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Lois Lowry's novel The Giver is read avidly by children and adults alike. The story is about Jonas, a twelve-year-old boy, who lives in what seems to be a perfect community. But Jonas longs to be elsewhere. Hillary Frank speaks to Lois Lowry about The Giver -- and finds out why the author's visit to Hillary's hometown makes a group of Russian librarians think that Westport, CT is run just like the former Soviet Union.
This story first aired on Studio 360's UTOPIA show on 8/12/04.
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Piece Description
Lois Lowry's novel The Giver is read avidly by children and adults alike. The story is about Jonas, a twelve-year-old boy, who lives in what seems to be a perfect community. But Jonas longs to be elsewhere. Hillary Frank speaks to Lois Lowry about The Giver -- and finds out why the author's visit to Hillary's hometown makes a group of Russian librarians think that Westport, CT is run just like the former Soviet Union. This story first aired on Studio 360's UTOPIA show on 8/12/04.
Broadcast History
First aired on Studio 360's UTOPIA show on 8/12/04.
Transcript
Elsewhere – script
HOST: Lois Lowry's novel The Giver was published in 1993. Now, more than a decade later, the book is still being read avidly by children and adults alike. The story is about Jonas, a twelve-year-old boy who lives in a community that seems to be perfect. Hillary Frank spoke to Lois Lowry about The Giver.
[**NOTE: LOWRY AND JONAS ARE NOT INTRODUCED IN THE PIECE ITSELF, SO THEY MUST BE INTRODUCED IN THE INTRO.]
Early on in The Giver, you learn that everyone gets a bicycle at the age of nine and a job that truly suits them at twelve. Each couple is given two healthy children: one girl and one boy. Kids spend time after school doing good deeds, like bathing the elderly. The temperature is always just right. Everyone has an endless supply of special medication that eliminates any sort of pain and there's never been a war. There's also no need to go anywhere; in f...
Read the full transcript
Musical Works
This story includes an excerpt of the audio book of The Giver.
Random House Audio Publishing Group, 1993; read by Ron Rifkin
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Deborah Astley
Posted on September 25, 2004 at 02:02 PM | Permalink
Review of Elsewhere
The beauty of "The Giver" is that it is a thought-provoking, many layered book with a message for whatever aged person is reading it. Having read the book, I enjoyed hearing the interview with author Lois Lowry, and listening to the rapport between the interviewer and Ms. Lowry. The inclusion of the comparison between the community in "The Giver," Westport, Connecticut, and the observation of the Russian librarians also provided a slightly different take on what could have been just a discussion about the writing of the book. Well done piece on an excellent book.