A Lucky Life Interrupted; A Memoir of Hope

New York: Random House, 2015. First Edition [Stated], First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. [8], 230, [2] pages. Format is 5.75 inches by 8.5 inches. Signed by the author on the title page. Thomas John Brokaw (born February 6, 1940) is an American television journalist and author, best known for being the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News for 22 years (1982-2004). He is the only person to have hosted all three major NBC News programs: The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and, briefly, Meet the Press. He now serves as a Special Correspondent for NBC News and works on documentaries for other outlets. Along with Peter Jennings at ABC News and Dan Rather at CBS News, Brokaw was one of the "Big Three" news anchors in the U.S. during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. The three hosted their networks' flagship nightly news programs for over 20 years, and all three started and retired (or died) within a year of each other. Brokaw has also written several books on American history and society in the 20th century. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. Derived from a Kirkus review: Veteran news anchor and Greatest Generation chronicler Brokaw turns inward to report on his battle with cancer. It began with a constantly aching back. He also had a kind of baseless confidence that he was untouchable. All that comes crashing down early on in his book, when his doctor calmly announces that he has multiple myeloma, which can be treated but, so far, not cured. Given a prognosis of five or more years before the Grim Reaper comes knocking, Brokaw looks back on a long career in the news. The author does not incline to self-pity, taking instead an almost scholarly interest in his disease. Death is a reality here, to be sure, and Brokaw is fascinated by all its trappings, writing of MRIs and blood tests and insufferable doctors and all the rest.