Radio Books

Focus on the Family's radio theater of Little Women in top notch! We have purchased many of their productions in the past and found this to be as good, or better than previous purchases. I have not read Little Women in many years, so I can't say for certain if it is faithful to the book, but if my memory serves me correct it is more faithful than the movie by the same name. If you like audio drama and have daughters then I would highly recommend this product. My 17, 14, and 10 year old daughters LOVE it, and my 6 year old son likes it.

I saw this one day while browsing and I love the story of the four March sisters. And I do enjoy Radio Theatre stuff. I love the theatre. So when i saw this, I had to get it. I got it for Christmas with the Anne of Green Gables cds too. And I really enjoyed listening to them. They have great sound effects and some of the best of film and theatre! W0onderful! But one draw back is its way long! But it was worth the long listen. Very good buy.

Beyond our expectations!!! This presentation by Focus on the Family is beyond praise. Each character is excellently cast, the sound effects superb, and the story, of course, heartwarming. The radio theatre stories by Focus on the Family cause vivid mental pictures as you listen - almost as if you're watching a video of the book.

This is a very enjoyable collection of stories based on scripts from the original radio plays.

Basil Rathbone was a "softer" version of Holmes. The original Sherlock could be hard and unfeeling - a machine as Watson often describes him.

That probably didn't play to audiences so, by comparison, Rathbone is just mildly eccentric. He's far more tolerant of the inability of Watson and others to keep up with him than is the original Sherlock.

It's a little as if someone had found the dichotomy betwen Hamlet's magnificent spirit and his fatal flaw disconcerting and had rewritten Shakespeare's classic to make Hamlet just a typical troubled young adult struggling with newfound freedom and responsibilties.

And Nigel Bruce's bumbling Watson is largely comic relief and equally unlike the original Conan Doyle version.

But at least the original radio playwrights kept the two heroes in late 19th century/early 20th century England. I think that most of the movies that Rathbone and Bruce made were set during World War II. I mean, no one could be a worthier contender against the Nazis than Sherlock Holmes, but still...

The story of how Holmes and Watson first meet Moriarty is unconvincing, as is the portrayal of Moriarty, and equally unconvincing is how, in "The April Fool's Adventure", Holmes finds all of the clues that the pranksters leave for him to find but doesn't see how they were intended to point to himself as the culprit. His inability to recognize himself is bewildering, and he must have forgotten to use his magnifying glass to look at the calendar.

But so what? When a classic is changed for mass market effect, the result is often disastrous, but not so here.

The bottom line is that all of the stories are very enjoyable. For all of the merit of the original Conan Doyle classics, they were written as a disagreeable chore to satisfy the public's demand for a character that Conan Doyle himself had quickly grown tired of.

These stories were crafted with a lot of love and care, and that might be why the two main characters themselves draw more affection than do the original versions.

Our debt to Conan Doyle for bringing us Sherlock Holmes is incalculable, but equally incalculable is our debt to his contemporaries for forcing the author to resurrect the great detective from (what we were led to believe was) the bottom of Reichenbach Falls. Perhaps the public also deserves credit for rescuing Holmes's humanity as well as his life from the clutches of his original creator, and perhaps this kinder, gentler Holmes is an example of this second rescue effort.

And speaking of Holmes's life, the last story in this collection provides a plausible explanation (entirely consistent with the Conan Doyle concordance) of why Sherlock Holmes cannot die. Literally. That's worth the price of admission, in and of itself.

There never has been anything quite like old-time radio in America. It was pure magic. It was adventure and drama, mystery and suspense, drifting through the night air into homes lit only by the orange glow of tubes warming up. Families gathered around the radio, carried away by their imaginations.

Author Ken Greenwald was one of those listeners, and one of his favorite shows growing up was Sherlock Holmes. For most of us, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce will always be Holmes and Watson. The films and radio shows are still watched on late night TV and listened to by old-time radio buffs like myself.

When radio archivist Ken Greenwald and a small group of friends discovered a long list of missing radio shows from 1945, written by great radio writers Dennis Green and Anthony Boucher, the idea of turning their original radio scripts into short stories was born. Greenwald has done a marvelous job of blending the two distinct mediums together.

