Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining!
Review: If you liked the memoirs of Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley, and Dan Rather, so too will you like CBS News and "Face the Nation" veteran Bob Schieffer's "This Just In". It is chocked full of historical anecdotes of national issues, national politics and TV news gossip.Like the other reporters mentioned, while maybe they themselves are not worthy of a memoir, the sheer volume of historical events they witnessed is. Schieffer's style is entertaining, homespun, honest, reflective and intelligent, and he has most definitely kept his ego in check. Schieffer shares his experiences during JFK's assassination, LBJ, Vietnam, Nixon, Carter, the 2000 election, and Sept 11. I would estimate the book is 75% insight to Washington and national events and 25% insight into the author and CBS News. Schieffer provides enough personal information and history for his audience to get to know him, but that is less for grandstanding than for helping his audience to understand his background in order to understand how he interprets events. He truly enjoys and respects his work and subjects and it clearly shows in his memoirs. And never have I found a book's acknowledgements and source notes so entertaining!
Rating:
Summary: One of the top books I have read
Review: This is one of the top books I have read. This book is much better than other books of a similar subject such as Lesley Stahl's "Reporting Live", George Stephanopoulos's "All Too
Human", and Pat Schroeder's "24 Years of House Work".
While it is only a small part of the book, it gives the reader a much better insight on the workings of Washington.
The stories are interesting and you can not help but be drawn in to his life as a reporter.
Just like his reporting, he has done his research very well.
It is a must read if you are interested in Washington or past major events.
Rating: 
Summary: This Just In- But That Doesn't Mean You Should Read It
Review: The CBS icon and Face the Nation host reveals little that his viewers don't already know as he tries to cash in before he's shown the door at the Tiffany network. This book does reinforce his unwritten role as weekly spinmeister for the Democratic National Committee with its anecdotes of minor peccadilloes and behind-the-scene struggles of reporting. Don't look for huge revelations or belly laughs, just more homespun homilies delivered without the audible pontificating inflections.
Rating: 
Summary: Very pleasant memoir from a man who was there
Review: A memoir of the CBS newsman's life, from his early days as a police beat reporter, through Nixon and Watergate the bloodshed at home and at Vietnam in the '60s, up to 9/11. I had never heard of Schieffer before, even though he was originally a Texas newsman, and I'm from Texas! In any case, this is a very pleasant autiobiography which also serves as a sort of informal history of America's last half-century. (The subtitle is somewhat misleading, as the book does not provide us with juicy tidbits which were too classified or secret to be revealed at the time. This is simply a series of pieces on episodes of American history: Watergate, the Ford pardon, the Clinton years, etc.) At times, too, it gets a bit too bogged down in CBS' internecine struggles and budget cuts for the average layman to get worked up about, but otherwise, Schieffer elegantly balances personal anecdotes and commentary about American history in simple, uncluttered, reflective prose. I did enjoy the first part of the book more than the second, if only because Schieffer paints such an interesting picture of what American life was like in those pre-Watergate days (cops mistaking him for a detective because he wore a certain cap! no security at the Pentagon door!). I found this memoir very engaging and hard to put down; recommended. Oh, and a final word about bias: Schieffer demonstrates that he's an ethical journalist, and his biases are admitted but not apparent from his writing. I found his disapproving account of the Clinton years very fair, although I'm a big Clinton fan, and could find no fault with his assessments of Nixon, Ford or Carter (indeed, Schieffer opened my eyes to the accomplishments of these latter two). So I don't think Schieffer is wielding any kind of political axe here, though it is odd that the Reagan years are largely absent from the book.
Rating:
Summary: Talking head writes
Review: And he writes very well. This isn't a quick read. The stories are too good and worthy of contemplation (e.g. his early observations in Viet Nam) to zoom through. It is a shamethat the current crop of news readers aren't up to his level.
Rating:
Summary: Spending time with a nice guy who has witnessed history.
Review: It's like sitting down to chat with Bob Scheiffer. He talks about the things that you would have asked him about if you had a chance to meet him. He's genuinely a nice guy who has reported on forty years of history. I cannot imagine that anyone interested in news or history would be disapointed with this excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: A NEWS REPORTER'S RUNDOWN
Review: This is an autobiography that is written as if Bob Schieffer was sitting across from you telling his story. It is always interesting to learn how one gets started in his occupation and then how the learning curve increases with experience...and what you have to go through to get that experience. You get a lot of current history in his story, particularly the events on 9/11 and the year 2000 election, but much much more than that. This is more about politics as the author just loves his job and the doings of Washington D.C. are thoroughly covered. A good read that gives you your own learning curve.
