Audition: A Memoir Reviews

• An Extraordinary Life and Book

  
  By ALUJ15UFI1422 on 2008-05-06
  At nine o'clock this morning, I arrived at Barnes and Noble, picked up Audition and sat down to read with a cup of coffee. I read for hours, bought the book and continued reading at home.
  
  At over 600 pages, this book cannot be read in a day. However, I have read enough to report that the book is magnificent; extremely well- written, very pleasurable to read and absolutely fascinating.
  
  Thankfully, there is also a detailed index. I found myself eying the index and flipping through to certain sections. I enjoyed reading about Walters' experience with the application form and other details at my alma mater, Sarah Lawrence College.
  
  Open this book and on the inside jacket is a listing of the hundreds (thousands?) of people who Barbara Walters has interviewed and knows. It's pretty staggering, actually.
  
  Born September 25, 1929, Barbara Walters has led an extraordinary life. Walters was first known as a TV morning news anchor and became the first female evening news anchor and many of us know her as the interviewer who can make anyone cry. Walters has spent decades reporting the news and interviewing, extracting juicy details and information out of world leaders, celebrities, heads of state and other VIP's.
  
  In Audition, we get to learn about Walter's personal and professional life and her relationships with many of the most famous people in the world.
  
  In the prologue, Walters states: "It feels to me that my life has been one long audition--an attempt to make a difference and to be accepted."
  
  I was quite moved by her introduction and her feelings about her mentally challenged older sister, Jackie. Walters credits her sister as being the strongest influence in her life and credits her for teaching Walters about compassion and understanding--the traits that have made her such an outstanding interviewer.
  
  "I've guarded my sister's privacy for years." Walters writes. "And although she was the central force in my life, she was part of the package that I'm about to unwrap on these pages."
  
  Walter's warmth and compassion comes through in this book and you come to care very deeply about her. She writes in a conversational tone and the book is very enjoyable to read.
  
  One statement Walters makes I found strange, however; she writes: "I was then, and still am, attracted to men who are smart and powerful. I'm not sure why. I think it's because I'd always hoped there would be a strong, successful man to take care of me so I wouldn't have to take care of myself."
  
  Really? Or is it simply that like seeks like--why would Walters seek a stupid and weak partner?
  
  In spite of that statement, I see hope and inspiration in this book especially for young women and girls, because it shows that a woman can be highly intelligent, tough and successful and still be a woman.
  
  From the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet.
  
  

• Some things are better left unsaid

  
  By A78LMN70UNA4F on 2008-05-07
  I would not go as far as to call her a "ho", as the previous reviewer did, but-come on.. forget for a moment that this is Barbara..This is a woman who was married 3 times, had an affair with a man, knowing all too well that he had a wife and children. And she did it for a period of two years! No one gets to be where she is by playing by the rules-let's face it, underneath that "classy" persona, she's a social climber, and a tough and a cruel fighter. Playing for sympathy today as she talks how she knowingly missed her sister's death while promoting her own career in Wisconsin... Yes, I know what you'll say-No one is perfect; to err is human. But this, after all, is a person who made her career on being a "true professional". And after admitting her sins, she readily goes on every possible show of every possible network in the Universe trying to promote those very transgressions she says she's feeling a great remorse about.
  In this book, not only she's selling her own "secrets", she is freely embarrassing others. The senator, her ex, who in all likelyhood, has forgotten she ever existed, her daughter's teenage struggles, Rosie's personal shortcomings, Star's tackiness.
  
  She slept with her first boss in television - also married with 2 kids. Whose husband hadn't she sleep with? There were at least 3 other affairs (of course everyone was "separated" the way she tells it) before she even got to the senator. Down right pathetic. She's lucky she got through all these train wrecks unscathed. So why detract attention away from her accomplishments by focusing on her obvious neediness and bad taste in men? At her age it's embarrassing that she doesn't know any better.
  Just because she says she feels guilty now, does not excuse anything. Come on, read between the lines! The only reason for this "human" sentimentality is because she expects you to pay $30 for the book... that's all!
  
  

• Barbara Walters: Her Time To Shine

  
  By A14H1F5YCUEU4J on 2008-05-06
  For as long as I can remember, Barbara Walters has been almost a part of my life. I think I first became aware of Walters when she interviewed Elizabeth Taylor many years ago. Since then I have tuned in to Walters, whether it be on 20/20 or even The View, to see her wonderful interviews. No matter who she interviewed, whether it be film stars, presidents, disgraced public figures, dictators, etc. she always brought a very human side to them, often bringing them to tears. But how much did we really know about the lady behind the questions?
  
