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Going There
Heartbreaking, hilarious, and brutally honest, Going There is the deeply personal life story of a girl next door turned household name.
For more than forty years, Katie Couric has been an iconic presence in the media world. In her brutally honest, hilarious, heartbreaking memoir, she reveals what was going on behind the scenes of her sometimes tumultuous personal and professional life - a story she’s never shared, until now. Of the medium she loves, the one that made her a household name, she says, “Television can put you in a box; the flat-screen can flatten. On TV, you are larger than life but smaller, too. It is not the whole story, and it is not the whole me. This book is.”
Beginning in early childhood, Couric was inspired by her journalist father to pursue the career he loved but couldn’t afford to stay in. Balancing her vivacious, outgoing personality with her desire to be taken seriously, she overcame every obstacle in her way: insecurity, an eating disorder, being typecast, sexism . . . challenges, and how she dealt with them, setting the tone for the rest of her career. Couric talks candidly about adjusting to sudden fame after her astonishing rise to co-anchor of the TODAY show, and guides us through the most momentous events and news stories of the era, to which she had a front-row seat: Rodney King, Anita Hill, Columbine, the death of Princess Diana, 9/11, the Iraq War . . . In every instance, she relentlessly pursued the facts, ruffling more than a few feathers along the way. She also recalls in vivid and sometimes lurid detail the intense pressure on female anchors to snag the latest “get”—often sensational tabloid stories like Jon Benet Ramsey, Tonya Harding, and OJ Simpson.
Couric’s position as one of the leading lights of her profession was shadowed by the shock and trauma of losing her husband to stage 4 colon cancer when he was just 42, leaving her a widow and single mom to two daughters, 6 and 2. The death of her sister Emily, just three years later, brought yet more trauma—and an unwavering commitment to cancer awareness and research, one of her proudest accomplishments.
Couric is unsparing in the details of her historic move to the anchor chair at the CBS Evening News—a world rife with sexism and misogyny. Her “welcome” was even more hostile at 60 Minutes, an unrepentant boys club that engaged in outright hazing of even the most established women. In the wake of the MeToo movement, Couric shares her clear-eyed reckoning with gender inequality and predatory behavior in the workplace, and downfall of Matt Lauer—a colleague she had trusted and respected for more than a decade.
Couric also talks about the challenge of finding love again, with all the hilarity, false-starts, and drama that search entailed, before finding her midlife Mr. Right. Something she has never discussed publicly—why her second marriage almost didn’t happen.
If you thought you knew Katie Couric, think again. Going There is the fast-paced, emotional, riveting story of a thoroughly modern woman, whose journey took her from humble origins to superstardom. In these pages, you will find a friend, a confidante, a role model, a survivor whose lessons about life will enrich your own.
For more than forty years, Katie Couric has been an iconic presence in the media world. In her brutally honest, hilarious, heartbreaking memoir, she reveals what was going on behind the scenes of her sometimes tumultuous personal and professional life - a story she’s never shared, until now. Of the medium she loves, the one that made her a household name, she says, “Television can put you in a box; the flat-screen can flatten. On TV, you are larger than life but smaller, too. It is not the whole story, and it is not the whole me. This book is.”
Beginning in early childhood, Couric was inspired by her journalist father to pursue the career he loved but couldn’t afford to stay in. Balancing her vivacious, outgoing personality with her desire to be taken seriously, she overcame every obstacle in her way: insecurity, an eating disorder, being typecast, sexism . . . challenges, and how she dealt with them, setting the tone for the rest of her career. Couric talks candidly about adjusting to sudden fame after her astonishing rise to co-anchor of the TODAY show, and guides us through the most momentous events and news stories of the era, to which she had a front-row seat: Rodney King, Anita Hill, Columbine, the death of Princess Diana, 9/11, the Iraq War . . . In every instance, she relentlessly pursued the facts, ruffling more than a few feathers along the way. She also recalls in vivid and sometimes lurid detail the intense pressure on female anchors to snag the latest “get”—often sensational tabloid stories like Jon Benet Ramsey, Tonya Harding, and OJ Simpson.
Couric’s position as one of the leading lights of her profession was shadowed by the shock and trauma of losing her husband to stage 4 colon cancer when he was just 42, leaving her a widow and single mom to two daughters, 6 and 2. The death of her sister Emily, just three years later, brought yet more trauma—and an unwavering commitment to cancer awareness and research, one of her proudest accomplishments.
Couric is unsparing in the details of her historic move to the anchor chair at the CBS Evening News—a world rife with sexism and misogyny. Her “welcome” was even more hostile at 60 Minutes, an unrepentant boys club that engaged in outright hazing of even the most established women. In the wake of the MeToo movement, Couric shares her clear-eyed reckoning with gender inequality and predatory behavior in the workplace, and downfall of Matt Lauer—a colleague she had trusted and respected for more than a decade.
Couric also talks about the challenge of finding love again, with all the hilarity, false-starts, and drama that search entailed, before finding her midlife Mr. Right. Something she has never discussed publicly—why her second marriage almost didn’t happen.
If you thought you knew Katie Couric, think again. Going There is the fast-paced, emotional, riveting story of a thoroughly modern woman, whose journey took her from humble origins to superstardom. In these pages, you will find a friend, a confidante, a role model, a survivor whose lessons about life will enrich your own.
510 pages, Hardcover
First published October 26, 2021
1933 people are currently reading
12265 people want to read
About the author
Katie Couric
25 books257 followersKatherine Anne "Katie" Couric is notable as an American journalist who became well-known as co-host of NBC's Today. In 2006, she made a highly publicized move from NBC to CBS, and on September 5, 2006 she became the first solo female anchor of the weekday evening news on one of the three traditional U.S. broadcast networks. She currently serves as the anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News, having replaced Bob Schieffer on September 5, 2006. Schieffer served as the interim anchor following the departure of long time anchor and managing editor Dan Rather on March 9, 2005.
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November 13, 2021Going There reads like a book written by a woman who reached into her bag of charitable expletives and realized she simply has no more f*cks to give.
If Katie Couric’s storied career as an American journalist/presenter is a house of cards built on the foundation of a chipper nice girl persona, she seems perfectly content here to burn that house to the ground. Given that I don’t even remember a time before “The Today Show” was the background to my morning routines, there was no way I was going to miss this dumpster fire of TMI.
Here’s a short list of the Information that was Too Much:
- She went on a date with Larry King, during which he tried to kiss her… with tongue.
- When she was breastfeeding her daughters, she would squeeze herself to squirt the milk across the room.
You know what? I’ll spare you similar examples. I don’t want to relive them.
Yes, she dishes serious dirt about Matt Lauer, Ann Curry, Les Moonves, Diane Sawyer, and dozens of others. She goes into detail about losing both her husband and sister to cancer just a few short years apart. She talks about her insecurities on one page and then pats herself on the back the next. I guess you can say she goes there.
Going There should win awards for Most Accurate Book Title of 2021. In terms of delivering the gossipy goods you want in a celebrity memoir, it is a 5-star read. But in this case, I feel it would be in poor taste for me to try to actually rate the book without rating the woman. Katie Couric has shown us her unfiltered self here, for better or worse. If you want a glimpse behind the scenes of American journalism and upper middle class life, read this book. If you don’t like Katie Couric after you read it, change the channel.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
If Katie Couric’s storied career as an American journalist/presenter is a house of cards built on the foundation of a chipper nice girl persona, she seems perfectly content here to burn that house to the ground. Given that I don’t even remember a time before “The Today Show” was the background to my morning routines, there was no way I was going to miss this dumpster fire of TMI.
