Finding the Story

Hilarious. Poignant. Inspiring. That's how early readers are describing Finding the Story. This book follows a shy, anxious child as he discovers the rowdy world of journalism – and spends the rest of his life on a quest for fame, adventure and perhaps a few shreds of dignity.

This is George's sixth nonfiction book and a memoir to savor. Its timely message of hope and resilience will sneak up on you slowly. Most of the early chapters are packed with the frenzied missteps of a young guy in a hurry, unsure of his goals but determined to get there.

Yes, that's him, out of his depth as a 26-year-old foreign correspondent, knocking back shots of vodka with some very sketchy Soviet "bankers." That's him riding on the roof of a mountain bus in Nepal with an exciting new girlfriend, hoping that both of them don't get killed.

Often battered, never quite crushed, George eventually learns to "fix his life" by turning his storytelling mastery toward kindness instead of scandal. In his late 30s, he earns part of a Pulitzer Prize; in his early 40s, he publishes a New York Times bestselling book. Recklessness gives way to patience; bravado yields to generosity. He's a coach now, helping others succeed instead of trying to hoard success for himself.

The biggest transformation comes in the book's final pages. That's when George finally finds the clarity (and the humility) to write deeply about his father's courage during World War II. Sometimes the biggest heroes are the people we've known forever.