I loved this book about a once-hugely famous broadcasting celebrity (think Oprah) who is virtually unknown today. I love reading about radio and TV broadcasting history, and this was a really interesting biography of a personality who had a huge impact on the daily lives of millions of ordinary Americans. ( )

I was disappointed in the Mary Margaret McBride book; but maybe I'm actually more disappointed in her character than in the book. She was really something of a goof, and it's a hard job to make her anything but. I'm so glad Susan Ware wrote that book and not me. I wouldn't have been so forgiving of her "abnormally unsophisticated" self, although I hope I would have quickly realized that she wouldn't have been the right subject for me. This was a small book and Ware left out a lot about the period (1930s-1950s) and the place (Manhattan) that is important in order to have an understanding of MMM. It isn't a terrible biography; it just could have been a lot better.

One of the things that was in this book that I really enjoyed was the information about MMM's lifelong companion and manager, Stella Karns. What a character.

A plus for this biography, which is why I give it 2 stars: Index, notes, and bibliography. ( )