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DOUG JOHNSON: Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC, in VOA Special English.This is Doug Johnson. On our show this week: Some of the greatestmovie songs ever. And a listener wants to know how Americans gettheir middle names. But first, a report on some reaction to the newbook by Bill Clinton.
“My Life”
Last week, a book by formerPresident Clinton went on sale in the United States and Europe.Experts say it had record sales for a non-fiction book. So far, thebook “My Life” has sold about one-million copies. Faith Lapidustells us about it.
FAITH LAPIDUS: It took Bill Clinton almost two years to write themore than nine-hundred page book. The book’s publisher reportedlypaid Mister Clinton ten-million dollars to write “My Life.” The bookbegins with his birth and ends with the present day.
In the book, Bill Clinton tells about his parents, Virginia Kellyand William Blythe. His father died before he was born. He describeshis family life in the southern state of Arkansas with his motherand grandparents. He tells about his stepfather, Roger Clinton, andhis younger brother, Roger. He tells about his friends and theschools he attended.
Bill Clinton describes his college and law school days, meetingand marrying Hillary Rodham and the birth of their daughter,Chelsea. He goes on to describe his rise in Arkansas politics, histerms as governor, his presidential campaigns and his twoadministrations. He writes about his sexual relationship with ayoung White House worker, Monica Lewinsky, and his feelings ofregret that it ever happened.
He tells about the effects of the scandal on his marriage andrelationship with his daughter, Chelsea. He describes his successesand failures as president. And he writes about what he feels was aconservative plot to punish him for becoming president.
Critics have not been kind to Mister Clinton’s writing abilities.They have called the book uninteresting and poorly written. But theAmerican people do not seem to care what the critics say. They wantto read what Bill Clinton has written.
Many people waited in line at stores to buy the book and haveMister Clinton sign it. They say they want to read it to betterunderstand the former president and his effect on the country. Andthey want to know how Mister Clinton feels about all that happenedduring his presidency. One bookstore official said people are buyingthe book because they want to know what Bill Clinton has to say, nothow he says it.
Middle Names in America
DOUG JOHNSON: Our VOA listener question this week comes fromCanada. Zhengliang Liu asks about how Americans get their middlenames.
Most parents in the United States give their babies a first,middle and last name when they are born. The last name is generallytheir family name. First names are a different story.
Some children’s names are also the names of cities, such asGeneva or Savannah. Others are plants or flowers, such as Rosemary,Daisy, Lily or Iris. Religious names from the Bible or Koran arealso common, like Isaac, Mohammed or Eve. Americans even choosenames from other countries. Liam is a popular Irish name. Pierre andSebastian are French.
Stone and Sky are popular names from nature. American actressGwyneth Paltrow named her new baby girl Apple, like the fruit.
Americans are interested in the names that famous actors,entertainers and athletes give their children. Some famous peoplelike names that have been around for many years. Actor Bill Murraynamed his son Homer. Actor Denzel Washington named his daughterOlivia. Last names as first names are also popular. Actor Tom Hanksnamed his son Truman Theodore.
Middle names have become important because many famous people usethem. One example is movie star Sarah Jessica Parker. A middle nameis also a way for parents to honor a family member or hero. Eleanoris a popular middle name honoring the wife of former PresidentFranklin Delano Roosevelt. Another is Ray, honoring jazz musicianRay Charles, who died last month. Some parents give a girl a boy’smiddle name, as did the parents of movie star Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Sometimes, parents consider the monogram that will be formed fromtheir child’s name. A monogram is made with the first letter of eachname. Special English writer Jill Moss named her son Adam IsaacMoss. His monogram is A-I-M, or the word aim.
Finally, some American women use their former last name as amiddle name after they marry. For example, American Senator HillaryClinton uses her former last name, Rodham, as her middle name. Shewas born Hillary Diane Rodham.
Greatest Movie Songs
DOUG JOHNSON: The American Film Institute has named the greatestsongs from American movies. Gwen Outen tells us about them.
GWEN OUTEN: The American Film Institute asked experts in themotion picture industry to choose the best one-hundred songs fromAmerican movies. They did so as part of a celebration of one-hundredyears of American movies.
The experts chose this song as themovie song of the century. It is “Over the Rainbow.” Judy Garlandsings it in the nineteen-thirty-nine movie “The Wizard of Oz.”
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The American Film Institute asked the experts to consider severalthings when choosing the best one-hundred songs from Americanmovies. For example, the song should establish a feeling, define acharacter, advance the story or express the film’s ideas. The songshould be loved by the American public and be remembered asrepresenting the movie.
In second place was “As Time Goes By” from the nineteen-forty-twofilm “Casablanca.” “Singin’ in the Rain” was third. Gene Kelly sangit in the movie of the same name released in nineteen-fifty-two.
This song was selected as number four: “Moon River” from thenineteen-sixty-one film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Andy Williamssings it here.
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The ninth greatest song is from a more recent movie, “SaturdayNight Fever,” released in nineteen-seventy-seven. We leave you nowwith that song, “Stayin’ Alive,” performed by the Bee Gees.
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DOUG JOHNSON: This is Doug Johnson. I hope you enjoyed AMERICANMOSAIC. Join us again next week for VOA’s radio magazine in SpecialEnglish.
This program was written by Shelley Gollust, Jill Moss and NancySteinbach. Paul Thompson was the producer. And our engineer was JimSleeman.