Here’s a short list of the Information that was Too Much:
- She went on a date with Larry King, during which he tried to kiss her… with tongue.
- When she was breastfeeding her daughters, she would squeeze herself to squirt the milk across the room.
You know what? I’ll spare you similar examples. I don’t want to relive them.
Yes, she dishes serious dirt about Matt Lauer, Ann Curry, Les Moonves, Diane Sawyer, and dozens of others. She goes into detail about losing both her husband and sister to cancer just a few short years apart. She talks about her insecurities on one page and then pats herself on the back the next. I guess you can say she goes there.
Going There should win awards for Most Accurate Book Title of 2021. In terms of delivering the gossipy goods you want in a celebrity memoir, it is a 5-star read. But in this case, I feel it would be in poor taste for me to try to actually rate the book without rating the woman. Katie Couric has shown us her unfiltered self here, for better or worse. If you want a glimpse behind the scenes of American journalism and upper middle class life, read this book. If you don’t like Katie Couric after you read it, change the channel.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
October 27, 2021
Audiobook…..read by Katie Couric
….15 hours and 27 minutes
Katie said….
“I wrote this book not for tabloid reporters who are looking for clicks.
I wrote this book for young women who are maybe trying to make their way in the world, for people who have a terminally ill spouse, for someone who took a chance on a job and was disappointed with the way it turned out, for the person who has to work for a jerk who is sabotaging her. I wrote this book for real people”.
Topics include her career:(development, history, success, struggles, expectations, pressures, competitiveness, choices, changes, joyful journalism experiences & a few traumatic ones),
her family—her childhood, parents, siblings, daughters high school and college academic goals, marriage, parenthood, the death of her husband, hopes for her daughters Ellie and Carrie, whom she dedicates this memoir to, sexism, rivalries, struggles with an eating disorder (starve, binge, and purge cycles), dieting and body issues, her friendship with the former ‘Today’ co-anchor Matt Lauer - his firing, accusations of sexual misconduct and assault. (Katie was shocked, disappointed, confused, and heartbroken over the news of Lauer) - it was painful! …eventually their friendship ended. Eventually she left the ‘Today’ show too … made a network job change ….
Katie Courtic’s memoir is packed filled with interview remembrances:
White House visits, political figures, celebrities, sport heroes, musicians artists, actors, social cultural changes, gay rights, women’s rights, abortion discussion with Barbara Bush…
a cancer awareness advocate,
(Katie brought colon cancer out of the closet),
the personal loss of her husband to colon cancer - his death - and her sister Emily’s death to pancreatic cancer,
Reporting ‘live’ on 911,
The Lacy Peterson case & other famous news reporting stories -memories of Karen Carpenter- Michael Jackson, political/social/media personal stories throughout — triggers our own historical memories,
dating again after her husband’s passing, clothes, fashions, looking good, friendships, discussions about her social-people skills, her love for words, (inherited from her father),
being called America’s sweetheart -to America’s bitch… (both were okay with her at different times for different reasons)…
The burden and dislike of being called ‘perky’,
…girl next door, (wishing to change her image to girlfriend next door), perks from wealth (wanting to keep her daughters grounded and not spoiled from privileged opportunities), …. etc. etc.
Can you imagine being offered 20 million a year? …..
Katie even does a little ‘singing’ to us….(smiley moments)….
I listened to all fifteen hours in two days - almost non-stop around the clock - beginning at 12:01am….
I walked 10 miles yesterday- with Katie as my reading companion.
I wasn’t thrilled with the distance I felt from Katie’s book for about the first six chapters. I was puzzled and bored to be honest.
To me it felt like Katie was reading a journal and or the sharing a laundry list of details….
but then….
at some point - a real connection set in.
I became sincerely interested.
My admiration, affinity, and appreciation for all of who Katie Couric has been grew tremendously.
Her 40+ years in front of the camera — a standout personality — a woman among white supremacy, ….
There is a lot to admire.
So….
In the very beginning….
of this audiobook …..
I wasn’t prepared to be bored by the minutiae of her life. But I was for a ‘short’ time.
I wanted to hear about the important parts of her story-and feel emotionally connected to her as she read it.
Finally for me — a momentum kicked it.
“Going There” got going.
I felt all the things I wanted to feel - an honest emotional connection with whatever Katie wanted to share —
She had a great memory of different foods eaten throughout her life associated with places traveled and or people she shared meals with.
The mention of food throughout was noticeable prevalent — with normalcy.
Katie’s love and protection for her daughters is moving. Hope for women in the future, and compassion to those who have suffered, loss a spouse, etc. comes through loud - clear - and truthful.
We experience Katie’s vulnerability… her humbleness, but also her strength, honesty, and straight talk about her
qualifications. Katie was more than qualified for the work she did.
Many of us grew watching her on TV for years - Can visualize her warm smile - her laugh - that personality presence —
a media women of our times … clearly a household name.
My 5 star rating might be a ‘tad’ high - but I don’t feel like picking apart the flaws… (thinking a little editing wouldn’t have hurt) …
… because
when all was said and done —my life was enriched from “Going There”.
Personal share:
My daughter’s dog ‘Lunchbox’ died about 48 hours ago.
I wasn’t up to talking to anyone.
Walking and more walking — with Katie’s audio-memoir - was a comfort during this time of loss and grief.
It helped with the ache in my belly.
Losing ‘Lunchie’ is a deep loss in our family. Katie, directly gave me comfort during this time.
Katie Couric’s love for life, herself, her family, friends, her work, pride, —
adding a little joy and sincerity to our world — making a difference —
being on the right side of what’s right — shines through beautifully.
….15 hours and 27 minutes
Katie said….
“I wrote this book not for tabloid reporters who are looking for clicks.
I wrote this book for young women who are maybe trying to make their way in the world, for people who have a terminally ill spouse, for someone who took a chance on a job and was disappointed with the way it turned out, for the person who has to work for a jerk who is sabotaging her. I wrote this book for real people”.
Topics include her career:(development, history, success, struggles, expectations, pressures, competitiveness, choices, changes, joyful journalism experiences & a few traumatic ones),
her family—her childhood, parents, siblings, daughters high school and college academic goals, marriage, parenthood, the death of her husband, hopes for her daughters Ellie and Carrie, whom she dedicates this memoir to, sexism, rivalries, struggles with an eating disorder (starve, binge, and purge cycles), dieting and body issues, her friendship with the former ‘Today’ co-anchor Matt Lauer - his firing, accusations of sexual misconduct and assault. (Katie was shocked, disappointed, confused, and heartbroken over the news of Lauer) - it was painful! …eventually their friendship ended. Eventually she left the ‘Today’ show too … made a network job change ….
