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Raised on Radio Hardcover – October 13, 1998

by Gerald Nachman (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 80 ratings
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For everybody "raised on radio" -- and that's everybody brought up in the thirties, forties, and early fifties -- this is the ultimate book, combining nostalgia, history, judgment, and fun, as it reminds us of just how wonderful (and sometimes just how silly) this vanished medium was. Of course, radio still exists -- but not the radio of The Lone Ranger and One Man's Family, of Our Gal Sunday and Life Can Be Beautiful, of The Goldbergs and Amos 'n' Andy, of Easy Aces, Vic and Sade, and Bob and Ray, of The Shadow and The Green Hornet, of Bing Crosby, Kate Smith, and Baby Snooks, of the great comics, announcers, sound-effects men, sponsors, and tycoons.

In the late 1920s radio exploded almost overnight into being America's dominant entertainment, just as television would do twenty-five years later. Gerald Nachman, himself a product of the radio years -- as a boy he did his homework to the sound of Jack Benny and Our Miss Brooks -- takes us back to the heyday of radio, bringing to life the great performers and shows, as well as the not-so-great and not-great-at-all. Nachman analyzes the many genres that radio deployed or invented, from the soap opera to the sitcom to the quiz show, zooming in to study closely key performers like Benny, Bob Hope, and Fred Allen, while pulling back to an overview that manages to be both comprehensive and seductively specific.

Here is a book that is generous, instructive, and sinfully readable -- and that brings an era alive as it salutes an extraordinary American phenomenon.
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  1. Print length
    535 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pantheon
  4. Publication date
    October 13, 1998
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.5 x 10 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    037540287X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0375402876
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Before it fell victim to the voracious adolescence of television in the late 1950s and early 1960s, American radio was the country's dominant cultural force. It served as a testing ground for new advertising and marketing models, created huge celebritiesAJack Benny and Fred Allen, for exampleAand installed programs such as Amos 'n' Andy and You Bet Your Life in America's cultural pantheon. There have been several attempts to create a popular history of the medium's Golden Age but none quite as successful as Nachman's book. Organized thematically rather than chronologically, the 24 chapters cover everything from radio's domestic comedies ("Nesting Instincts") and the quiz-show phenomenon ("Minds Over Matter") to the medium's dependence on ethnic types ("No WASPS Need Apply"). A syndicated humor columnist and reporter on the arts, Nachman also presents vivid portraits of radio's major figures and a few of its fascinating minor ones, including maverick comic Henry Morgan and horror maven Arch Obler, the Rod Serling of his day. Nachman doesn't shy away from such issues as racism and sexism; throughout he stresses the overarching theme that radio has served as a national conscience and a socioeconomic mirror. He takes such delight in chronicling the medium's rise and fall that even readers raised away from radio will understand why a whole generation projected their imaginations onto this vast sonic canvas. Photos.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

A sharp, nostalgic homage to the golden era of radio, told as both a memoir and a social history. Nachman, a columnist for the New York Times syndicate, attempts to explain just how radio came to define American pop culture from the 1920s to the '40s by examining the personalities, genres, and behind-the-scenes politics of network radio productions. As the earliest tycoons (like George Washington Hill of the American Tobacco Company and barn broadcaster Dr. Frank Conrad) contributed to radios availability and mass-market appeal, a boom began that drew talent of varying degrees and generated a patriotic hype not unlike that which surrounds todays information superhighway: radio was to be the American medium that would bring culture and democracy around the globe. Instead, it introduced advertising to the country and created the formatssoap operas, news, sports, variety, sitcom, and dramathat remain in popular entertainment to this day. Nachman recalls the 30 remarkable years of radios reign by remembering the programsinspired first by vaudeville, then by Broadwaythat he enjoyed as a child: from the sassy satirist Fred Allen (the David Letterman of radio) to the fluffy but arousing teen-girl dramas like Junior Miss. Mirroring the countrys domestic politics, radio programs of that era attempted to sweeten immigrant stereotypes and launch antiracist images of blacks (in what Nachman calls a rather thin rainbow coalition): the Italian immigrant comedy Life with Luigi, the blue-collar characters in The Life of Riley, and the Jewish family in The Goldbergs all told the immigrant story with bursts of ethnic humor and staunch American patriotism. Beulah, a show about a black maid, tried to honor black culture (while using white actorsa practice that happily died out early on). Still lovable despite its flaws, network radio through Nachmans eyes is a treat. A humorous account of a radiophiles memory and longing for the return of the lost era. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pantheon (October 13, 1998)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 535 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 037540287X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0375402876
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.9 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.5 x 10 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 80 ratings

