THE BEAUTIFUL NO

The story of one woman’s reinvention after a 20-year career as an executive producer on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

After two decades working alongside one of the most famous women in the world, Salata, who eventually became the co-president of Harpo Studios and OWN, was ready for a change. Despite her impressively successful career, the author, moving toward her late 50s, felt unfulfilled, and she had the feeling that there was more to come. She had dreams that had been shelved for years and knew it was time to dust them off. First, however, she needed to reconcile issues with her past, primarily her weight fluctuations and her romantic relationships. “The reckoning—my reckoning, your reckoning—is not about self-judgment,” she writes. “It’s about hope. It’s the beginning of the stirring up of possibility. It’s the seed of the tiniest momentum that propels you beyond the ruts you are stuck in, the routine you have so dedicatedly constructed over decades.” The author blends moments of humor—e.g., her stint at a spa that featured “daily colonics,” a liposuction episode—with memorable advice she has absorbed from 20 years working with Oprah and her innumerable guests. Salata shares how she and her good friend, who was also looking for a life change, made a commitment to support each other unconditionally, and she stresses the importance of such valuable friendships, especially later in life. The author does meander a bit—she gives readers an inside look at life with her dogs and how she went from being an employee at a convenience store to eventually snagging her dream job—but on the whole, the narrative maintains a steady beat of useful advice coupled with honesty and wit, making this an empowering read for women of all ages but especially those 50 and above who are seeking a change.

Honest reflections on a life well-lived and how the next chapter looks to be even better.