Book Description

The iconic radio personality looks back on his life and career, from his first job at a smalltown Indiana station to his time at NPR and Sirius XM Radio. The host of The Bob Edwards Show and Bob Edwards Weekend on Sirius XM Radio, Bob Edwards became the first radio personality with a large national audience to take his chances in the new field of satellite radio. The programs’ mix of long-form interviews and news documentaries has won many prestigious awards. For thirty years, Louisville native Edwards was the voice of National Public Radio’s daily newsmagazine programs, co-hosting All Things Considered before launching Morning Edition in 1979. These programs built NPR’s national audience while also bringing Edwards to national prominence. In 2004, however, NPR announced that it would be finding a replacement for Edwards, inciting protests from tens of thousands of his fans and controversy among his listeners and fellow broadcasters. Today, Edwards continues to inform the American public with a voice known for its sincerity, intelligence, and wit. In A Voice in the Box: My Life in Radio, Edwards recounts his career as one of the most important figures in modern broadcasting. He describes his road to success on the radio waves, from his early days knocking on station doors during college and working for American Forces Korea Network to his work at NPR and induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2004. Edwards tells the story of his exit from NPR and the launch of his new radio ventures on the XM Satellite Radio network. Throughout the book, his sharp observations about the people he interviewed and covered and the colleagues with whom he worked offer a window on forty years of American news and on the evolution of public journalism. A Voice in the Box is an insider’s account of the world of American media and a fascinating, personal narrative from one of the most iconic personalities in radio history. Praise for A Voice in the Box “Edwards knows how to tell a story . . . . On the whole, there is much to learn and enjoy. Edwards shares fascinating details about beginning a career at a tiny station; becoming part of the energetic, excited startup team at NPR; conducting interviews and producing shows; and building a career as a beloved host. He’s forthright about his disappointments, too, including a divorce and the shock of being fired . . . . [A] solidly entertaining book.” —Publishers Weekly “At last, Bob Edwards has told his story. With all the wit, candor, and courage that made his journalism on NPR a favorite of millions across the country and a role model for all of us in public media. This “voice in the box” is good news.” —Bill Moyers “A Voice in the Box is a delight. Bob Edwards has told his story from inside the world of radio that has something for everybody?from the kid’s dream to be on radio to settling some adult’s scores with NPR and being happy now on Sirius XM Radio with many more hours on the radio still to come.” —Jim Lehrer