the question that perplexed murphy, the sociologist from the sociology department of columbia university, one of whom found the bureau for radio research, what on earth was it about her that produced this magical effect? i'm going to start with what listeners said about their

. -- the question that perplexed murphy, the theologies from the sociology department of columbia university, one of whom found the bureau for radio research, what on earth was it about her that produced this magical effect? i'm going to start with what listeners said about their experience of listening to kate smith and her broadcast. here is what they said. this is a selection of quotations from the book. she was speaking straight to me. you would think she was a personal friend. i feel she is talking to me. it seems that she is sitting in your kitchen and talking to you, the way it would be with a friend. she is spontaneous. her speech is not forced. it is natural. it makes me feel i am talking to my neighbor over the wash line. this in spite of the fact that what kate smith was saying was, in fact, scripted, and listeners new that they were listening to scripted talk. other notes and accounts -- martin notes and accounts for this effect as cumulative. through this day, there was reciprocal interplay from the audience, who not only responded to smith, but she was responding to the audienc