Jean Shepherd

Pomp and Circumstance

By: Jean Shepherd

Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Jean Shepherd, author of A Christmas Story, again demonstrates his broad knowledge, unusual turn of mind, and humor, in this series of programs. From monologues of tragedy in the world of children, the seemingly minor disappointment of not being chosen for a game or a team, to commentary on tall tales and Midwest humor, these shows will captivate everyone fascinated by the style of Jean Shepherd - from subtle to bombastic - and the mind behind the style.

Here are eight digitally restored and remastered programs, including: "Choosing Up"; "No Rest for the Wicked"; "Straws in the Wind"; "The Midwest Humor Tradition"; "Ribbon Velocity"; "Slob Art"; "Western Spectacular"; and "Pomp and Circumstance".

Public Domain (P)2008 cp Hartwest Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Package c RSPT LLC. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. For broadcast use, apply to Radio Again.

Critic reviews

"Perhaps today's generation knows Jean Shepherd solely for the movie A Christmas Story, which he co-wrote from his own short stories and narrated. We older folks remember that for some twenty-plus years he held forth on his own radio show. It is as a radio essayist and raconteur that we meet him in these eight reconstituted broadcasts, which are typical of his WOR, New York, heyday. He's like a cheerful, opinionated uncle, full of amusing stories, wisecracks, and opinions about everything, who just won't shut up at family gatherings. You either invite him because of his relentless gab - or in spite of it. Fans and detractors agree on this: he was, as evidenced in this sampling, inimitable." ( AudioFile)

Worst of Jean Shepherd?

During the years my family lived in NY in the late sixties, early seventies, we listened to Jean Shepherd on the radio frequently. My recollection of the content, and in my opinion Mr. Shepherd’s greatest strength, was the rambling, entrancing story telling. This particular collection of 8 broadcasts consists of mainly commentary on topics of the day. Some of it is interesting in an anthropological vein, but it is also fairly grating to current sensibilities (being so white male-centric). I was hoping to hear some of those A Christmas Story-esque stories we’d listen to on the long drive to and from LI to visit relatives. This did not appear to me to be a particularly thoughtful curated collection/selection of those broadcasts.