Rating:
Summary: Like a conversation with a storyteller
Review: It's hard to remember that the theme of the book is the things that Mr. Schieffer couldn't tell the public about when he was reporting because the book reads like fascinating dinner conversation rather than a historical overview. As a thirty-something who was too young to have know about or understood the political happenings of the sixties and seventies, hearing about Mr. Schieffer's public and behind-the-scenes experiences has helped me understand the background to our current political environment. Don't get me wrong, I HATE politics, but this is a great read for anyone who likes to know what goes on in the world, especially behind the scenes. I'm buying it as a gift for two people.
Rating:
Summary: A Delightful Personal Historical Memoir
Review: I would not have thought to pick up this book, except that, by serendipity, I heard parts of it on Radio Reader as I was driving to work for several mornings, and by further serendipity, I heard the author talking about my late aunt, whom I never knew very well, and who, as it turns out, was a noted eccentric among the White House press corps. So, I bought the book. And I'm very glad I did. The story begins with Bob Schieffer's baby steps in journalism, his experiences during the the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the civil rights struggles of the 60s, his changing perceptions of the war in Viet Nam, his personal experience of growth and change in the news business and in American governance, then Watergate, and finally, the events of September 11. Although I learned nothing dramatically new (except the story of my eccentric aunt), I did enjoy seeing familiar events through the eyes of one very astute and well-informed observer. Author Bob Schieffer writes in an easy, flowing style, as though he is talking to the reader personally. He conveys a great sense of warmth and compassion as he talks about figures who are, to most of us, the great and near great. He does not hesitate to poke fun at himself or to share his foibles and failures. He comes across as a really nice person who just happens to have first-hand experience of the great events of the last forty years. The book moves along quickly, reads easily, and leaves you wanting more. I feel very fortunate that I was able to read this book, and I highly recommend it to others. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.
Rating:
Summary: Glad I read this biography
Review: Bob Schieffer was not a name that I knew, so I would not have chosen this biography had a friend of mine not recommended it to me. I always learn something from biographies, and THIS JUST IN did not disappoint. I don't watch much television inside these prison fences. My schedule is too busy with writing, reading, correspondence, and exercise. I am familiar with Peter Jennings, Ted Koppel, Tom Brokaw, and Dan Rather as newscasters, but I had not heard of Bob Schieffer before reading this book that chronicles his life. He does a fine job describing it. I admire individuals who set clearly defined goals in their lives, then set in place a strategy to help them achieve those goals. Through Schieffer's biography, readers learn that he was a diligent student and a determined worker as a young man. As a teenager Schieffer worked as a newspaper reporter, and after college became an officer in the Air Force. Immediately upon completing his military duty, Schieffer returned to his job as a local newspaperman. Not long after his return, he courageously persuaded his supervisor at the Fort Worth Star Telegram to send him to Vietnam in order to report on the Texan troops, thereby launching himself on his way to journalistic stardom. Soon after Schieffer's return from Vietnam he graduated to the world of electronic media as a local television reporter. From his post as an anchor for WBAP-TV (now KXAS) Schieffer doggedly pursued the major networks with hopes of leaving behind the daily coverage of murder, arson, and other bloody crime that local news organizations are committed to broadcasting. Schieffer wanted to cover national news. His determination paid off, as Schieffer succeeded in landing a coveted job at CBS, and over a career that spans several decades, Schieffer has been responsible for reporting on four of the most prestigious posts in Washington: the State Department, The Pentagon, The White House, and The Congress. Schieffer also has anchored several of his own news shows and frequently substitutes for Dan Rather anchoring the CBS Evening News. Although I was not familiar with Schieffer prior to reading his biography, it has become clear to me that he is an important journalist. Through his biography I learned more about many events in our nation's history, including the controversy over Vietnam, Nixon, diplomacy, and several presidential administrations. The most compelling part of the book, for me, was his description of his and his colleagues' experiences during the tragedy of September 11. Besides being a journalist for one of the major networks, Schieffer also comes across as a genuinely nice person; a man committed to his wife, two daughters, and colleagues. I enjoyed reading about his life and the choices he made to reach his goals.
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