Katie: The Real Story - Inspiring Biography & Memoir | Perfect for Book Clubs, Gifts & Personal Growth

That women are oppressed is one of our nation's greatest, and most cherished, beliefs. It also happens to be a myth. In contemporary America, to be a female is to live like a Spartan among helots. Edward Klein's new biography, Katie: The Real Story, elucidates the nature of CBS's grand dame of journalism, Katie Couric, while also documenting the way in which being a woman in our society opens widely the door of privilege.Of course, the text itself tells only half the story. The media's bizarre reaction to this work is the other half, and provides compelling proof of our culture's bias in favor of the fairer sex. In light of the heated journalistic response, the first thing that struck me about this work was the sobriety of Mr. Klein's narrative. The author's interjections and opinions are seldom heard. The biographer allows, for the most part, those who know Ms. Couric to describe her and to reveal her psychology...which is how it should be.In fact, the narrator impressed this reviewer as being apolitical. He outlined his subject's well-known leftist inclinations, but never once refuted her assumptions. Mr. Klein was previously employed by Newsweek and The New York Times which suggests that he may well share Ms. Couric's leftward perspective, but that no partisan viewpoint was discernible in these pages is a testament to his fairness and objectivity.It is baffling why so many commentators were offended by Mr. Klein's depiction of Ms. Couric. Do we actually expect celebrities to be a mirror image of their PR polished personas?I grant that the Katie we meet in The Real Story is not an admirable person, yet Klein's portrayal of her is logically sound. Ms. Couric displays personality traits which accurately correlate with the course of her development. A former colleague noted that she was "one of the most ambitious women I've ever met." In the context of her history, the assessment seems indisputable.Destiny paired Ms. Couric's first rate ambitions with second rate talent. That is not so uncommon, but, despite marginal looks and an unserious mind, she managed to reach the top of journalism's status hierarchy. Without a reckless drive to succeed such an ascent would have been impossible.While on The Today Show she duped millions of American women into thinking she was just like them even though her displays of perkiness and empathy were probably just an act. In one sense, however, Ms. Couric is just like them as her life was imbued with privileges known to few men. She termed her early position as a desk assistant at ABC as "the most humiliating job I ever had." The reason? She had to answer phones, make coffee, and create ham sandwiches. The horror! Only the word privilege can describe a person who regards the performance of mundane tasks as being acts of oppression.On another occasion, she felt debased after a network executive made comments about her breasts. What is left unsaid in the account is whether she intentionally displayed them on that day. Her reaction to his statement is far from unique as being a woman in America means that you can wear whatever you want but maintain the right to become offended should a male make mention of your bared body parts.During her first few Today Show episodes she tossed "zingers" at co-host Bryant Gumbel. The aggression was unanticipated and without cause. When Gumbel returned fire by saying something about her appearance, she cried foul and said, "I don't want too much attention paid to my looks--it's sexist."Is it sexist to make fun of someone's physical features? Of course not. Everyone has an appearance, and if one is sensitive about the way they look then they should refrain from verbally aggressing against others. Ms. Couric's condition is a classic condition of dishing it out but not being able to take it. Political correctness, along with the elevation of women in our society, results in their being able to get away with this unjust posturing ...forever.