Katie Courtic’s memoir is packed filled with interview remembrances:
White House visits, political figures, celebrities, sport heroes, musicians artists, actors, social cultural changes, gay rights, women’s rights, abortion discussion with Barbara Bush…
a cancer awareness advocate,
(Katie brought colon cancer out of the closet),
the personal loss of her husband to colon cancer - his death - and her sister Emily’s death to pancreatic cancer,
Reporting ‘live’ on 911,
The Lacy Peterson case & other famous news reporting stories -memories of Karen Carpenter- Michael Jackson, political/social/media personal stories throughout — triggers our own historical memories,
dating again after her husband’s passing, clothes, fashions, looking good, friendships, discussions about her social-people skills, her love for words, (inherited from her father),
being called America’s sweetheart -to America’s bitch… (both were okay with her at different times for different reasons)…
The burden and dislike of being called ‘perky’,
…girl next door, (wishing to change her image to girlfriend next door), perks from wealth (wanting to keep her daughters grounded and not spoiled from privileged opportunities), …. etc. etc.
Can you imagine being offered 20 million a year? …..
Katie even does a little ‘singing’ to us….(smiley moments)….
I listened to all fifteen hours in two days - almost non-stop around the clock - beginning at 12:01am….
I walked 10 miles yesterday- with Katie as my reading companion.
I wasn’t thrilled with the distance I felt from Katie’s book for about the first six chapters. I was puzzled and bored to be honest.
To me it felt like Katie was reading a journal and or the sharing a laundry list of details….
but then….
at some point - a real connection set in.
I became sincerely interested.
My admiration, affinity, and appreciation for all of who Katie Couric has been grew tremendously.
Her 40+ years in front of the camera — a standout personality — a woman among white supremacy, ….
There is a lot to admire.
So….
In the very beginning….
of this audiobook …..
I wasn’t prepared to be bored by the minutiae of her life. But I was for a ‘short’ time.
I wanted to hear about the important parts of her story-and feel emotionally connected to her as she read it.
Finally for me — a momentum kicked it.
“Going There” got going.
I felt all the things I wanted to feel - an honest emotional connection with whatever Katie wanted to share —
She had a great memory of different foods eaten throughout her life associated with places traveled and or people she shared meals with.
The mention of food throughout was noticeable prevalent — with normalcy.
Katie’s love and protection for her daughters is moving. Hope for women in the future, and compassion to those who have suffered, loss a spouse, etc. comes through loud - clear - and truthful.
We experience Katie’s vulnerability… her humbleness, but also her strength, honesty, and straight talk about her
qualifications. Katie was more than qualified for the work she did.
Many of us grew watching her on TV for years - Can visualize her warm smile - her laugh - that personality presence —
a media women of our times … clearly a household name.
My 5 star rating might be a ‘tad’ high - but I don’t feel like picking apart the flaws… (thinking a little editing wouldn’t have hurt) …
… because
when all was said and done —my life was enriched from “Going There”.
Personal share:
My daughter’s dog ‘Lunchbox’ died about 48 hours ago.
I wasn’t up to talking to anyone.
Walking and more walking — with Katie’s audio-memoir - was a comfort during this time of loss and grief.
It helped with the ache in my belly.
Losing ‘Lunchie’ is a deep loss in our family. Katie, directly gave me comfort during this time.
Katie Couric’s love for life, herself, her family, friends, her work, pride, —
adding a little joy and sincerity to our world — making a difference —
being on the right side of what’s right — shines through beautifully.
October 21, 2021
I’m so confused by the controversies surrounding this book. Couric criticizes herself and everyone but her daughters as she covers all the ways she messed up handling Matt Lauer, being a southern woman, and dealing with issues like transphobia. If we can’t reflect on our mistakes how we can grow?
January 5, 2022
Katie Couric, an American Television Journalist is seemingly unaware of how she comes across in this tepid memoir. A few pages in, and Couric writes of Helen Thomas; "I spotted legendary Helen Thomas in the front row looking like a harried housewife in a sea of men." It's this depiction of Helen Thomas, who was a legend as the 1st female member of the White House Press Corps that sets the tone of this memoir. This was only the beginning of how Couric views women of power, women who are not her.
Her description of Jane Pauley fares even worse as she writes, "I even loved her assorted hairstyles, including the ponytail that draped over her that looked like a squirrel's tale."
Conversely, she is sympathetic in the descriptions of her male coworkers. Of Matt Lauer she writes that he could charm the pants off of people. It's this level of nescience or unawareness that is most appalling. IF Katie Couric were more aware, perhaps she might not consistently blame others for her lack of continued professional success.
* I read an advance copy and was not compensated
Her description of Jane Pauley fares even worse as she writes, "I even loved her assorted hairstyles, including the ponytail that draped over her that looked like a squirrel's tale."
Conversely, she is sympathetic in the descriptions of her male coworkers. Of Matt Lauer she writes that he could charm the pants off of people. It's this level of nescience or unawareness that is most appalling. IF Katie Couric were more aware, perhaps she might not consistently blame others for her lack of continued professional success.
* I read an advance copy and was not compensated
February 7, 2022
I’ll admit I’m usually in too much of a rush in the morning to watch morning shows, and I typically catch my local ones over the national ones due to how early it is. I remember learning bits and pieces about Katie Couric over the last several years. She truly bares it all in this memoir.
Her father was a journalist who had to choose another career to pay the bills for his family. As she grows up, Katie battles typical teen insecurities along with a serious eating disorder. Later, as she pursues the career of her dreams, she confronts sexism and being typecast. She also shares the time in her life at the height of her career when her husband passes away to colon cancer in his early 40s. Her daughters are only 6 and 2 at the time. A couple years later, her sister passes away, and Katie has to keep going for her girls and to hold her career together while also committing to cancer awareness (and even having a colonoscopy live on TV).
Katie later becomes the anchor of the CBS Evening News making history at the time. When she moves to 60 Minutes, she is not warmly welcomed by the boys club and powers that be. Her friendship with Matt Lauer is addressed, past and present. She candidly shares her path towards another chance at love with her second marriage.
While I didn’t know much about Katie Couric before, she does “go there,” admitting many mistakes. She’s unapologetically herself, and this book gave me more insight as to why.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Her father was a journalist who had to choose another career to pay the bills for his family. As she grows up, Katie battles typical teen insecurities along with a serious eating disorder. Later, as she pursues the career of her dreams, she confronts sexism and being typecast. She also shares the time in her life at the height of her career when her husband passes away to colon cancer in his early 40s. Her daughters are only 6 and 2 at the time. A couple years later, her sister passes away, and Katie has to keep going for her girls and to hold her career together while also committing to cancer awareness (and even having a colonoscopy live on TV).
Katie later becomes the anchor of the CBS Evening News making history at the time. When she moves to 60 Minutes, she is not warmly welcomed by the boys club and powers that be. Her friendship with Matt Lauer is addressed, past and present. She candidly shares her path towards another chance at love with her second marriage.
While I didn’t know much about Katie Couric before, she does “go there,” admitting many mistakes. She’s unapologetically herself, and this book gave me more insight as to why.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
October 9, 2021
Talk about a mean girl, that’s Katie Couric. In a world where women should encourage and help other women, Katie is a jealous backstabber. Ashley Banfield, Deborah Norville, Diane Sawyer are all great reporters but Katie must be very intimidated to treat them the way she boasts about in her book. I didn’t realize reading Going There would change my opinion of her, it did, she’s a mean, hateful and vindictive idiot. Don’t waste your time on this book…
November 8, 2021
I went there and just finished "Going There".
And guess what? Katie Couric's scathing new memoir wasn't THAT scathing.
I had been forewarned that Katie's "scorched earth" memoir was a "shocking cry for relevance" that trashed everyone from Martha Stewart to her dead husband. (It did!)
