Reporting Live

by Lesley Stahl

Book Overview

Lesley Stahl's job offer from CBS came with an ultimatum -- "if you can't start tomorrow, forget it." The year was 1972, and opportunities for women in network television were rare. With the same... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684829304
• ISBN13: 9780684829302
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 444 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

An Exceptional Memoir!

What an interesting read! While most bios take you from birth through an unremarkable (and lengthy) adolescence, Stahl starts the book (and her life, by her own declaration) at age 30. Then - boom! - we're immediately thrust into Watergate (she was dating Bob Woodward at the time), where Stahl was the only TV newsperson covering the initial - and seemingly un-newsworthy - burglary. From there, we're taken into each subsequent presidency - from Nixon to Bush Sr. - and shown how personnel, presidents, their staffs, and technology shaped TV news coverage of historical events. The product of CBS news' affirmative action plan (along with Bernie Shaw and Connie Chung that year), Stahl was promoted in the early '70s to the Washington bureau. We are treated to an indepth account of her professional and personal triumphs. Of course, she occasionally goofed, which she comically relays, as well. With each chapter titled for a president and first lady - Reagan gets two! - Stahl gives us the stories-behind-the-stories: correspondents outwitting each other for the scoop; Barbara Bush's surprisingly icy remarks and actions; Stahl's assessment of unsuccessful presidents; one White House staff that was hell-bent on getting rid of Dan Rather; the point when CNN emerged as the true news leader. That we get all this juicy, inside stuff is a testimony to the author. Only someone as busy as Stahl could supply it - she and her teased and hairsprayed "helmet" of a hairdo wore many hats: Chief White House Correspondent, Face the Nation host and America Tonight co-host during the Gulf War - at one point, all three at the same time! If you wonder why George Bush's presidency is the last chapter of the book - how could she resist Clinton's escapades? - it is because her memoir is meant only to tell the story of her most well-known beat: the White House. Believe me, you get a lot! And after years of hard work at CBS in Washington, Stahl at long last - after years of waiting and, I think, unfairly having to audition - earned the 60 Minutes gig and relocated to New York. If you enjoy books of a political nature, but told in an easy-to-understand manner, you'll find Stahl's respect and humility toward world news - and life - a pleasure to read. I highly recommend it.

LESLIE STAHL EXPOSED, BY HERSELF

When the name Leslie Stahl is mentioned, thr first thing that comes to mind is that serious, tough interrogator from CBS News, who has hosted various news formatted shows over the years. I always thought she was harder edged than say, Diane Sawyer. In "Reporting Live" we discover, quite to our surprise, that Ms. Stahl carried around the same insecurities and problems as many of her viewers, that she did not have it "So together" as one might be tempted to assume. That in effect, she is as human as the rest of us, only she has a more visible job.No one would have believed that a woman of this news caliber would allow herself to be so dominated by a controlling mother who obviously believed it was more about how one looked than what you knew. For the remainer of tidbits like this, I suggest you read the book. It is a really good read.

Bravo, Ms. Stahl!

This book is packed with info that political junkies will savor. Ms. Stahl packs each sentence with an interesting story. She reveals herself with honesty and humor. I enjoyed this book immensely, the stories on all the political players was most revealing. You'll love every page.

Thanks for showing women the struggle to succeed can be won

I was fascinated by Stahl's book from beginning to end, especially since I've read all the Cronkite, Brinkly and other such memoirs reporting in the World War II and Vietnam eras (before my time and during my childhood). This is about MY generation - the first election in which I was eligible to vote was for Carter in 1976. I could relate to the first chapters on Watergate and understand the improtance of Stahl's role in taking a story no one at the time but Katherine Graham had faith in covering, and insisting to her "handlers" at CBS that this was important. I thought every one of Stahl's portrayals of the presidents, their wives and the "hangers-on" balanced admirably their human faces and foibiles with the strengths and shortcomings of their poltiical, policy and command decisions. She applied the same rigid standards of reporting to her personal life, telling us about her insecurities on the job, her family and marital difficulties, and her volatile self-esteem. Ultiamtely, I think I carried this book around with me reading at every chance I had because of what Leslie so admirably portrayed - a woman, fighting twice as hard as a man, to overcome all the negative "baggage" of gender issues and their cultural context in journalism. She made it to the top of her profession without losing marriage, family and self-respect. All of us professional women trying to do the same in our own arenas need to learn from her success the hard lesson she learned - you can "have it all" if you grit your teeth and get down to business. There are prices to pay and she's paid them in full. Thanks, Leslie for the example and the encouragement.

Fascinating look at the life and struggle of a modern woman

I was really impressed with Stahl's book. She writes well, and with brutal honesty, about herself and about the people she came in contact with during her years as a reporter. She doesn't gloss over the mistakes she has made or the problems she encountered. She looks at herself unflinchingly and tells you both the good and the bad. Many times autobiographies won't paint a complete picture of the person, but you get the idea that you really know who Stahl is. Yo also respect her for being willing to show her human side, and to share her mistakes. It helps us "regular people" to know that she is not perfect -- we can all relate to that.In addition, Stahl brings politics to life by sharing some of the background stories, her experiences with famous world leaders, and her struggle with the sometimes overt/sometimes covert sex discrimination she encountered in her travels.This book is well worth a read.