Alistair Cooke Book order

This collection features Alistair Cooke's key dispatches on pivotal moments and figures in post-war America. As a remarkable reporter and interpreter of his adopted country to Britain and the world, Cooke's journey began with his first broadcast in 1946, capturing the essence of America through significant events like the Korean War, McCarthy witch hunts, Civil Rights, JFK's presidency, the moon landings, Robert Kennedy's assassination, Nixon's resignation, and Clinton's scandals, culminating with the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. The anthology includes Cooke's insights on notable personalities and the perspectives of everyday Americans, alongside memories from his daughter, Susan. This tribute reflects Cooke's profound connection to the country he cherished. Critics have praised the work as an indispensable record of 20th-century American culture, highlighting Cooke's ability to make sense of decades filled with turmoil and triumph. With a remarkable career spanning print, radio, and television, Cooke served as The Guardian's Senior Correspondent in New York for twenty-five years and hosted influential cultural programs, but he is best known for his long-running BBC series, "Letter from America," which aired 2,869 times over fifty-eight years, making it the longest-running radio series in history.

Alastair Cooke's Letter from America: 1946-2004 is a remarkable collection of his BBC Radio broadcasts, chronicling nearly sixty years of American life. This compilation interprets significant events, from the assassination of Kennedy to September 11 and the Iraq War, while anticipating the 2004 elections. Each broadcast offers a vivid portrait of the nation, featuring influential figures like Charlie Chaplin and Martin Luther King, alongside diverse topics such as civil rights, golf, and the beauty of New England's autumn. Cooke's unique insights and personal touch provide a captivating view of America, making him an unparalleled chronicler of his time. His work was not only influential in the UK but also resonated with audiences worldwide, explaining the complexities of a nation that was both familiar and foreign. With an impressive career as The Guardian's Senior Correspondent in New York and as the host of pioneering cultural programs, Cooke's legacy is defined by his weekly broadcasts, which spanned 2,869 episodes and became the longest-running radio series in history before his retirement in 2004. His blend of experience, wisdom, and education remains unmatched in journalism.

Alistair Cooke, recognized a great story to be told in investigating at first hand the effects of the Second World War on America. Within weeks of the Pearl Harbor attack, Cooke set off on a circuit of the entire country to see what the war had done to people. This unique travelogue celebrates an important American character and the indomitable spirit of a nation that was to inspire Cooke's reports and broadcasts for some sixty years.

A look at American conservatism by the current editor and Washington bureau chief of The Economist.

When Alistair Cooke retired in March 2004 and then died a few weeks later, he was acclaimed by many as one of the greatest broadcasters of all time. His Letters from America, which began in 1946 and continued uninterrupted every week until early 2004, kept the world in touch with what was happening in Cooke's wry, liberal and humane style. This selection, made largely by Cooke himself and supplemented by his literary executor, gives us the very best of these legendary broadcasts. It is a remarkable portrait of a continent - and a man.

Photographs taken from the air present striking views of the buildings and monuments in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area

Alistair Cooke's essays about the history, personalities and literary works that shaped the programs that have appeared on Masterpiece Theatre.

Talks selected from Cooke's radio broadcasts reveal his incisive, illuminating, and witty observations on Watergate, Vietnam, and other news events of the last decade

Provides a visual record of London through unique aerial photographs and accompanying text.