You’ve watched Maria Shriver on TV for decades. Read her many bestsellers. Cheered as she and her family founded and championed some of humanity’s greatest causes. Now’s your chance to get to know her more intimately than perhaps ever before.

Maria’s here, on for the first day of her new book tour! In this playful, deep interview for I’VE BEEN THINKING: Reflections, Prayers, and Meditations for a Meaningful Life (Pamela Dorman Books/Penguin Random House), Leeza Gibbons and I talk with this New York Times bestselling author of six (surely now seven!) titles. We muse about family, friendship, parenting, and divorce. On the struggle to believe we’re doing enough; the different ways we three get our writing done; Time Debt and what’s truly important, and the steps we should all be taking to safeguard our precious brains from Alzheimer’s and other dementia.

Guys. This episode is epic for me. It’s hard to put into words what it means to host the show with someone who’s touched my life so beautifully for so long (Leeza). But to then have another idol of mine for nearly twenty years (Maria) as our guest?!—Good God. Life can be so surreal. And, as Maria points out, it can also be incredibly complicated. For everyone. Doesn’t just knowing that make it easier already?

Imagine this. Your uncle promises the country that he’ll land us on the moon—uttering some of the most famous words in the history of our world. Your parents start the Peace Corps, Head Start, Jobs Corps, and the Special Olympics—all organizations still uplifting the masses. How the heck, against this backdrop, do you find your words, your voice? And yet, as you’ll hear, it was Maria’s words, Maria’s voice that truly changed the course of my life and in part gave me the freedom I have now.

I’m extra excited to share this conversation with you—one in which Leeza stumps Maria during our rapid-fire Q & A with the hardest—and I’m guessing funniest—question she’s ever been asked. (Hint: It may have to do with hair and coffee, although not hairy coffee.) Then, as Maria tells us she’s NEVER before been asked our next question, and I hear these long-time besties laugh—I’m now thinking: How in the world did I get so lucky? Here’s a woman who worked her way up from writer to producer to anchor at both CBS News and NBC news, and traveled the world interviewing presidents, kings, activists and more—and has been interviewed countless times herself. Did we really just hit the back-to-back question jackpot here? (Smiley.)

Surreal indeed. I’m so glad you’re here.

Welcome!
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