  I have always thought of Barbara Walters as being rather guarded. Maybe that was a conscious effort on her part to allow her interview subject to shine through, and for the focus to be on them. In "Audition" we learn of a unique childhood. Her father, Lou Walters, ran the Latin Quarter nightclubs, and the young girl was around celebrities constantly. Because of this, it seemed as if Walters was almost destined to become an interviewer of the rich, famous, and infamous all around the world--but it was a bumpy ride in getting there. Along the way she became the first female co-host of an American news program. Her male counterpart on the show, Harry Reasoner, made life difficult Walters. She would go on to do 20/20 with Hugh Downs and become just as famous as those she interviewed.
  
  "Audition" successfully chronicles the ups and downs of an extremely distinguished career. A lot of readers may pick up this book because of the revelation of Walters' affair with a married African-American senator. Unfortunately that bit of information seems to dominate the press coverage of this wonderful book, which is a shame. I do, however, think that this book came at the right time. Barbara Walters' name has been rather tarnished these past couple of years with the scandals involving the ladies of The View. Hopefully this book will restore Walters' good name, and remind the public of all her many achievements. With "Audition" it is Barbara Walters' time to shine!
  
  

• you've just entered a no spin zone

  
  By A3MQ672FYFNM7B on 2008-05-13
  I like Barbara Walters, I really do. But I'm not overly crazy about this book. And I've never been someone who sits by and gives (insincere) praise to someone no matter how much I like them.
  
  Barbara totally played her "gender" card with this book, hoping to cash in on her fame as a female journalist. Think about it. If this were a man and he wrote a book about his affair 25 or 30 years ago how would he be received?
  
  I also got incredibly sick of the redundancy in the book. She must have said at least 100 times "I am the first this and I am the first that..." Frankly, I don't believe Barbara Walters is anywhere close to being as influential or as important as she makes herself out to others. What exactly did she do to change American Media? What did any of the "female journalists" do to change American MSM? Not one thing. To quote the words of the Great Shakespeare: And therein lies the rub. Because our society sets such low standards for women. They see a woman who knows how to spin like Barbara Walters and all of a sudden everyone is flabbergasted.
  
  In her book she briefly discusses Star Jones which I also found very foolish and rather sloppy on her part. Because let's assume that Star Jones was the fattest, laziest piece of work that ever crossed Waters' path, how exactly would that help her? Star Jones worked for her for nearly 10 years and all of a sudden now she's persona non grata just because Barbara Walters wants to push her book? I don't buy it.
  
  My favorite parts of the book were about her family and daughter. Over the years Barbara has often been very private when it comes to discussing her non-professional life so some of this information was brand-new. I also enjoyed her writing style very much because it was not overbearing in these sections.
  
  Did anyone see Barbara Walter on Larry King Live? You could tell that she was (at least mildly) ticked off for being bumped to the end of the program. And then when the interview ended it was so hilarious when they both went out of their ways to kiss each others bee-hinds. No, they are not "good friends" as they each purported in the interview. Barbara Walters has said many nasty things about Larry King over the years. I wonder why she didn't include that in her book?
  
  At least with Bill O we all know exactly what we're getting. As far as Barbara is concerned, she's been pulling the wool over everyone's eyes for years and years and IMO it's rather tragic that this is how she is going to be remembered because this is how her career is ending. You know, my granny always said: if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck it's a duck.
  
  
  
  
  

• Way too long

  
  By A34FE26GOJJ0I on 2008-05-07
  I've gotten into reading memoirs lately and I thought this one would be decent because of all the press it has received. Not my cup of tea. Mrs. Walters is an impressive woman, but reading about her life is not impressive. This book is just way too long (600 pages) and would have been much better if she just picked the most exciting parts of her life to write about. Oh yeah, for Rosie fans, the stuff in here about Mrs. Odonnel is pretty funny.
  
  
• Career-obsessed, needs to retire!
  By A2PV6GK1HV54Y9 on 2008-05-12
  Barbara Walters is trash, plain and simple. This woman spent her whole career working too hard, not taking care of her only child, and had an affair with a married politican. Walters failed at marriage three times, she explains her heart was too heavy, if she didn't want to get married then don't, what is so hard about that? She is money-hungry, she needs to retire! what is she waiting for? All she cares about is exploiting her collegues, she doesn't realize how she is coming off. Someone needs to tell this woman to stay home and enjoy life, instead of selling her life story for cash. Don't buy into the hype, she hasn't opened any doors for women, and who said she was smart? this book is not well-written and she's a journalist! give me a break.
  