FYI, Katie even went after her daughters' first nanny Doris which, BTW, I felt was very bad form.
But Katie had a story to tell, and I was an eager and captive listener.
Apparently, Katie had been working with a therapist to stop trying to be "likable" and after listening to her memoir, I am happy to report that Katie can cross "I no longer want to be likable" off of her "to do" list.
Katie's memoir was long (over 15 hours in audio) but it really moved.
In her memoir, we learn about how close Katie was with Matt Lauer until she wasn't.
We also learn about her first husband's tragic death and her 16-year quest to find love again.
And, finally, we are also reminded of Katie's triumphs in journalism and her admirable efforts to raise millions of dollars to fight cancer.
The most troubling "reveals" in this book were Katie's disparaging comments about her late husband Jay Monahan, who died at age 42 of colon cancer, leaving Katie with two young daughters under the age of 5. Her youngest daughter was 1 1/2 when her father died, so she really never knew her father.
So why did Katie make the decision to publicly slam her dead husband? Friendly reminders to Katie: 1) Dead people are unable to defend themselves and 2) The husband that she was publicly dissing was also the father of her daughters.
Why would Katie want to tarnish the legacy of her daughters' father in her memoir? Was it because her late husband had a "bugle-blowing passion" for Confederacy re-enactments and she was just not aligned with his battle cries? (Ouch!)
I listened to the audiobook that was read by Katie. I always love it when authors read their own memoirs and Katie did an outstanding job with the narration.
This book would have earned 5 stars if Katie's "slams" about her babysitter and her deceased husband were omitted. Quite frankly, Katie shouldn't have been "going there".
And guess what? Katie Couric's scathing new memoir wasn't THAT scathing.
I had been forewarned that Katie's "scorched earth" memoir was a "shocking cry for relevance" that trashed everyone from Martha Stewart to her dead husband. (It did!)
FYI, Katie even went after her daughters' first nanny Doris which, BTW, I felt was very bad form.
But Katie had a story to tell, and I was an eager and captive listener.
Apparently, Katie had been working with a therapist to stop trying to be "likable" and after listening to her memoir, I am happy to report that Katie can cross "I no longer want to be likable" off of her "to do" list.
Katie's memoir was long (over 15 hours in audio) but it really moved.
In her memoir, we learn about how close Katie was with Matt Lauer until she wasn't.
We also learn about her first husband's tragic death and her 16-year quest to find love again.
And, finally, we are also reminded of Katie's triumphs in journalism and her admirable efforts to raise millions of dollars to fight cancer.
The most troubling "reveals" in this book were Katie's disparaging comments about her late husband Jay Monahan, who died at age 42 of colon cancer, leaving Katie with two young daughters under the age of 5. Her youngest daughter was 1 1/2 when her father died, so she really never knew her father.
So why did Katie make the decision to publicly slam her dead husband? Friendly reminders to Katie: 1) Dead people are unable to defend themselves and 2) The husband that she was publicly dissing was also the father of her daughters.
Why would Katie want to tarnish the legacy of her daughters' father in her memoir? Was it because her late husband had a "bugle-blowing passion" for Confederacy re-enactments and she was just not aligned with his battle cries? (Ouch!)
I listened to the audiobook that was read by Katie. I always love it when authors read their own memoirs and Katie did an outstanding job with the narration.
This book would have earned 5 stars if Katie's "slams" about her babysitter and her deceased husband were omitted. Quite frankly, Katie shouldn't have been "going there".
October 26, 2021
I’ve watched with no small degree of amusement as various commentators have weighed in on Katie Couric’s supposedly “anti-feminist”, “achingly irrelevant” memoir in the run-up to publication, and I chuckle to see a few reviews on here already that seem to have the same marching orders. Yes, Couric acknowledges that she didn’t always handle with compassion or uplifting intent the dog-eat-dog world of national television hosting, where there’s always someone younger than you chasing your spot, but it strains credulity (and reason) to hold her to account for a brutal system that points women and other minorities at each other and says “we have room for one”. When some of the loudest voices in this mob come from noted gender champions like Piers Morgan, one has to wonder what exactly they’re getting out of making this critique - or when they started caring about such things in the first place. Ms. Couric has seen it all and pissed a lot of people off, and I, for one, found the book a frank and illuminating look at the media landscape of the last thirty years. Couric acknowledges that she and the organizations she worked for could have presented a more nuanced portrayal of things like racial justice and gender issues in her various roles, but it’s also a deeply personal assessment of her life and loves, her failures and her successes as a journalist, wife, and mother. If she acknowledges that she wasn’t always the best at those roles, I think we should applaud her for saying so. It also reads like a bullet train, told with warmth and candour as it zigzags seemingly ever important American cultural touchstone in recent memory. I loved it.
November 15, 2021
There is a moment in the book, where Katie's first husband is in the hospital, dying, and Katie is with her father. Katie says "Dad, why is this happening to me?" Dad says, "it's not happening to you Katie, it's happening to Jay." This pretty much sums up my feelings about the book and about Katie.
As a working woman, I never watched the Today Show, so my exposure to Katie was limited to whatever specials she may have done or perhaps a sick day home with my kids where I was able to watch. My view of her is pretty much spot on as to how she comes across in this book, although I think she views herself much differently. Katie seems to identify as a tough, investigative journalist, though I think public perception of her may be slightly different...perhaps more the perky, upbeat, cheerleader type--which could explain why some of her post Today Show endeavors weren't as successful for her.
BUT, that's not how Katie sees it. Basically every failure is everyone else's fault, CBS news, 60 minutes, Yahoo news, all ultimately did not work out for her, maybe because she does not perceive herself in the same way the public does, but in Katie's mind it was all because she did not get the support she required from the management who brought her in.
When she talks about the Matt Lauer sexual harassment claims toward the end of the book, after hearing about their almost brother/sister relationship, I was surprised at how quickly she was able to ostracize him. I thought to myself, wow, you drop your friend just like that? Didn't she see any indications of these behaviors? Times have changed granted, but she didn't notice her husband(s) losing extreme amounts of weight, jaundiced skin colors, etc. until other people pointed it out to her, when it turns out they both had cancers.
Katie seems like a hard working, energetic, intelligent woman who has had to withstand some tough times, but also was blessed with a loving family who fiercely supported her. Maybe it is just the nature of that business that you need to be a bit of a narcissist to survive.
As a working woman, I never watched the Today Show, so my exposure to Katie was limited to whatever specials she may have done or perhaps a sick day home with my kids where I was able to watch. My view of her is pretty much spot on as to how she comes across in this book, although I think she views herself much differently. Katie seems to identify as a tough, investigative journalist, though I think public perception of her may be slightly different...perhaps more the perky, upbeat, cheerleader type--which could explain why some of her post Today Show endeavors weren't as successful for her.
BUT, that's not how Katie sees it. Basically every failure is everyone else's fault, CBS news, 60 minutes, Yahoo news, all ultimately did not work out for her, maybe because she does not perceive herself in the same way the public does, but in Katie's mind it was all because she did not get the support she required from the management who brought her in.