You can easily picture Rathbone and Bruce in these fun adventures as Greenwald has kept the fast pace of the radio plays while fleshing them out a bit and adding the transitions necessary for the short story form. Greenwald gives us a baker's dozen here. My personal favorites are "The Adventures of the Headless Monk" and "The Adventure of the Iron Box." The former is filled with the atmosphere of the foggy moors and a dash of the supernatural, making this one a lot of fun. In the latter, Holmes hatches a clever scheme to solve a mystery shortly after the Christmas rush that will include, of all people, Sir Walter Scott!

How did Sherlock Holmes first meet Moriarity? Why in the world did Holmes buy that Sussex bee farm? Telling you which stories you'll find the answers to these questions would only ruin the fun. Enjoy!

If you enjoyed the classic Sherlock Holmes film series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as the original dynamic duo, you will enjoy this great collection of short stories adapted from the original radio plays produced in the 1940's.

Well-illustrated with drawings based on Rathbone and Bruce, the author delves into the so-called "lost adventures" of the great detective covering his exploits in the late 19th Century. While this book's Watson is distinctly different from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original character, the book is nevertheless an enjoyable addition to any Holmes fan's library.

Plus, if you enjoy this book, try to find the audio CD called "The Unfortunate Tobacconist," which features this same collection of stories as the original radio plays performed by Rathbone and Bruce.

For a long time, I thought Jim Dale's audio versions of Harry Potter were the best audio characterizations, hands down. And true, they are great - hard to beat! Jim Dale is a very talented performer.

However, from a different point of view - the Focus on the Family Radio Theater's version of The Chronicles of Narnia, are a full scale production, including actors/actresses, music, sound effects - you feel, truly - as though you are with the characters from the start, on an adventure through the great world of Narnia - from beginning to end.

I would not hesitate (and have) bought this set (all seven books) as gifts for others, and have listened to them several times myself. They are all great productions - and come highly recommended.

In the begining of the book there were two kids that lived right next to each other. One is a girle and the other is a boy. They then found a passway throu the bacement. In the bacemaent they found the boys uncle. He is very striked. He has bin tring to send people to another worled. He sended the boy freand so he had to go gat her. On the way he found her and together they went to diffrent worlds. They found a which so they tride to eskape but the which folude them out and took over Narnia.

great audio cd. it is a movie in sound and my family enjoys listening to it again and again. it is great for the car. better than the radio and a nice break from the television.

These women paved the way for all women in media today and forever chaged the landscape of what we hear and see. They have influenced our culture and served as inspiring role models for women. Their stories of perserverence and triumph should make us all grateful for the wonderful women who came before us to open the doors of diversity in all career areas.

This book tells the inspiring tales of some of the most remarkable women of our time who would not be discouraged when told that they could not make it in a man's world.

Women have come a long way in many fields, in part, because of the efforts of many of these 50 courageous women. This is a wonderful book, fascinating backgrounds and photos of our most beloved pioneers. It would also make a lovely gift for any young woman starting out who doesn't even realize the opportunites she has now because of those who went before and blazed the trail. Congratulations, beautifully done!

Jacqueline Marcell, Author, "Elder Rage, or Take My Father... Please!" and Host of the "Coping wWth Caregiving" Internet Radio Program

Max Terman has given us a most delightful read. I love the typography and layout. The quotes at the head of each chapter lead us on a challenging "Owl Prowl". What a privilege it would be to go in person and check out Stripey and the other owls with Max. But next best thing is pulling his book off of the shelf and reading it again and again. Each new read brings a new insight into the lives of great horned owls and the life of humans who care about them. The book is a classic.

I really love this book. Terman writes with an engaging style and he through him I can feel the triumphs and failures of the owl Stripey. It's not often I get attached to an animal I've never met, but this book brings Stripey to life in ways I wouldn't have imagined.

This book follows the life of a Great Horned Owl "Stripey", who was abandoned as a 4 week old chick, and raised and subsequently released and observed by Author and Zoologist Max Terman for a study in Animal behaviour. This thoroughly enjoyable book successfully combines scientific observation, reasoning and speculation with the joys and rewards that relationships between humans and animals can bring. Although a factual account, "Messages from an Owl" reads much like a novel, complete with twists in the plot and happy and sad moments. I highly recommend this book, not only for people interested in biology but for anyone who would enjoy following the life and times of two companions, and Owl and a Man.
Deane P. Lewis

George Kizer is truly a remarkable gentleman. I recently attended a Microwave 101 class put on by Mr. Kizer and found that he is not only very intelligent but also a down home individual. He presents the information in his book very well. It starts off with alot of calculus and equations but then gets right to the meat of the matter. This is definately a book for your informational library.