  
• Star Jones is right
  By A26AQB4F8H0UW0 on 2008-05-10
  I think I agree with Star Jones. Why is BW coming out with this right now?
  
  I've admired the woman, but she's tarnished that with all these tales of adultery and poor parenting. While my admiration was obviously an illusion, why can't people allow a good, positive illusion to persist?
  
  A two star review probably reflect my disappointment in the woman. Maybe the book itself should be more of a 3.5 star for readability. But it did leave a sour taste for me.
  
  
  
  
• Barbara Walters - the AUDIOBOOK reviewed
  By A3R6PI47EF3F83 on 2008-05-06
  Having read the book, I had to hear this version in her voice. Unfortunately, it is abridged. Neveretheless, Walters hits many of the high points here and hearing it read with her unique inflections and accents was worth it.
  
  She talks about her troubled family. Her parents had a difficult marriage. Her dad was in show biz, first in running vaudeville then in nightclubs. He was mostly absent and went from wealth to poverty over and over. Very stressful for Barbara and her mom. Plus, her sister was intellectually challenged and that was tough for the whole family. Ironically, when TV came into existence it became her sister's boon companion.
  
  Highlights: Walters describing her ascent at the TODAY SHOW as she shattered barriers and rose to the top. Her descriptions of interviews with people like Yasser Arafat and Fidel Castro are priceless. Absolute fave from the audiobook version: Walters reaction to Gilda Radner's parody of her on Saturday Night Live. Walters was mortified and embarrassed but she got over it and she even does a funny imitation of Radner as BABA WAWA. Walters doing a parody of a parody of herself. Priceless!
  
  Note*some of the juiciest stuff from the book is NOT on the audio version. Pay heed.
  
  
• Barbara Walters - Earth Mother of the Universe
  By AXB7O6621G5DP on 2008-05-09
  I always wondered why Barbara Walters had a slightly unfocused look at the beginning of some of her broadcasts. She confesses that when she is nervous, she takes one puff of a cigarette just offstage, and (being a non-smoker) immediately feels slightly dizzy but relaxed. This is exactly the look I am thinking of -- eager but slightly unfocused for a moment, batting her eyelashes exactly twice.
  
  It's the nicotine!
  
  Miss Walters has produced a long and satisfying memoir which will become the beach read of the Summer. Early on, she boasts slightly of her skills as an editor. It's clear she has applied them to this book as well. Barbara Walters has produced a finely-lubricated engine of a narrative that keeps us moving rather swiftly through her early years and subsequent superstar status.
  
  I imagine the book could easily have topped 1,000 pages had she not applied her skilled eye in chopping it down. Still, when Miss Walters writes about some of her more interesting interviews, Truman Capote for example, you almost wish she would go into more detail. There is a sense she is holding back for brevity.
  
  However, there are so many incredible anecdotes -- one featuring Robert F. Kennedy and a Mynah bird had me howling -- and they are from such impressive individuals, you admire her even more for taking out what must have been some humdingers.
  
  I don't want to give any of them away because they're too good. I bought this book on the day of its release and I am not disappointed.
  
  I like Barbara Walters' tenacity and ambition, even if she feels her rise to the top was fueled somewhat by an anxious insecurity, a neverending audition. In fact, she's auditioning for us here. Her memoir is designed to be comprehensive and readable and it succeeds on both counts.
  
  Some people define "Class" in an individual as warmth, empathy, intelligence, humor and diplomacy. You sense these people have a solid moral core. They may, in fact, make you feel slightly inferior in some areas, but of course would never let you know it, nor would they even feel it themselves. Barbara Walters is the type of woman who overtips and wouldn't be caught dead harrassing a waiter.
  
  We haven't kept her on top all these years for nothing.
  
  Get the book.
  
  
  
  
• A Classy Honest but Painful "Coming to Grips with Life"
  By A3RFXU3P0XKKF4 on 2008-05-12
  Befitting the classy lady that she is, Mrs. Walters has penned an extremely honest, revealing and often painful summary of an interesting and fulfilling life.
  
