Never Give Up

About Never Give Up

The New York Times bestselling author of The Greatest Generation tells the inspiring, deeply personal story of his own family’s greatest generation: his parents, who embodied the can-do spirit that enabled them to survive the Great Depression and World War II, and to help build the American century.

Called “one of our nation’s greatest journalists” by President Obama, Tom Brokaw is known as one of the hardest-working, most successful people in broadcast journalism. His success is attributed to his work ethic, his instinct for identifying the significance of the news in the lives of ordinary people, and his reputation for always showing up for others. In this heartfelt family story, Tom shows the values and lessons he absorbed from his ancestors, parents, and others who settled in South Dakota and worked hard to build lives on the prairie.

Tom’s father, Red, left school in the second grade to work in the family hotel—the Brokaw House—and eventually on construction jobs, developing a talent for machines that would lead to more opportunities later in life. Tom’s mother, Jean, was the daughter of a farmer who lost everything during the Great Depression. They met after a high school play, when Jean played the lead and Red fell in love with her from the audience. Although they didn’t have much money early in their marriage, especially once they had three boys at home, Red’s philosophy of “never give up” served them well. Red’s big break came after World War II, working for the Army Corps of Engineers on building great dams across the Missouri River, magnificent structures like the Ft Randall and the Gavin’s Point Dams, some of the most ambitious engineering projects ever undertaken. Red’s skill, humor, fairness, and tenacity made him an ideal foreman, and as the Brokaws moved from town to town, Tom and his younger brothers bore witness to the vibrant community life that helped build the nation we know today. Late in life, Red surprised his family by recording memories of the hard times of his early life, reflections which inspired this book.

Throughout his legendary career, Tom Brokaw has always asked what we can learn from world events and from our history. Within Never Give Up is one answer, a portrait of the resilience and respect for others at the heart of one American family’s story.