Month: April 2022

Robert Fulghum

Bill Thompson
Photo: Petr Novák, Wikipedia

Back around 1988 or ’89, you could hardly go anywhere without seeing a little book written by a former Unitarian minister called All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.

Readers all over the world were struck by the simplicity and elegance and wisdom of that little book.

That man was Robert Fulghum, and his book stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for two years.

Here’s how he summed up the book when he and I first talked about it in 1988:

A year later, we met again, to talk about his sequel, a book called It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It.

So here now, from 1989, Robert Fulghum.

Robert Fulghum will be 85 in June. He lives in Utah and the Greek island of Crete.

You may also like these episodes:

Peter Funt
Maya Angelou

Buy Books / Media from Amazon

Judith Martin

Bill Thompson

Where has everybody’s manners gone? Doesn’t anybody have good manners anymore ?

For over 40 years, syndicated columnist Judith Martin — better known as Miss Manners — has been helping people navigate the often confusing Waters of good manners .

In her polite but firm way, Martin answers readers questions about what constitutes good manners and good etiquette in today’s world.

In 1990, Martin wrote a book called Miss Manners Guide For The Turn of Tthe Millennium. And that was when I had one of many conversations that I’ve had with her over the years.

And as we get into this interview, keep in mind that this was in 1990, before the internet, before instant messages, before cell phones, voicemail, and whatever else has come along since.

So here now, from 1990, Judith Martin.

Judith Martin is 83 now. She lives in Washington, DC.

You may also like these episodes:

Lucky Roosevelt

Buy Books / Media from Amazon