I began listening to Katie Couric’s latest memoir while driving back to West Texas after spending the holidays with my parents in Arkansas. At 15 hours, 27 minutes, Going There was more than enough material to get me back to Texas and provide listening for several more hours during the month.
I have long been a fan of Couric’s work, especially on The Today Show. It was enjoyable to hear stories of her early career peppered with meeting her beloved Jay, the births of their girls, and the grief that came from Jay’s battle with colon cancer. I’ll admit that I was also intrigued to hear about the embattled times at CBS News – specifically The CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes — as well as her perspective on the ultimate downfall of Matt Lauer. I was not disappointed.
I did feel that the memoir was just a bit too long. I appreciated all of the stories and enjoyed hearing Katie’s voice again. However, I wonder if she would have been better served by publishing two separate works. As the reader approaches chapter 75, I found myself wondering if this was just an attempt to be back in the spotlight again. Really? Is it appropriate to talk about oneself for this long? (For the record, the memoir continued for over 20 more chapters!)
Was the memoir entertaining? Yes, most certainly. However, I also found myself just ready to reach the end of a personal saga much sooner than Couric decided to bring to the work to a fitting and appropriate conclusion. I think the audio book was quite good, but I do recommend that the reader give themself permission from the beginning to turn the story off when they have reached the point of satiation. There can always be too much of a good thing.
Reading for Me 
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