by Lesley Stahl
First published 1999
Lesley Stahl opens her career at CBS News as one of few women in the newsroom. She covers Watergate, presidents, and major stories while navigating a male-dominated industry that questions whether women belong on camera. Stahl balances demanding assignments with raising a family, often feeling torn between professional ambitions and personal responsibilities. She witnesses television news transform from serious journalism into entertainment-driven programming. The network pressures mount as ratings become paramount and substance takes second place to spectacle. Stahl examines her relationships with colleagues, sources, and family members who supported her rise to prominence at 60 Minutes. She considers what women in television gained and lost as barriers fell but new challenges emerged. The memoir reveals how one journalist maintained her integrity while adapting to an evolving media landscape that often prioritized flash over facts.
Genres: 20th-century, american, autobiography, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, journalism
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, family, work-life-balance
Setting: CBS News
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
748 pages · Hardcover · G K Hall & Co