Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee

I have had many opportunities to be in the same room, at the same function, and to speak with Hoda Kotb throughout the last seventeen years or so. She has been the guest at many club functions and the guest speaker at others. I can still remember my first encounter with Hoda. I met up with her to escort her to an event that I was chairing where she had agreed to be the guest speaker. She was so bubbly and friendly, and was never quiet! If she wasn't talking, she was humming. She immediately captivated me. She has the ability to draw an audience in and hold them captive, no one wants to miss a word of what she is saying. So, when she mentioned her book on the Today Show, I knew there was no way I was not going to read it. When I picked up the book to read it, before I even opened the cover, I was hoping that it would be like having a conversation with her. I was not disappointed. Her humor comes through ten-fold. It was like catching up with an old friend. So, Hoda, if you ever come across my review, I am a friend of Laura's (in South Louisiana because I'm sure you will not remember me!) I hope you enjoyed the quotes (I wanted to quote the entire book) and it makes you want to pick up the book and read it. If you enjoy watching Hoda on the Today Show, you will enjoy reading this book.

I have always admired Hoda Kotb, ever since she was a reporter in our city of New Orleans -- everyone loved Hoda. Her voice and her smile are always genuine whether on air, on the sidewalk, and now in her book.It was interesting to learn about the education and leadership of Hoda's family in Eqypt and in the USA. The reader really gets to know her and enjoy her family relationships, especially her Mom who is quite a character and generously shares her recipes too. Hoda's crisis with cancer is inspirational and educational, while further deepening the support and relationship with her family.Everyone can identify at some time with Hoda. For example, being an African American woman, I sure could identify with her hair woes as an Egyptian woman. Sibling relationships, typical sneaky teen episodes, and cultural clashes were insightful as well as fun.Despite some of the lightheartedness, her strong character is clearly revealed. She was appropriately forthcoming about her failed marriage, but with the decency not to reveal her ex-husband's name which says a lot about her character and civility. Her crisis with breast cancer is inspirational and educational. On the subject of Katrina, I greatly appreciated her unbiased reporting while expressing her love for the City and its citizens.There were episodes so down right hilarious that I had to laugh out loud. This is a good read, and I learned a great deal about the media and reporting from inside the profession. Through HOda's generosity and insight, I even got to like Kathy Lee Gifford!

I tend not to read autobiographies or biographies, I’m more of a fiction reader. Having said that, there are a handful of autobiographies that I have read and LOVED! One was Becoming by Michelle Obama and another was this book by Hoda!! We think we know her because of The Today Show, well we do!! That’s who she is and I really like her! I could relate to her stories and I laughed and laughed and laughed! It was great! Can’t wait to read her next “chapter”!

Hoda, like many I've been a fan for YEARS and almost feel like you could be my sista -:) This book helped me a great deal. I didn't know reading it the first time (when first released) I would need to read it again this Dec 2014 when I would be diagnosed with breast cancer and have my "own" mastectomy! Your strength and words and thoughts were what I needed to hear and "thank-you" man on the plane for planting the seed! This book was beautifully done and I recommend it to all the sistas...hey, and guys as well who love Hoda! Hoda, you are a warrior and live each day so fully as we see daily on the 4th hr of "Today Show". Keep on writing and sharing and doing what you do. You have helped so many, beautiful lady! Thank-you!A grateful fan,Rosie

It was a nice book to read but definitely not worth the purchase. Instead check it out at the library. From the title I really there would be more stories with details of her daily life in her war zone reporting, but instead it was more of her retelling a story that she reported on while in a war zone area. She doesn’t mention she worried about maintaining her ethnic hair but she doesn’t go into detail of how and what she used to maintain it. She doesn’t write about whether she was harassed in foreign countries, hit on my other men or If she saw other women fooling around(she didn’t need to name specific names). No real juicy tidbits from a female reporter. No one will be dying to read this book. Hoda is clearly a lovely sweet woman with a great ethnic Egyptian background. It’s too bad she never learned Arabic. Maybe her mother can speak to her adopted daughter in Arabic so she will become fluent.

Before reading her book, I did t know much about Hoda and wasn't a fan. I was neutral about her. Someone chose the book for book club.Initially, I wasn't thrilled but really enjoyed the read. Wow fabulous woman! I loved her book, her courage, honesty, sense of humor. I think she is absolutely amazing. I have recommended this book to others and will read it again in the future. I would like to watch her on TV again sometime. I had in the past but was critical about the show and now it seems to all come together. I liked it so much I ended up purchasing the book as a birthday gift for a friend who loved it and has since been sharing it with others.

Big Hoda fan before I read her book & appreciate her more after reading. She is so authentic detailing her life. She is interesting even if she wasn’t on the Today show. This is a nice, easy, interesting book that is great for your purse so you can read while waiting or at lunch since the chapters are episodes of her life rather than a story with cliffhangers. I find her inspiring, authentic, genuine & so full of joy. The world could use many more Hoda’s.

I loved this book and will definitely read her other books. I also would like to meet her in person.

Held my interest from the beginning. Beautiful person, inside & out.

Funny and no holds barred , we cannot wait until she writes again. She invites us into her life.