Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 19, 1992 TAG: 9201190210
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Reviewed by JANICE ZENNER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
DAN RATHER TAKES TEXAS 2-STEP DOWN MEMORY LANE
I REMEMBER. By Dan Rather with Peter Wyden. Little, Brown. $19.95.During his reign as CBS News anchor, Walter Cronkite came to be known as The Most Trusted Man in America. His emotional professionalism, that kindly face, spoon-fed us the crises of the '60s, and while we were outraged by the content of the news, we were comforted by the man. America loved Cronkite.
Then, he turned 65, and existing mandatory age requirements forced his retirement. The coveted throne was abdicated, and a pair of very big, very trusted shoes were left to be filled. It's been 10 years since Dan Rather took power, and the jury's still out.
Rather, who turned 60 on Halloween, has written this autobiography, it seems, to bolster his image as the Cronkite of the '90s. "I Remember" is a Texas two-step down memory lane for Rather. He recalls fondly his years as a Depression-era youngster in the Heights Annex hinterlands of Houston. The tone is sincere, and the writing concise with an occasional flair for hyperbole.
The cover art shows us a grinning 9-year-old Danny (who looks for all the world like Alfalfa of the Little Rascals) on the front and a suspendered gray-haired Dan on the back. Between the two photos is Rather, the young, from his earliest childhood memory until he left home for college.
We learn that his nickname was Rags, his middle name Irvin; his father was a proud ditch digger for the vast Texas oil pipeline system; his mother a loving, energetic and enterprising woman; his favorite movie is "Casablanca"; his role model as a boy was Superman, that mild-mannered reporter turned defender of Truth, Justice and, well, you know.
We're introduced to a host of influences in young Dan's life from his tough coaches to his eccentric uncles to the radio on which he followed World War II. He conveys well the physical and mental pain of his five-year bout with rheumatic fever and his Texas-bred fixation with becoming a football hero - a dream never realized. There are warm recollections of homemade ice cream on hot Sunday afternoons, and even recipes for Rather family favorite dishes.
Young Dan worked as a cotton-picker on his grandparents' rented farm, where he also learned to wring a chicken's neck. His earliest jobs included hawking newspapers, clearing swampland for the pipeline and live radio sportscasting. His is the American rags-to-riches-through-hard-work-and-smarts story come true.
Between recollections, Rather the grown-up never hesitates to speak his mind on racism, sexism, patriotism, prayer, critics, the role of television, mom and vinegar pie. And when he speaks, his values ring true. He's a proud Texan with his eyes wide open and a good heart; a down-home boy who, despite his current success and urbanity, remembers poverty and retains a feel for the people, the Bible and his roots.
He's a caring and benevolent protector chosen to give us the bad news every night at 6:30.
He wants so badly, and probably deserves, to achieve the status of his predecessor. But maybe in the '90s, we're incapable of the trust thing we had with Cronkite, anyway.
Janice Zenner, a free-lance writer, has worked in film and TV.