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 - worth the moneyEntertaining.....very, very detailed story of Barbara's personal and public life. Long book, worth the money if you are a fan. Rating:  - Didn't Read the BookI will not support a woman that has had affairs by buying her book. Why not just put a PIG on the cover? Rating:  - Good, Honest Insights for Working WomenMy mother-in-law gave me this book and I wasn't expecting to particularly like it, as I am not that familiar with Barbara Walter's work (other than a few specials I have watched.) I certainly didn't realize all the barriers she had broken through for women in journalism. But what really drew me into this book was her honesty about being a working mom - the conflicts she often felt between her own career drive and the needs of her daughter, parents, and disabled sister. She owns up to that most difficult of emotions that many of us working moms often feel but frequently deny - GUILT. But at this point in her life, she is philosophical about it, and doesn't come off as self-punishing, or as regretting her decisions. She is grateful for her extraordinary life, and comes off as having done the best she could. I especially appreciated her honesty about the difficulties she had with her daughter as a teenager. I think that chapter alone is worth reading the book. Rating: - Amazing life and way of telling itI got the electronic copy of the book and it was hard for me to put it down. It's very interesting, not just because of its candid tone, but also for its historical setting. Excellent use of the language without being snobbish. Rating: - An absorbing account of a notable lifeI hesitated to tell people I was reading this book. People tend to have strong opinions about Barbara Walters, and not usually positive. Personally I can't stand The View. However, I realized that this woman has accomplished incredible things in her lifetime and has formed relationships with people we only see on the screen and read about in the papers. So I dove in. This is a readable (if not brilliantly crafted) story of a woman with a troubled personal life who fashioned a remarkable and fulfilling career for herself. At the beginning she just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Still, she struggled to gain a foothold in a man's world. The insider's account of TV news shows warts and all (alcoholism, male chauvinism, reckless measures to get the first interview with newsmakers). Walters also shares her own personal insecurities. This is both a grand story of a life fully lived, and a rather touching personal account and self-examination. Yes, she fawns somewhat over various political and entertainment figures. Still, I found the book to be very readable, it never dragged in spite of its length, and I feel privileged to know her better after reading this book.
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