Audition

Starred review from April 28, 2008
Although Walters writes, “It was not in my nature to be courageous, to be the first,” her compulsively readable memoir proves otherwise. No one lasts on TV for more than 45 years without the ability to make viewers feel comfortable, and Walters's amiable persona perfectly translates to the page. She gives us an entertaining panorama of a full life lived and recounted with humor and bracing honesty. Walters is surprisingly candid: about her older sister's retardation, her father's suicide attempt, her midlife affairs (including ones with John Warner—before and after his marriage to Elizabeth Taylor—and a very married Edward Brooke, the first African-American elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction), her daughter's troubled teen years and her acrimonious relationships with coanchors Frank McGee and Harry Reasoner. She vividly recounts her decision to leave NBC's Today
Show
after 14 years to become the first female nightly news coanchor, and tells of the firestorm of criticism she endured for accepting that pioneering position and its million-dollar salary. Alternating between tales of her personal struggles, professional achievements and insider anecdotes about the celebrities and world leaders she's interviewed, this mammoth memoir's energy never flags. 32 pages of photos.

May 15, 2008
After years of interviewing others, Walters tells her own story. She goes back to her grandparents in New York City, then imparts much about her father, producer and nightclub owner Lou Walters (most famously founder of the Latin Quarter), as well as her homemaker mother and her developmentally disabled sister. Walters uses the theme of "auditioning" as she narrates her move from school to school and then into her career. Eventually, she describes her years in television journalism and her many famous interviews, including every President and First Lady since Richard and Pat Nixon, every major world leader, and countless celebrities. Walters also discusses her three marriages and her daughter, named for her sister. Her juggling of career and familyand the resulting guiltis another major theme. Readers will get the inside scoop on some famous rumors, e.g., regarding Walters's relationships with Roy M. Cohn, Edward W. Brooke, and Fidel Castro; her role in the Iran-Contra affair; and the many cohost changes on "The View". Throughout, she maintains her typically professional, informed, and elegantly casual style, with occasional bits of humor and irony. Although this memoir is quite long, it is sure to delight celebrity and news junkies and Walters's fans. Recommended for all public libraries.Erica L. Foley, Clinton-Macomb P.L., Clinton Twp., MI

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 15, 2008
Audition might seem an odd title for this long-awaited autobiography. After all, who is more established in the publics mind than the iconic Walters? Butthats what is so terrific about this book. Walters really does let readers see whats behind her TV persona, and in many ways, what she reveals isan insecure womanwhose life has been one audtion after another.The daughter of a night-club impresario and a mother who wanted a more stable life, Walters moved a lot, ever the new kid. But the greatest influence on her young life was her mildly retarded sister, who evoked in Waltersboth love and guilt. Her familys ups and downs led her to believe that one day she wouldbe financially responsible for them, and that eventually happened. But as Walters makes clear, this insecurity is also what propelled her forward; her strong work ethic and some good timing also helped to shape heramazing career.However, all thatsuccess came at a price. It affected her marriages andher daughter, and it engendered amazing hostility from male colleaguesunwilling to give this pioneer a break. For readers of a certain age, much of the pleasure of the book comes in remembering along with Walters: her star interviews, her trip to the Bay of Pigs with Castro, her talks with kings, queens, and presidents. Then theresdish on what really happened behind the scenes at The View.A smart, funny, fascinating book in whichWalters captures possibly her most elusive subject: herself.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)