Dispatches from the Edge

I have always admired Anderson Cooper well before I ever realized the family from which he decended I read the book in one day. So much of his personal loss I have myself experienced. That shadow behind the eye....very well put otherwise unexplainable.

I thoughly enjoyed this book. Anderson's dispatches, both global and personal, gave me a view into the many recent tragedies of the world and an understanding of the man dictating the view from his own tragedic reference points. I highly recommend this book.

This book makes you think. Anderson does not romanticize himself; his thoughts are abrupt and genuine. The flow of the novel is impeccable--you will never want to put this book down. Through this book, I have developed a whole new respect for Anderson and an improved outlook on the world. Read it...right now.

Absolutely awesome book full of real and genuine detail all throughout. Anderson Cooper opens his mind and heart for the world to see from his perspective through both career and his personal life experiences. Anderson is not someone who will report without first finding fact. This is a great read..

This book hooks you right from the beginning. The author mixed his own personal tragedy in with the tragedies he has seen throughout his career. I came away feeling emotionally drained as well as more than a little humbled. It definately makes you realize how good you have it, as well as makes you appreciate your family maybe a little more than you used to.

Anderson is truly brave and a real risk taker with a very sensitive heart. I was a little disappointed in the depth of the book. I would like to see him take this further though he clearly revealed his own vulnerabilities. It was a skim through of such devastating events. I am a great fan, however.

If you really want to know Anderson Cooper he shares all in this book. He opens his heart and soul. The places you saw on CNN are made more human when he describes his inner feelings during his visits. The beginning of his life and career are amazing. A must read for anyone who watches his reports.

I found this book to be very insightful on various levels. It not only gives an inside view to some rather current history as it unfolded, but also the emotional journey that Anderson Cooper experienced as he lived it. I enjoyed it a great deal!

Anderson Cooper reads his memoirs with passion. Very touching, very interesting and sad life this young man has led. His travels around the world are so very interesting..........saw things some people never should. Excellent coverage of Katrina. Most worthwhile, you will learn a lot.

I didn't know much about Anderson Cooper before reading this book and assumed I would gain insight into the man as well as his thoughts and feelings at particular critical moments in history such as Katrina and the tsunami. I did get some of this but was left feeling dissatisfied. He holds his cards pretty close to his chest. Or else he still suffers from the numbness he writes about as though it is past tense. Near the beginning, Cooper assures us or himself, I'm not clear which, that he's not like some other journalists who get a "high" off of war, suffering, and danger. Yet the rest of the book proves that indeed he does. He seems to need this high to feel much of anything, including empathy for those who are suffering from war, famine, or disaster. Maybe this detachment is what makes him good at what he does and brave enough to do it. But if you're looking for a read containing insight and reflection, you may need to wait for Cooper's sequel.

I chose to read this book after watching AC cover the tragedy in Newtown. I read this in just a couple stints; I just had to keep reading to know what AC has seen. . .amazing person. Such a raw account of the world and times most of us never truly see. I gained even more respect and fondness for Anderson after this read.

Overall the book was fascinating for its often times graphic and honest story telling of wars,natural disasters,and other travesties occurring over the last ten to twelve years. But I found there was no continuity within the book, jumping around too much from his past to his present and the author still seemed rather detached from his readers how these events affected him personally and professionally. I found the book was at its best when it told a specific story like Aminu in Niger. Then I could feel the author's pain of loss.

realistic view of the journalistic world. humorous at times, sad at others but compelling all along. have always admired the man as a reporter- after reading the book would love to meet him personally as I have no doubt he's an incredibly interesting individual....

Honestly this book is so worth reading. I was afraid it would be really self indulgent but it wasn't at all.
I have to be honest though, I'm a big fan of Anderson, so I'm probably a bit bias. But I found the whole book fascinating. I cried a whole lot while reading it because it gets right down to the nitty gritty of some tragic human experiences.

I am a diehard Anderson Cooper fan! But this book is not that good. I was easily distracted by all the descriptions he used when it was rather unnecessary. It felt like he was trying to hard to grasp the reader's attention and sound interesting. At times, I felt like I was trudging along because his stories were so muddied with adjective after adjective. Looking past that, the stories were great, I loved his message, and I love how compassionate and open he is when retelling all that he has seen and felt in the past years.

I am a diehard Anderson Cooper fan! But this book is not that good. I was easily distracted by all the descriptions he used when it was rather unnecessary. It felt like he was trying to hard to grasp the reader's attention and sound interesting. At times, I felt like I was trudging along because his stories were so muddied with adjective after adjective. Looking past that, the stories were great, I loved his message, and I love how compassionate and open he is when retelling all that he has seen and felt in the past years.

The criticism that this is "self-involved" misses what I think is great about this book. All of us are watching these same news events unfold and at the same time are having our own lives. There is always a dialogue (or there always should be) between what we are seeing "out there" and what is going on inside. This book brings us into that inner dialogue with Anderson Cooper, and it stimulates our making our own inner connections. When we understand ourselves better we will understand why we react/respond to the world better and hopefully grow and change the world and evolve.

Magnificent and heartfelt tales of war, despair, natural disasters and a glimpse to the author's personal life, motivations and feelings. The only pity is that it's too short... or perhaps exceedingly enjoyable.
A must-read for all lovers of real-life, compelling stories.

The vendor was fine, book in good, new shape, came quickly, didn't cost much. However, it was so wordy I found it hard to follow. The points were not clearly drawn and needs a very serious, critical re-write; perhaps several re-writes. I did not finish it all. Sorry.

The book captures the depth of the human journey through sorrow. It embraces the pain of loss, and uses it to teach us how to recover and strengthen our resolve to help others in their time of need. Phenomenal job Anderson!

Reading this book was not really like reading a book at all. It was more like sitting and listening to Anderson tell his story. The time spent just flew and was worth every minute. He has a wonderful style that will keep you captivated.

Sensitive, caring, exciting, REAL. Anderson offers up a different vision of the world and you are there with him. A celebrity child who works hard and makes a difference in the world. Anderson Cooper is believable on Air and in this book. A rare newsperson that asks the questions average folks care about. He works, speaks, interviews with integrity. The World is a better place because of Anderson Cooper.

I had planned to paint my kitchen cabinets today after breakfast. But instead of scanning the paper while I ate, I thought I'd skim through the first few pages of this memoir. It's now the end of the day, all chores have gone undone, but I have finished this riveting, compelling book, and I can't stop thinking about it. It's a cliche' to say "I couldn't put it down", but it's the truth. I am grateful for his remarkable desire to find and tell the stories that need to be told.

I enjoy his show and his writings in Magazines, so knew I would enjoy his book. It is a great account of some of the world's darkest places that many of us will never visit or have to experience. Anderson tells us how these experiences brought him to face the running from his own personal tragedies, something I think most of us can relate too, as most run from something at some point in their lives, even if they don't realize it when it is happening.

This book gives such insight to what Anderson has seen in his years as a journalist. He is truly honest and open in this book. He does try to be politically correct or say things to apease any one person. We need more journalist like Anderson.

I felt the book was a collection of uncensored news reports and I don't watch the news because it is so one-sided. I did not understand how he continuously referred to the death of his father and his brother's suicide. I mean, they kept resurfacing throughout the book but, the events did not seem to have any impact on the career path of the author. I did not appreciate the raw depiction of the world events at large, albeit, he was very honest and forthright in his presentation. What I got out of the book was they way society on the whole is short-sighted and not stayed on the memory of past atrocities and mistakes much of which the media sensationalizes until the well runs dry or something new comes along. Then, the new events take the forefront and even the horrific recent past is forgotten.