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paigedc 's review for:
Going There
by Katie Couric
Katie Couric is like America’s Big Sister. Her charm and kindness exude from her, through the screen or through the airwaves, endearing people to her and making her a trusted source for all kinds of news. In her memoir, she has a LOT to share, and she spares no details about the excitement, the frustration, the tragedy, the inexplicable nature of life, and the triumphs of her time in the spotlight. This is an excellent memoir for those who know her from the news or just want a deep view into the murky world of broadcast news.
Beginning at the beginning, Couric describes her family life and early start in television media. Through luck, talent, and some off-air drama between other anchors, she landed the job of a lifetime: co-anchoring The Today Show on NBC. She has many stories of behind-the-scenes drama (fans of The Morning Show on TV will find many eerie similarities here) and her wonderful relationships with Matt Lauer and the rest of the crew. After her tenure at The Today Show, Couric pulls no punches about her time at CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes—a sexist boy’s club where she was ostracized before she ever arrived. It is fascinating to hear her accounts of so many newsworthy events from the 80s and 90s and the celebrities, politicians, world leaders, and others she was able to work with. Her tragic loss of her first husband from cancer is heart-wrenching to read, and she honors him with their story.
The real draw for the book is, of course, the Matt Lauer sex scandal. None of this happens until the last 2 hours of the book (maybe the last 100 pages?), and Couric finds herself torn between the best friend/big brother she believed she knew and the victims of his inappropriate sexual relations who continued to voice the burgeoning #MeToo movement. Ultimately, the trust belongs to the women, and Couric sees Lauer in his true light. The demise of their relationship is saddening, but necessary.
Ever the perky pep talker, Couric’s final act is a rise from the ashes—a new husband, successful grown daughters, a media foundation she runs, ample lessons learned from the past. She has seen it all and lived through it all, and she still smiles in the end.
Beginning at the beginning, Couric describes her family life and early start in television media. Through luck, talent, and some off-air drama between other anchors, she landed the job of a lifetime: co-anchoring The Today Show on NBC. She has many stories of behind-the-scenes drama (fans of The Morning Show on TV will find many eerie similarities here) and her wonderful relationships with Matt Lauer and the rest of the crew. After her tenure at The Today Show, Couric pulls no punches about her time at CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes—a sexist boy’s club where she was ostracized before she ever arrived. It is fascinating to hear her accounts of so many newsworthy events from the 80s and 90s and the celebrities, politicians, world leaders, and others she was able to work with. Her tragic loss of her first husband from cancer is heart-wrenching to read, and she honors him with their story.
The real draw for the book is, of course, the Matt Lauer sex scandal. None of this happens until the last 2 hours of the book (maybe the last 100 pages?), and Couric finds herself torn between the best friend/big brother she believed she knew and the victims of his inappropriate sexual relations who continued to voice the burgeoning #MeToo movement. Ultimately, the trust belongs to the women, and Couric sees Lauer in his true light. The demise of their relationship is saddening, but necessary.
Ever the perky pep talker, Couric’s final act is a rise from the ashes—a new husband, successful grown daughters, a media foundation she runs, ample lessons learned from the past. She has seen it all and lived through it all, and she still smiles in the end.