Point of View: A Fresh Look at Work, Faith, and Freedom

by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Candace Cameron Bure (Foreword)

Recognized from her roles on Survivor, The View, and FOX & Friends, celebrity Elisabeth Hasselbeck presents a deeply intimate journey of faith, told through the important moments in her life."Point of view," by definition, is a particular attitude or way of considering a matter. Through her nearly two decades of broadcasting, Elisabeth learned the necessity of extracting the point of view of the person being interviewed on a particular topic or subject or experience. Doing so allows you to see issues and truths through another's eyes. It requires a shift in perspective to see the story through their lens.     In this illuminating book, Elisabeth walks through the times--from her national celebrity days to her newest role as CBO (Chief Breakfast Officer)--where she saw something differently than how God wanted her to, and the path back to His point of view was sometimes rocky but always revealing. Sometimes God's intentions for her were clear, yet other times she encountered situations so uncomfortable and blurry that she could only ask for His wisdom.     In this book, Elisabeth welcomes you into the many different, and often divergent, points of view that she has witnessed and learned from along the way. It is a journey that brought her to the ultimate point of view that she discovered in the Word of God--that until she sees herself as He sees her, she is not seeing at all. As you read through the pages here, she invites you to make the same discovery for yourself.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Christian, Memoir, Autobiography, Audiobook, Faith

198 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 26, 2019

About the author

Hasselbeck was formerly known to television audiences as a participant on the wildly popular second edition of Survivor: The Australian Outback. Since taking her coveted seat on The View in 2003 she has been the focus of major magazine covers and articles including USA Weekend, Curious Parents, People, TV Guide, Fitness, Glamour, Us Weekly, Life, Pregnancy and ePregnancy. She has filled in on the FOX News Channel's Fox and Friends, and has been a guest on Hannity and Colmes, Larry King Live, The Martha Stewart Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Good Morning America.

Reviews

[Mediaman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I agree with pretty much everything Elisabeth Hasselbeck believes in, but that can't keep me from stating the blunt truth that she has royally failed as an author with this preachy book. There are almost no stories of any significance in it, with only a few mentions of The View, nothing notable about Fox News, and little about her time on Survivor. Instead she repetitively and nervously preaches non-stop at the reader in order to make every moment of her life appear to be spiritually meaningful.

The book's approach is completely wrong-headed. We want to hear stories about the three major TV experiences she has had. She is part of a very tiny group of people that have been on a #1 prime time TV show (Survivor), a top daytime talk show (The View) and the top cable news network (Fox News). And she had no background or training for any of it, so her career is truly remarkable. She spent 15 years of her life on the air--and what do we get in this book? Maybe three or four total stories about all of those years on TV.

If you're looking for any insights into her time at The View you'll be extremely disappointed. Yes, they fired her and she was devastated. Six years later they called back to ask her to return as co-host and she turned them down. She says nothing about her battles with Rosie nor goes into any specifics about some of the major gaffes she made representing conservatism. The only real story is about asking two questions to President Obama, and that focuses mostly on the fact that she took a run just before the interview and didn't have time to shower before meeting him! Instead everything at the View is whitewashed as wonderful but difficult and she feels like she was solely carrying the torch for her faith and Republican party.

She writes a lot about insignificant small things that happen in everyday life that she then turns into spiritual analogies or metaphors, and she does it over and over and over again. It gets to be eye-rolling ridiculous to have her turn a silly aside (scraping peanut butter from the jar) into something she thinks has great meaning in life. Most of her analogies fall flat and there are even some that don't make sense or never end up having a real point.

Add to that her silly lists of what she has learned, much of which would be common sense to the average human, and it's a waste of an opportunity to truly reveal herself with stories about conflicts with other opinionated women, time on an island for 39 days, or dealing with a man who was fired for sexual harassment. You'll find none of that here. I don't feel I know her any better after reading this--if anything I know pretty much nothing about her supposedly perfect marriage, her hidden upbringing by ideal parents, or her health issues. What we do get is repetitive phrases and if I hear her say "lean in" one more time I'll burn the book.

