This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women

Along with the book’s front matter, the Introduction and Foreword, these final sections bookend the main body of essays and provide additional guidance and information to ground the reader. This supplementary material invites the reader to better understand the purpose and context of the essays themselves, and provides actionable tips for crafting and sharing one’s own essay. 

Gediman is the author of the Afterword due to the pivotal role he played in the revival of the radio show concept and his work as the co-editor of this volume (See: Key Figures). Gediman writes in the same first-person narrative voice and with the same informal conversational tone as is present in the rest of the book; however, his section contains little reference to his own beliefs or life experiences in general. Rather, his Afterword is an account of the history of the original This I Believe radio program during the 1950s. Gediman combines his personal experience researching the series with a description of the historical context to explain how he came to produce the 2000s series. The Afterword creates a sense of finality and provides wider context, avoiding a simple abrupt end to the collection.

Appendixes are a section of back-matter that provide additional information on the subject of a book’s main body. In this instance, there are three appendixes labeled A, B, and C. Appendix A is more closely connected to the Afterword of the text than the following two appendixes. It is a simple transcription of Murrow’s introduction to the original series, and so elucidates and complements Gediman’s description of the history of the original series. 

Murrow writes (or speaks, as the case was) in a more formal register than is taken in most of the rest of the book. This reflects the linguistic shift towards greater informality over the 50 years since his broadcast. Murrow addresses his listeners directly, attempting to create a connection with them and to persuade them of The Power of Autobiographical Narratives to Foster Empathy in times of great change and uncertainty. Murrow was intimately involved in the conception and creation of the series, so is personally invested in its positive reception. He acknowledges the tensions and hardships oppressing his listeners, and although the specific sources of strife might have changed in the intervening decades, his description of various issues are very familiar to a modern audience too.

Appendixes B and C are dedicated to the goal of encouraging and facilitating reader engagement with This I Believe. Appendix B supports the writing of an essay, while Appendix C supports the sharing of essays within a community group. Following the guidelines in these appendixes, the essays in the main body of the text become inspiration for creation, rather than fodder for consumption. This blurring of the line between reader, writer, speaker, and listener is part of the mission of This I Believe. Anyone is able to contribute and become part of the archive, and the writings of ordinary people are presented alongside, and are equal to, those of prominent figures. In a society which highly values celebrity, this equalization is just another avenue by which This I Believe encourages equal and respectful exchange across usually rigid social boundaries, reinforcing Diversity in Contemporary Society.