Reality Radio: Telling True Stories in Sound (Documentary Arts and Culture, Published in association with the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University) Paperback – March 15, 2010

If you're involved in radio, podcasting, or even video blogs, this book is worth reading. I liked it because it explained to me what the spoken word can do that other media can't... or can't do well, anyway.If you'd like to make your recordings richer, more compelling, and more interesting to your listeners, learn from the best. That's what you'll find in this book.This book expanded how I look at podcasting, and the kinds of recordings I want to make.I was a little uneasy buying this book, because it seemed a little expensive for stories I might not learn from. I shouldn't have worried. From the first few pages, the "ah-HA!" moments were worth every cent.Before relaunching my podcasts, I'm re-reading this book. I was almost overwhelmed, the first time, because this book wasn't what I expected. Reading it the first time, it was as if someone had lifted the curtain and showed me an entire landscape of ideas and approaches that take recordings into a new dimension.

I have been a listener of public radio and the audio documentary format for many years. I always look forward to stories from NPR and PRX. This is the ideal gift for any fan of This American Life, Radiolab and All Things Considered. With chapters written by the likes of Jad Abumrad and Ira Glass, this gives a real glimpse into not only the inner workings of these shows but the very essence of the ideas leading up to them. This is not just a book for the fan of PBS, it is for anyone interested in storytelling and journalism. With so much of our TV time taken up by cheap reality programming and radio with inflammatory talk shows, this book really restored my faith in the fundamentals of radio reporting and storytelling.

I really dug this book. Like any bios, many of those included in this book offered surprises. (Who'd have thought the great Emily Botein began adulthood as a pastry chef?) I appreciated the great words of wisdom from superstar producer Jay Allison, and the insights of the brilliant young producer - and co-host of RadioLab - Jad Abumrad... The book is a great read. I enjoyed learning the backstories of the many public radio greats that I enjoy listening to each week...

It's not a technical manual, so if you're trying to learn more about recorders an microphones, this isn't the one for you. If you want to know how to build a story, give this a read. Also pick up NPR's book Sound Reporting.

Brilliant. A "must have" if you are interested in creating radio documentaries. The real stories of radio artists struggling to create the craft and the art of radio documentaries is extremely helpful if you are trying to find your own radio "voice."

Thanks to "This American Life" and similar shows, audio storytelling has entranced more and more people. Listen closely and you'll hear the hinges squeak as this book opens the door to the world of the magic that emerges when storytellers meld careful listening, writing and speaking.

No matter: however much I may dislike NPR's political propagandizing, I do recognize that they have raised the audio documentary to an art form. Jonathan Kern's "Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production" is the bible of creating this art form. This book is the collected stories, in essay form, of some of those who create the art. Exclusive of the opening and closing essays, there are 18 essays here from creators of audio documentaries. All of them are excellent. There are no dull essays in this book. Each reveals, to one degree or another, the mind of the creator: what drew them to the audio medium, given up for dead in the middle of the 20th Century. What stories they are trying to tell. Often, they include their techniques for producing their audio documentaries, how they let the subjects lead, for example, or how they made the sounds or edited the components to achieve the effect they intended. Some the essays struck me as a bit pretentious, but not overwhelmingly so. On the whole, this is a marvelous book that paints vivid portraits in written words of those who create vivid portraits, most often, in the spoken word. Be sure to check out page 205 for a link to a site containing samples of the essayist's work and much more.Jerry

excellent insight to the thought and patience that goes into radio podcasts/documentaries etc. Highly recommended to anyone who works or is interested in long form radio.

I bought this book to help me with my university course work for radio production really helped me out. would highly recommend

Ich interessiere mich berufsmäßig für Radio. Hier bietet das Buch eine Fülle von Best-Practice-Beispielen, Gedanken von Autoren und Strategien, von denen ich die ersten schon angewandt habe, mit viel Spaß und ErfolgIch interessiere mich generell für Radio. Hier bieten die Werkstattberichte der Autoren eine großartige Lektüre, um einfach mitzuleiden, sich mitzufreuen, mitzuerleben wie Radio geht.Die Artikel sind wunderbar geschrieben, mit Verstand und Herz gleichermaßen. Eigentlich sechs Sterne. :-)

The book tells us as radio people how to get under people's skin by speaking to those that have already done it.These people know how to make those 'driveway moments' that leave you not able to get out of the car because you want to know what's happened next.So this book gives great tips for those of us still figuring it out to be inspired and grab our recorders and go make that Magic!