Review by Booklist Review
Some readers may be familiar with Ari Shapiro from his hosting duties on NPR's All Things Considered. Others may know him best for his vocal contributions to the genre-defying Pink Martini Orchestra or his many podcasts or his time as a White House correspondent. His legions of fans will be delighted to know that this memoir embodies the qualities he's known for: self-deprecating humor, honesty, scrupulous attention to detail, and his ability to convey the impact of momentous world events through the stories of everyday people. Something of an outsider himself (the only Jewish kid in his Fargo, North Dakota, elementary school; the only openly gay senior in his Portland, Oregon, high school; probably the only public radio announcer who co-stars in a cabaret show with Alan Cumming), Shapiro shapes his stories around the fascinating individuals he's met, whether through his international investigative reporting or through audience interactions. The book keeps on giving, chapter after chapter, in turns humorous, introspective, or deeply serious, weaving together personal anecdotes, behind-the-scenes secrets, and heartbreaking profiles from war zones and refugee camps. Shapiro says he's built his radio career on "empathy, connection, and listening"-- qualities that ring true in his writing as well.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this genial debut memoir-in-essays, NPR host and occasional Pink Martini singer Shapiro mixes reported vignettes with reflections on his own life. As one of a few Jewish children at his North Dakota elementary school and later one of the only openly gay students at his Oregon high school, Shapiro describes how his lifelong "otherness" and natural capacity for performance launched his career as a professional raconteur. In brisk and lucid prose, Shapiro recounts the ups and downs of his impressive résumé, including clandestinely traveling aboard Air Force One with President Obama, touring with Pink Martini, and grieving beside Orlando's LGBTQ community while reporting on the 2016 Pulse nightclub shootings. Shapiro reflects on these "seemingly effortless achievements," however, by acknowledging, "I am aware of how blessed and lucky I am. I have a job I love, I'm happily married, and millions of people pay attention to what I have to say. But the cliche end of that sentence would be, 'And I do it all without breaking a sweat.' Well... I sweat like a goddamn snowman in heat." Shapiro's style is engaging and unfussy, and his spotlighting of other people--mostly those whose stories he's told on NPR--adds depth and empathy to the proceedings. Longtime listeners and first-time callers alike will delight in this collection. (Mar.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
In this engaging memoir, Shapiro (host, NPR's All Things Considered) gives insight into both his personal and professional life. As the only Jewish child in his elementary school and the first openly gay student in high school, Shapiro learned to make connections and communicate among disparate groups of people. His innate curiosity and natural storytelling ability led to an internship and eventual career with NPR. He reveals the personal side of various assignments, including his time in the White House press corps and as an international correspondent based in London. He also discusses his personal life, including his side job as a singer with the band Pink Martini and his musical show with Alan Cumming. Shapiro never shies away from telling of his missteps and embarrassing moments. Throughout, Shapiro elegantly and compassionately shares the stories of people he's encountered and how their individual experiences connect with humanity as a whole. VERDICT Shapiro's confident, clear voice and self-deprecating humor, familiar to his many fans, translates well to the written word. His writing will resonate with many and is a treasure for biography readers. Highly recommended.--Anitra Gates
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The longtime host of NPR's All Things Considered offers a topical and sanguine memoir in essays. "The best stories should surprise us," writes Shapiro, "they should defy our expectations and veer in directions we weren't expecting." The author sets a high bar for himself, and he mostly succeeds. This work encompasses subjects ranging from Shapiro's coming out when he was a teenager to his four years covering the White House. The opening piece is ostensibly about nature, but it serves as further introduction to Shapiro because it enumerates his driving, lifelong curiosity. "My parents raised me to believe that the more you learn about the world," he writes, "the more interesting life becomes." By extension, "the best journalists…enjoy the feeling of moving from ignorance or confusion to understanding." This ethos has guided Shapiro throughout his two decades at NPR. Other essays delve into more personal territory, including "You Can't See Schvitz on the Radio," describing how the author sweats profusely. Throughout, Shapiro comes across as appealingly relatable and, like any human, fallible. A singer in the band Pink Martini since 2009, he relays entertaining vignettes about this unexpected turn. "Going on tour feels like a reality TV show where nobody gets kicked off," he writes. The author's sense of humor is also on full display. Of his appearance in a photograph taken the day he accidently interrupted a meeting that included Barack Obama and Joe Biden in 2010, Shapiro compares himself to "a meerkat who wandered off the savanna into the Oval Office." The organization of the essays feels random, which results in a lack of a flowing narrative arc. Still, the topics are varied and interesting enough to make the montage coalesce, and the writing is engaging. This collection's success is due to the author's companionable, ever sincere tone, his willingness to be vulnerable, and his unwavering magnanimity. A clever and compulsively readable crowd pleaser. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
