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 "Big Russ & Me." Having an hour-long round trip commute every day, I thought it would give me something to listen to in the car. Something to keep my mind off the traffic.

Most of you know Tim Russert for his role as moderator on "Meet the Press." I now feel like I know him and his father as two wonde More...

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 from that "Greatest Generation" who did their jobs, didn't brag, didn't complain, didn't talk about themselves or feel that they were deserving of any special treatment. It really makes me think about More...

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?

Until almost a month ago I hadn’t realized I had the prejudice. Or at least I wouldn’t have been able to articulate it if asked. I probably would have simply said “I prefer fiction to nonfiction.”
But sadly, it has been true. I have avoided books written by movie s More...

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 working one. Tim Russert got his work ethics from the example his dad set for him.

I certainly miss Tim Russert. I originally read the book when it first came out because I loved Tim from Meet The Press and More...

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 mention of his father, it was a good read. I now have a much better understanding of where Russert was coming from in his media coverage. I was not aware that he was such a fine man, and I wish I had read the More...

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 I have with my dad.

I'd always liked Tim Russert. Reading this book made me like him even more, especially, the Prefect of Discipline at his Jesuit high school Father Sturm. Tim and his schoolmates got away with nothing. Tim was already well raised by his father Big Russ and made sure he passed the lessons on to him son Luke

You can use it as a reference book at times for knowing what to do in certain moral situations. You realize Big Russ and then Tim were great moral compasses.

Big Russ was a hero of World War II More...

Big Russ & Me is both a memoir and a tribute to Tim Russert's father. The recollections harken back to a time when life was less complicated than today and the family values of hard work and following the rules were more commonplace.

The book is about BOTH Tim's father, an airmen who saw service as part of the greatest generation, and Tim, the journalist and how Big Russ influenced and shaped the son's life and career. It is written in simple and folksy terms and is even corny in parts but t More...

This book was my first official memoir. It was sent to me by a friend and I have had it for an exorbitantly long span of time, potentially before Tim Russert's sudden and tragic death in 2008 (I suppose it's high time I give it back). If you are unfamiliar with who Tim Russert is, you should be ashamed for being so detached from current events, but he was the host of "Meet the Press" on NBC. I have included a picture as well.

This book was a struggle at first. It is set as a sort of dedication t More...

Hardly a day goes by when I don't remember OR RELY ON something Big Russ taught me. (Introduction xi)

It took me a while to realize that part of being a father is coming to terms with the fact that your son is an independent person, rather than a smaller version of you. (Page 123)

I learned at least three things that day, and they are lessons that I still think about and follow. First, that a lot of important information is right there in the newspaper, if you take the time to look for it and read More...

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.

Tim Russert was an incredible person. If you are just now coming to read his two books after his passing, run don't walk to pick up copies. He left a great treasure before he passed on, Thanks Tim!

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 crying intermittently. If you ever feel you need an infusion of optimism, or some solid fatherly advice, definitely pick up this book.

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.

OK, so on to the book. This was a mixed bag for me. I found it to be sweet to the point of sugar coated, and light to the point of being irrelevant, it glanced over way too many subjects that should have been d More...

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 served to propel him to his dream career. He tells about the good times and memories of his dad as well as the words of wisdom that have served him well in different situations including meeting pres More...

I knew nothing about Tim Russert until I read this book. I did enjoy the book, reading about his childhood and his father. I also found his Catholic upbringing very interesting to read about. He was very devout in his religion. I loved hearing about the Nuns and Priests that taught him.

I wish that he would have written more about his mother and three sisters. They were barely mentioned in the book. I would like to know how he got along with his sisters, the kind of influence his mother was on h More...

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 when the Kennedys ruled Camelot. It's hardly a surprise that The Weekly Standard called Big Russ & Me "part autobiography, part sociological study, [and] part political history." An added note: re

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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 heck remembers THAT--what a satnd up guy..I kept wishing he were alive so he could give us some real,honest analysis of Obama's Administration without the Fox Five dumbos!!