  Not being able to drive, cook, or athletic in any way, including being unable to even ride a horse, makes Barbara seem almost normal: Her humanity comes through in so many ways that she now feels like a member of the family, the family of humanity: and not the calculating, hyper-testosterone, driven pseudo-masculine "ball-busting" "kill-or-be-killed witch" persona that she is often accused of projecting.
  
  If having to care for her entire family after her father's "ups and downs," and then finally "down and out" business life was not enough, then her relationship with her "less than normal sister," troubles with her adopted daughter, her social isolation, and her struggles against a male dominated world, brings her humanity clearly into focus in a way that no other aspects of her life ever could have done.
  
  After reading so much pabulum masquerading as autobiography (Hilary Clinton's "Living History" for instance), it is refreshing to read one that actually reveals a life actually lived and one, worth living.
  
  Five Stars
  
  
• For me, the best parts are those about her personal life, her daughter, her sister, etc.
  By A1ER5AYS3FQ9O3 on 2008-05-17
  I had very mixed reactions after reading this book. The personal sections, the ones dealing with her daughter, father and other aspects of life OFF screen were very engaging.
  
  I can remember Barbara Walters from the days when she was a very young reporter or television journalist, the distinctive speech that was parodied on Saturday Night Live, the Barbara "Wah Wah" jokes and all the rest.
  
  As a young female watching all that occur in a time when women's roles were changing, I often cringed when I saw her on television. It was like watching and FEELING a cultural paradigm - and I think this book reflects that as well.
  
  Although Walters maintained a fairly professional facade throughout her career, I'm sure plenty of what happened to her, on air and off, stung. So to judge her too harshly would be wrong.
  
  However, I DO think there are parts of this book which are too braggy, perhaps unintentionally so, perhaps even defensively so. The woman is used to attention, to a certain degree of power and to having fought her way from being scorned by male co-anchors to winning respect. That deserves note.
  
  Still, it wasn't all the list of Firsts and Great Interviews that Walters writes about that actually touched and engaged me. Instead, it was her honesty about her personal, behind the scenes life. I recall seeing a show she did on adoptive parents and her own interview and the revelations of her adopted daughter. There were struggles between the two and even estrangement for a time. Also, Barbara had a sister with mental challenges and there was that as well as times when she had to put her career first and marriage and even her daughter second. There was a cost for that and I didn't feel Walter shied away from being honest about the realities.
  
  Love her, hate her or feel indifferent towards her...the woman took on a tough job at a tough time for women who aspired to be on television as something other than stereotypes. I do think she seems to fawn a bit too much over some celebs in interviews but with others she surprises them and gets them to open up.
  
  
  Finally, I'm always eager to know what keeps people like Barbara Walters to push on when others fall by the wayside. The answer? Insecurity and some fear. She is not unlike Larry King in that regard, a man who once had money and lost it all while in Miami and has seemed relentless since then. She is not unlike Sarah Jessica Parker, a woman who grew up on welfare and worries about every cent she spends (not that Walters and Parker are the same in every way but...) I think great insecurity often leads to great success and the unceasing drive to succeed.
  
  Her revelations about her father, the danger of impoverishment and the responsibilities placed on Walter's shoulders were new to me. These parts of the book were particularly engaging.
  
  I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would but felt it was an uneven ride but worth the trip.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• PLEASE THINK OF ALL THE OTHERS
  By A2GPZY8M7WZ300 on 2008-05-18
  Much has been said about her affair with the Senator. HERE is WHERE I'm coming from.... the Senator may HAVE IMPLICITLY "consented" (he found out shortly before the book was to hit the bookstands!) but how about ALL of his RELATIVES? His wife (though separated, still qualifies as VICTIM), same but different degree - his children, grandchildren and friends. DO they DESERVE to HEAR THIS from SOMEONE OTHER than the Senator??? What is the Statute of Limitation on DECENCY??? In this respect, Walters gets an "F" in Human Decency, which may suggest that some of her empathy in those memorable personal interviews may have been counterfeit. Sorry, Barbara if you can take it as well as give it, the proper thing to do is openly acknowledge your Apology to all those "true victims" in the affair that you hurt in different ways. Then, the admiration and respect that many of us have for you would be truly restored. Consider this: IF your father had an affair with one of those showgirls in the Latin Quarter (which he managed), would you rather hear about it from (a) your father or b) the showgirl? Show us your TRUE GREATNESS by having the courage to eat humble pie in your Eighties! Then, you would ROCK! Live long(er)and well. I am a Fan.... I admire your spunk (better know to you as "chutzpah"???) because it makes you who you are... well, almost.
  