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Gerald Nachman

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
80 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book a great read that tells engaging stories, with one review noting its deep dives into chapter subjects. Moreover, the book is informative, with one customer describing it as a valuable addition to their OTR library. Additionally, customers appreciate its nostalgic value, with one mentioning it transports them to days of yesteryear, while another provides a great overview of the rise and fall of radio.

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12 customers mention "Readability"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, with one comparing it to enjoying a great meal.

"I really love this book... Its a great read... neither overly scholarly (as in Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...) nor overly wishy washy like some titles that might..." Read more

"I was raised on radio and I love this book...." Read more

"...It's an enjoyable read from cover to cover. If you want to know more about OTR or are a history buff or just want to be entertained, read this book!" Read more

"This is a nice book and offers a lot of information, but it makes some omissions, especially with "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar."..." Read more

8 customers mention "Storytelling"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling in the book, with one customer highlighting its deep dives into chapter subjects and another noting its profound understanding of show business.

"...it definitive... but for sure whether its definitive or not, it tells the story well and is re-readable as many of those classic radio shows are..." Read more

"...He tells a lot of affectionate stories (and a few not so affectionate about certain personalities) about Fibber McGee and Molly, and Amos `n' Andy,..." Read more

"...Filled with insider knowledge and the "true" stories of the stars and the best shows. It's an enjoyable read from cover to cover...." Read more

"...wrote it, but because its title is truthful, thus the stories inside the book are truthful." Read more

7 customers mention "Information value"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative, with one review noting it is filled with insider knowledge and serves as a valuable addition to the OTR library.

"I really love this book... Its a great read... neither overly scholarly (as in Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...) nor overly wishy washy like some titles that might..." Read more

"...Filled with insider knowledge and the "true" stories of the stars and the best shows. It's an enjoyable read from cover to cover...." Read more

"This is a nice book and offers a lot of information, but it makes some omissions, especially with "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar."..." Read more

"...Very informative. It really adds to my enjoyment of OTR shows to be able to have more information about them at my fingertips." Read more

5 customers mention "Radio history"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's coverage of radio history, with one customer noting it provides a great overview of the rise and fall of radio, while another mentions it serves as a prime source of news and entertainment.

"...In the process you'll get a great overview of the rise and fall of radio... you'll meet the stars and the personality in front of and behind the mic..." Read more

"A good book about the Golden Age of Radio, but a bit ponderous at times...." Read more

"...and lived through the era captures the essence and reality of the good ole days of radio...." Read more

"...They're vivid, they're succinct, and they're just wonderful. Raised on Radio is a gem, not because my friend wrote it, but because its title is..." Read more

3 customers mention "Nostalgia"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book nostalgic, with one mentioning it transports them back to the days of yesteryear.

"...- - If, however, to hear the story of radio as a whole, relive this golden age, and experience it not only from the perspective of the people..." Read more

