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The Last Interview
Shirley Chisholm: The Last Interview Shirley Chisholm
A collection of revealing and fearless interviews with Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress in 1968.
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When Shirley Chisholm announced her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972, she became the first black candidate for a major party’s nomination just four years after she had become the first ever black woman in Congress. In typical fashion, she acknowledged the landmark but knew it was beside the point: “I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women’s movement of this country, although I am a woman and I’m equally proud of that.” What she emphasized was: “I am the candidate of the people of America.”
In a set of interviews that extend from the first major profile by Susan Brownmiller to her final interview documenting her life and reflecting on her legacy, Shirley Chisholm reveals her disciplined and demanding childhood, the expectations on her placed by her family and the public, her tireless advocacy for the poorest and most disadvantaged in the halls of government, and the darkening course of American history. But on her legacy, Chisholm had one priority: “I’d like them to say that Shirley Chisholm had guts. That’s how I’d like to be remembered.”
21st January 2021 - 9781612198972 - £12.99 - 112pp - Trade PB Biography /Politics- Territory: UK/IRE - EPUB: 9781612198989
Shirley Chisholm was born to Caribbean immigrants in Brooklyn, New York. She ran for Congress in the newly drawn 12th District of New York in 1968 and became the first ever black woman to serve in Congress. She went on to run for president in 1972. While in Congress, she was instrumental in creating the national school lunch program, expanding the food stamp program, and establishing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. She passed away on January 1st, 2005. 6
Fred Rogers: The Last Interview Fred Rogers
‘It would be difficult to overstate Rogers’ influence on American culture, or the esteem in which he is still held.’ Guardian ‘With soft words and an open heart, the former Presbyterian minister helped guide children through the complex tragedies of the adult world, whether they be death, divorce, or war.’ The Independent
Fred Rogers’ gentle spirit and passion for children’s television takes centre stage in this collection of interviews spanning his nearly forty-year career.
Fred Rogers was the much-loved host of the public television show ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,’ which ran on PBS in America from 1968 to 2001. A half-hour educational children’s programme that focussed on young children’s social and emotional needs, it changed the face of children’s television and changed the way experts thought about the
educational power of media. Nearly twenty years after his death, Fred Rogers remains a source of comfort and fond memories for generations who grew up watching him. But perhaps his most lasting legacy was demonstrating the power of simply being nice to other people. Also a Presbyterian minister, this collection of inspiration interviews highlights the values Rogers sought to represent: respect, compassion, kindness, integrity and humility. It includes his fiery (for him) 1969 senate testimony that saved PBS and his final
interview with Diane Rehm.
Fred Rogers (1928-2003) was the creator, showrunner, and host of ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ which ran on PBS from 1968 to 2001. His work in children’s television has been widely lauded, and he received over forty honorary degrees and several awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002, a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 1997, and induction into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999. Rogers was also a musician, Presbyterian minister, and the author of several books for children and adults. 7
Johnny Cash: The Last Interview Johnny Cash
‘Truly he is what the land and country is all about, the heart and soul of it personified… If we want to know what it means to be mortal, we need look no further than the Man in Black.’ Bob Dylan
‘Through his music, he has proved again and again the redeeming power of struggle and faith.’ Bill Clinton
Johnny Cash seemed like the stuff of legend when he was alive, and even more so as he achieved something close to sainthood in death. The interviews collected here bring us closer to the actual man: brilliant, fallible, introspective, and longing for redemption.
Mythmaker, philosopher, sinner, and saint, Johnny Cash is perhaps the quintessential American icon. Though often rebellious and unruly, he rarely spoke without intention, sincerity, and a bit of poetry. The interviews here spotlight that inimitable rhetorical style, and the fascinating diversity of subjects that made him as relatable as he was mysterious.
From a hopped up early interview with Pete Seeger, to a meditation on sobriety, to the last interview in which he stares calmly into the face of death, this collection brings together decades of insight as deeply profound as the unforgettable baritone of The Man in Black himself.
Johnny Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 - September 12, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and author. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 90 million records worldwide. His genre-spanning songs and sound embraced country, rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel. This crossover appeal won Cash the rare honour of being inducted into the Country Music, Rock and Roll, and Gospel Music Halls of Fame. 8
THE LAST INTERVIEW DON’T FORGET: coming in December 2020 Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Last Interview Ruth Bader Ginsburg
A tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg: one of the greatest, most influential, and most exciting legal minds in American history, celebrating her fascinating life and legacy.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the second female and the first Jewish female justice of the Supreme Court. In this collection of in-depth interviews— including her last—as well discussing her non-stop fight for gender equality she also talks openly about motherhood and her partnership with her beloved husband, her Jewishness, her friendships, her students and her life’s work.
The Last Interview series presents a collection of pocket-sized books featuring conversations with some of the most iconic writers and thinkers of our time.
‘Melville House’s Last Interview series is an inspired addition to their catalogue.’ The Independent