  
• So Barbara Walters write a book!
  By APMXBA9H5P101 on 2008-05-10
  So about Barbara and her book coming out why write about marriages and just write a little about her background and about her career and not to meson about these three men she was married to just write quick Biography about her and her story and her career and forget all the murmuring and write a little about her sister and Parents and Grand Parent's and so forth and drop it I think it would been a better book for Barbara and her self and not to put all the joke an it and forget it and the view is so silly that why not turn it an something else then having shooting with Rose O'Donnell and the rest of them and just keep it simple and interview people and just keep it simple for get all the shooting and the joke and silly to talk over each other and nothing is wrong with Elizabeth she has her opine like we all have with the Barbara interview she just ask questions and didn't intercrop any one or made it bad so I don't see any thing with Elizabeth why they just have a topic and interview people that has written a book or done a music CD or some Organization or someone that could give a program make it more interesting to view's and for them Interview someone from a Organization that dose good an the community or some one is interesting then sent around a table and talking it doesn't make bunch since to sent around the table and talk then not to interview people that have a interest.
  
  
• Utterly boring
  By A2SF0ZWCFR1JMI on 2008-05-17
  It's a pity that Ms. Walters, an octogenarian, had to write such a fiasco. Each chapters get more boring as you proceeed reading. It show that her ego is bigger than the universe to have the audacity to write such an embarrasing book at such an old age.
  
  
• Changing the World for Female Journalists
  By A3CZWVO53MLZI9 on 2008-05-15
  Barbara Walters who has spent more than five decades shattering the glass ceiling for female journalists has delivered a candid new memoir, "Audition," looking back on her extraordinary life. "Audition" begins in Boston where she was born and concludes in New York where she continues to work at age 78 on her ABC specials and "The View." She provides the kind of personal glimpses and secrets she tries to extract from her many high-profile interviews.
  
  Walters got into television by accident and got her big break when she did Alpo dog food commercials as a "Today Girl" on NBC's Today Show. She then became the first woman cohost of the Today show, and after a difficult move to ABC, the first female network news co-anchor. "Audition" provides the behind the scenes stories we have come to expect in books like this, as she made history rising against all odds to the top of a male-dominated industry.
  
  "Audition" is filled with star-studded stories about her famous and infamous interviewees including Richard Nixon, Anwar Sadat, Menachem Begin, Shah of Iran, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, Yasir Arafat, Warren Beatty, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, the Dalai Lama, Princess Diana, King Hussein, Angelina Jolie, Henry Kissinger, Monica Lewinsky, Rosie O'Donnell, Christopher Reeve . . . the list goes on and on.
  
  Walters weaves a very human narrative of her family throughout the book; a narrative that provides clues to where she got her drive, the choices she made, her three failed marriages, being attracted to older (and often married) men, and her willingness to take risk. There is her risk-taking father, Lou Walters, the mercurial nightclub impresario who made and lost several fortunes; her long suffering mother; the family's descent from the penthouse to rent-controlled apartments; her mentally disabled sister, Jackie, who taught her much about patience and compassion; and the troubled teen years of her adopted daughter, Jackie (named in honor of her sister) who got hooked on amphetamines.
  
  "Audition" is a very readable portrait of a deftly calculating woman with an impeccable sense of timing and incredible luck. Walters has given us a story that is heartbreaking and honest, surprising and fun, sometimes startling, and always fascinating. This makes a great companion book to Katie Couric's recently published biography, "Katie: The Real Story."
  
  
  
• No sugar coating here
  By AV6GV85OSVR3M on 2008-05-08
  Barbara Walters doesn't sugar coat her life. Good for her! If you're going to tell your life story you need to tell the good, bad, and the ugly. And she does just that. I have even more respect for the woman now. She admits her mistakes in her affair and her broken marriages. She also admits the guilt she feels for her relationship with her disabled sister. The book was a little longwinded but an interesting read about an interesting and influential woman.
  
  
• "Is Barbara A Journalist Or Is She Cher?" asks WalterCronkite
  By A1TPW86OHXTXFC on 2008-05-22
  "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" and 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 and 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 and at one point wanted a divorce from his wife. Barbara's mother cajoled her into going to her father and 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 and Barbara became the competitive woman she is today. She tells us in this book, that she is through auditioning, but if, someone were to call her and 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 and left home. Barbara assisted Jackie in putting her life together and today they have a wonderful relationship. Jackie was named after Barbara's sister Jackie. She was disabled and Barbara spent much if her childhood alone. She did not want to bring anyone home. Though Barbara was very attentive to her sister and to her familyh. At a certain point in 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 and why do we wonder? Barbara reveals the loves and 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 and downs, miseries and 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 people in her world. But did she have fun during this time?
  
