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  <title><![CDATA[Big Russ and Me : Father and Son: Lessons of Life]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[<strong>Tim Russert's #1 <em>New York Times</em> bestseller -- now in paperback.</strong>    <p>Now in paperback -- the #1 best-selling Father’s Day book of 2004, with over half a million copies sold in hardcover. Tim Russert, one of America’s most watched and trusted news anchors‚ connected with readers across the nation with his critically acclaimed memoir about growing up in the 1950s and the special bond between fathers and sons.</p>]]></description>
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        <name><![CDATA[Tim Russert]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Jan 18 06:13:55 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Feb 04 03:52:47 -0800 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I have been wanting to read this book for a long time, and just never remembered it when I got the library or bookstore. Last week, upon perusing books on CD at my local library, I stumbled onto &quot;Big Russ &amp; Me.&quot; Having an hour-long round trip commute every day, I thought it would give me s...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/12824713">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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  <average_rating>4.07</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Sep 17 07:38:07 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Sep 17 08:20:35 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir from the late Tim Russert, about the lessons he learned from his father, Big Russ.  The book goes through various aspects of Russert's childhood: school, religion, work, etc., and in every aspect of his life there is something that Big Russ taught him.  Big Russ came...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33079113">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[Political news junkies, anyone seeking inspiration]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Jul 05 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jul 03 16:29:05 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jul 05 19:04:39 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I confess I tend to be prejudiced against books written by people who are very successful in forms of visual media.  The best books are written by people who make their living by using the written word rather than the spoken word right?  <br/><br/>Until almost a month ago I hadn’t realized I had...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/26248902">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Sharon]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[Anyone, anyone interested in journalism,]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Dec 01 06:30:12 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Dec 01 06:37:14 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count>2</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I really loved this book.  Tim Russert~What a GUY!  I read it when it first came out and loved the way he told the story of growing up in Buffalo.  He accomplished a lot and was so determined.  His Dad, Big Russ, was such an integral part of his life.  Big Russ was such a supportive Dad and a hard w...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39014132">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39014132]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39014132]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
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  <date_added>Tue Jun 24 13:35:47 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jun 24 13:40:03 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The worth of a book is sometimes reflected in more than its content and writing style.  My daughter, Leah, gave me this book for Father's Day, and the thoughtfulness of the gift was worth a million dollars.  Although the book seemed to be more of an autobiography of Tim Russert, with periodic mentio...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/25337832">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/25337832]]></url>
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[I found Big Russ and Me especially moving, because I listened to the audio version.  Listening to Tim Russert talk about his dad, his mentors, and his experiences in politics and in the news business was entertaining, funny, and thought-provoking.  It made me even more grateful for the relationship ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40121319">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[A wonderful book.  Made me think of my father and being a father to my son.  The lessons in this book are American.  The greatest generation understood what sacrifice and hard work are all about.  We need to be reminded of their efforts daily.<br/><br/>Tim Russert was an incredible person.  If you a...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/28422870">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[I wish I would have read this sooner.  What a nice memoir.  It's a great tribute to his father and all the people in his life that affected him.  The book is filled with all kinds of nostalgia, but it always includes a positive spin on how it applies to the future.  I found myself laughing and cryin...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/25810845">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[I have to preface this by saying that I was a huge Tim Russert fan, Timmy Russert at my house was king of the political interview and Sunday morning's Meet the Press. I liked him, his interview tactics and his ebullient down to earth personality. I miss him, and mourned his early passing. <br/><br/>...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/70245545">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[This book made me fall in love with Tim Russert even more so. When so many people whine about what their parents didn't do for them and how their parents didn't spend time with them, Tim tells about his hard working father and mother and how their Catholic faith, and good old fashioned family values...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/50803629">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[<p>Russert tackles many issues and ideas in this memoir, including blue-collar ethics and the belief that success comes from hard work and discipline. Not only does Russert explore his relationship with his father, but he also discusses the workings of a tight Irish-American community back in the days ...