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| Audition: A Memoir | 
 enlarge | Author: Barbara Walters
Publisher: Knopf
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  195 reviews
Sales Rank: 131
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 624
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.2 x 2.2
ISBN: 030726646X
Dewey Decimal Number: 070.92
EAN: 9780307266460
ASIN: 030726646X
Publication Date: May 6, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Young people starting out in television sometimes say to me: “I want to be you.” My stock reply is always: “Then you have to take the whole package.”
And now, at last, the most important woman in the history of television journalism gives us that “whole package,” in her inspiring and riveting memoir. After more than forty years of interviewing heads of state, world leaders, movie stars, criminals, murderers, inspirational figures, and celebrities of all kinds, Barbara Walters has turned her gift for examination onto herself to reveal the forces that shaped her extraordinary life.
Barbara Walters’s perception of the world was formed at a very early age. Her father, Lou Walters, was the owner and creative mind behind the legendary Latin Quarter nightclub, and it was his risk-taking lifestyle that gave Barbara her first taste of glamour. It also made her aware of the ups and downs, the insecurities, and even the tragedies that can occur when someone is willing to take great risks, for Lou Walters didn’t just make several fortunes—he also lost them. Barbara learned early about the damage that such an existence can do to relationships—between husband and wife as well as between parent and child. Through her roller-coaster ride of a childhood, Barbara had a close companion, her mentally challenged sister, Jackie. True, Jackie taught her younger sister much about patience and compassion, but Barbara also writes honestly about the resentment she often felt having a sister who was so “different” and the guilt that still haunts her.
All of this—the financial responsibility for her family, the fear, the love—played a large part in the choices she made as she grew up: the friendships she developed, the relationships she had, the marriages she tried to make work. Ultimately, thanks to her drive, combined with a decent amount of luck, she began a career in television. And what a career it has been! Against great odds, Barbara has made it to the top of a male-dominated industry. She was the first woman cohost of the Today show, the first female network news coanchor, the host and producer of countless top-rated Specials, the star of 20/20, and the creator and cohost of The View. She has not just interviewed the world’s most fascinating figures, she has become a part of their world. These are just a few of the names that play a key role in Barbara’s life, career, and book: Yasir Arafat, Warren Beatty, Menachem Begin, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, the Dalai Lama, Princess Diana, Katharine Hepburn, King Hussein, Angelina Jolie, Henry Kissinger, Monica Lewinsky, Richard Nixon, Rosie O’Donnell, Christopher Reeve, Anwar Sadat, John Wayne . . . the list goes on and on.
Barbara Walters has spent a lifetime auditioning: for her bosses at the TV networks, for millions of viewers, for the most famous people in the world, and even for her own daughter, with whom she has had a difficult but ultimately quite wonderful and moving relationship. This book, in some ways, is her final audition, as she fully opens up both her private and public lives. In doing so, she has given us a story that is heartbreaking and honest, surprising and fun, sometimes startling, and always fascinating.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 190 more reviews...
 An Extraordinary Life and Book May 6, 2008
157 out of 193 found this review helpful
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 May 7, 2008
64 out of 132 found this review helpful
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 May 6, 2008
54 out of 82 found this review helpful
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 May 13, 2008
50 out of 85 found this review helpful
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 May 7, 2008
43 out of 85 found this review helpful
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.
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