When she talks about the Matt Lauer sexual harassment claims toward the end of the book, after hearing about their almost brother/sister relationship, I was surprised at how quickly she was able to ostracize him. I thought to myself, wow, you drop your friend just like that? Didn't she see any indications of these behaviors? Times have changed granted, but she didn't notice her husband(s) losing extreme amounts of weight, jaundiced skin colors, etc. until other people pointed it out to her, when it turns out they both had cancers.
Katie seems like a hard working, energetic, intelligent woman who has had to withstand some tough times, but also was blessed with a loving family who fiercely supported her. Maybe it is just the nature of that business that you need to be a bit of a narcissist to survive.
October 27, 2021
I always grab new releases, didn’t know much about this book but my husband said he had heard negative things and didn’t want to waste his time listening to the audio, so I went in tainted. I could not figure what the fuss was, I was instantly involved, time traveling through life’s major stories, dabbing my eyes on occasion, it’s a very relatable public life. Near the end it became crystal clear where the hate spewed from, thank heavens I ignored the negative, she had lead an incredible life from heartache to blazing a career in a mans world. Good news is my husband will be listening next!
October 26, 2021
This book is beautifully written, especially the parts about losing her husband. She never tries to paint a perfect picture of anything, including her marriage, in which there was natural tension about professional success and earnings. Relationships are complicated, and her writing about her love for her first husband and his illness is poignant and painful. Her exploration of his interest in the Civil War/Confederacy (and visit to Virginia with her daughter) is fascinating. She hopes he would have evolved from the romanticized Lost Cause vision so many even liberal Americans embraced in the '90s (much of which can be ascribed to Ken Burns' Civil War series and its dependence on historians like Shelby Foote). But what is difficult is that there is no way to know for sure, which is something she and her daughters must reckon with.
There are many other interesting parts of the book (especially sexism of TV news, particularly in the 1980s when she was starting out, which echoes still in her days at CBS). But her writing about Jay and the tremendous loss of him at just 42 is what will stick with me.
There are many other interesting parts of the book (especially sexism of TV news, particularly in the 1980s when she was starting out, which echoes still in her days at CBS). But her writing about Jay and the tremendous loss of him at just 42 is what will stick with me.
November 4, 2021
Oh, the irony. Let me explain, but first, I will admit that I am not a huge Katie Couric fan. I don't hate her, but I am not a huge fan. I suppose I am just indifferent. I appreciate her talent, and I recognize what her father called her "moxie" in fighting for success in what remains a male world. That said, so many critics have sensationalized her memoir as being anti-feminist because of her very candid admissions about experiences and feelings she had and felt during her many years in media. That said, having actually read this book, I think these critics have been far more anti-feminist than Katie was based on anything she admitted in her memoir. She admitted to some sincerely human feelings and mistakes. Hell, who among us has not had human feelings or made human mistakes? I thought this memoir was raw, poignant, hilarious, infuriating and bizarre. She sure as hell shared more information than I would have if I ever wrote a book like this!
April 11, 2022
Ms. Couric obviously has a pretty different worldview than I do, and it shows as she elaborates on her career and life. What is missing, and I didn't expect it to be there, but is boldly missing nonetheless, is a reverence, or a fear of the almighty. She is competent in self, and she does have many accolades to show for it. But at the end, I was left with, "What was it all for?" This isn't a review to bash her or judge her as much as to say - I was grieved reading it. It's not political, it's not even about 'hot topic' stances; but at the end, I'm left wanting. What is the substantive payoff? We toil and labor, but when we blatantly boast about our sin - or relegate prayer to just something therapeutic - I just wonder what it's all for.
November 23, 2021
I'm not usually all that into celebrity biographies, but I have to admit to being curious about what Katie has been up to since she was the "it" girl on the TODAY show. This autobiography starts out strong. It's fascinating to me how someone goes from a regular person to a superstar on television. Katie did a great job of leveraging every connection and never giving up, even when the going wasn't always smooth.
Unfortunately, after her first husband dies and she reveals the fiasco that was CBS (also very interesting if you like reading about office politics), her career and her book peter out. She starts writing more about the progressive social mores of the time with a focus on Matt Lauer, and the book becomes more less personal and more judgmental.
As her career wanes so does the book.
Unfortunately, after her first husband dies and she reveals the fiasco that was CBS (also very interesting if you like reading about office politics), her career and her book peter out. She starts writing more about the progressive social mores of the time with a focus on Matt Lauer, and the book becomes more less personal and more judgmental.
As her career wanes so does the book.
October 25, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed. Katie tells an honest, sometimes heartbreaking story of her life and the struggles of a woman in the news business in a man’s world. Don’t understand all the controversies that surround Ed the book by the media. She criticized herself more than anyone.
November 4, 2021
She's gifted, I will give you that. But, I must say my image of her has dwindled -- and it went down a bit more after reading the book. I'd love to keep that squeaky clean image of her hosting the TODAY show I once had in my mind.
I always admired her and her genuine, likable personality. Having studied journalism myself, I was drawn to her career and fascinated with what her daily life must be like. She was a great journalist keeping her biases aside -- was. However, since her departure from the TODAY show, I stopped keeping track of her. Every once in a while I would hear about her embarking on another career adventure. Gradually her opinions came out and her prejudices showed; and honestly they didn't match mine. That's fine.
I mostly read this book to find out more about the personalities she interviewed and her take on them. She didn't disappoint in painting a picture of them. I felt she was a little too descriptive of some and their personal life. I will never think of Neil Simon the same again. Why did I need to know that intimate detail?
Most of my impression of this book and her career choices I will keep to myself. However, she does write extremely well. I admire her vocabulary and had to google words several times. I admire her professionalism for the most part. I think she learned from the RGB fiasco from keeping out some valid concerns Ruth expressed in her interview that might have bridged a few gaps between liberals and conservatives. That's not her call to make. A reporter should not censure.
My heroes of the book: her parents. They sound like the mom and dad everyone wanted.
It is a fascinating read and don't regret "Going There."
I always admired her and her genuine, likable personality. Having studied journalism myself, I was drawn to her career and fascinated with what her daily life must be like. She was a great journalist keeping her biases aside -- was. However, since her departure from the TODAY show, I stopped keeping track of her. Every once in a while I would hear about her embarking on another career adventure. Gradually her opinions came out and her prejudices showed; and honestly they didn't match mine. That's fine.
I mostly read this book to find out more about the personalities she interviewed and her take on them. She didn't disappoint in painting a picture of them. I felt she was a little too descriptive of some and their personal life. I will never think of Neil Simon the same again. Why did I need to know that intimate detail?
Most of my impression of this book and her career choices I will keep to myself. However, she does write extremely well. I admire her vocabulary and had to google words several times. I admire her professionalism for the most part. I think she learned from the RGB fiasco from keeping out some valid concerns Ruth expressed in her interview that might have bridged a few gaps between liberals and conservatives. That's not her call to make. A reporter should not censure.
My heroes of the book: her parents. They sound like the mom and dad everyone wanted.
It is a fascinating read and don't regret "Going There."
October 27, 2021
I really liked this book. I’m confused about some of the press regarding her story. I found her memoir very well done and very honest. The morning show wars were a very real thing back in the day. I’m sure it still happens today, although I don’t watch morning shows any longer. I’ve always liked Katie Couric and I really enjoyed her book. I worked in television in the mid-90s and she summed up the environment very well.
December 24, 2021
Loved this memoir amidst the backdrop of history. So many tears and lol moments… this was a joy, a walk down memory lane, and an eye-opener. Katie shares her achievements, her grief, her regrets and her love for family in this fast paced book. I recommend it!
