The Next Big Story: My Journey Through the Land of Possibilities

Though a famous CNN anchor and special correspondent who has reported extensively on Hurricane Katrina, Haiti, and beyond, O'Brien ultimately found her true reporting passion in examining race in America. In chapters such as "Black in America," "Not Black Enough," and "Latino in America," O'Brien writes about growing up in a mixed race family, astutely discussing the complexities of racial identity in America. In telling her story, O'Brien reveals her ambition, dedication, and empathy, but her stubborn resolution to remain in the present tense, though it certainly keeps her "moving forward" (a recurring theme), is also awkward and often jarring. Moreover, O'Brien covers an amazing amount of ground but rarely stops to linger, particularly when skimming over her early career. When she reaches her experience covering the recent Haitian earthquake and her special reports on race in America, however, she hits her stride, in part because she takes the time to make readers understand and empathize. O'Brien has enough material for multiple volumes and indeed, some readers may wish she'd told her life story in more than one book. (Nov.)