Saturday, April 5, 2014

Edward Klein - Katie: The Real Story

43. Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein (2007)
Length: 278 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 1 April 2014
Finished: 5 April 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 3 March 2014
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Edward Klein is a new author for me.

For the past twenty-five years - initially as the perky and spirited host of the 'Today' show, then as the only woman ever to anchor a network news program solo - Katie Couric has been a familiar visitor into millions of homes all across America. Yet, despite all her public exposure, no one - until now - has been able to penetrate the shield of her closely guarded personal life - to reveal her secrets and her struggles in the cutthroat world of television news.

In this stunning portrait of America's queen of news, bestselling author Edward Klein rips away the mask that has hidden the many faces of Katie Couric: the strong, independent woman and the needy wife and lover; the grieving widow famed for her kindness toward others and the fiercely competitive diva; the consummate television interviewer and the stumbling network anchor.

Drawing on scores of interviews of people who have never spoken openly about Katie before, Katie: The Real Story chronicles her meteoric rise to the top - from her early days at CNN and local television stations (where she was told she would never succeed) to her phenomenal fifteen-year run on 'Today'. For the first time, the author reveals the critical role Katie's father played in her risky decision to leave 'Today' for the hallowed anchor chair once occupied by Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather.

What is made clear in this book, is that Katie's road to stardom has been paved by a series of rocky personal relationships: a turbulent marriage to Jay Monahan, who died of colon cancer; testy associations with her 'Today' cohosts Bryant Gumbel and Matt Lauer; and several star-crossed love affairs, including one with a man seventeen years her junior.

Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein is a candid portrait of a folksy, charming woman, a loving single mother, cunning business woman, feminist icon and notorious diva. It is a remarkably insightful, honest and unflinching look at an exceptional woman and the media kingdom she sought to rule.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, it was an excellent and intriguing portrait of the perils of show business. It was very interesting and certainly opened my eyes to a side of Katie Couric that is rarely seen by the public. I give Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein an A+! and am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

1 comment:

  1. Wow, I want to read this book. Thanks for an absorbing review, Rosefire!

    ReplyDelete

Hello and welcome to my blog. I'm a newbie as far as book blogging goes, having been blogging at my daughter's blog for only about two and a half years. Now it's time for me to get my feet wet on my own. Please be gentle with this blogger. Love to hear from you all. Have a great day! :)