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| Just Who Will You Be?: Big Question. Little Book. Answer Within. (ROUGHCUT) | 
 enlarge | Author: Maria Shriver
Publisher: Hyperion
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $5.95
You Save: $9.00 (60%)
New (58) Used (32) Collectible (4) from $2.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  74 reviews
Sales Rank: 2362
Media: Hardcover
Edition: Reprint
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 112
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7 x 5.1 x 0.5
ISBN: 1401323189
Dewey Decimal Number: 170.44
EAN: 9781401323189
ASIN: 1401323189
Publication Date: April 15, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: brand new
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| Customer Reviews:
 It touched me deeply! August 4, 2008
26 out of 27 found this review helpful
I didn't know too much about Maria Shriver before reading this book except for the fact that she is the famous Kennedy-Mrs. Schwarzenegger-First lady of California that you see in the headlines from time to time. Then one day the title of her book "Just Who Will You Be" caught my eye. Umm, why would she be interested in who she is? Doesn't she have all the fame in the world already? So I picked it up and read it; more than one time actually. I am so glad I did! She writes very honestly & directly and it is truly inspiring!
Maria had been living a life of privilege, power and fame gained from her background as a Kennedy, profession as a renowned journalist, and from her marriage to movie-star-turned-governor husband Arnold Schwarzenegger. Being a public figure with a historical legacy, Maria identified herself as a professional- this was all she wanted to be when she grew up and she worked hard to succeed in her work life.
She then became a stay-at-home mom bringing up four kids; however she did not approve of herself for not "working as a professional Maria Shriver". I imagine it was frightening when she quit journalism to become a full-time mother, based on her high profile past that equated self-worth with personal achievement. With a sense of humor, Maria shares with readers the journey of discovering who she is and who she wants to be. She is not at all afraid of admitting she felt lost at times, when she'd been answering her quest with a resume, not what her heart truly desired.
Maria inspired me to be true to myself. It reminds me of an awesome book by Ariel and Shya Kane, Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment that I love very much! Instead of "doing" and trying to figure out how I can fix circumstances that are not my preferences, I can simply just "be" me- and feel no need to define myself by certain roles. I can be gentle and kind to myself and others, be open and let go of some beliefs that may have served me along the way, but just don't work for me anymore. Life can be magical if we allow it to be, and it's up to us! What an awakening! I highly recommend these three authors!
Little Book + Big Question= An Inspiring Read! October 23, 2008
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
This fantastic "little" read, "Just Who Will You Be?" by journalist Maria Shriver is a revelatory examination of self discovery by a woman who has enjoyed many accomplishments in her career. She explores some large questions that prove no matter what level of external success you may enjoy, the quest for happiness and well being is a common desire- whether you're a bus driver, school teacher, or a famous television personality.
Shriver, who in addition to working with the NBC news department for many years, is famous for being a member of the Kennedy family, as well as the wife of movie star/Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. With all of the labels that have come to define the life of this anchor woman/ author/ talk show host / mother-wife-etc....Shriver found herself amidst a personal identity crisis. After years of working in television news, she was forced to resign from the job that she loved when NBC felt that her husband's position as Governor could harm her perceived integrity as a journalist. When she agrees to speak at an upcoming college graduation ceremony, she realizes that she can no longer hide behind her job affiliation to identify her contributions to life. She begins to question her own identity, including all the associations she previously used to define herself. After all, if she isn't a celebrated, successful journalist- who and what defines her value within her daily existence? By the end of the book, Shriver suggests that only person that can define who you are is.....you!
Two of my favorite authors, Ariel and Shya Kane, have written a fantastic new book entitled "Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Can Instantaneously Transform Your Life" that explores some of the themes in Shriver's book. In workshops, audio tapes, and in this inspiring new read, the Kanes write about how labels and outside associations do not produce happiness or well being. All you need to have a successful, happy life is to be present within each current moment of "now". I have attended many of the Kanes workshops in New York City and even though I'm not a "famous news anchor from a famous family" my life is an awesome daily adventure thanks to many of the ideas explored by Ariel and Shya in their book.
Shriver and the Kanes have incredible insights on how to live a happy, fulfilling life- I highly recommend both of these books!
 Just who will you be April 23, 2008
18 out of 25 found this review helpful
I am very disappointed in the book. It is a small book with large type and widely spaced. In short the book was very repetitive, stating the obvious, and could have been written on 3 pages.
Fresh and Exciting Perspective! July 9, 2008
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
There are two ideas in this book that I absolutely love -
First, Shriver suggests that WHO you are - all the little ways, the so-called insignificant ways, you can be of service to the world, like smiling at the bus driver - matters MORE than your job description. And that it is WHO you will be in life that is exciting, what you do being a part of that greater, richer whole of the person you are. This may sound obvious, but frankly its not what I was taught, nor what I experience in the world at large. Like she says, she was Maria Shriver-Anchorwoman, until she was forced to become Maria Shriver, and discovered what a gift that truly was.
Second, she suggests that each day "we are starting out fresh in the world." What a profound point of view! And it is in fact TRUE. There is nothing at all that holds us to our past other than our point of view that it somehow matters. What Shriver suggests is that each new moment is a completely new opportunity - not a linear progression from the past - but a chance to look and see who you are in THIS moment.
Thank you Ms. Shriver for a very lovely book - Two other books that I love and which also discuss being of service and living in the moment, offering astonishing shifts in perspective about life, are Ariel and Shya Kane's Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment and How to Create a Magical Relationship. Check them out!
A Very Helpful Book April 27, 2008
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
Honestly, I did not expect Ms. Shriver's book to be more than a light read. I did not consider changing my mind until I passed page ten. My first impressions were about the genuine openness of Ms. Shriver's commentary about herself and the wonderful humor that pops-up unexpectedly. As I read further, I found her comments and descriptions related to her topic to be quite insightful. I believe most people ask similar questions about who they really are; what they want to do with their lives; why they are here on earth; and so many more deeply personal queries. Ms. Shriver's question as to who she really was, and not what she does in this world, will probably resonate with many. I found the speech Ms. Shriver gave to her nephew's high school graduation class to be excellent. I rather suspect no one in that audience was bored or unmoved by her speech--unusual for graduation speakers! I do recommend this little book of ninety-five pages to everyone (men included). However, the primary readership may be limited to women and grandparents. I hope not. This is an excellent book to be shared with daughters, sons, grandchildren, and others outside the family circle. The book's brevity may work to its advantage when given as a gift to young adults with the attention span of a thirty-second commercial. Personally I would not wait until high school graduation to give a copy of this book to a young adult--I think the book should be given at the start of high school, or sooner if you have a smart young adult in your family. Life is hard enough, and this thoughtful little book can provide anyone a logical starting point from which to ponder those profound personal questions we all have. As Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Thank you, Ms. Shriver, for helping to make those personal journeys just a little easier to navigate.
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