I smile a lot as I read his More...

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 "Meet the Press". He passed from our world too soon.

Big Russ and Me is the story of Tim Russert and His dad, "Big Russ". It is as much about a Father Son relationship as it is about a place in time and out look of American life that I fear we are fast losing. Big Russ and Me takes us back to that magical time right after the second world war when America's Boys returned home More...

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.

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 was an interesting read. If you're a Meet The Press or Russert fan, by all means I would recommend it. If you're interested in a personal account of American history from the last 50 or so years, I'd reco More...

This is not an elegant book but it is from the heart. Tim Russert was born and raised in South Buffalo. He was an Irish Catholic with working class roots, and a father who he greatly admired who drove a garbage truck and held a second job as a driver for the Buffalo news. Russert was born in 1950, the same year I was born and his story was very familiar to me. His relationship with Big Russ made him respect common sense and straight shooting without pretense. Big Russ could spot a phony and you More...

What a fantastically written, enjoyable, relatively lite read, pack with life lessons and morals.

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 that he wrote it for his dad but on re-reading it realized it was as much for his son. How true! How many dads get to leave such a legacy and instruction book for life for their sons.

Was a bit turned off by the gus More...

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 "Lessons of Life" were so obvious (work hard, be nice to people, take responsibility for your actions, live within your means, etc.) that they didn't add anything to the book. This book was a gift, so I kept going long after I would have given up on it, More...

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.

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 of my grandfather.

In addition to stirring my emotions in several places, the book provides a lot of insight into Russert's life as well as the Catholic church. Not knowing much about the latter, the book provided an More...

A really nice story about a really nice guy with small town values of do good and it will pay off. He tells his story as a tribute to his son with stories of his dad. and he is a terrific story teller. My favorite line is about his dad, and he gets it from a writer friend - something like 'he found grace in the day to day." I do believe Tim Russert gave a huge secret of success and that is character and being the role model for your children. Memories of Tim's father absolutely made life more me More...

I don’t know who the heck this Tim Russert guy is but apparently he’s a pretty famous figure in tv news land. I try to avoid the news for the most part because it either makes me sad or irritates me. I picked this book up because I saw it on the “new audiobook” shelf at my library. I have a long drive and will grab anything new they have up for offer. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not so much.

This book is a love letter of sorts written to the author’s dad “Big Russ”. But it’s more than that. More...

Now this is my type of book! I loved it! The lessons learned are invaluable. And here's the best part: they're practical. These lessons are of loving, being respectful, working hard, staying loyal, being devoted, etc. Big Russ was a good, hard working man and I was moved by this book. It goes to show how nothing replaces a good, hard, and heart-felt work. And it shows how much a man is defined in keeping his word. Love this book, making sure to keep it close by lest I need a nice, quick read or More...

I enjoyed this book as much as any I have ever read. It is somewhat a book from rags to riches,as Tim's father worked 2 jobs to support his family. His teachings made Tim the son, one of the greats of this time. Its a memoir of life in the 50's as young Tim grew up in Buffalo New York. Regardless of how well known he became he remained loyal to the values he learned and stayed close to his family & friends & especially his dad. He gave him much credit for who he became. He held many resp More...

Russert was an extremely talented, fortunate man. How many nuns who teach 7th grade have contacts in the Kennedy campaign?? I always found him to be an enthusiastic, positive person and this is reflected in his tale, which is a great tribute, and very tender and heartwarming. Sometimes the story looks oh so much like Father Knows Best, could it really have been so?? And like a few others, I wonder about his mother and sisters, regardless of the theme of the book. He had an older sister, yet he w More...

I've been looking for my note on this book, which I read about five years ago. I rated it a 9 out of 10. It's the story of Tim Russert's father's influence on him all through his life. Tim was brought up Irish-Catholic in Buffalo, NY. His dad always worked two jobs to support his family. An upright and honest man, it was important to do the right thing, and treat others with respect. Tim wrote that he has tried to raise his son Luke in the same manner. From what I've seen following Tim's untimel More...