Scott Simon (1) (1952–)

In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues since before the Jim Crow era. Given the state of race relations in America, the ensuing condemnation, boos, and death threats were sad but unsurprising. There's a lot more to Jackie Robinson's life than just his baseball career, but this short book takes a more narrow focus and thus can feel somewhat incomplete to someone looking for a more well-rounded biography. It's beautifully written, however, by the longtime National Public Radio reporter and host Scott Simon, and could be a good introduction, especially for younger readers, into the history we should all be aware of.… (mere)

This was a perfect audio book for Mother's Day month. Scott Simon reads his own account of his mother Patricia's last days in his wry, soothing, NPR voice. Such a treat! Pat, 84, went into the hospital for a blood test and never left. This sounds dramatic, but she had already battled lung cancer, had part of a lung removed and thought she was in the all-clear. She just hadn't been feeling well lately and wanted some answers. She never got them officially from her doctors, but the reality was her body giving up. I lost track of time -- but I think it was about a 2 week span that Scott sat vigil at her bedside, telling stories, jokes, reminiscing, singing songs. What a dedicated and touching relationship. Pat was by no means a "saint" -- by the accounts included here, she would be described as "colorful" euphemistically. Wife to 3 husbands, paramour of many more, but a completely dedicated mother as she raised Scott without a husband in his most formative years. She held fascinating jobs -- showgirl, shopgirl, all in the spirit of the greatest generation and the Chicago references are fun and fitting. What comes through most is the lessons she taught her son: how to take life (and death) on your own terms, valuing the people around you (including all her nurses and doctors), finding the joy in the hard times, and sticking together. He intersperses tweets he shared from the hospital room in 2013 -- which alone give an idea of what a special woman Pat was and what a special relationship they shared. I don't know if the paper copy contains pictures, but Simon painted them vividly in his description. It was an honor to be a third party witness to the situation and to receive the story Simon wanted to tell.… (mere)