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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
I loved listening to the memoir via audiobook. It was a fascinating look into Couric’s storied career, through her own critical lens. There have been lots of headlines pulled from lines of the book, but frustratingly lack the context that Couric provides.
She certainly “goes there” and names names, but does so in a manner that is authentic, fair, and polite. Given how she was treated at the various networks and by the gossip columns she could have gone much, much harder than she did. It doesn’t feel right to assign a rating to a memoir where a woman lays bare her triumphs and tribulations through some of the grossest years for women in the public eye, so I won’t!
She certainly “goes there” and names names, but does so in a manner that is authentic, fair, and polite. Given how she was treated at the various networks and by the gossip columns she could have gone much, much harder than she did. It doesn’t feel right to assign a rating to a memoir where a woman lays bare her triumphs and tribulations through some of the grossest years for women in the public eye, so I won’t!
I was surprised by how much I liked this. Got better as I went. Katie's depiction of the loss of her mom was most moving to me.
Really great on audio. Couric narrates and there are media clips from interviews that added a lot. At times I wanted more from a certain chapter or topic. But overall, I enjoyed this book!
68: Going There by Katie Couric
Oh, my goodness, is this ever a wonderful book. And oh, am I ever bummed that it's...over. For 15 hours of walking, blowing leaves, and completing a painting project, I have gotten to have Katie Couric right in my ears telling this very important, historic and smartly honest story...HERstory. And I'm sad that it's over...will struggle a bit to find anything equally inspirational and motivational.
One important thing that I have learned in adding audiobooks to my reading diet is that I really don't care for audiobooks read by anyone but their own author. Anyone else, and the voice can just be wrong. And without the print copy in front of me, it's not either the voice the author has created with their craft and which I glean from the words on the page. And I have never ever preferred the SparkNotes/summaries/movie or other interpretations to the "real thing." I have learned this important lesson and have no problem asserting its importance and value for me.
I don't mind listening to Chapter-a-Day on public radio and having someone else who has rehearsed and is skilled read to me (another) book now and then (but I can't say that I have ever tuned in every single day to hear anything read in its entirety, either). Moreso I enjoy tuning in partway through the broadcast to test myself and determine whether I can recognize by that a title I have already read by the segment I then hear.
And thanks to Libby and its fantastic features, I can pretty easily find audiobooks that suit these self-imposed requirements going forward. I was truly tickled to find this one available...and somehow in some wonderfully fateful way, listened and read right through and into the acknowledgments just now...when it was suddenly whisked away and returned to the library on its due date. BUT please: shouldn't that mean the END of today?? Like midnight, instead of 1:45PM??! How? Why? I was listening, still. Sigh...a conversation for another time and audience.
Down to this book, now: WOW.
I knew lots of things about Katie Couric--or thought I did--knowing of her husband's passing at 42 after a very brief illness, of her challenge in responding to Matt Lauer's firing and fallout, and maybe of one of her earlier post-Jay relationships. But otherwise, pretty much all of what she shared--in these 700+ pages/15+ hours of audio--was...well: news to me. And I loved nearly every minute of it.
I think that one of the aspects I most enjoyed about Katie/Katherine/Couric's story was the all-her-life relationship she'd had with her dad, that he had steadily been involved in and supportive of her work, the two of them sharing aspirations for all that she could become. Clearly, he was--and always--her biggest cheerleader and fan. That was a stellar thread of all that went on with Katie and her career. I cried when he died...and detested that it was from Parkinson's and his loss of so much inferred even when she didn't dwell on that.
In addition to crying, I am certain that I smacked my mouth open in shock and alarm at the vast number of times when she was misunderstood, misrepresented, silenced...oh, man, did I want to straighten things out FOR her...or for me.
Is Katie Couric perfect? Probably not. Does she claim to be? Nope. Is she humble? Wellllll...kind of...or sometimes. I do feel that she expresses tremendous gratitude for the things that she "got to do" or see or experience because of both her work and her tremendous salary, that she acknowledges the privileges afforded her by her (crazy!!) salary and her connections, noting, for instance that OF COURSE she contacted every medical specialist she knew when Jay was first sick and that she fully realizes that she had options to do that available to very few others.
And I think that NOW she'd be fairly good at "come as you are" rather than as everyone else believes you must be. Let's just say that if she somehow saw this little review of mine and contacted me because she learned from doing a little research how much I care about books and reading and encouraging non-readers to start and readers to read more (and especially more GOOD BOOKS)...and then us all to work together to raise--not lower--the bar of ANYthing academic...such that she contacted me and wanted to converse, I'd so very much LOVE to say, "Come on over, Katie...how about breakfast Saturday and in our pjs!?" or I could invite her to join us for SSR. And honestly: I'd just like to meet her woman-to-woman, not necessarily no make-up, maybe...but just as we are, simply two women getting together for a visit--or a walk, even--to discuss important things but without the usual facades.