March 23, 2022
Audio 5 stars
Memoir 4.5 stars
A very informative Memoir of Katie Courics life .
Her story includes
-Losing her husband of 9 years to cancer. He was in his 40s
-All the sexual misconduct that went on in newsrooms. She talks about all the women who went through it including herself. She also talks about Matt Lauer who she worked beside and had no problem with until all his behavior was exposed.
-Her extensive interviews with many high profile people
-All the different news anchor jobs she had
She is a very interesting person imo and I enjoyed this book
Memoir 4.5 stars
A very informative Memoir of Katie Courics life .
Her story includes
-Losing her husband of 9 years to cancer. He was in his 40s
-All the sexual misconduct that went on in newsrooms. She talks about all the women who went through it including herself. She also talks about Matt Lauer who she worked beside and had no problem with until all his behavior was exposed.
-Her extensive interviews with many high profile people
-All the different news anchor jobs she had
She is a very interesting person imo and I enjoyed this book
November 2, 2021
Katie Couric’s memoir GOING THERE received a lot of bad press prepublication. She’s always been a favorite of mine, so I wanted the truth to see for myself.
Self-narrated, Couric reveals herself to be insightful, open not shying away from her mistakes and imperfections. I quickly realized that the bad press was more sexist tabloid journalism that truth about the book.
Couric is a masterful storyteller, both journalistically and as a memoirist. Listening to GOING THERE on audiobook, I felt as if she was telling me her life story.
Career wise, Couric rose to stardom on at the beginning of women becoming more prominent in journalism. She handled her sexual harassment, much more mild that what I experienced, with assertiveness, acknowledging her good fortune to have male colleagues support her against the misogyny.
Also of interest, Couric’s husband, Jay Monohan’s cancer and subsequent death. Couric’s reflections of former friend and coworker Matt Lauer, her move to CBS and beyond.
I can’t recommend GOING THERE enough.
Self-narrated, Couric reveals herself to be insightful, open not shying away from her mistakes and imperfections. I quickly realized that the bad press was more sexist tabloid journalism that truth about the book.
Couric is a masterful storyteller, both journalistically and as a memoirist. Listening to GOING THERE on audiobook, I felt as if she was telling me her life story.
Career wise, Couric rose to stardom on at the beginning of women becoming more prominent in journalism. She handled her sexual harassment, much more mild that what I experienced, with assertiveness, acknowledging her good fortune to have male colleagues support her against the misogyny.
Also of interest, Couric’s husband, Jay Monohan’s cancer and subsequent death. Couric’s reflections of former friend and coworker Matt Lauer, her move to CBS and beyond.
I can’t recommend GOING THERE enough.
November 9, 2022
I had high hopes for this memoir but it was a mixed bag for me. While highly readable and interesting; Katie Couric grated on my nerves. No one thinks more highly of Katie Couric than...well...Katie Couric.
I have always been fascinated by TV journalism. I grew up watching Katie Couric on The Today Show. The best parts of this book were all of the behind-the-scene looks at broadcast journalism...particularly The Today Show, CBS Evening News, and 60 Minutes. I loved all of that.
As for the rest of the book...meh. Yes, she spills the tea. Yes, she is gossipy. Yes, she is TMI. If that is what you are looking for, you will enjoy this memoir. Despite being highly annoyed by her personality, I was a captive audience, even while cringing as I read. The writing is fast-paced and I was along for the ride.
It was interesting to reflect on the historical moments and news stories of the past and read her first hand account. Couric also gives readers an in depth look at newsroom politics and the sexism and misogyny she encountered along with other professional challenges. She is/was a cutthroat player in her highly competitive career... as women needed to be. She admits to many of her mistakes and failures. She was often none too kind to many of her female colleagues. I was disappointed by her lack of mentorship to other women coming up in her field.
I also think that Couric was unfiltered in this book to her detriment. There were too many inappropriate disclosures. Disclose the men and their inappropriate conduct. I have no qualms with that. Shout it from the roof tops. But I hated that she consistently insulted her colleagues and others in her sphere with digs at their physical appearances and other physical aspects. Was that necessary? Who cares who had bad breath or whose hair looked like a squirrel's tail. Couric came across as shallow and mean. There were too many moments of self-absorption and privilege. Her image has dwindled in my eyes. America's sweetheart she is not. She admits that herself. Katie Couric has burned a lot of bridges with this memoir. I hope it was worth it. While I found her rise to fame and career interesting; I found Katie Couric to be pretentious and unlikeable.
My Rating: Okay
I have always been fascinated by TV journalism. I grew up watching Katie Couric on The Today Show. The best parts of this book were all of the behind-the-scene looks at broadcast journalism...particularly The Today Show, CBS Evening News, and 60 Minutes. I loved all of that.
As for the rest of the book...meh. Yes, she spills the tea. Yes, she is gossipy. Yes, she is TMI. If that is what you are looking for, you will enjoy this memoir. Despite being highly annoyed by her personality, I was a captive audience, even while cringing as I read. The writing is fast-paced and I was along for the ride.
It was interesting to reflect on the historical moments and news stories of the past and read her first hand account. Couric also gives readers an in depth look at newsroom politics and the sexism and misogyny she encountered along with other professional challenges. She is/was a cutthroat player in her highly competitive career... as women needed to be. She admits to many of her mistakes and failures. She was often none too kind to many of her female colleagues. I was disappointed by her lack of mentorship to other women coming up in her field.
I also think that Couric was unfiltered in this book to her detriment. There were too many inappropriate disclosures. Disclose the men and their inappropriate conduct. I have no qualms with that. Shout it from the roof tops. But I hated that she consistently insulted her colleagues and others in her sphere with digs at their physical appearances and other physical aspects. Was that necessary? Who cares who had bad breath or whose hair looked like a squirrel's tail. Couric came across as shallow and mean. There were too many moments of self-absorption and privilege. Her image has dwindled in my eyes. America's sweetheart she is not. She admits that herself. Katie Couric has burned a lot of bridges with this memoir. I hope it was worth it. While I found her rise to fame and career interesting; I found Katie Couric to be pretentious and unlikeable.
My Rating: Okay
November 2, 2021
Again I am in the minority on this book. I am two years older than Katie and I followed her career so I thought I might like to read what she thought about the myriad of people she has interviewed over the years. I was surprised at the bias she brought to many of her interviews even before she sat down with the person. I thought journalists were supposed to have an open mind and while asking the tough questions, reveal a bit of the person behind the persona. I was rather put off my her back pedaling of the Matt Lauer situation as well. At the end of the book I could not help thinking of Katie as the typical youngest child if you follow the "Birth Order" personality profiles. I tried to give her some grace but I cannot really give this book a good rating. I would suggest if you are on the fence, wait until it is available at the library.
