Customer Reviews

Is Barbara A journalist, Or Is She Cher? - By: prisrob, 21 Jun 2008

"Walters nonetheless takes care to report on the very public drubbing she received at the hands of her male peers during the summer between her departure from "Today" & the start of her tenure at ABC. "I am trying to have an open mind about it," was the less-than-supportive statement her future co-anchor Harry Reasoner made to the papers. CBS News president Richard Salant asked, "Is Barbara a journalist or is she Cher?" while Walter Cronkite announced that Walters' move gave him "the sickening sensation that we're all going under." Rebecca Traister

By now Barbara Walters has been on every TV, radio & media event to publicize her new book, 'Audition'. There is very little we do not know about her. Barbara is an icon to many, as she was the first woman to co-star on NBC's 'Today'. She went on to appear on ABC's nightly news with Harry Reasoner. Her unfortunate experiences colored the feeling so many women had towards Barbara's male colleagues. She certainly tried to break the barriers.

Barbara's early childhood was difficult but it gave her a certain confidence on how to relate with almost anyone. Her father, Lou Walters, was rarely home & at one point wanted a divorce from his wife. Barbara's mother cajoled her into going to her father & begging him not to leave his family. From that moment on what interview could be more difficult than that? As we are learn the interviews came one after another & Barbara became the competitive woman she is today. She tells usin this book, that she is through auditioning, but if, someone were to call her & say that Osama Ben Laden was willing to grant an interview, she would be ready. Barbara tells us of the difficulty she had with her young daughter, Jackie. Jackie became a drug addict & left home. Barbara assisted Jackiein putting her life together & today they have a wonderful relationship. Jackie was named after Barbara's sister Jackie. She was disabled & Barbara spent much if her childhood alone. She did not want to bring anyone home. Though Barbara was very attentive to her sister & to her familyh. At a certain pointin her life, she was the breadwinner for the entire family.

Barbara has been married three times. Many wonder if Barbara has been looking for her father. Why do we care & why do we wonder? Barbara reveals the loves & lives of some of the men she met along the way. The most shocking to many people, was her affair with Sen. Edward Brooks. With these revelations, Barbara has attempted to show us that she is a regular person who has had a life of ups & downs, miseries & happiness . She has experienced a life that most of us would envy but she wonders if she had the time to appreciate all that her life afforded. She has interviewed most of the famous peoplein her world. But did she have fun during this time?

"Surely the finest & most revealing momentin "Audition" comes near the end, when Walters describes being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, for O magazine, on the occasion of her retirement from "20/20." Oprah asks her what it "means" to be Barbara Walters, a question that may exceed even the high Walters-ian bar for pop-psych pseudo-depth. Walters responds that she's not sure. "I realize how blessed I have been but sometimes I still feel inadequate," she tells Oprah. "I don't cook. I can't drive. Most of the time, when I look back on what I've done, I think: Did I do that? Why didn't I enjoy it more? Was I working too hard to see?" As Walters reportsin her book, "I looked up at Oprah & saw that she had tearsin her eyes." And there it is, the meaning of Barbara Walters. She can even make her interviewer cry." Nicholas Lemann

'Audition' has been likened to Katharine Graham's autobiography, 'Personal History'. There is a slight resemblance, but what is missing from Barbara Walter's book is the frankness of Katharine Graham. The inner revelation of the woman, & the one story after another of the public people she has interviewed. There are not enough stories interwoven to bring this storyline continuity. However, this book is highly entertaining & even at its great length, 579 pages.

Recommended. prisrob 05-22-08

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