR presidents, board members, hosts and cohosts, etc) who were also involved in the founding of NPR. At times, the narrative seemed to lose focus as it veered from anecdote to anecdote.

Still, it’s a great pick for a book club with both male and female members, all of an age to remember some of the events and who may have been NPR listeners at a time when these women were at the top of their game. It should yield great discussion.