Although this book is a bit dated, it has a lot of useful reference information. The discussion about line-of-sight (LOS) propagation is practical for both analog and digital microwave radio systems. The list of references is extensive. Whether you are working in fixed wireless or interconnecting to it, it is a useful book for your library.

George Kizer discusses analog microwave radio in detail. The review of line-of-sight (LOS) basics is very good in relating theory to practical applications for modern digital microwave systems

The book is really an excellent reference in RF propagation models. The book covers all of the basics of RF propagation and environmental noise and in a well written and organized way. I like the book and I strongly recommend it for those who work in this field or interested in it.

This book covers all of the essentials of radiowave propagation and environmental noise and in a good level of detail. I have numerous other books on the subject and, while others may outshine it on individual topics, it offers even, well thought-out coverage of all the essential topics within radiowave propagation for Land Mobile radio. It is a must for those who design Land Mobile Radio networks.

The book is really a very good reference in RF propagation models. Also, topics like diversity, fading, sounding techniques, multiple inteference issues are thouroughly presented. I strongly recommend it to all of the GSM, PCS, and CDMA network designers. Diffraction is very well explained and there should be no problem applying it in the real world after reading this book.

Dennis Hart's book is a wonderful look at an important and unfairly forgotten broadcasting innovation: NBC's MONITOR. One of Pat Weaver's great creations - along with TODAY & TONIGHT - the show pretty much invented the NPR model of broadcasting (specifically, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED). MONITOR provided NBC Radio, the nation's first and classiest radio network, a dignified and well-loved response to the triumph of television and the sad last days of network radio. MONITOR lives on in this gallant and fun-to-read book!

Take 2 is indeed the expanded, inside story of Monitor. I was a newscaster on Monitor during its final years, working with many of the communicators who provide their own memories of this great radio service. Dennis Hart does a marvelous job of providing word pictures of the dedicated staff behind the scenes, besides the on-air people who kept Monitor on the air for almost 20 years

As the subtitle indicates, Dennis Hart has revised and expanded his history of Monitor, the weekend radio program that ran on the NBC radio network for nearly twenty years, delighting millions of listeners.

Why a revision? Because after his first edition chronicled the venerable show's history, many old Monitor hands contacted him to share their experiences in helping produce Monitor. The result is a fuller, richer picture that lets Monitor fans feel like they are looking over the shoulders of these lucky broadcast professionals as they created hours upon hours of live radio programming in the '50s through the mid '70s--a time when radio meant something far beyond today's homogenized, plasticized, excruciatingly boring programming.

For Monitor was a revolution in its day. When it was developed by the great Pat Weaver, then NBC President, long form radio programming (i.e.; fifteen and thirty minute shows) was almost extinct, television having siphoned off the audience.

Weaver created Monitor, a magazine of the air that ran on weekends and saved the NBC radio network from extinction. Monitor combined news, music, interviews, features, sports, comedy, and live remotes to bring listeners an ever changing and totally entertaining format that engaged listeners in what was going on in the world around them.

To top it all off, it was hosted by a pantheon of broadcast legends like Dave Garroway, Gene Rayburn, Hugh Downs, Mel Allen, Bill Cullen, Henry Morgan, Frank Blair, Ed McMahon, and many others each of whom gave the show its distinctive flavor.

Monitor was a big idea that sounded big and it resulted in what became practically a national institution over its twenty year run. Many fans, including this author, still miss it to this day.

Frankly, it's a puzzle why Monitor isn't still running today, since radio sure could use the intelligent, dynamic programming that typified a Monitor weekend.

Maybe it's too much to think that Monitor could return to the radio waves today, but I'd wager that after readers finish Hart's affectionate history, they'll wish it were so.

Dennis Hart did a thorough job of researching the program. He provides an overview of radio broadcasting in general as well as the nitty gritty of Monitor over almost two decades.