She certainly goes out of her way, though, to overpraise pretty much everyone she has encountered in life. Her best friends on Survivor, some of the women on The View (Sherri, Joy, Barbara), the people in the crew, her Fox morning show co-hosts, her lady friends in Nashville, her family, and of course her hero husband, who must not have one thing wrong with him. The biggest shock is her paying special positive attention to Whoopi Goldberg, one of the least moral people on television, and Elisabeth goes so far as to state that she'll be seeing Goldberg in heaven. Theologically that is in contrast to her stated faith background.

She doesn't actually tell her faith story here, which is extremely odd considering every page has scripture on it. Hasselbeck is an extremely anxious person who seems to be using God and the Bible to calm her non-stop nervousness. A person with truly confident faith in the Lord doesn't need to make sure every story clearly states her trust in Him. She is like the nervous one-year-old baby that is scared whenever mommy or daddy leave the room, requiring constant assurance that everything is okay. I'm wondering how much of this comes from her upper class background (which is downplayed here but she had an architect dad and lawyer mom). Elisabeth is overly dependent on others and comes across as very needy instead of being a truly independent, secure, adult woman. By overstating her neediness she actually detracts from the faith in God she claims to have.

She sounds like a decent mom but makes herself out to be a real ditz who is constantly apologizing to her kids. When does she ever just lower the facade of needing to be a Christian supermom and just become a normal person when dealing with everyday life and emotions? It's okay to be upset when your young sons break stated rules--but she ends up feeling guilty for it.

So many evangelical Christian celebrities think they need to write a book like this that constantly hides behind scripture and God in order to make themselves look valued and worthy, trying too hard to save other souls. Instead it would have been more beneficial to see a real, everyday person who shares full stories of her difficult life and realizing that much of it makes no sense but that she trusts God will work it all out for good. Despite the title there's nothing "fresh" about this point of view--Hasselbeck is just giving the kind of fake-feeling standard line that is popular today with Kathie Lee Gifford, Candace Cameron Bure, and other rich famous elitist Christian women who work so hard to keep up their images. While I admire their dedication to the truth faith, they all seem so distant from the everyday working person whose point of view they don't truly seem to understand.

[Jennifer Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the audio book and it was the perfect companion for a long job. She narrated it herself which seemed to make it much more authentic. A very honest memoir of her life in the public eye from highs to lows and how she keeps her faith. Very easy and relatable read.

[Sabrina Fonfeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

20% View gossip 80% Bible verses

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Point of View
A Fresh Look at Work, Faith, and Freedom

by Elisabeth Hasselbeck

WaterBrook & Multnomah

WaterBrook

Christian , Religion & Spirituality

Pub Date 26 Mar 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Point if View through WaterBrok & Multnomah and Netgalley:

Elisabeth took the road less traveled and paved the way for many women, showing them that they could feel confident.

We are encouraged to allow ourselves to see the world through God’s eyes in this book. We are encouraged too to see ourselves as God’s top recruits which not only points to who we are but to whose we are.

Elisabeth Hasselback shows us how faith helped her through the difficult moments in life. Through her nearly twenty years in broadcasting she learned the importance of extracting the point of view of the person being interviewed on a particular topic or subject matter because doing so allows us to see issues through another’s eyes.

If you are looking for a book to inspire as well as to Motivate then I would recommend Point of View!

I give this book five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

[Kristi Oakley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved everything about this book. Borrowed it from the library but now have it in my Amazon cart. Too many things I wanted to underline and remember. Will definitely be reading it again in the future with pen in hand.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light, quick read. Warning: She recommends Jesus Calling and Anne Voskamp which I do not. They are not biblical. Use discernment.

[Robert Sutherland · Rating 3 out of 5]

You might like Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and you might not. You might remember her from her time on Survivor, or The View, or Fox and Friends. I only knew of her from Survivor.

