Every Life a Story: Natalie Jacobson Reporting

by Natalie Jacobson

Throughout her forty-year career in broadcast television, including thirty-five as a reporter and anchor on Channel 5 in Boston, Natalie Jacobson told the stories of countless lives. Now she tells her own. Every Life a Story takes readers behind the scenes of the extraordinary career of a woman who rose from an immigrant childhood in Chicago to become the first woman to anchor the evening news in Boston. Natalie was among the most trusted people of greater Boston. Her viewers thought of her as family. Natalie brings readers on an uplifting journey possible only in America. When faced with no girls need apply, she saw a challenge, not an obstacle. Her father had set an example of fortitude, educating himself and rising from cab driver to president of Gillette North America. Generations of viewers recall Natalie and her husband Chet Curtis as “Nat and Chet,” beloved co-anchors of NewsCenter5 on WCVB-TV Boston. referred to them as “the de facto first couple of Boston, very likely the city’s best-known conveyors of news since Paul Revere.” Their lives seemed an open book as trials of sickness, death, pregnancy, birth, parenting, working motherhood, and eventually divorce played out on a very public stage. Ultimately, this book offers a sharp contrast to today’s divisive media landscape. Believing EVERY life is a story, Natalie feels, “This book is as much your story as it is mine. We reporters were there to give you information that was accurate, information to help you make informed decisions. We invited you to be part of it and you were. I used to hope when you tuned in to our newscast, you took a deep breath and relaxed, feeling you were among friends. You were home. I hope this book brings you the same comfort.”

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2022

Reviews

[Maureen Mahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stepped back to my childhood, to my childhood sofa with my parents and the 6 O’Clock news with Nat and Chet…. I loved this book just as I loved news when is was real news.
That was when you could trust and believe and true to form Natalie did not disappoint

[Lisa Hagerty]

I enjoyed this book. when I was a senior in college, my roomates and i eagerly followed her pregancy and were so excited when Lindsay was born. I had no idea that it was Chet that wanted out of the marriage.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am having a hard time rating the book. I really enjoyed reading it, but maybe because Natalie Jacobson was such a fixture throughout my entire life - so much that I named my first child Natalie, I might have had higher expectations upon discovering it and I think I expected more depth in certain sections. The book was definitely more of a memoir and was an engaging read. I feel like I learned about her early life, about why Channel 5 was so special and how what drives news has devolved over the years, her struggles as a working woman and later working mom. She also highlights the major stories of the Boston area during her tenure at channel 5. So for anyone of a certain age group who grew up in the Channel 5 WCVB viewing area from the 70's til the mid 2000's. this book is for you.

If you are that individual who remembers "Nat and Chet" then this book will be an enjoyable walk down memory lane. But it also might leave you wanting more.

[Charlie Gessner · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you grew up in New England as I did back in the 80s and 90s, then you’re fully aware of the impact of Natalie Jacobson from WCVB-TV in Boston. As co-host of the Boston evening news with her (then) husband Chet Curtis, they created a broadcast that was second to none.

This book is a memoir of her life, which covers everything from political dignitaries such as Tip O’Neill, John Silber and Mike Dukakis; to other major Boston stories such as the Boston Marathon, the Boston Church Sex scandal and 2004 Boston Red Sox championship season.

To be as simple as possible — this book is a blessing. Jacobson’s story is the same as her newscasts back in the day: it reads simply and straightforward, as if you’re having a conversation with a friend.

If you watched her and Chet Curtis on WCVB back in the day, then I’m 100% certain you’ll enjoy this recap of her 35 years on network television. Her insights, stories, and opinions were a very welcoming good read. It also has me missing/craving the credible news people we had back in Boston’s heyday. I can’t recommend this one enough!

[Anne-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audible: I grew up watching Natalie Jacobsen and was so sad when she had to retire. Getting to listen to her incredible life was a treat back into the past mine and Nat’s.

[Joanne24 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me yearn for the days when stations didn’t make the news. they reported the news.

