This is a 200 page coffee-table book that documents 46 historical events through our tradition of late-breaking headlines on radio and television. The book has over 200 black and white photographs that document each story and a few pages of text that give background information and some short quotes. It is a very handsome book and the photos are well-chosen.

The real gem of this set are the three accompanying CDs, narrated by the well-known Bill Kurtis. He gives background and commentary for each event and then we hear original recordings from radio or television. Most of us have some of the famous quotes from these events in our social consciousness, perhaps without even knowing the specific incidents that inspired these statements. For example, "Oh, the humanity!" came from a broadcast as journalist Herb Morrison stood watching the unexpected explosion of the airship Hindenburg. As Morrison's voice cracks and he tells us that he can no longer continue speaking, we understand the intensity and unbelievable sadness of this disaster.

There are a few joyous occasions in this book such as the end of World War II, the moon landing and the fall of the Berlin Wall but unfortunately we are also asked to remember far too many assassinations, wars, and mechanical and natural disasters. Of course, most of these broadcasts are of a tragic nature because this was the type of event that needed to be communicated immediately to the American people. I will admit that I was not looking forward to listening to some events like the Kennedy and MLK Jr. assassinations and I stopped before the September 11 broadcasts. I am not yet ready to revisit that terrible day.

http://webereading.com/2008/11/we-interrupt-this-broadcast.html ( )

"There are events that have become more than defining moments in history; they've become benchmarks for our lives, reference points for "where we were when..." Almost without exception, there is a television or radio broadcast that indelibly etched the moment in our imagination, weaving itself into our memories of the event itself." - page xiii

This book is a compendium of events that have influenced the world for the past 70 years. They include events both political and social, full of joy and grief. Each story has accompanying photos as well as cds with the actual broadcasts that changed the lives of so many. Small details are included to help flesh out the description of events. For example, both Neil Armstron and Buzz Aldrin wore 185-pound spacesuits for their moonwalk but thanks to the moon's gravity they had little trouble getting around. Events like the moon landing have helped to shape our world today and it's thanks to those broadcasters who informed the world.

The Good:

This book causes curiosity. After reading about the Hindenburg and the fact that the US, the world's only source for helium, had priced the precious gas out of reach of the Germans, I wanted to know more. The book is also educational as well as reflective. I'd always assumed Korea was divided after the 1950 Korean War but it turns the country was separated into north and south after WWII.

Amazing photos accompany each story, giving the reader insight into the time and place of the events. My personal favourite was the celebration at the Brandenberg Gate during the reunification of Germany. Night had fallen but the scene was lit with blazing lights and fireworks. People were crammed together, surrounding the gate that had once served as a passage between the two Berlins.

There are also three cds that include the actual broadcasts from the stories. They really brought the events to life and you can track the passage of time throughout. For example, you can hear the formality and the archaic diction from the man reporting on the Hindenburg disaster.

In all I would recommend the book to history lovers. This book is chock full of events from the past and the cds bring them back to life.

The Bad:

I was curious as to the decision to start in 1937 with the Hindenburg disaster. There were earlier events that gripped the world that I thought could have been included such as the Lindbergh kidnapping. I was hoping for a broader spectrum of broadcasts but the majority of the stories seemed squished into the 90s.

I wish that there had been more international stories included in this book. It seemed too Amero-centric to me. While I agree that many moments in American history gave the world pause, such as the moon landings, I don't think stories like "Truman defeats Dewey", belong in the same category, let alone the same book.

As well, there were some stories I couldn't relate to, as they had either happened before my time or had little impact on my life. I didn't grow up in the era of the Cold War so it's hard to comprehend the anxiety around atomics and the Cuban Missile Crises.

The Ugly:

Somebody find Eli Wallach. ( )

First, a confession: I love Sourcebooks. I think the idea of combining text with related audio is brilliant. I already own two: The Spoken Word Revolution and My Fellow Americans: The Most Important Speeches of America's Presidents. When the opportunity to review We Interrupt This Broadcast: The Events That Stopped Our Lives...from the Hindenberg Explosion to the Virginia Tech shootings came my way, I jumped at it. Many of the included events happened before I was born or very young, but the author, Joe Garner, provides historical context for the broadcasts. Hearing the actual broadcasts takes you back in time--even if you were never there. As far as I'm concerned, Sourcebooks has hit another homerun when it comes to bringing history to life. If you have an interest in history, journalism, or remember these events firsthand, I highly recommend We Interrupt This Broadcast. ( )

This edition features 3 audio CDs with actual broadcasts and includes a new afterword from NBC’s Brian Williams. It is narrated by a veteran journalist, Bill Kurtis.

There is over 2 hours worth of rare original broadcasts. The book is about 46 events that have happened in our history, from the Hindenburg Explosion to Virginia Tech Massacre. Each of the stories made an impact in our lives and history in some way or another.

Anything before President Regan was shot I read in history books so being able to hear the actual broadcasts was really interesting. I loved hearing the old broadcasts and hearing the raw emotion in some of the stories. I have to admit that hearing certain news stories again was rough and I had tears in my eyes. From the death of Princess Diana to the tragedy in the schools to 9-11. I relived all those moments again.

This is a great book and I was really happy to be able to read and review it. A great book to have on ones shelf. ( )

A fascinating book that relives compelling events in our broadcast history (radio and television), from the Hindenburg disaster to the death of Princess Diana. Some events were of global importance (Japan surrenders), and some of little importance but that gripped the nation (death of Elvis). The synopses are fairly brief but informative, with accompanying photographs. The real hook here is the two CD's containing the actual broadcasts from the events as they were relayed to the nation. ( )