Reviewing Robin Roberts book From the Heart - 5.21.2007.1

I have recently finished reading the book, From the Heart by Ms. Robin Roberts, and I must say it was quite interesting. The book reads well, its 170 pages having the feel of a warm conversation more than anything else. Ms. Roberts comes off as genuine and caring, her re-telling of tales in her life adding a perspective most books of this genre don’t seem to convey well. At least to me.

Ms. Roberts’s book covers a great deal of her life, from early youth to recent times. The focus includes her life from high school to working at Good Morning America. There may be many Americans, and people across the globe, that might be familiar with Ms. Roberts from her time at ESPN. I can honestly say that I am not one of them. Being a fan of football, golf, and soccer I rarely watch ESPN. Even rarer is the number of times I’ve watched Good Morning America. As a result Ms. Roberts name was unfamiliar to me. Yet once I finished this book I felt as if I knew her for quite some time.


This book is not so much a “how to” book, as Mr. Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich can be, nor would I say the rules are exactly that. Rather this is an understanding being passed on that some may get.

Those that may get the most out of this book might be women, Black White or otherwise. That is not to say that men would feel left out when reading the book, I felt that sections of the chapters were targeted to, and could hold deeper meaning for, a woman reader. To the credit of Ms. Roberts even those sections were enjoyable for me to read. I think a similar statement could be made about sports fans. There are multiple sports events and personages mentioned through the book. While a fan might gain greater impact from them, the casual observer will not be overwhelmed.

Speaking of sports, Ms. Roberts has had a lot of contact with various noted sports figures in addition to celebrities and world renowned individuals. Ms. Roberts has no problem dropping their names either. I will say that though there are several names dropped; most are relevant to what is being discussed. I never felt overwhelmed or distracted by this.

The most prevalent names in the book are not celebrities or athletes though; they are in fact the family of Ms. Roberts. Her connection to her family is obvious and strong. Many of her examples circle around her mother, grandmother, and father. Their influence on her life and choices are apparent.

I want to detract for a moment. Ms. Roberts’s father was one of the Tuskegee Airmen. I have great respect for all military personnel, especially those that served in a war. The Tuskegee Airmen stand out for me though, and I suggest anyone not familiar with them to learn more about of what they did.

Going back to the book, I’ve mentioned I enjoyed it. I consider myself moderately successful and have no lack of self-motivation. So in a manner I lose some of the impact that the book provides. Equally I don’t agree with a few thoughts mentioned. We all have different experiences and goals, so that is to be expected. Of the points I agree with, I feel strongly on them. One such thought is that I think more parents should behave more like Ms. Roberts's, and my own.

So depending on how you live and where you are (internally) Ms. Roberts words may mean more or less to you. Given that I still feel this book should be read.

This is what I think, what do you think?