This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women

This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women (2006) is a collection of 80 short essays written by American people from all walks of life, outlining their personal beliefs and credos. The volume was compiled by co-editors Jay Allison and Dan Gediman, working for the nonprofit organization This I Believe, Inc.. The organization and its publications aim to promote tolerance and understanding, and to facilitate public debate by encouraging members of the pluralistic but divided society of contemporary America to express their beliefs and listen to each other with respect. The essays are sourced from the 1951-1955 CBS radio program This I Believe hosted by Edward R. Murrow, and the National Public Radio (NPR) program of the same name which ran from 2005-2009.

This guide uses the 2007 Holt Paperbacks first edition.

Content Warning: Certain essays in this book contain references to sexual assault and violence against women, alcohol dependency and death by suicide, and racism. Some writers use outdated and offensive terms to refer to BIPOC, which are only replicated in this guide in direct quotes.

Summary

The book opens with a Foreword written by multi-award-winning author, broadcaster, and historian Studs Terkel (1912-2008). Terkel outlines his own belief in the importance of activism, the primacy of the pursuit of happiness, and the importance of the truth. He also discusses how such values align with the goals of This I Believe, and are reflected in some of the essays included in this book.

The Introduction is written by the co-editor of the volume and host of the NPR revival of the This I Believe radio program, Jay Allison. Allison introduces the concept of the This I Believe essay, as well as the aims of the nonprofit organization This I Believe Inc. He describes some of the characteristics of a successful essay, acknowledging the difficulty of such essay writing and inviting the reader to engage with the project.

The main body of the text consists of 80 short essays, each written by a different contributor outlining their respective personal credo. These essays were all read out over the radio on either the 1950s CBS version of This I Believe hosted by Murrow, or the 2000s NPR version hosted by Allison. The only instance wherein a single person writes more than one essay is the case of Elizabeth Deutsch Earle. Her An Honest Doubter (52-54) was written during the 1950s and describes her optimistic, youthful beliefs. Then, in her 2000s essay Have I Learned Anything Important Since I Was Sixteen? (55-57) she reflects on the changes to her credo in the 50 years since her last submission.

The essays are presented in alphabetical order according to the surname of their authors, and each one is followed by a short biography of its writer. Contributors to the book include ordinary private citizens and prominent public figures. Some of the most famous writers from the 1950s include revolutionary physicist Albert Einstein, activist and author Hellen Keller, and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Renowned contributors from the 2000s series include feminist activist and author Gloria Steinem, entrepreneur Bill Gates, and singer-songwriter Loudon Wain Wright III.

After the final essay of the text, there is an Afterword by the co-editor of the book and President of the nonprofit organization This I Believe Inc., Dan Gediman. Gediman explains how he became interested in the original This I Believe radio show, and outlines how the program was conceived of and created during the 1950s. 

Three subsequent appendixes provide supplementary information and guidance to facilitate reader engagement. This includes Appendix A: “Introduction to the 1950s This I Believe Radio Series by Edward R. Murrow,” which is a transcription of Murrow’s original radio introduction to the segment. The subsequent two sections Appendix B: “How to Write Your Own This I Believe Essay,” and Appendix C: “How to Use This I Believe in Your Community,” provide guidance on engaging with the project.