Golden Girl : The Story of Jessica Savitch [Paperback]

Alanna Nash (Author), Alanna K. Nash (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996

When NBC's first anchorwoman, Jessica Savitch, died at age 36 in a mysterious death-by-drowning car accident it made national headlines. Savitch was a living advertisement for the American dream--beautiful, smart, and successful in the competitive news business. But she was also a woman with secrets. Major motion picture release from Disney in December. Photos.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Compelling...makes you feel you are inside [Savitch's] brain." -- Glamour

"Superb...a minute detailing of life gone wrong...non-stop reading!" -- Judith Crist --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 413 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (Mm); 2 edition (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061010014
• ISBN-13: 978-0061010019
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #23 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Television Performers

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars compelling portrait of a downward spiral, August 26, 2002

By 

Karen Sampson Hudson "Karen Sampson Hudson" (Reno, NV United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Golden Girl : The Story of Jessica Savitch (Paperback)

Alanna Nash's biography of Jessica Savitch is a fine work, richly detailed and competently researched. In reading the story of this gifted, tragic woman one recalls the old Greek dictum, "Those whom the gods wish to destory they first make mad." I recall witnessing that now famous Sunday evening news broadcast, many years ago, when Jessica appeared in a foggy, bewildered state. I was busy with a young family at mealtime but stopped to watch as she seemed to self-destruct on the air.

Jessica Savitch led a charmed life, was blessed by the gods at first. Beautiful, intelligent, and charismatic, she found all doors opening to her. She entered television journalism with expectations on all sides of great success. She died at an early age after suffering through miserable relationships and becoming addicted to drugs. This modern-day morality tale makes somber reading, but is worth your time. Recommended.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sad but Incredible account of a real Newswoman's Life, September 30, 2002

By 

"blondspeed" (Nampa, ID) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Golden Girl : The Story of Jessica Savitch (Paperback)

I could barely recall who Jessica Savitch was, but I love biographies so I read it. It was a breathtaking journey into a young girl turned celebrity's life. I read this book in one day and I couldn't get her out of my head for weeks afterward.

In high anticipation, I watched the movie "Up Close & Personal" which was supposedly based on this book. Even though the movie was good, it really had very few similarities to the book. I was dissapointed.

I strongly recommend this book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scintillating!, December 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Golden Girl : The Story of Jessica Savitch (Paperback)

I remembered Jessica Savitch as a newswoman from my youth, remembered liking her immensely, and vaguely recalled her untimely death. After reading Golden Girl, however, I felt like I knew her, which is quite an accomplishment for the author since no one in her life really knew her, save, perhaps, her equally trouble soulmate. Nash's breathtaking portrait of this troubled woman is perhaps the most compelling biography I've ever read. She has told the gritty tale of this Golden Girl with the best of the journalist's skills: non-judgmentalism as the platform for truth. I came away with enormous compassion for Savitch, and dreamed of her the night I finished the book. And I not only learned about Savitch, whom I both wish I had known and am glad I didn't, I also learned about television news, the horrors of drug abuse, and the fallacies of judging a book by its cover--metaphorically speaking. This is one great read.