November 4, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Going There has been getting a lot of buzz about the juicy scorched earth details in this book. I didn’t see it. But there is a reason I read few celebrity memoirs…the author is too close to the subject matter and shares details through a foggy lens. She mentions many times how she works hard to be noticed and loves attention. Now that I believe. Not a bad book, just not great and some of her disclosures were inappropriate and crude. #katiecouric #GoingThere #bio #nonfictionwriting
🍁
#reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram #booklovers #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #idratherbereading #readinglife #fallreading #modernmrsdarcy #november🦃
Going There has been getting a lot of buzz about the juicy scorched earth details in this book. I didn’t see it. But there is a reason I read few celebrity memoirs…the author is too close to the subject matter and shares details through a foggy lens. She mentions many times how she works hard to be noticed and loves attention. Now that I believe. Not a bad book, just not great and some of her disclosures were inappropriate and crude. #katiecouric #GoingThere #bio #nonfictionwriting
🍁
#reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram #booklovers #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #idratherbereading #readinglife #fallreading #modernmrsdarcy #november🦃
November 1, 2021
I think I read this because of my Morning Show love. Some really great stories and some stories that made me cringe. She is brave to be so honest, but also seems unaware of how bad some of these stories come off.
November 4, 2021
I enjoyed the book very much, except that I find that the fact that I don't much like Katie or Katherine gets in the way of the experience of reading her story. Although she is 10 years younger than I, I find her experience with the corporate media power structure to be spot on for my generation of professional women as well. I admire her courage in telling her story, admitting her shortcomings, trying to help us all learn from her experience "going there," and baring her soul to the extent that anyone with a public image would dare to do so.
I admired Katie's reporting skills from the time I "met" her as an NBC Pentagon correspondent on the Today Show. I well remember her excellent coverage of 9/11 as it was unfolding in real time. Her interview with Sarah Palin was masterful. I think that the press reviews of her book and her story tend toward the misogynistic and treat her as a bullseye for people who envy her, got in her way, or enjoy tearing down people in the public eye.
Despite my admiration of Katie's journalism chops and her beautiful legs, I personally find her chipper persona grating and do not enjoy her sense of humor (such as when she found it funny to shoot her breast milk at her husband from across the room). I think her comment in the book about having wanted to be the most popular girl in her high school and finding herself the most popular girl in America is a perfect example of why I do not "like" her. The person inside the reporter who cares so much about popularity comes shining through in the book--and it is not a person I enjoy knowing. That's the person who forgot to tell her teenage daughter that Mom's boy toy would be moving in with them. After much thought, I decided that her self-centeredness--which is a perfectly fine point of view for a person who is writing her memoirs--is so pervasive that it prevents her from producing a 5-star book. Katie appears to be so obsessed with herself that it prevents her from using the lessons she's learned to share what she's learned that will benefit the rest of us. We can imagine those takeaways, but I would have liked to know what Katie thought they were.
Katie, nice job on the book. You probably would not like me very much either.
I admired Katie's reporting skills from the time I "met" her as an NBC Pentagon correspondent on the Today Show. I well remember her excellent coverage of 9/11 as it was unfolding in real time. Her interview with Sarah Palin was masterful. I think that the press reviews of her book and her story tend toward the misogynistic and treat her as a bullseye for people who envy her, got in her way, or enjoy tearing down people in the public eye.
Despite my admiration of Katie's journalism chops and her beautiful legs, I personally find her chipper persona grating and do not enjoy her sense of humor (such as when she found it funny to shoot her breast milk at her husband from across the room). I think her comment in the book about having wanted to be the most popular girl in her high school and finding herself the most popular girl in America is a perfect example of why I do not "like" her. The person inside the reporter who cares so much about popularity comes shining through in the book--and it is not a person I enjoy knowing. That's the person who forgot to tell her teenage daughter that Mom's boy toy would be moving in with them. After much thought, I decided that her self-centeredness--which is a perfectly fine point of view for a person who is writing her memoirs--is so pervasive that it prevents her from producing a 5-star book. Katie appears to be so obsessed with herself that it prevents her from using the lessons she's learned to share what she's learned that will benefit the rest of us. We can imagine those takeaways, but I would have liked to know what Katie thought they were.
Katie, nice job on the book. You probably would not like me very much either.
Read
November 20, 2021📺 📺 📺 📺
“Sometimes I’ll post a video on Instagram of me showing off my garden’s bounty—makeup-free, bedhead, still in my pajamas.
Once someone commented, ‘Wow, she got old.’
And all I could think was Aren’t I lucky?”
I really enjoyed this very personal, mostly entertaining, sometimes wild, and surprisingly moving look into Katie Couric’s life so far. You don’t have to read that closely to pick up on her trying to set the record straight on topics such as her rocky time at CBS after enjoying tremendous success during a long tenure at the TODAY show, interview questions she has asked that have not aged well, and even tabloid stories about various points in her personal life. That is her prerogative in her own memoir. What I respect is that she puts enough into the book about her life and her perspective now, looking back, that readers have enough material to evaluate for themselves. My own assessment: Katie Couric is far from perfect, whatever that means in this context, and I doubt she has ever really tried to be. She is immensely talented in some respects and—thanks to those talents, lucky timing at key points in her life, and a healthy dose of moxie—has led an interesting life. And, like many of us, she still seems to be searching: for meaning, for relevance, and for redemption. I was particularly moved by her discussion of grief following the deaths of her first husband and her older sister while they were still quite young. In particular, rather than isolating the death of her husband in just one part of the book (as is often the case), she weaves this loss through the entire memoir in a way that I read as an honest and meaningful reflection of the different forms grief can take. I think Katie Couric’s success stemmed in large part from her ability to come across as a real person through the TV screen, and she has managed to do the same in this memoir.
“Sometimes I’ll post a video on Instagram of me showing off my garden’s bounty—makeup-free, bedhead, still in my pajamas.
Once someone commented, ‘Wow, she got old.’
And all I could think was Aren’t I lucky?”
I really enjoyed this very personal, mostly entertaining, sometimes wild, and surprisingly moving look into Katie Couric’s life so far. You don’t have to read that closely to pick up on her trying to set the record straight on topics such as her rocky time at CBS after enjoying tremendous success during a long tenure at the TODAY show, interview questions she has asked that have not aged well, and even tabloid stories about various points in her personal life. That is her prerogative in her own memoir. What I respect is that she puts enough into the book about her life and her perspective now, looking back, that readers have enough material to evaluate for themselves. My own assessment: Katie Couric is far from perfect, whatever that means in this context, and I doubt she has ever really tried to be. She is immensely talented in some respects and—thanks to those talents, lucky timing at key points in her life, and a healthy dose of moxie—has led an interesting life. And, like many of us, she still seems to be searching: for meaning, for relevance, and for redemption. I was particularly moved by her discussion of grief following the deaths of her first husband and her older sister while they were still quite young. In particular, rather than isolating the death of her husband in just one part of the book (as is often the case), she weaves this loss through the entire memoir in a way that I read as an honest and meaningful reflection of the different forms grief can take. I think Katie Couric’s success stemmed in large part from her ability to come across as a real person through the TV screen, and she has managed to do the same in this memoir.
November 10, 2021
I don't have any specific memory of or reason why I love Katie Couric, other than we were a Today show house while I was growing up and the constancy of her reading the news at 7am was the backdrop of my own coming of age. Most recently I listened to (and loved) her podcast and started following her and her media company on Instagram and realized (was reminded of?) just how talented AND fun she is.
Which is precisely the give and take that shapes her whole career and, thus, most of her memoir. Through the backdrop of her own (often tragic) life experiences and every major news event and figure of the last 40 years, Katie looks at what it was like to be expected (and wanting) to be everything in a world that often simultaneously only lets women be one thing. It's dishy, fascinating, hilarious, sad, and heartwarming.
