To The Best of Our Knowledge

from Wisconsin Public Radio

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In the 1950's many companies collaborated with their customers to create their advertising. Terry Ryan's mother Evelyn entered hundreds of these contests writing jingles and adding the last line to odes in praise of all kinds of products. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, Terry Ryan tells of her mother's incredible success, and how her way with words helped keep a roof over the Ryan family's heads.

Terry Ryan, author "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less." She tells Jim Fleming that her mother loved crafting contest entries and matched her efforts to the tastes of specific judges. And we hear some of her winning verses. Also, British novelist Tony Parsons tells Steve Paulson why "Man and Boy" has been such a huge hit (over 50 weeks on the British best seller lists)and remembers how difficult it was for his own father to express emotion.

Kent Walker is the son of Shantay Kimes, who is currently incarcerated for the murder of a New York woman. Walker is the author of a memoir called "Son of A Grifter." He tells Anne Strainchamps that his mother used him as a decoy during frequent shoplifting trips, stole cars, and was later convicted of slavery. Their elaborate lifestyle was funded by his mother's larceny and subsequent marriage to a millionaire developer.

Amy Borkowsky's mother leaves unbelievable messages on her answering machine. You can hear some of them here, or on her CD, "Amy's Answering Machine: Messages from Mom." Borkowsky has now written a book with the same title. She tells Steve Paulson that what her mother does is based on love and her devotion to the role of mother. Amy says she's learned to be more patient. (http://www.sendamy.com)

Books:

• Amy Borkowsky, Amy's Answering Machine: Messages From Mom (Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster) CD available at: (http://www.sendamy.com)
• Lynne Luciano, Looking Good: Male Body Image in Contemporary America (Hill & Wang)
• Tony Parsons, Man And Boy (Sourcebooks)
• Terry Ryan, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less (Simon & Schuster)
• Kent Walker with Mark Schone, Son Of A Grifter (William Morrow/Harpercollins)

Music:

• JANN ARDEN:"Good Mother" from the album "Living Under June" (A&M)
• JOHN HIATT/"Your Dad Did" from the album "Bring The Family" (A&M)
• MONEY MARK:"Spooky" and "Sunday Gardena Blvd." from the album "Mark's Keyboard Repair" (Mowax/A&M)
• BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'s:"Time Is Tight" from the album "Rock Instrumental Classics, Volume 4: Soul" (Rhino) available from http://www.rhino.com

Distribution dates:

• week of 08/25/2002 - hour 2
• week of 05/20/2001 - hour 1