Listening is an Act of Love

This PBS-aired animated special features six narratives from the long-running StoryCorps nonprofit oral history project, presented in episodes animated by brothers Mike and Tim Rauch. The stories are heartfelt, heartwarming, and can even be hilarious despite the sometimes painful subject matter: a woman talks about coping with short-term memory loss, a man remembers painting his tennis shoes white as a child living in poverty, a grateful friend thanks his buddy for helping him emerge from homelessness and alcoholism, a feisty and reluctant grandmother shares stories from her childhood in China, a mom finally tells her son about the baby she gave up for adoption, and two adults fondly remember the stern church lady of their youth who made sure they went to Sunday school. Framing the collection is a conversation between StoryCorps founder Dave Isay and his 9-year-old nephew, Benji. DVD extras include bonus shorts, as well as interviews with Isay and the Rauch brothers. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Gardner)