She's brutally honest where she didn't have to be, and that's refreshing. Any of the backlash she's received for some of this honesty proves her ultimate point that sometimes you just can't win, and that's ok.
She could have had a little more perspective on her own privilege and what that made possible and easier for her, but ultimately she can only tell what she lived and that speaks volumes in and of itself.
Which is precisely the give and take that shapes her whole career and, thus, most of her memoir. Through the backdrop of her own (often tragic) life experiences and every major news event and figure of the last 40 years, Katie looks at what it was like to be expected (and wanting) to be everything in a world that often simultaneously only lets women be one thing. It's dishy, fascinating, hilarious, sad, and heartwarming.
She's brutally honest where she didn't have to be, and that's refreshing. Any of the backlash she's received for some of this honesty proves her ultimate point that sometimes you just can't win, and that's ok.
She could have had a little more perspective on her own privilege and what that made possible and easier for her, but ultimately she can only tell what she lived and that speaks volumes in and of itself.
November 7, 2021
SO GOOD I just couldn’t stop listening! Highly, highly recommend the audiobook so you can hear not only Katie read / talk to you, but also some sound bites from i.e. her first day on Today when they announce her name, 9/11 coverage, etc.
Why’d I pick this? Because I’ve been obsessed with Katie Couric and the Today show since high school
Why’d I pick this? Because I’ve been obsessed with Katie Couric and the Today show since high school
July 20, 2022
Katie is smart and candid and has led an interesting life. There is a lot to chew on here. I do not watch morning television and so do not have the attachment to Katie Couric that many others have, but I live in the world so I knew more than a few things about her. For the most part she told her stories in a way where there was a larger message or two, it was not just gawking at her triumph or tragedy. One note, I felt like she was easy on Lauer. My biggest issue was when she was talking about one of the women Matt scared into sex, Addie, a college intern Katie herself had advocated to hire. She refers to Addie as Matt's "conquest." She was not a conquest, she was a victim. She was a young woman with no money and no contacts (she was able to take the internship because the Salvation Army let her stay there) and he was Matt Lauer. She doesn't let Matt off the hook, but she normalized predatory behavior and it rankled.
Mostly she did not hold back in this book, and she attacked some pretty powerful men (and Marissa Mayer.) There are a lot of comments that say things like "she doesn't get the way she comes off in this", and I don't really know what they are talking about. She comes off as an ambitious and successful media professional. Hers is a competitive profession, and she competed well. It is a small universe and sometimes to move forward others have to fall. Maybe the issue they see is that she failed at every network after Today and that she sees all the problems as being theirs (the networks) rather than hers? But really, Jeff Zucker and Les Moonves and Scott Pelley? I mean they are all assholes. I am not saying she is not difficult, she might be, but these are some lousy men. That is all professional life. She clashed with people, she replaced people. It is not like she went after anyone with a personal agenda. Or maybe it's not the work stuff that is bothering these other readers. Maybe their issue that she comes off as rich? Because she is rich, and there is nothing at all wrong with being rich. She works hard for the money and if she gets a place in the Hamptons and can live in a hotel for year while her place on the UES is remodeled as a result that is all good. Overall I liked this, I was not captivated, but it was interesting. I am not that it much matters, but as someone who has never really watched anything Couric has done other than a couple of her documentaries I realized I kind of like her. She is a responsible journalist, a good mother, a good daughter and sister, and a good mate as far as I can tell. That is a pretty impressive life. I dunno, it was generally interesting and thoughtful, and I don't understand why people think she is damaging her legacy. Who the hell wants their legacy to only be "she was nice?" Nice is good, but its kind of a baseline. She was nice when appropriate and she got shit done. That is so much better.
Mostly she did not hold back in this book, and she attacked some pretty powerful men (and Marissa Mayer.) There are a lot of comments that say things like "she doesn't get the way she comes off in this", and I don't really know what they are talking about. She comes off as an ambitious and successful media professional. Hers is a competitive profession, and she competed well. It is a small universe and sometimes to move forward others have to fall. Maybe the issue they see is that she failed at every network after Today and that she sees all the problems as being theirs (the networks) rather than hers? But really, Jeff Zucker and Les Moonves and Scott Pelley? I mean they are all assholes. I am not saying she is not difficult, she might be, but these are some lousy men. That is all professional life. She clashed with people, she replaced people. It is not like she went after anyone with a personal agenda. Or maybe it's not the work stuff that is bothering these other readers. Maybe their issue that she comes off as rich? Because she is rich, and there is nothing at all wrong with being rich. She works hard for the money and if she gets a place in the Hamptons and can live in a hotel for year while her place on the UES is remodeled as a result that is all good. Overall I liked this, I was not captivated, but it was interesting. I am not that it much matters, but as someone who has never really watched anything Couric has done other than a couple of her documentaries I realized I kind of like her. She is a responsible journalist, a good mother, a good daughter and sister, and a good mate as far as I can tell. That is a pretty impressive life. I dunno, it was generally interesting and thoughtful, and I don't understand why people think she is damaging her legacy. Who the hell wants their legacy to only be "she was nice?" Nice is good, but its kind of a baseline. She was nice when appropriate and she got shit done. That is so much better.
January 25, 2022
This book surprised me. I've never particularly followed Katie C, formed an opinion for or against as one often does with public folk. She did the job - told me news around the world, in the states, and it pleased me when I saw her elbowing the news boys out of the way to make room for her. Other than that, I didn't know much. But how can anyone resist that smile? And there it is on the cover. . .so I checked it out.
She's like that popup toy, insisting on being heard, or that perpetually persistent person with no compunction about questioning others that keeps showing up, stirring the pot or at least shaking things up. She's relentlessly present, perky and eager to get the latest word in. . . so reading this book was like hanging with the cool girl for a bit - because she DOES go there. . . pulls no punches. She shares it all, her hard times, and her great times. And, yep, it's all relative. Hard times when there are millions in in your bank account is very different than hard times without a dime. But broken hearts are broken hearts, death and losing loved ones is something all of us fear and can empathize with . . .she's sure had plenty of that. Still, she bounces back, not because she doesn't feel the pain but because she's working on moving forward and who doesn't want to learn how to do that better? Katie C is a great example of taking on all comers, and trying to do the right thing at the right time. And when you blow it? You say sorry and keep on moving.
I was impressed, surprised and yeah, since reading the book, I check on her every so often. Where in the world is Katie C today? Hope she's good!
She's like that popup toy, insisting on being heard, or that perpetually persistent person with no compunction about questioning others that keeps showing up, stirring the pot or at least shaking things up. She's relentlessly present, perky and eager to get the latest word in. . . so reading this book was like hanging with the cool girl for a bit - because she DOES go there. . . pulls no punches. She shares it all, her hard times, and her great times. And, yep, it's all relative. Hard times when there are millions in in your bank account is very different than hard times without a dime. But broken hearts are broken hearts, death and losing loved ones is something all of us fear and can empathize with . . .she's sure had plenty of that. Still, she bounces back, not because she doesn't feel the pain but because she's working on moving forward and who doesn't want to learn how to do that better? Katie C is a great example of taking on all comers, and trying to do the right thing at the right time. And when you blow it? You say sorry and keep on moving.
I was impressed, surprised and yeah, since reading the book, I check on her every so often. Where in the world is Katie C today? Hope she's good!
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