I'd love that!
This book contains a critical history of women in the media and merely a little of the struggle I am certain it has been for them to be treated at all fairly, to demand respect, and to survive the challenges of the majorly misogynistic drive in media for so long prior.
I did not know about her moves among the three big networks or all of the turmoil surrounding those. I did not know about the particulars of a LOT of the stories or history she shares here, and while I didn't necessarily read any of the articles about her in the tabloids, I suppose that I still ingested the headlines broadcast during my own "just tryna' make it through another busy day/month/year as a working mom/spouse/etc." and believed her to be at least partially represented in them--the mustard seed of truth. But my eyes were opened here and for sure to how many, many of them were solely for the scandal that would bring the readers, a misunderstanding or at least another just as viable side to every single story. And I know how that works.
Thank you for this heartfelt and honest, BRILLIANT book, Katie Couric. I am so glad to have listened and so pleased to have had you in my ears these past many days. I'd be delighted to visit...any ol' time.
(And the rest of you: if you have not already, READ. THIS. BOOK. And then let's talk!)
Oh, my goodness, is this ever a wonderful book. And oh, am I ever bummed that it's...over. For 15 hours of walking, blowing leaves, and completing a painting project, I have gotten to have Katie Couric right in my ears telling this very important, historic and smartly honest story...HERstory. And I'm sad that it's over...will struggle a bit to find anything equally inspirational and motivational.
One important thing that I have learned in adding audiobooks to my reading diet is that I really don't care for audiobooks read by anyone but their own author. Anyone else, and the voice can just be wrong. And without the print copy in front of me, it's not either the voice the author has created with their craft and which I glean from the words on the page. And I have never ever preferred the SparkNotes/summaries/movie or other interpretations to the "real thing." I have learned this important lesson and have no problem asserting its importance and value for me.
I don't mind listening to Chapter-a-Day on public radio and having someone else who has rehearsed and is skilled read to me (another) book now and then (but I can't say that I have ever tuned in every single day to hear anything read in its entirety, either). Moreso I enjoy tuning in partway through the broadcast to test myself and determine whether I can recognize by that a title I have already read by the segment I then hear.
And thanks to Libby and its fantastic features, I can pretty easily find audiobooks that suit these self-imposed requirements going forward. I was truly tickled to find this one available...and somehow in some wonderfully fateful way, listened and read right through and into the acknowledgments just now...when it was suddenly whisked away and returned to the library on its due date. BUT please: shouldn't that mean the END of today?? Like midnight, instead of 1:45PM??! How? Why? I was listening, still. Sigh...a conversation for another time and audience.
Down to this book, now: WOW.
I knew lots of things about Katie Couric--or thought I did--knowing of her husband's passing at 42 after a very brief illness, of her challenge in responding to Matt Lauer's firing and fallout, and maybe of one of her earlier post-Jay relationships. But otherwise, pretty much all of what she shared--in these 700+ pages/15+ hours of audio--was...well: news to me. And I loved nearly every minute of it.
I think that one of the aspects I most enjoyed about Katie/Katherine/Couric's story was the all-her-life relationship she'd had with her dad, that he had steadily been involved in and supportive of her work, the two of them sharing aspirations for all that she could become. Clearly, he was--and always--her biggest cheerleader and fan. That was a stellar thread of all that went on with Katie and her career. I cried when he died...and detested that it was from Parkinson's and his loss of so much inferred even when she didn't dwell on that.
In addition to crying, I am certain that I smacked my mouth open in shock and alarm at the vast number of times when she was misunderstood, misrepresented, silenced...oh, man, did I want to straighten things out FOR her...or for me.
Is Katie Couric perfect? Probably not. Does she claim to be? Nope. Is she humble? Wellllll...kind of...or sometimes. I do feel that she expresses tremendous gratitude for the things that she "got to do" or see or experience because of both her work and her tremendous salary, that she acknowledges the privileges afforded her by her (crazy!!) salary and her connections, noting, for instance that OF COURSE she contacted every medical specialist she knew when Jay was first sick and that she fully realizes that she had options to do that available to very few others.
