Patricia O'Brien
US
Award-winning career in the world of books, journalism, politics, and education - and co-author of “I Know Just What You Mean – The Power of Friendship In Women’s Lives.”
Patricia O’Brien’s award-winning career has spanned the worlds of books - fiction and non-fiction - journalism, politics, and education. Her latest book is “The Glory Cloak,” a novel about the experiences of Louisa May Alcott and Clara Barton as nurses in the Civil War.
Patricia is the co-author, along with Ellen Goodman, of the New York Times bestseller entitled, “I Know Just What You Mean – The Power of Friendship In Women’s Lives.” She is also the author of three other novels, “The Candidate’s Wife,” “The Ladies’ Lunch,” and “Good Intentions.” Her earlier non-fiction books include “The Woman Alone” and “Staying Together: Marriages That Work.”
From 1976 to 1987 Patricia was a political correspondent and columnist for Knight-Ridder newspapers in Washington, covering the Reagan White House, Congress and the 1984 national political campaigns of Gary Hart and Geraldine Ferraro. From journalism she switched to politics, becoming press secretary for Governor Michael Dukakis when he ran for president in 1987. In 1988, she was awarded a Freedom Forum Fellowship at Columbia University.
O’Brien graduated from the University of Oregon in 1966, and then began her journalistic career at the South Bend Tribune in South Bend, Indiana. In 1970, she began working for the Chicago Sun-Times, first as a reporter, then as a columnist and editorial writer. She became a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1973.
Patricia has been a commentator for CBS-TV’s Morning News and also for the CBS-Radio program, “Spectrum,” as well as for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She has written for a number of magazines, including Esquire, Working Woman, Notre Dame Magazine, Glamour, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her book reviews appear in The New York Times.
O’Brien was the Baltimore Sun Distinguished Lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Journalism in 1989, where she taught a course on journalistic ethics. She has also taught at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.O’Brien has four grown daughters and lives with her husband, Frank Mankiewicz, in Washington, D.C.
MOST REQUESTED TOPIC:
The Power of Friendship in Women's Lives
Patricia O’Brien and Ellen Goodman are long time friends and co-authors of the New York Times Bestseller, "I Know Just What You Mean: The Power of Friendship in Women’s Lives." This uplifting and entertaining presentation focuses on the importance of friends in women’s lives and how friends provide comfort and courage in a way uniquely different from family. Ellen and Pat focus especially on how friendship affects health, weaving in recent studies showing how friends are the great stress-relievers and maybe even the key to longevity.
Given that most women lead frantic lives these days, friendship can be crucial to success and to overall well being. And yet it remains undervalued in a society that still decrees that “grown-ups” should be standing on their own two feet – taking care of themselves, rather than each other.
O’Brien and Goodman share a rich lode of stories from their many talks with women friends, offering answers to some of the most crucial questions: How do we find time for our friends? And how do friends help each other through all the transitions of life, from school to marriage, motherhood, work, and the travails of growing old?
In a warm and unique duet laced with humor, Goodman and O’Brien vividly demonstrate the bonds – and pleasures – of friendship.
Patricia is the co-author, along with Ellen Goodman, of the New York Times bestseller entitled, “I Know Just What You Mean – The Power of Friendship In Women’s Lives.” She is also the author of three other novels, “The Candidate’s Wife,” “The Ladies’ Lunch,” and “Good Intentions.” Her earlier non-fiction books include “The Woman Alone” and “Staying Together: Marriages That Work.”
From 1976 to 1987 Patricia was a political correspondent and columnist for Knight-Ridder newspapers in Washington, covering the Reagan White House, Congress and the 1984 national political campaigns of Gary Hart and Geraldine Ferraro. From journalism she switched to politics, becoming press secretary for Governor Michael Dukakis when he ran for president in 1987. In 1988, she was awarded a Freedom Forum Fellowship at Columbia University.
O’Brien graduated from the University of Oregon in 1966, and then began her journalistic career at the South Bend Tribune in South Bend, Indiana. In 1970, she began working for the Chicago Sun-Times, first as a reporter, then as a columnist and editorial writer. She became a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1973.
Patricia has been a commentator for CBS-TV’s Morning News and also for the CBS-Radio program, “Spectrum,” as well as for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She has written for a number of magazines, including Esquire, Working Woman, Notre Dame Magazine, Glamour, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her book reviews appear in The New York Times.
O’Brien was the Baltimore Sun Distinguished Lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Journalism in 1989, where she taught a course on journalistic ethics. She has also taught at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.O’Brien has four grown daughters and lives with her husband, Frank Mankiewicz, in Washington, D.C.
MOST REQUESTED TOPIC:
The Power of Friendship in Women's Lives
Patricia O’Brien and Ellen Goodman are long time friends and co-authors of the New York Times Bestseller, "I Know Just What You Mean: The Power of Friendship in Women’s Lives." This uplifting and entertaining presentation focuses on the importance of friends in women’s lives and how friends provide comfort and courage in a way uniquely different from family. Ellen and Pat focus especially on how friendship affects health, weaving in recent studies showing how friends are the great stress-relievers and maybe even the key to longevity.
Given that most women lead frantic lives these days, friendship can be crucial to success and to overall well being. And yet it remains undervalued in a society that still decrees that “grown-ups” should be standing on their own two feet – taking care of themselves, rather than each other.
O’Brien and Goodman share a rich lode of stories from their many talks with women friends, offering answers to some of the most crucial questions: How do we find time for our friends? And how do friends help each other through all the transitions of life, from school to marriage, motherhood, work, and the travails of growing old?
