Review by Booklist Review
When Good Morning America cohost Roberts was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, she mounted a very public battle. Five years after completing treatment, she faced a rare bone-marrow disorder, likely caused by the cancer treatment, that again tested her strength and resolve, again in public. Following her mother's time-honored advice to make your mess your message, Roberts offers an inspiring memoir of her life, from her home base in Mississippi to her home in New York and the glamorous though grueling life of a television reporter. Roberts prevailed through a painful bone-marrow transplant, with her sister as donor; the death of her mother; and her triumphant return to GMA after her medical leave, proudly wearing her bald head on air. With the infectious personality for which she's known, Roberts details the support of family and friends and the people she's met in her life and career who've inspired her by overcoming their own challenges with the something that everybody inevitably faces. Photos enhance this inspiring memoir.--Bush, Vanessa Copyright 2014 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this soulful memoir, the host of Good Morning America recounts her recent struggle with illness and path to recovery. The book begins in 2012, when Roberts was first diagnosed with MDS (a disease sometimes referred to as pre-leukemia), and traces step-by-step her experiences through the treatment that included a bone marrow transplant from her sister, Sally-Ann, all the way to her triumphant return to morning television. Fortunately, Roberts recovers from the risky and often excruciating process with support from family and many friends, including colleagues Diane Sawyer and Dr. Richard Besser. The author's beloved mother, who passed away right before Roberts was admitted to the hospital, is the driving force in this story of resilience; even the title is inspired by something her mother used to say. Roberts contemplates the experience with a mix of gravity, courage and humor, saying, "I traveled so far on a combination of faith and science." She offers readers a deeply intimate and endearing glimpse into the human side of battling illness. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by Library Journal Review
Following her late mother's advice to "make her mess her message," Good Morning America anchor Roberts chronicles an extremely challenging year in her life, hoping to inspire others fighting their own battles. In 2012, Roberts, already a breast cancer survivor, was diagnosed with a rare blood disease that attacks the bone marrow. After experiencing the joy of finding a perfect donor match in her sister, Roberts was thrown back into grief when her mother passed away shortly before Roberts's transplant surgery. The anchor returned to work in February 2013 and celebrated a year of recovery later that fall. Although Roberts's story concerns deep pain and sadness, her attitude throughout is upbeat: she narrates her book in the same warm and chipper tone she uses on air every morning. VERDICT This title has a broad appeal and is certain to be popular. Recommended for all collections. Julie Judkins, Univ. of North Texas, Denton (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