And I think that NOW she'd be fairly good at "come as you are" rather than as everyone else believes you must be. Let's just say that if she somehow saw this little review of mine and contacted me because she learned from doing a little research how much I care about books and reading and encouraging non-readers to start and readers to read more (and especially more GOOD BOOKS)...and then us all to work together to raise--not lower--the bar of ANYthing academic...such that she contacted me and wanted to converse, I'd so very much LOVE to say, "Come on over, Katie...how about breakfast Saturday and in our pjs!?" or I could invite her to join us for SSR. And honestly: I'd just like to meet her woman-to-woman, not necessarily no make-up, maybe...but just as we are, simply two women getting together for a visit--or a walk, even--to discuss important things but without the usual facades.
I'd love that!
This book contains a critical history of women in the media and merely a little of the struggle I am certain it has been for them to be treated at all fairly, to demand respect, and to survive the challenges of the majorly misogynistic drive in media for so long prior.
I did not know about her moves among the three big networks or all of the turmoil surrounding those. I did not know about the particulars of a LOT of the stories or history she shares here, and while I didn't necessarily read any of the articles about her in the tabloids, I suppose that I still ingested the headlines broadcast during my own "just tryna' make it through another busy day/month/year as a working mom/spouse/etc." and believed her to be at least partially represented in them--the mustard seed of truth. But my eyes were opened here and for sure to how many, many of them were solely for the scandal that would bring the readers, a misunderstanding or at least another just as viable side to every single story. And I know how that works.
Thank you for this heartfelt and honest, BRILLIANT book, Katie Couric. I am so glad to have listened and so pleased to have had you in my ears these past many days. I'd be delighted to visit...any ol' time.
(And the rest of you: if you have not already, READ. THIS. BOOK. And then let's talk!)
I've waited a couple days to rate this bc I just felt gross from reading it. I didn't rate it lower bc she sure set out to do what she intended - going there.
I was so disappointed, I have had a change of opinion of her. If this is her memoir why talk about her daughter pooping or someone's bad breath or bad ponytail. Just seems mean girl to put all that in. And about Matt L - I want women to believe women.
I was so disappointed, I have had a change of opinion of her. If this is her memoir why talk about her daughter pooping or someone's bad breath or bad ponytail. Just seems mean girl to put all that in. And about Matt L - I want women to believe women.
Honest and conversational. She’s seen and been through a lot, like most of us.
This book (I listened to it in audiobook form) was enthralling, beautifully written and, of course, perfectly narrated. Couric tells her stories with courage, conviction, blatant honesty and humor.
The poignant stories about extreme tragedies in our nation took me back to my own memories of those events. Couric examined them and retold her experiences with integrity and heart.
I thank Couric for welcoming us all into very private memories and for not straying from re-telling and analyzing some very uncomfortable truths. Well done and highly recommended. Read this book! enthralling, beautifully written and, of course, perfectly narrated. Couric tells her stories with courage, conviction, blatant honesty and humor. The poignant stories about extreme tragedies in our nation took me back to my own memories of those events and Couric examined them and retold her experiences with integrity and heart. I thank Couric for welcoming us all into very private memories and for not straying from re-telling and analyzing any uncomfortable truths. Well done and highly recommended. Read this book!
The poignant stories about extreme tragedies in our nation took me back to my own memories of those events. Couric examined them and retold her experiences with integrity and heart.
I thank Couric for welcoming us all into very private memories and for not straying from re-telling and analyzing some very uncomfortable truths. Well done and highly recommended. Read this book! enthralling, beautifully written and, of course, perfectly narrated. Couric tells her stories with courage, conviction, blatant honesty and humor. The poignant stories about extreme tragedies in our nation took me back to my own memories of those events and Couric examined them and retold her experiences with integrity and heart. I thank Couric for welcoming us all into very private memories and for not straying from re-telling and analyzing any uncomfortable truths. Well done and highly recommended. Read this book!
Years ago, there was a tragedy that happened where I worked at the time. A doctor friend had responded to the incident and when we talked after, she said the worst part of the entire experience was the media - they had been aggressive at this moment of deep sadness.
Listening to this was a way to pass time while I was cleaning, but at the end of the day, I’m never going to have a lot in common with someone who is willing to knock on the door of grieving parents to get the story (an anecdote in the book).
Listening to this was a way to pass time while I was cleaning, but at the end of the day, I’m never going to have a lot in common with someone who is willing to knock on the door of grieving parents to get the story (an anecdote in the book).
Very revealing about Network TV in the 80s through early 2000s. Not sure that she was always on the up-and-up but very interesting to hear her perspective.
It is crazy to grow up watching someone every morning, but then to hear what was truly happening when the cameras were off.
It is crazy to grow up watching someone every morning, but then to hear what was truly happening when the cameras were off.