"Informative, entertaining, nostalgic, and well-written...." Read more

"...I was transported to the days of yesteryear and I enjoyed the trip. What research! And the photos were great as well...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Eddie Landsberg
    5.0 out of 5 stars Relive the days when radio was king...
    Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2003
    Verified Purchase
    I really love this book... Its a great read... neither overly scholarly (as in Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...) nor overly wishy washy like some titles that might come to mind. Its just one of those books you can sit back, read and enjoy. In the process you'll get a great overview of the rise and fall of radio... you'll meet the stars and the personality in front of and behind the mic, from the actors and executives, right down to the writers and sound effects men. - - I'm not sure if one could call it definitive... but for sure whether its definitive or not, it tells the story well and is re-readable as many of those classic radio shows are still relistenable. - - All in all, if you're a die hard "OTR" buff and want to know who played so and so in episode 154 of a certain radio show, its original airdate, and when it re-aired... the book probably isn't for you... - - If, however, to hear the story of radio as a whole, relive this golden age, and experience it not only from the perspective of the people who made it, and the generation that grew up on it this is one must have piece of literature - - (...to boot, almost all of my favorite radio shows were covered... atleast in brief !)
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Eusebius
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories about the Golden Age of Radio
    Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I was raised on radio and I love this book. Reading it is like sitting down with Nachman in a booth at the Stage deli, ordering sandwiches, and listening to him dish about all the radio stars and programs I listened to when I was growing up. He's opinionated and he tells great stories and some of them reflect his own likes and dislikes but who cares? He's the one talking and it's fascinating.

    He covers it all from the 1930s and the beginning of commercial radio with Sarnoff and Paley all the way to what he calls "The Last Hurrah" with NBCs "the Big Show," the last gasp of radio in its struggle with television. He tells a lot of affectionate stories (and a few not so affectionate about certain personalities) about Fibber McGee and Molly, and Amos `n' Andy, Fanny Brice and Fred Allen, Groucho Marx, and on and on and even covers the musical programs and news programs (think Edward R. Murrow) and a lot of radio personalities I barely remember or didn't even know about.

    Even though the book is chronological, you can pick up this book, turn to a random chapter and start reading. And I bet you won't put it down.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Thomas B. Barker
    4.0 out of 5 stars A good book about the Golden Age of Radio
    Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A good book about the Golden Age of Radio, but a bit ponderous at times. Of course, everyone is entitled to personal feelings, but there is too much expression of this in this tome. Actually, I have not completed the 'task' of reading the entire book since it gets bogged down in too much detail. The organization by type of show or famous actor is a bit difficult to swallow. I would rather have a chronological order of the beginning of a show.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Al Mortensen
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books on OTR ever!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love this book!!! I've read it at least 5 times. I'm an OTR junky and love the classic shows and have my whole life. This book from a man who loved radio and lived through the era captures the essence and reality of the good ole days of radio. Filled with insider knowledge and the "true" stories of the stars and the best shows. It's an enjoyable read from cover to cover. If you want to know more about OTR or are a history buff or just want to be entertained, read this book!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • John H. Osterholm
    3.0 out of 5 stars Conspicuous by it's omissions
    Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    This is a nice book and offers a lot of information, but it makes some omissions, especially with "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar." The autthor only gives this great show a single sentence and nothing on it's greatest lead actor, Bob Bailey.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • BK19
    5.0 out of 5 stars A trip down memory lane
    Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2006
    Verified Purchase
    Anyone in his 70s remembers the Golden Age of Radio. Gerald Nachman, an old college classmate of mine, is at or near that age. The result is a strong book that isn't based on others' recollections, but is based on Nachman's own experiences. Certainly he verified some facts by using normal research and reference tools, but Gerry's memories here are his own. They're vivid, they're succinct, and they're just wonderful. Raised on Radio is a gem, not because my friend wrote it, but because its title is truthful, thus the stories inside the book are truthful.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • cak813
    5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable addition to your OTR library
    Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I’ve been looking for a comprehensive book about old time radio and this is it. Very informative. It really adds to my enjoyment of OTR shows to be able to have more information about them at my fingertips.
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  • R. McAroysr
    4.0 out of 5 stars Looking back !
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    The author does a wonderful job of exploring the history of popular shows from the "Golden Age" of radio. Reading this text is just like enjoying a great meal; taking time to experiencing a return to the median that entertained as younger folks. Personally I'd like to thank the author for this trip.
    Radio is gone for ever but opening this book lets us return to an excellent adventure in time travel!
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