NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WITH A NEW PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR • A powerful memoir of a dramatic year spent battling cancer and reflecting on a long, happy, and lucky life—from the bestselling author of The Greatest Generation, whose iconic career in journalism has spanned more than fifty yearsTom Brokaw has led a fortunate life, with a strong marriage and family, many friends, and a brilliant … and family, many friends, and a brilliant journalism career culminating in his twenty-two years as anchor of the NBC Nightly News and as bestselling author. But in the summer of 2013, when back pain led him to the doctors at the Mayo Clinic, his run of good luck was interrupted. He received shocking news: He had multiple myeloma, a treatable but incurable blood cancer. Friends had always referred to Brokaw’s “lucky star,” but as he writes in this inspiring memoir, “Turns out that star has a dimmer switch.”
Brokaw takes us through all the seasons and stages of this surprising year, the emotions, discoveries, setbacks, and struggles—times of denial, acceptance, turning points, and courage. After his diagnosis, Brokaw began to keep a journal, approaching this new stage of his life in a familiar role: as a journalist, determined to learn as much as he could about his condition, to report the story, and help others facing similar battles. That journal became the basis of this wonderfully written memoir, the story of a man coming to terms with his own mortality, contemplating what means the most to him now, and reflecting on what has meant the most to him throughout his life.
Brokaw also pauses to look back on some of the important moments in his career: memories of Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the morning of September 11, 2001, in New York City, and more. Through it all, Brokaw writes in the warm, intimate, natural voice of one of America’s most beloved journalists, giving us Brokaw on Brokaw, and bringing us with him as he navigates pain, procedures, drug regimens, and physical rehabilitation. Brokaw also writes about the importance of patients taking an active role in their own treatment, and of the vital role of caretakers and coordinated care.
Generous, informative, and deeply human, A Lucky Life Interrupted offers a message of understanding and empowerment, resolve and reality, hope for the future and gratitude for a well-lived life.
Praise for A Lucky Life Interrupted
“It’s impossible not to be inspired by Brokaw’s story, and his willingness to share it.”—Los Angeles Times
“A powerful memoir of battling cancer and facing mortality . . . Through the prism of his own illness, Brokaw looks at the larger picture of aging in America.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Moving, informative and deeply personal.”—The Daily Beast
“The former NBC News anchor has applied the fact-finding skills and straightforward candor that were his stock in trade during his reporting days to A Lucky Life Interrupted.”—USA Today
“Brokaw doesn’t paste a smiley face on his story. Again and again, the book returns to stories of loss but also of grace, luck and the beauty of having another swing at bat.”—The Washington Post
“Engaging . . . [with] the kind of insight that is typical of Mr. Brokaw’s approach to life and now to illness.”—The Wall Street Journal
“Powerful and courageous . . . [Brokaw] looks ahead to the future with hope.”—Bookreporter
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This is an interesting account of his battle with cancer.
Having been through treatment for leukemia, I can relate to everything he experienced and he tells it well.
I have enjoyed all of Brokaw’s books, and this one especially.
Anyone diagnosed with a serious illness should read this book. It reminds you that your not alone.
Brokaw has a direct warm writing style that draws you into his living room story tales. He has portrayed the powerful emotion that a cancer diagnosis brings to many of us who are stoic in our response to bad news. He humanizes the basic survival traits and the need to lean into family.
Informative Read
I bought this because I like Tom Brokaw and I didn’t know he had cancer. I read it in a day because just like his reporting style, his writing is clear, concise, informative and honest.
If you have a chronic illness or a family member or friend does, Tom gives many helpful lessons from his long journey.
I like the honesty he brings to his writing. He knows he has it good–good health insurance, good doctors, multiple doctors in his family including a doctor daughter and good connections. He doesn’t brag, he simply tells his story and his story contains many famous people but they are just a part of who he is.
Even celebrity can’t bring a quick cure. He also gives a lot of insight about our Americsn healthcare system.
This is probably some of Tom Brokaw’s best reporting. By sharing his very personal story he brings a human face to cancer. It sounds awful because , no one should have to fight cancer,but knowing people like Tom Brokaw can experience and fight it is comforting. Thank you, Tom.
Interesting and gripping. Very well written. Informative about multiple myeloma.
I think that cancer patients will really enjoy this book, but it was a little tedious for me.
Brokaw adroitly shares his experience with multiple Melanoma as it brings him closer to family.
Any one who is or has a loved one dealing with cancer can use Brokaw’s perspective to build a team to deal with the challenges.
I concur with those reviewers who describe this book as an uneven effort. Brokaw is capable of literary greatness; his D-Day material is breathtakingly good, and he is a master storyteller. As he describes his battle with MM, though, the story line does take a number of detours. It’s all interesting stuff, and none tedious, but it’s a somewhat choppy ride.
And yes, he has certainly had all the breaks in life, enjoyed fun hobbies, traveled in private jets around the globe. Which also means he is able to assemble the ultimate medical Dream Team to attend to his prognosis. But he makes no bones about this; he admits he’s been fortunate more than most men. His repeated tributes to his faithful wife, Meredith, are touching and real. He has a cute line: “Over the years friends have often referred to “Brokaw’s lucky star.” [Having now been diagnosed], I’d have to reach them and say, ‘Turns out that star has a dimmer switch.’”
I also note that this wealthy man, forced by these grim circumstances into the vortex of the health care system with all its flaws and gaps, gives the Affordable Care Act decently high marks. “President Obama’s attempt to reform that [an imperfect system],” he writes, “was ambitious and in some states, notably Kentucky, it is working.” For what it’s worth here in the Election 20020 debate cycle, he adds this: “My own impression from the beginning was that it would have been more efficient to roll out reform in stages, beginning with a plan for just the uninsured and then forming medical, corporate, and political coalitions to resolve the remaining issues.” He also gives high marks to the prescriptions offers by Steven Brill, who has written a hugely successful book on this topic.
My favorite delightful anecdote is where he tells about keeping his illness quiet in the early months. “I had gone on Jon Stewart’s show to promote the JFK documentary without telling Jon I was on chemo, fighting cancer. When the news came out he emailed me, ‘You are one tough son of a bitch.’ I replied, ‘Jon, I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to trouble you with my condition.’ He wrote right back: ‘You can’t be Jewish. I would trouble YOU if I had gas!’”
As a religious man, I did take note of the fact that Mr. Brokaw is grateful for the prayers of kind friends, even though he concedes to have “drifted away from a prayerful life” himself. Okay, but I’ll quietly rejoinder that while others are praying for him, he would do well to accept the embrace of a caring God himself. Why not? If there’s a loving heavenly Father who pays mind to Brokaw’s circle of friends, why wouldn’t the guy with cancer go to the same source of comfort himself? Just saying.