Look for Me There - by Luke Russert

About the Book

From journalist Luke Russert, an exploration of finding oneself and one's place in the world in the face of crushing expectations and grief.

Book Synopsis

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In Look for Me There, Luke Russert traverses terrain both physical and deeply personal. On his journey to some of the world's most stunning destinations, he visits the internal places of grief, family, faith, ambition, and purpose--with intense self-reflection, honesty, and courage."--Savannah Guthrie, coanchor of Today

"Look for me there," news legend Tim Russert would tell his son, Luke, when confirming a pickup spot at an airport, sporting event, or rock concert. After Tim died unexpectedly, Luke kept looking for his father, following in Tim's footsteps and carving out a highly successful career at NBC News. After eight years covering politics on television, Luke realized he had no good answer as to why he was chasing his father's legacy. As the son of two accomplished parents--his mother is journalist Maureen Orth of Vanity Fair--Luke felt the pressure of high expectations but suddenly decided to leave the familiar path behind.

Instead, Luke set out on his own to find answers. What began as several open-ended months of travel to decompress and reassess morphed into a three-plus-year odyssey across six continents to discover the world and, ultimately, to find himself.

Chronicling the important lessons and historical understandings Luke discovered from his travels, Look for Me There is both the vivid narrative of that journey and the emotional story of a young man taking charge of his life, reexamining his relationship with his parents, and finally grieving his larger-than-life father, who died too young.

For anyone uncertain about the direction of their life or unsure of how to move forward after a loss, Look for Me There is a poignant reflection that offers encouragement to examine our choices, take risks, and discover our truest selves.

Review Quotes

'One book, two remarkable and compelling journeys. In Look for Me There, Luke Russert puts to the test -- and beyond any doubt validates - his perhaps unrivaled storytelling DNA. Worth the read just to take a vivid trip around the globe, a colorful, insightful and meticulously detailed travel diary that transports the reader to some of the world's most intriguing cities, hidden corners and fascinating cultures. And with those travels comes a mourning son's poignant and brutally honest personal journey; to process devastating loss and grief, to wrestle with his sense of self and place, with questions of faith and family -- and to ultimately balance the burden of expectations with the freedom of picking his own path. Look for Me There is bursting with fabulous storytelling, and with valuable life lessons.'--John King, CNN Chief National Correspondent and host of Inside Politics

'A beautiful well-written story of a young man coming into his own, finding his faith and understanding his purpose.'--Maria Shriver, acclaimed journalist and founder of The Sunday Paper

'This starts as the story of one father and one son, and soon grows into something much deeper and more profound: a meditation on loss, and grief, a search for home, a journey to find a missing hero that leads the author finally back to himself. It is Luke Russert's story but in the end, the main character is you, the reader.'--Wright Thompson, senior ESPN writer and bestselling author of Pappyland and The Cost of These Dreams

'A rich and compelling account of family, grief and coming of age. Luke Russert turns tragedy into rich lessons of life.'--Tom Brokaw, legendary journalist and author of The Greatest Generation

'Blown. Away. Luke Russert's story of heartbreaking loss and hard-earned self-discovery captivates from start to finish. This is the memoir of the year, if not the decade.'--Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Summer of '69

'In Look For Me There, Luke Russert traverses terrain both physical and deeply personal. On his journey to some of the world's most stunning destinations, he visits the internal places of grief, family, faith, ambition and purpose--with intense self-reflection, honesty and courage.'--Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor Today