This book is about one part story to three parts sermon. I really enjoyed her stories, and I wish there were more. She told a little about her Survivor experience, some about growing up and playing softball, some about her time on The View, some about Fox and Friends, and some about full time motherhood.

She loves Bob Goff and quotes him several times, and her book has a bit of a Goff-ish feel to it in that every story has a spiritual lesson to be learned. No matter how hard you have to hit that odd shaped peg to pound it in the hole, she can make any lesson fit a story.

Another thing about her narrative is that she is completely unrelatable. Are you a college athlete? Married to an NFL quarterback? Selected to be on the greatest television reality show ever? Chosen to host not one but two news shows? Been invited to the White House for dinner with the Queen of England? I thought not. Her experiences are so far removed from most people that you can't possibly relate to her.

But does that mean the book has no value? Even though she may not be relatable, I think Elisabeth is inspirational. She is a great example of hard work, outworking your abilities in order to achieve your goals. She has an obvious and strong Christian faith. She doesn't stop at talking about God--it's all about Jesus. She quotes lots of Bible verses and applies them to her life's situations. Honestly, if you don't subscribe to her worldview, she won't likely change your mind. If you do subscribe to her worldview, you will likely be inspired by someone who is a very public persona yet unabashedly proclaims her Christian faith.

You might get the feel from this review that I didn't like the book. That isn't true. I enjoyed her stories, and I appreciated her openness about her faith. I find her quite likable. Your mileage may vary.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with some interesting stories and nice messages. She gave an honest account.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was never a fan of Elisabeth Hasselbeck, but I thought I would check it out from my library. Because of hearing her talk about her new book on The View. It really wasn't a well-written book, but it gives you a little insight into her life. Being stand fast to follow her faith, in the best way that she knew how.

It was an enjoyable book to read.

[Susan Kendrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not especially well-written but sweet and thoughtful nonetheless.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, encouraging and inspiring book. I would recommend to any woman at any season of life. Thank you, Elisabeth Hasselbeck for your transparency, commitment to honor God daily, be a blessing and share your story. Absolutely lovely.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Point of View, Elisabeth Hasselback opened up about being a contestation on Survivor, and a co-host on The View, and Fox News. She started the book by sharing how when she was a fourth grader she struggled with reading because she couldn’t see clearly. She shared how at the time she didn’t realize how bad she couldn’t see. This lesson taught her that not everyone sees the same and we all have different points of views. Elisabeth revealed how God’s lens are different than our own and we can choose which lens we choose to see with. Later in the book, she shared how she worked as a shoe designer for Puma and how she was good at sports and art. One of her coworkers encouraged her to compete on Survivor. She opened up about how she was picked. She shared a crazy story about attending a jump school and what this taught her. She eventually made the cut and was on the second season of Survivor and she went into great details about her time on Survivor and the challenges she faced. Later, she was chosen for a hosting spot on the Look for Lesson the E! network. She eventually was let go and she wound up being selected for a cohosting spot on The View. As many people who has seen the show, Elisabeth had some extra challenges on the show because of her beliefs in Christ and her political view points and sometimes she clashed with different cohosts on the View. In the book, she also shared how she met her husband Tim, who was a player in the NFL and she shared some of her tips on her marriage and the challenges she has learned in raising their three children.



I would recommend this awesome book to anyone who enjoyed watching Elisabeth Hasselback on Survivor, the View, and Fox News. I used to watch the View every day when Elisabeth Hasselback and Sherri Shephard was on the panel and I loved their personality and I connected with a lot of their view points. I stopped watching when they were removed and I haven’t really ever watched the show again regularly since then. I loved the debates and loved how Elisabeth and Sherri shined a life for Christ. I immensely was excited to read about Elizabeth story and I loved how she shared Christ’s message throughout the book. I didn’t know much about her personal life before the View or really after the View. It was really nice to see how bold Elisabeth was in front of the camara and off. I highly recommend readers and fans to read this book and may it all remind us to always try and look at life through God’s point of view.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Years ago, I somehow turned my TV onto The View. To be honest, I don't remember if I'd tuned in to see a particular celebrity being interviewed, or if there was just nothing else on that day... but whatever it was that drew me in, I found that I enjoyed watching it. While I can't say that the same is true NOW, I loved it at that point in time when Barbara Walters was still at the table. A large part of that was Elisabeth Hasselbeck offering her more conservative voice to the show.