In a warm and unique duet laced with humor, Goodman and O’Brien vividly demonstrate the bonds – and pleasures – of friendship.
Patricia O’Brien’s award-winning career has spanned the worlds of books - fiction and non-fiction - journalism, politics, and education. Her latest book is “The Glory Cloak,” a novel about the experiences of Louisa May Alcott and Clara Barton as nurses in the Civil War.
Patricia is the co-author, along with Ellen Goodman, of the New York Times bestseller entitled, “I Know Just What You Mean – The Power of Friendship In Women’s Lives.” She is also the author of three other novels, “The Candidate’s Wife,” “The Ladies’ Lunch,” and “Good Intentions.” Her earlier non-fiction books include “The Woman Alone” and “Staying Together: Marriages That Work.”
From 1976 to 1987 Patricia was a political correspondent and columnist for Knight-Ridder newspapers in Washington, covering the Reagan White House, Congress and the 1984 national political campaigns of Gary Hart and Geraldine Ferraro. From journalism she switched to politics, becoming press secretary for Governor Michael Dukakis when he ran for president in 1987. In 1988, she was awarded a Freedom Forum Fellowship at Columbia University.
O’Brien graduated from the University of Oregon in 1966, and then began her journalistic career at the South Bend Tribune in South Bend, Indiana. In 1970, she began working for the Chicago Sun-Times, first as a reporter, then as a columnist and editorial writer. She became a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1973.
Patricia has been a commentator for CBS-TV’s Morning News and also for the CBS-Radio program, “Spectrum,” as well as for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She has written for a number of magazines, including Esquire, Working Woman, Notre Dame Magazine, Glamour, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her book reviews appear in The New York Times.
O’Brien was the Baltimore Sun Distinguished Lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Journalism in 1989, where she taught a course on journalistic ethics. She has also taught at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.O’Brien has four grown daughters and lives with her husband, Frank Mankiewicz, in Washington, D.C.
MOST REQUESTED TOPIC:
The Power of Friendship in Women's Lives
Patricia O’Brien and Ellen Goodman are long time friends and co-authors of the New York Times Bestseller, "I Know Just What You Mean: The Power of Friendship in Women’s Lives." This uplifting and entertaining presentation focuses on the importance of friends in women’s lives and how friends provide comfort and courage in a way uniquely different from family. Ellen and Pat focus especially on how friendship affects health, weaving in recent studies showing how friends are the great stress-relievers and maybe even the key to longevity.
Given that most women lead frantic lives these days, friendship can be crucial to success and to overall well being. And yet it remains undervalued in a society that still decrees that “grown-ups” should be standing on their own two feet – taking care of themselves, rather than each other.
O’Brien and Goodman share a rich lode of stories from their many talks with women friends, offering answers to some of the most crucial questions: How do we find time for our friends? And how do friends help each other through all the transitions of life, from school to marriage, motherhood, work, and the travails of growing old?
In a warm and unique duet laced with humor, Goodman and O’Brien vividly demonstrate the bonds – and pleasures – of friendship.
Patricia is the co-author, along with Ellen Goodman, of the New York Times bestseller entitled, “I Know Just What You Mean – The Power of Friendship In Women’s Lives.” She is also the author of three other novels, “The Candidate’s Wife,” “The Ladies’ Lunch,” and “Good Intentions.” Her earlier non-fiction books include “The Woman Alone” and “Staying Together: Marriages That Work.”
From 1976 to 1987 Patricia was a political correspondent and columnist for Knight-Ridder newspapers in Washington, covering the Reagan White House, Congress and the 1984 national political campaigns of Gary Hart and Geraldine Ferraro. From journalism she switched to politics, becoming press secretary for Governor Michael Dukakis when he ran for president in 1987. In 1988, she was awarded a Freedom Forum Fellowship at Columbia University.
O’Brien graduated from the University of Oregon in 1966, and then began her journalistic career at the South Bend Tribune in South Bend, Indiana. In 1970, she began working for the Chicago Sun-Times, first as a reporter, then as a columnist and editorial writer. She became a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1973.
Patricia has been a commentator for CBS-TV’s Morning News and also for the CBS-Radio program, “Spectrum,” as well as for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She has written for a number of magazines, including Esquire, Working Woman, Notre Dame Magazine, Glamour, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her book reviews appear in The New York Times.
O’Brien was the Baltimore Sun Distinguished Lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Journalism in 1989, where she taught a course on journalistic ethics. She has also taught at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.O’Brien has four grown daughters and lives with her husband, Frank Mankiewicz, in Washington, D.C.
MOST REQUESTED TOPIC:
The Power of Friendship in Women's Lives
Patricia O’Brien and Ellen Goodman are long time friends and co-authors of the New York Times Bestseller, "I Know Just What You Mean: The Power of Friendship in Women’s Lives." This uplifting and entertaining presentation focuses on the importance of friends in women’s lives and how friends provide comfort and courage in a way uniquely different from family. Ellen and Pat focus especially on how friendship affects health, weaving in recent studies showing how friends are the great stress-relievers and maybe even the key to longevity.
Given that most women lead frantic lives these days, friendship can be crucial to success and to overall well being. And yet it remains undervalued in a society that still decrees that “grown-ups” should be standing on their own two feet – taking care of themselves, rather than each other.
O’Brien and Goodman share a rich lode of stories from their many talks with women friends, offering answers to some of the most crucial questions: How do we find time for our friends? And how do friends help each other through all the transitions of life, from school to marriage, motherhood, work, and the travails of growing old?
In a warm and unique duet laced with humor, Goodman and O’Brien vividly demonstrate the bonds – and pleasures – of friendship.
2010