  "Surely the finest and most revealing moment in "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 reports in her book, "I looked up at Oprah and saw that she had tears in 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, and 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 and even at its great length, 579 pages.
  
  Recommended. prisrob 05-22-08
  
  How to Talk with Practically Anybody about Practically Anything
  
  
  
  
  
  
• finally she shows herself to be what she has always been.
  By A3BB4F97OOME0P on 2008-05-24
  Um.. let me get this straight: A "journalist" who has to tell us who she slept with (and why), who for decades has been a fan of dictators with blood on their hands (Castro comes to mind) has now written a "controversial book" about it all? I'm sorry I was given this trash as a present... and even more sorry I read some of it (I couldn't bring myself to finish it). Purchase at your own peril.
  
  
  
• Great American lives
  By ASADBWBNN5Z6K on 2008-05-08
  This is not the type of book that would normally interest me, but I was nonetheless impressed. Barbara Walters is an excellent study in the lives of great Americans.
  I also recommend EVERY DAY A MIRACLE HAPPENS or MIRACLES OF THE SAINTS by Rodney Charles or Rodney N Charles. Both Published by 1stWorld Library or 1stWorld Publishing.
  The Second Declaration
  Every Day A Miracle Happens
  The Secret Meaning of Names
  Lighter Than Air
  The Devil's Disciple
  Les Miserables, Volume I & II
  THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO Vol II
  PUBLISH IT NOW
  Book Marketing Basics - The New Model For Promoting Your Book
  Illumination: A Gnostic Handbook for the Post Modern World
  
  
  
• Great book!
  By A12O8W97T5YZSF on 2008-05-09
  Really, this is a fascinating read and it is very well written. It is highly mesmerizing-you just can't put it down-It took me one day to complete it. Reading about her trials and tribulations on wer way to fame makes you feel privileged that she is sharing her life story with you. I do admit that one thing I was not too keen on, was the fact that she revealed the identity of some affairs, more particularly the married ones, separated or not. Her journey is amazing and quite revealing, and I finished the book feeling enriched in the knowledge that I acquired about the news industry, her interviews and her lifestory. Great book!
  
  
• Affirmative Sex
  By A2HKRSUCG5CJO3 on 2008-05-23
  Wow! Why is the most interesting thing in Barbara's life her sex life with a black man. Who else did she sleep with to get ahead? Why did she not reveal this? What role did affirmative action play? According to my book "The Angry Black Man's Guide to Success" that is exactly why white women get ahead of black men, because they always have the option of affirmative sex, sleeping with the boss and his friends. What doors did this affair open for her? What a waste of a book.
  The Angry Black Man's Guide to Success: And the Women that Help Them
  
  
• Pretentious, but what did you expect?
  By AX9VQDXE1QG3Z on 2008-05-24
  I did expect to enjoy this book; I paid full price! Alas, I did not. Barbara Walters should have been a politician. The careful way she says one thing, but infers other things, is a study in political correctness combined with mud slinging. I was bored beyond belief after only a few chapters, so I skipped to look at the pictures, then to read her take on THE VIEW. And in my honest opinion, she lies throughout the chapter. But more than that, for all her living, Barbara Walters has never really learned to see what is going on with other people. If it didn't happen to her, she cannot understand it. And even things that DID happen to her seem beyond her comprehension. I recommend anyone who is interested in just one or two chapters of this book not think they then might like it all -- but go to a bookstore, stand and read those chapters, and spare reading the rest. To add insult to injury, the book has a "rough cut" which means you can't even flip through it. Hmm, maybe Barbara DOES know something of human nature!
  
  
• Barbara Walters Memoir
  By AQ7US3HVC120E on 2008-05-12
  This is a fast read because it is sad, funny, exciting and you can hear Barbara speak like she was reading it to you. This book Audition: A Memoir makes you realize just what a sense of humor Barbara really has. She is a lovely lady and I loved reading her book.
  
  
• A little shocked about Babs
  By A1GDBLN58EUZAQ on 2008-05-16
  About a tenth of the way through this book, when she was in her early 30's, I lost count of the number of men she had slept with. Then this picked up again when she was in her 40's. I think it was crass of her to include this in the book. Also, I don't understand what these famous and not so famous saw in her.
  