This book is not a self serving story of a celebrity. It is an honest look at the Boston news media and particularly the news station WCVB, Channel 5. From its beginnings in 1973, these news professionals have graced my TV. I grew up with Nat and Chet, Chet and Nat. I agree with her that the nature of reporting the news has definitely changed over the years. Even taking that into account, WCVB is still my news station of choice. I know that I am getting honest reporting that I can trust. The professionals there now learned from the best and have been entrusted with a legacy of high quality to continue. Thank you Natalie and all of the family at Channel 5 through the years.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having watched Natalie and Chet pretty much every night from my late teens to late 30s, I was eager to read this book and to get to know a bit more about one of Boston's favorite anchors. The parts of the book where Natalie delved into her childhood and early adult years were great. I had no idea she was from Chicago and of Serbian descent or that her last name was from her first husband. When she described the more personal aspects of her life the book was interesting but once she got started on describing news and sports events in the Boston area over the course of her broadcasting career, it was boring. I skipped over a lot because being a Bostonian I know about all these things already. And they weren't written for the most part from a personal point of view but reporting with statistics, etc.

In fact, I apparently know even more than she does because at one point she is interviewing Julia Child and asked Julia why she was moving to assisted living in Santa Barbara, CA and Julia responded "To get my kids off my back!" Well, Julia didn't have children. She may have been referring to her nieces and nephews who stepped in to take care of her in her later years but a good journalist should have clarified this.

And then the typos - oy vey. Do publishing companies no longer use researchers or proofreaders? I was dumbfounded (and yes, that is how you spell it - it is not dumfounded, Natalie) by the amount of misspellings. Here are just a few gems -

Des Amis D'Scoffier - should have been Des Amis d'Escoffier. The chef's name was Escoffier.
Cleft palette - um, try palate?!
Jerry Anguilo - it was Angiulo and he and his brothers were in the news every day for years so easily found
Frank Aaruch - his name was Avruch
Bishon frise - it's bichon which she used half the time

And having spent most of the 90s living on Nantucket, although it closed before I moved there, even I knew she enjoyed her fried clams at Cy's Green Coffee Pot. Not Sy's.

So that extra star is for the good stories. The minus three is for the poor journalism, spelling and empty filler.

[George Hamblen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natalie’s story as a groundbreaking journalist as a Boston news anchor. As someone who grew up listening to her a daily basis, it was a treat to get the behind the scenes take. I did the audio book so I could hear her anchor voice. She was a voice for the city. Must read for anyone who grew up watching her and Chet.

[Sandi Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very informative about Natalie Jacobsob's forty-year career in broadcast television, including thirty-five as a reporter and anchor on Channel 5 in Boston, Natalie Jacobson now she tells her own story through this book. She has had a remarkable life and should be proud of what she has accomplished

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot about famous people in politics, sports and news media. I liked her style of writing; it brought me in to her life. I enjoyed learning about her quest for the truth as a journalist-so inspiring-and so questionable in this day. Thank you, Natalie, for your dedication. (P.S. A minor note: lot of typos. )

[Deb Harmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up with Natalie as the local newscaster, I really enjoyed this read. While a bit stream of consciousness and disconnected at times, it seemed to be Natalie's voice in a real, honest and frank manner. It was also a great reflection of major news stories during my lifetime and an amazing perspective of the role of women in the news and workforce. Still miss having Natalie on air -

[Suzanne Mundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this autobiography! Natalie Jacobsen did a fantastic job at describing her life and career in Boston, Ma. She is indeed a treasure and a wonderful broadcast journalist. I urge anyone to read it.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember Natalie Jacobson as a news anchor, and found her sharing of her childhood, her path to journalism and early in television news as well as women in that career path to be an interesting look at those many years.

[Ellen Curran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly a trip down memory lane as I grew up in a "Nat and Chet" house. The coverage of so many stories, the reminders of so many great journalists now retired, some gone was fun to relive. certainly nor perfect, but a good read.

[Heidi MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Natalie and this compilation of her stories is wonderful. Highly recommended

[Sue McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book, recalling a time when the news was reported fairly and without opinion. I miss those days and enjoyed Natalie's story.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fabulous. It was so well written & interesting. I learned a lot from this book. I couldn't put it down! You can't help admire what an amazing woman she was and still is.

[Joanne C Arsenault · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic Read

I learned so much about Natalie and her life. I loved how she reminisced about the stories she covered. I also loved reading about her life with Chet.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading Natalie’s story. And I’ve missed the WCVB from Natalie’s days. Too bad the local news scene has changed from real stories to face paced headline attention grabbing news. I miss the days of Natalie at the anchor desk.