Over the years, I'd actually read her other books as well--- having a child on the autism spectrum, I'd done a lot of research on going gluten free. While we didn't go that route ourselves, I did enjoy her writings on the subject. When I saw that she had a new book out- not about gluten free living- but about faith and her life experiences, I was excited to read it. I am so glad I picked it up, as I found it to be a fantastic read...sharing stories of her life behind the scenes, and how her faith played into that and the lessons learned from those experiences. While I would certainly say this is more of a book telling HER story, not a 'self-help' or 'christian living how to', I do believe there are a lot of lessons that we can all take away from these stories on learning to see the bigger picture, and not just our own rather narrow point of view. God's picture is so much bigger than that.

Fans of Elisabeth Hasselbeck will enjoy getting a look into her experiences, and while I would say it would certainly appeal more to those fans who already know her- be it from Survivor, The View of Fox & Friends, it could still be a good read regardless, and a quick one at that.

**Complimentary copy received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

[Sherri Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book in one day!

Elisabeth Hasselbeck wrote about her life stories which she called, “an adventure packed path that God has placed me on” in her new book Point of View. This delightful book is a treasure trove of shiny gems of faith to mine, while getting to know the spunky, adorable, God-fearing Elisabeth that we’ve all seen on TV.

Throughout the book Elisabeth uses many softball analogies because of her love for the sport and her time spent playing for Boston College. Her telling of becoming a walk-on for the BC team was quite comical.

Every Survivor fan will love the behind-the-scenes information she gives about the interview process and the actual show in the Australian outback. Yes! We all want more inside information, but she can’t divulge everything. Mark Burnett would have her head.

Her time on The View and as a morning anchor with Fox News shows the reader how Elisabeth responds as her faith is being tested. She is very open about one of the lowest points of her life, which was being fired from The View, but what an encouragement she is in the way she decided to handle it. The lessons she learned during that difficult time in her life are amazing and are lessons that I will apply in my life as well.

Elisabeth’s incredible story is filled with inspiring scripture that is applicable as each adventure unfolds. She does a fantastic job of weaving together each life story with a Biblical lesson that readers can tuck away in their pocket.

Thank you Waterbrook and Multnomah and Netgally for this free copy to read and review. I highly recommend this book.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this little book after hearing an interview w Elisabeth on TV. I had somewhat followed her career when she was on The View. Admittedly I was somewhat curious to get a peek behind the curtain of what when down during her tenure there, as well as hearing about her own faith. It was refreshing that she actually did not “dish” on any heated exchange there or anyone in particular (classy on her). I appreciate that Elisabeth has obviously taken some time and done some introspection on her years on TV (from Survivor to FOX). She shares some definite relatable moments as being a mom (losing patience, forgetting special events) and weaves in some Scripture. The only negative for me was, at times, the over simplistic way this book was written. “My grandmother made the best meatballs...here are some other heavenly meatballs of life...”(goes on & lists great things to her). At times, it came dangerously close to feeling like a bit of humblebrag (“I threw my kids a party for no reason at all!”) but she is conscientious of that I think and quick to talk about how she is far from perfect. Thank you, Elisabeth for being vulnerable and sharing your story. I, too am a recovering right-aholic and love your idea of not sacrificing our beliefs for friendships & vice-versa. Love to you.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am able to just put Elisabeth's political views aside ... i am just that kind of person ... for me i have enjoyed her style, her personality ... forever ... i wonder how she made it through her time on the View ... i have not watched since ... she held her own and just needed to move on ... kind of like that show ...it needs to be gone. over done. it is just not that entertaining any more ... next. political opinions are only part of who u r ... i just appreciate folks for the point being that they do what they are ... i love the Christian side ...but it doesn't mean i can not like u if u don't believe ... i just connect more with her there ... if that makes sense? gorgeous cover. i love that she just is who she is ... whether that come easy i don't know? i found it at Walmart and got it when I got EL James new book as well. what a combo to buy at the same time ...right??! loL!! any who ... great read and i would not hesitate to read more from Elisabeth in the future. she does her way ... not right or wrong ... just keeps on trying ... bouncing through those waves no matter what comes ... she has God on her side and that in my humble opinion so is helpful and a must. but u decide. well written. love the pics. check it out.