</p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45459503">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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  <read_at>Sun Dec 14 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Dec 14 19:30:50 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Dec 14 19:38:36 -0800 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[OMG --I never thought that I would identify with Tim Russert. His childhood was so much like mine. Catholic,honesty, hard work, school,church, playing outside as a kid, first bike,first summer job, parents who were private, watching all those shows, Rin Tin Tin? Gunsmoke? Leave it to Beaver? who the...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40114970">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[I loved this book.  I must admit from the get go that I'm a political junky and have always been a fan of the Russert era &quot;Meet the Press&quot;.  He passed from our world too soon.  <br/><br/>Big Russ and Me is the story of Tim Russert and His dad, &quot;Big Russ&quot;.  It is as much about a F...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73763970">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <date_added>Wed Jul 16 12:20:41 -0700 2008</date_added>
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    <body><![CDATA[My mom made me read this book and in big print even.  I have been reading it in little snatches and am almost done.  Tim Russert sure was a great guy and I enjoy his musings but not that great of a writer. ]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Jan 02 22:58:51 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jan 20 04:51:32 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Need to be honest about two things right off the bat.  First, I had never heard of Tim Russert until he passed away- had never even heard of Meet the Press until then.  Second, I only read this book because my dad bought it for me, and probably wouldn't have read it otherwise.   That being said, it ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41691093">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Oct 22 09:52:32 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Oct 22 09:57:47 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[What a fantastically written, enjoyable, relatively lite read, pack with life lessons and morals.  <br/><br/>I read the whole thing not knowing that Tim Russert was dead!  Once I learned that, the book took on a whole new meaning.  There's an open letter from Tim to his son Luke in the book saying...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75376863">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Sat Jun 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Jun 14 14:02:17 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jun 14 14:09:53 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[This is the kind of book that I wish one of my ancestors had written -- what life was like growing up in their generation, in their hometown.  But spending a lot of time reading about Tim Russert's life didn't do much for me, especially since the &quot;Lessons of Life&quot; were so obvious (work har...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59640375">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Wed Apr 29 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Apr 15 11:59:46 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Apr 29 19:14:24 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I really enjoyed reading this book.  My wife picked it up at Walmart while shopping with the kids for me a birthday present.  She picked a winner.<br/><br/>I was teary eyed after the first two chapters.  Russert's observations about his dad, a WWII veteran, touched a nerve with me and my memories ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52793596">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Mon May 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Russert has an enjoyable, conversational style of storytelling.  He groups stories in chapters according to theme (eg. Work, Cars).  I never watched Meet the Press, the TV show that Russert moderated, but am drawn to him, his life values as passed on by his dad, and his personal storytelling of the ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55988834">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.  Hardly a day goes by when I don’t remember something that Big Russ taught me.&quot;       <p>Over the last two decades, Tim Russert has become one of the most trusted and admired figures in American television journalism.  Throughout his career he has spent time with presidents and popes, world leaders and newsmakers, celebrities and sports heroes, but one person stands out from the rest in terms of his strength of character, modest grace, and simple decency—Russert’s dad, Big Russ.    <p>In this warm, engaging memoir, Russert casts a fond look back to the 1950s Buffalo neighborhood of his youth. In the close-knit Irish-Catholic community where he grew up, doors were left unlocked at night; backyard ponds became makeshift ice hockey rinks in winter; and streets were commandeered as touch football fields in the fall. And he recalls the extraordinary example of his father, a WWII veteran who worked two jobs without complaint for thirty years and taught his children to appreciate the values of self-discipline, of respect, of loyalty to friends.     <p>Big Russ and Me, written in Russert’s easygoing, straight-talking style, offers an irresistible collection of personal memories. Russert recalls the dedicated teachers who stimulated his imagination and intellect, sparking a lifelong passion for politics and journalism, and inspired a career that took him from editor of his elementary school newspaper to moderator of Meet the Press.     <p>It has been an eventful and deeply satisfying journey, but no matter where his career has taken him, Russert’s fundamental values still spring from that small house on Woodside Avenue and the special bond he shares with his father—a bond he enjoys now with his own son. As Tim Russert celebrates the indelible connection between fathers and sons, readers everywhere will laugh, cry, and identify with the lessons of life taught by the indomitable Big Russ.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Touching Memoir from a man whose clear eyed intellect and straight forward style I still miss. Watching the gabbering flying monkeys who pass for pundits these days (political affiliation not important)  shows just how crucial a gentleman like Russert was. Thank God for Rachel Maddow.  <br/><br/>W...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/43828163">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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