Interior portraits with character shaping moments revealed with a rare intimacy.These stories certainly can stand on their own, but together, as an hour, they make compelling radio. Allison's delicate "behind the curtain" approach to humanness is exceptionally poignant in this hour. Perhaps because together they expose a male fragility we are still not used to witnessing in the mainstream.

Good for air really any time, but most especially fine for Father's day.

I'm not sure how this left me feeling...odd I suppose but certainly curious. it's a quirky commentary, and nothing even close to the mainstream concern, and just because of that, extremely refreshing.
It's the sort of thing any studio should have on hand to air: "just because". I can hear it coming out of nowhere and being glad of it.

vm

That's the feeling I get from this piece. I like to hear new formats, but sometimes a good, straight-forward commentary hits home just as well. This piece reminds me a lot of that day in the hotel room, when we woke up and saw the events. There was a lot of shock, much more grief, but some relief and, for some who made it out alive, joy.

This piece should be played any time they are talking about Sept 11, but I'd like to hear it in mid-spring, when you aren't expecting it. It will ring louder then, when separated from the rest.

Powerful, little known anecdote about WWI described by John McCutcheon, whose moving song plays throughout the story. His reflections draw explicit connections to Vietnam and of course, current battles. However, the tape of him speaking sounds as though it’s coming to us from 1914, which is a little distracting. Must have been taped on the phone, or else he was trapped in a cave. But one is grateful for the story, no matter, and it makes me long to hear a fuller account from one or more of the soldiers. The producer accurately describes airing possibilities. sl

This is an excellent, uplifting journey through Ladybird Johnson’s life, and her growth and transition to first lady under tragic conditions. It’s wonderful to hear her voice, rendered here in excerpts from interviews she's given and speeches she's made. It is especially poignant to hear a portion of her first audio diary entry, made the day after JFK’s assassination. Nuanced choices of music are a production plus, but the strength is in the spoken word. Wisely chosen excerpts create a rich experience. The hour contains a wide range of voices, from historians to those who worked with her or know her, and they pinpoint her influence on LBJ, and on the capital, and the nation –– particularly in the areas of environment, race, and education. She truly is a force for good. sl

Narrationless documentary is a challenging production choice, but it is pulled off well here. The difficulty is that you really have to give the piece your full attention, or you will lose track of who is speaking and miss some of the implied narrative thread. Use of sound is OK, if a little predictable in spots--the sewing machine in the sewing classroom, for example. It is the children's voices which are strongest element. These children were forced, on fear of death, to do terrible things, and the calmness of their retelling declines to simplify the emotional impact of their ordeal and its aftermath. At the end, the bright music of the rehab camp effects a powerful affirmation without slighting the unresolved darkness of what has gone before.

a news analysis whose writing, delivery and editorial choices elevate it beyond the standard with simplicity and clarity.
excellent to accompany anything dealing with Sept. 11, racial bias, profiling and the difficulties of keeping an even journalistic hand. Production is a little rough but it's a provocative piece.
vm

This is a humorus portrait of brotherly dynamics. Not only do we get a glimpse into boyhood behavior but we get some insight into the pathology of fear.

The production of this piece is conventional. Frank links interviews with narration and music. The anecdotes are entertaining and quite visual. This piece is very versatile. It stands alone but it could also be a nice addition to a show about siblings, childhood or the psychology of horror.-CM

[This review refers to the first of two 27-minute segments.]

We get historical context, personal reminiscence and observation in this lovely blend of ambient sound, music of the time, archival tape, and the voices of a small group of women pilots. An interesting, informative, engaging portrait of these women and of this period in history that is so beautifully produced it’s nearly cinematic in effect.
Could be aired any time, but certainly around WWII or aviation anniversary dates, or as part of programming about women in America, jobs, changes in society, and, of course, war. sl