[Debbie Slaughter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more I get to know Elisabeth Hasselbeck, through her book, podcasts, and her time on TV, the more I appreciate her love for the Lord, which is what shines through the pages of this book the most.
This book has plenty of personal stories, with lessons about faith and life, weaved throughout.

This book will take you through lessons she learned on the baseball field, her first test of strength when Survivor called, her determination in the Outback, her ten years in the hot seat of The View, her time on Fox and the friends she made there, to going back home to be the mom she needed to be.

Elisabeth has a way of seeing God in her big and small circumstances and she finds a way to present those lessons to the readers by way of analogies. So, even a simple jar of peanut butter becomes a life lesson for her, and she writes an entire section about how to get the most out of life.

All in all, this is a book full of faith stories and about getting to know the person behind the energetic, well-dressed, put-together lady, wife and mom and realizing she's just a regular person, like the rest of us.

Definitely worth the read.

[Vince Wu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been a fan of Elisabeth Hasselbeck while she was on The View, but she avoided going into too much depth about her faith while on the panel. It was so refreshing to finally hear her in this book, and TRULY hear her as she describes how GRACE impacts her life daily. And by grace, I mean the grace of God, not exclusively Grace, her daughter.

She describes her times on Survivor, The View, Fox & Friends, and her current life in Nashville. We find out long wondered secrets on why she left The View and Fox & Friends. But what touched me the most was she described how she grew from those experiences, and openly acknowledges: hey...I'm human...I have failed. But looking back, I realize I should have given more grace because I already have received SO MUCH from our Heavenly Father. That statement alone defines how believers feel, and it was a good reminder to me because I was feeling down about my life myself. It was an honor to read this book. Thank you for opening your heart and soul Elisabeth!

[Taylor Ardoin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew I immediately wanted to read this book the moment I saw her interview on The View this year. I personally loved hearing the behind-the-scenes stories of her jobs because I grew up watching her on Survivor, The Look for Less, and I remember my mom watching her during her time on The View. Personally, I wanted to hear more of stories. But, I definitely don't think the book was lacking - I just am really nosy and wanted to her more about her. HA!

Overall, this book was a light, really quick read. It took me about two chapters before I was super invested - but after that, I was hooked and finished the book in a couple of hours.

I definitely think this book has a great message. There's a ton of COME TO JESUS moments in this book that I believe I needed to hear and learn from at the time of reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This is an honest, unbiased review. #PointOfView #NetGalley

[LAMONT D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I KNEW OF HER AND HER HUSBAND TIM FROM THE NFL AND ESPN BUT DID NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT HER LIFE ON SEASON TWO OF SURVIVOR OR 10 YEARS ON THE VIEW REPRESENTING THE "GOOD" SIDE OF THE ISSUES. I HAD AN IDEA THAT SHE WAS A CHRISTIAN AND A REALLY DECENT PERSON, BUT THIS BOOK BROUGHT ME TO A MUCH DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HER BELIEFS, HER JOURNEY WITH HER FAITH AND STARTING A FAMILY WITH A VERY HECTIC SCHEDULE IN NEW YORK CITY BEFORE THEY FELT LED TO MOVE TO NASHVILLE (PLUS HER DECISION TO LEAVE FOX NEWS AND STAY AT HOME). VERY ENTERTAINING BUT ALSO SHE PROVIDES VERY GOOD APPLICATIONS OF LIVING OUT WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US EACH AND EVERY DAY.

