#1 New York Times Bestseller
A touching and intimate correspondence between Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, offering timeless wisdom and a revealing glimpse into their lives
The Rainbow Comes and Goes is a charming, intimate and fascinating collection of correspondence between broadcaster and #1 New York Times bestselling author Anderson Cooper and his mother, the celebrated … Times bestselling author Anderson Cooper and his mother, the celebrated Gloria Vanderbilt.
Anderson Cooper’s intensely busy career as a journalist for CNN and CBS’ 60 Minutes affords him little time to spend with his ninety-one year old mother. After she briefly fell ill, he and Gloria began a conversation through e-mail unlike any they had ever had before —a correspondence of surprising honesty and depth in which they discussed their lives, the things that matter to them and what they still want to learn about each other.
Both a son’s love letter to his mother in her final years and an unconventional mother’s life lessons for her grown son, The Rainbow Comes and Goes offers a rare window into their close relationship and fascinating lives. In these often hilarious and touching exchanges, they share their most private thoughts and the hard-earned truths they’ve learned along the way. Throughout, their distinctive personalities shine through—Anderson’s darker outlook on the world is a brilliant contrast to his mother’s idealism and unwavering optimism.
An appealing blend of memoir and inspirational advice, The Rainbow Comes and Goes is a beautiful and affectionate celebration of the profound and universal bond between a parent and child, and, like Tuesdays with Morrie, a thoughtful reflection on life and love, reminding us of the precious knowledge and insight that remains to be shared, no matter what age we are.
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If you can get the audio book where both of them are narrating, you’ll find yourself swimming in their soothing voices and feeling the direct pain of their story.
A no-holds-barred conversation in print between Anderson Cooper and his mother Gloria Vanderbilt. Alternately funny, sad, infuriating, shocking, embarrassing, charming, but always, always filled with love. Definitely worth reading, even if you know nothing about either one of them. You’ll learn!
Read 12.19.2018
Read by the authors, told in alternating voices, this is the story of Gloria Vanderbilt that her son had never heard and on the event of her 91st birthday he had decided to ask about. There is a lot of question and answer here and a lot of introspection. There is much sadness in Gloria’s life and she does not shy away from any of it when she tells her story to her son. I cried quite a bit in this book – she had much loss in her life and even though she had since found her way and her voice, there are moments in her story that are just pure sadness and despair. Anderson’s remarks and questions and observations are interesting and well thought out and I believe that the dialogue they had over that one year has opened a whole new avenue in their relationship that is what everyone wishes for in their relationships with their parents.
A beautifully written book, I am so glad that I read/listened to this one.
found it boring
This was a fascinating book about the life of Gloria Vanderbilt told with emails between her and her son Anderson Cooper over the period of a year. Gloria had been quite sick and Anderson worried that he would lose his mother and he really didn’t know much about her history so they started sending emails to each other about her history. She has been in the limelight through most of her life and it was very interesting to hear details of these tales in Gloria’s own words and perspectives.
I think one would need to be a fan of one or the other author to enjoy this book. That said, I found it a pleasant quick read.
Interesting but rather sad.
I really liked this book. i didn’t know much about Gloria’s life (just the jeans). It was tragic to learn how she was treated as a child and through her formative years. Anderson Cooper was very smart to start writting to his mother, as it allowed hm to tind out about her past. Thank you Anderson for sharing your Mom’s story.
This book about Gloria Vanderbilt and her son Anderson Cooper was fantastic. I knew little about her, and learned and had a whole new look of her. I never knew she went thru so much growing up and in her marriages, but she kept her positive mind going to make a success in her life. It was so good, I enjoyed all of the book and I like Anderson Cooper in what he is doing with his life now too. His mom and Dad would be proud of him.
A conversation between Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt. Anderson initiated this conversation when his mother turned 91. Very personal sharing, as they got to know each other on a deeply personal level.
An interesting story of a mother and son’s relationship in the current time
and in retrospect. Each relates their life stories to each other in a way
most people never attempt to do. Revealing and informative in a good way!
I enjoyed the book.
Loved reading about Anderson Copper and his mom, Gloria Vanderbilt
I enjoyed this book for it’s openness and love for family
It was interesting reading the dialogue between mother and son…Their insights, life lessons
As a fan of Anderson Cooper and someone who enjoys novels set in the near past this was very engaging. It provided a picture of how the wealthy lived during my grandparents and parents generations (who were not wealthy).
A wonderful testament to the love of an adult son and his mother. A non-salacious peek into the lives of two well-known individuals. I highly recommend this book.
Great insight given to wealth
Candid dialogue and great insights
I loved this book! I listened to it on audio, and I highly recommend that option so you can listen to the familiar voice of Anderson Cooper and his 91-year old mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, who reflects so much feeling I felt like crying with her at times. This is a series of letters written back and forth between Anderson, whom his mom often calls “Andy” and Gloria, beginning on her 91st birthday and throughout most of the next year. In it she tells him about her life from birth through the current time and he responds with how some of these things affected him and the different/same ways he views what he has experienced. These are moving and eye-opening facets of a long life that illustrate tragedy, trauma, triumph, joy, love and a full range of happy, sad and painful memories. Hence, Gloria’s view that “the rainbow comes and goes”. I loved hearing their voices, but now I am going to buy the book so I can read it in bits and pieces and highlight the heck out of it.
I enjoyed this book. I wanted to love this book. Anderson Cooper is one of my favorite people, i have admired him for many years and was looking forward to learning a little more about the man not just the reporter. You do not get that with this book,this is a book about Gloria Vanderbilt. You catch glimpses of what shaped him as a man simply by being her son. The book is still well worth reading especially if you are a fan of hers or just want to learn about her quite fascinating family. While this was not a ” have to get back to it” page turner for me I am not sorry I read it