  The book is extremely well written and that's why I gave it 4 stars but I'm half way through and starting to get bored. She's repetitive in how great and special she is, how she's so friendly still with all her lovers and even their spouses, how she resented her sister and regrets it and how she supported her family. She doesn't sound like such a great mother either although she seems to be convincing herself.
  
  Frankly, I don't care about her and never did. The most interesting parts of the book are her interviews with the famous and that's what's keeping me reading.
  
  
• An Honest and Authentic Memoir
  By AC78Y1U3AYH08 on 2008-05-17
  Joanne Scaglione, Author:Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook
  
  Well written,I really enjoyed Barbara's honesty as she put herself out there- telling all. I have always admired Barbara but never really got a feel for who she is from her TV performances where generally she is rather guarded about who she talks about and what her opinions are. This book paints a picture of a vulnerable person who is real.Fascinating stories and juicy tales will hold your interst. For me it did. Thank you.
  
  
• Enough, already!!
  By AP2IFT86QCV3V on 2008-05-21
  Having just completed Ms. Walters' memoir, I found it both entertaining and annoying. It is interesting to read of her background and career highlights. However, I felt that she hit below the belt in trashing former and long-dead colleagues (Frank McGee). This is not to say that her comments were wrong but attacking people when they are down -- especially 6-feet under down-- is unprofessional. It is also cruel to their families and loved ones left behind. As to her affair with Sen Brooke, I had no issue with their bi-racial love affair. But, again, did she ever take into account the sensibilities of his children, grand-children, etc. She went out of her way to respect her daughter's right-to-privacy. At least she asked permission before writing the "Hardest Chapter..." I thought this was, ultimately, a not-so-subtle way to promote her daughter's current business venture, a for-profit camp for wayward rich kids---cash, checks, credit cards only. Insurance not accepted. A final note, on her book promotion tour, she declines to discuss Sen. Brooke or Star Jones. Then why include them in the first place--except maybe to sell books!? Wait for the paperback version!
  
  
• Conversion of a non-fan
  By A105E427BB6J65 on 2008-05-27
  I've never been particularly fond of BW's interviewing style and I used to cringe at some of her seemingly "odd soft-ball" questions. Why, I thought, is she asking goof ball questions to high ranking political figures--it seemed like a set back for women trying to make it in a man's world. Reading her aptly titled book, I now feel that I understand BW much better and like her much more--she's actually human, not an android!
  
  I've read a lot of the critical reviews and feel that maybe readers approached the book with a pre-determined decision. I myself would never have purchased the book, especially in hard cover, until I saw clips from some of her interviews about it. I realized that maybe the cloak had been dropped and BW was ready to really let the viewers see her with all her warts intact. And, that she did, in spades! Maybe even a bit too much. But, if it was to be an honest autobiography, I believe she had to tell it all or stay home. Some think she should have taken some of her secrets to the grave and that she hurt people by what she wrote. Certainly it doesn't make it right just because its true, but I rather doubt that anyone is suffering from what happened to her decades ago, except maybe BW. So, though it went to places that may seem too personal, I appreciated the candor. Why write only the good stuff when life isn't like that. She maligned herself as well. Did we want more contrition for her obvious bad choices (marital affairs, etc.)? Maybe, but if one believes in Kismet, then she will answer for her choices.
  
  I now see BW as a very insecure woman (at least through much of her journalistic career) who never felt quite good enough, even though she was systematically moving ahead in a "man's world." BW endured a lot of sh__ from some of her pompous male co-workers in a time when a lot of women would have packed their purse and gone home. She didn't. She stayed, fought for her rightful place, even when the stakes were great, and took home the prize.
  
  This book humanizes a woman that many have never known. Is it honest? Certainly. From BW's standpoint, she's letting it all hang out. Does she go too far, name too many names? Well, maybe so, but, let's be honest, that's what some of us were looking for, the unvarnished view of her life as she saw it. Maybe others would disagree with her characterizations and if they were part of the picture, they have that right. However, the general audience really shouldn't pass that judgment, since we weren't there and don't know. But, because BW was willing to shine the light (an unflattering one) on herself as well as her colleagues and lovers, I felt that maybe this was her attempt to reveal her humanity, which she had so carefully hidden behind cameras and questions for so long.
  