[Liz Sergent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elisabeth Hasselbeck's Point of View was an interesting read. It starts off with her being in the fourth grade and needing glasses and how she got to see what she had been missing. This is the type of perspective that Elisabeth has. The book covers her time on Survivor along with her time on the View (I didn't know she was a fan of Whoopi's). I was shocked about how they fired her from the View out of nowhere and how her connections to Roger Ails got her the job on Fox. I admire this author mostly for her faith and her conviction. Loved this book.

[Holly Bollinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and hearing her heart for her family, her job and her career. I actually listened to it read by her on Audible and I highly recommend hearing her read her own story.

I love how she weaves her faith into every part of the story and takes a strong stand for how God's hand was and still is in everything she does and everything she doesn't do. I recently saw her in NYC just walking around. I always want to leave celebrities alone when I see them so they can live "normal" lives, but after this, I wish I would have totally fan-girled and met her and told her that she is a blessing to so many including me!

Thank you Elisabeth for just simply being who you are and who God has called you to be.

If you read this and know her - tell her to message me! :)

Now do yourself a favor and go read this book...

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I am a Survivor fan and I heard Hasselback was a contestant (in season 2; I started watching much later). She wrote one chapter about that experience, which wasn't quite enough. I don't watch The View so I wasn't familiar with her from there, either, but I admire her for speaking up for her beliefs and values in that venue, and was glad she seems to genuinely like her co-hosts even though she disagrees with them most of the time. It was an ok read but she did lots of telling versus showing. It had the potential to be much better.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard the author speak at a local church, and she is a dynamic communicator. Her book is about looking at life through many points of view, but mainly through the viewpoint of faith. She also discusses learning to appreciate another person's point of view as well as looking at one's own life from a new viewpoint. She mixes personal anecdotes from her times on Survivor, The View, and Fox and Friends with spiritual lessons she has learned. A good read for a young Christian mother.

[Dave Hoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book deals with the Author's walk with the Lord and how it effected each position she held. It tells how she prepared for the TV show, Survivor including the moment she was to jump out of a plane. It told very little of the time in the Outback, and none of the outcome, Her time on the View with the other ladies gunning for her and her getting fired, then on to Fox & Friends. Long on her personal life, short on the nitty-gritty, An Inspiration book of the highest order.

[Amy Kokal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this was a good book but I don’t believe it will stick with me for long. I enjoyed the personal stories she shared and hearing some of the challenges she went through. Her life and career path are not relatable to me as I, of course, do not have her connections. I would have liked more in depth stories as it relates to the challenges she faced being a conservative in a liberal career path and how she faced and overcame them.

[Ms. Tongate, TLC Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quotes:
P. 8 “His lens is there, and I have the blessing and opportunity to choose to look through my lens alone (limited) or His (limitless).”

P.19 “Your Heavenly Father recruits you by name, knows your number, wants to be with you, and has saved you a spot. The price- that tuition fee- has been paid in full by His Son.”

P. 125 “Work as hard at being kind as you work at getting the job and keeping the job.”

[Karen Hoenstine · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband was telling me about this book recently after hearing about it on a radio program. On a whim I borrowed it from the library. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. I remember Elisabeth from my favorite season of Survivor, but I didn't really follow her after that. She nicely wove together vignettes of her time at The View, FoxNews, and at home with her kids with lessons she's learned from scriptures. She's a person I would really enjoy meeting and chatting with.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo to a woman of faith and dignity who shares her story, giving many examples of family and work situations where she learned to put Christ at its center. She is a great example of courage and genuine humility. I especially enjoyed reading this book during our current political time when Christianity is getting bashed from almost every direction. A refreshing reminder that faith, family life and friendships are all callings for gratitude to God.

[Layal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so refreshing to read. It can resonate with a lot people and it definately did with me however I wouldn't recommend it for non-believers as it is a book of faith more than anything else. The short stories about work and life and being a mom are great but it's much more than that. It's a story about how her faith in God played a part in her life. I'm glad I read this book. It gave me a fresh look on things.