Barbara Walters is known for breaking barriers in the world of journalism, but who was she behind the cameras? Susan Page, the Washington, D.C., bureau chief for USA Today who’s also a best-selling author, aims to answer that question in her latest book, “The Rule Breaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters,” our November pick for Bookmarked: the Under the Radar book club.

Page said she was interested in exploring Walters’ life, from childhood to breaking barriers for countless women pursuing careers in broadcast journalism.

“She was the first woman to co-anchor a network morning show, the first woman to co-anchor a network evening show. She was the biggest interviewer of her day,” Page said. “When she was 67 years old, she started a new form of television talk called ‘The View,’ which now, a quarter century later, is still going strong.”

Page said much of Walters’ identity was shaped by her early experiences, growing up in the wings of her father’s performance venues. This is when Walters got a chance to witness the backstage lives of entertainers of all calibers. Page said this is what led to Walters’ brilliant interviewing skills later in life.

“She was never overly impressed by celebrities or political leaders, because she had seen them at their best and at their worst when she was growing up,” Page said.

But life was difficult for Walters, who grew up in wealth and poverty, and who became practically obsessed with success, never feeling truly content. The necessary balance between career and family was not one Walter knew how to curate, Page said.

“For Barbara, there was no balance — work came first” Page said. “And that’s one reason she had three marriages and three divorces. It’s one reason she was so estranged from her daughter.”

Despite her devotion to her career, even in the newsroom she lacked meaningful relationships with colleagues, often viewing other women as competition rather than colleagues or friends. Page said this could be a product of the time and environment in which Walters was hoping to find success.

“She pushed her way into an industry that did not welcome her. And she just did it,” Page said. “She worked harder, and she did it better than anybody else.”

And Page said she — and many other women in journalism — are able to do their jobs because of the legacy Barbara Walters left behind.

“I feel like I owe a debt to Barbara Walters,” Page said. “I’m not a TV journalist, but she demonstrated what women in journalism could do. She cleared a path that I’ve walked along.”

Guest

  • Susan Page, journalist, political commentator, Washington D.C. bureau chief for USA Today, best-selling author and biographer