  BW obviously did some questionable things, such as having an affair with a married black Congressman. Did she do it for love or for her own career? Well, only she knows, but I tend to believe her when she says she loved Brooke and I can't see how a super secret affair advanced her career. It had the potential to destroy her career given the time period. As many have noted, Brooke's career was over because of the affair. Maybe so, but one can hardly blame BW. She didn't force him to do anything he wasn't already doing with other women and would likely do again. He was a brilliant politician so I can hardly feel sorry for him when he unraveled his own career. He had choices, as did BW and they both had to live with the consequences. Perhaps she suffered less from the aftermath; why, I don't presume to know. But, let's not vilify her for razing the Senator's career--he did that!
  
  Whether one liked the book or not, one must admit it is incredibly well written and therefore very readable. One might expect that from a news correspondent, but I've read other autobiographies that were poorly written and revealed nothing. In fact, some books seem as though the authors had too much help from outside sources (Gore and the Clintons come to mind). There seemed to be too many details (good and bad) for anyone else to have written this, plus I believe BW is too controlling to leave what may be her most important work to someone else.
  
  I also feel, unlike other reviewers, that the title "Audition" was very apt. It shows us the insecure nature of BW's personality. Being a woman in a male dominated field myself, I can certainly empathize with her inner conflicts. It's not easy breaking any new or working established ground and most of the men I've encountered over the years weren't too happy about sharing credit with a woman. So, it forces women to work longer, try harder and feel less secure about the outcome since most often the boss is a male as well. BW had a mix of people in her life that helped to make her what she is today, as no one does it alone. She was fortunate in many ways and the conflict probably made her stronger and more determined to win, which she certainly has done. No matter how you cut it, BW was a trailblazer and she suffered as a result. Her personal life was often in shambles and knowing about her youth helped me to understand and appreciate her struggles. She knows she made mistakes, owns up to them, and is moving on. Bravo for her.
  
  I really enjoyed the sets of pictures and it provided a walk down memory lane looking at the many famous faces. The View was probably my least favorite chapter but it seems many reviewers related to it the most, even calling BW a liar about what she wrote. I finally watched the program after reading the book. To me it is cotton candy after her T-bone career. While I did not particularly enjoy the show, I think BW deserves dessert after all her hard work. I may give it another go, but I suspect many viewers like it because of the titillating nature of some of the stars and the personal escapades that were aired on national TV. I think we get enough of that from ET and other newsmagazines of this nature.
  
  In closing, I felt that BW was gracious and had an amazing ability to remain friends with people who gouged her during her climb. If her recounting is accurate, she did not "sleep" her way to the top nor did she climb over others to get there. She comes across as being a team player and being gracious and supportive of others' successes and rather forgiving of some of the nastier crowd who attempted to bring her down or at least maligned her reputation. She prevailed in spite of or maybe because of these people and she's moved on to other things. While I haven't been historically a fan of her interviewing style, I have come to appreciate the forces that shaped her and her book is a great read, entertaining and funny. Read it and judge for yourself.
  
  
  
• Good but one thing I don't like
  By A1EQGFZPJ4V24X on 2008-05-07
  Is revealing the old flames when those people have families that can be destroyed. Otherwise this is a fascinating book about a pioneer in television.
  
  
• well-written, but too much media coverage
  By A22S6W3ZQNSUGI on 2008-05-09
  I bought this book,and am enjoying it. However, every time I turn on the TV, there is another segment on parts of the book...making me wonder if the purchase was necessary.
  
  
• AUDITION -- A bit too late for Ms. Walters to "audition". . .
  By A5NFA36G79Z60 on 2008-05-26
  Purchased by a friend and given to me as a gift, I found this book to be
  a monument to the enormous ego of Barbara Walters. She plumbed a new
  low with her program THE VIEW. Seeing the end of her career looming over
  the horizon, Ms. Walters took the opportunity to divulge some of the most
  personal aspects/phases of her life with not a thought about those whose
  names were revealed and whose families were embarrassed. A woman, credited
  with helping to "break the glass ceiling" certainly has done nothing but
  taint her reputation, thereby placing in disrepute the public images of others.
  In my opinion, this book is a total disaster. However, it will sell by
  the hundreds of thousands to those who enjoy these "kiss and tell"
  autobiographies. Even one star is one too much for this manuscript.
  Thank you, Amazon, for allowing readers to state their opinions.
  
  

• Home: A Memoir of My Early Years
• Just Who Will You Be?: Big Question. Little Book. Answer Within. (ROUGHCUT)
• Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time
• Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation
• sTORI Telling