When former NBC president, Sylvester "Pat" Weaver died on March 15, 2002, his old network broadcast an obituary highlighting his programming innovations. Weaver brought us both "Today" and "Tonight," television shows that have lasted 50 years. Pat Weaver was a programming genius. Unfortunately, NBC Television failed to mention his major NBC Radio achievement: "Monitor." It revolutionized the network radio business 50 years ago; but, unfortunately, it died from neglect and the bottom line 30 years ago.
Monitor aired every weekend for 20 years. The first few years, it was broadcast 40 hours a weekend; later it was cut back to 16 and then to 12. But, in the beginning, if you were on the Monitor Beacon, you were one of 30 million listeners going places and doing things each weekend. You were hearing Dave Garroway, Henry Morgan, David Brinkley, Mel Allen, Joe Garagiola, Hugh Downs, Ted Brown, Gene Rayburn, Brad Crandall and many more. Bob and Ray were at Radio Central most of the weekend. Nichols and May were there too, as was Jonathan Winters. Weekends were different and so was Monitor.
So, why am I writing about Monitor 30 years later? Well, I was quite a devotee of Monitor. I listened every weekend. A year ago, it was a weekend, I was looking up a site on a search engine and, on a whim, I typed in "Monitor" to see what I'd find. To my surprise, I found an elaborate Web Site devoted entirely to Monitor with history, audio, pictures, reminiscences: ... Until then, I thought I was the biggest Monitor aficionado in the country. No, Dennis Hart is truly Mr. Monitor. This site was his brainchild. But he has more material than could ever fit on a Web site. Hence, the book.
This is a great book, easy to read and well-documented. Dennis actually interviewed Mr. Weaver. Mr. Weaver's comments demonstrate how much he thought of Monitor and how disappointed he was to see it end and why it did. Dennis also has interviewed other Monitor personnel, both on-the-air and behind the scenes. The book's packed with inside information.
When you go to the Web site, read the comments in the guestbook. See how many messages express hope that Monitor will return. I hope it will too. But until then, we have Monitor, the Book, and Monitor, the Web site, thanks to Dennis.

Dennis Hart has done a great public service with his history of "the last great radio show".

That show was Monitor on NBC radio, a program that not only ran every weekend for nearly twenty years, but in doing so, saved the NBC radio network from early extinction at a time when television was robbing network radio of its audience.

So what was Monitor? The brainchild of the late, great Pat Weaver, Monitor was a true magazine of the air--an intelligent, lively, exciting mixture of news, comedy, music, sports, interviews, and live remotes from around the world, all packaged into an ever changing format hosted by radio greats like Gene Rayburn, Dave Garroway, Henry Morgan, Bill Cullen, and many others. There was simply nothing else like it when it began in 1955. And really nothing else like it when it fell victim to the changing times and was finally cancelled in January 1975.

Hart deftly chronicles Monitor's creation, and breathes life into the story of its long run--longer than any other radio program. From the famous hosts, to the intense work it took for the show's producers and writers to actually create on a weekly basis, hours of live programming at a time when broadcasting technology was primitive by today's standards, to the Monitor Beacon itself, Hart reminds Monitor's fans why they spent so many of their weekend hours listening to the program.

I was a fan for years in the '60s and early '70s, but you don't have to remember the show to appreciate this affectionate history. And given the state of commercial radio today, you may come away wondering why Monitor is still not running every weekend "going places and doing things" and once again delighting millions of listeners.

Everyone thinks of the Lone Ranger when they hear the William Tell Overture, but that long-running radio show used lots of other classical music, and other music including some from a 1938 movie serial about the masked man, during its long run and eventual move to television. Now readers can find out what all that music was, its sources, and how it wound up in a western adventure show. The author has done yeoman research in recreating this history of a radio classic.

This book is a quite pleasant surprise. It's written in a folksy, conversational style, befitting its less-than-earthshaking subject. However, Jones' research into the origins of the Lone Ranger Mood Music Library seems of consistently high caliber. His encyclopedic knowledge of the romantic composers rivals that of the dedicated staff that assembled this wonderful conglomeration of memorable themes which introduced so many young people (including me) to the magical world of classical music.

An added bonus is the insider's view of the epic 1940's battle between ASCAP and BMI. That struggle nearly deprived us of a large part of America's musical heritage. The current controversy over unauthorized music downloads seems trivial by comparison.

Reginald Jones has done scholarship a real service by uncovering the most minute details of the economic and physical circumstances behind the production of the haunting background music for "The Lone Ranger" radio and television series. This thoroughly researched book should be known by historians, film critics, literary theorists, and anyone who has ever wondered not only what that music was but why it sounded the way it did. A landmark wedding of devotion to a cause with meticulous archival study.