Betty White's Pearls of Wisdom: Life Lessons from a Beloved American Treasure

by Patty Sullivan

Overview

A beautiful tribute to Betty White, one of the most beloved and treasured American icons.

Betty White’s award-winning career spanned seven decades. From the early days of television on the game-show circuit to her unforgettable roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls, and Hot in Cleveland, she was the first lady of television. With her irreverent wit and comedic timing, she was a force of nature forever cherished by fans young and old.

In Betty White’s Pearls of Wisdom readers will find a more intimate look into Betty’s life as told through the eyes of Patty Sullivan, her lifelong friend and adopted family member. “My remembrances are perhaps an echo of things already said, but I hope my stories hold up a mirror, another reflection of her essence and how she affected my life so profoundly.”

Patty met Betty in the late 1960s, and the Sullivans—Patty, her husband, Tom, and their two children—enjoyed a rich relationship and amazing closeness through Betty’s final days. Through her stories we see Betty’s fun-loving banter over a game of Scrabble, her wisdom imparted on a moonlit Christmas sleigh ride, and her passionate advocacy for all members of the animal kingdom. Betty’s uncompromising values were the authentic core of the life she lived and savored—tasting every minute along the way.

Betty White’s Pearls of Wisdom gives you a glimpse into the personal relationship with “her Sullivans,” and the pearls of wisdom she imparted that forever transformed their lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781637631645
Publisher:	Forefront Books
Publication date:	12/13/2022
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	206,224
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Patty Sullivan was born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in Tucson where she attended the University of Arizona. During a summer spent on Cape Cod, she met her husband, Tom Sullivan, who was attending Harvard at the time but pursuing a career in the music business. At the same time, they met Allen Ludden and Betty White who became mentors and beloved lifetime friends, inspiring their own loving marriage of fifty-three years. Tom and Patty have two grown children, Blythe and Tom, Jr.

While raising their family, Patty traveled with Tom for his music concerts and television appearances as well as thousands of motivational speaking engagements across the country. Along the way she served her community in many capacities. Most important to her is the organization she founded to support the Blind Children’s Center of Los Angeles, raising more than 10 million dollars to date. Equally important is her long-time commitment to Providence Little Company of Mary Hospital. As a Trustee Emeritus she continues to serve on their Ministry Board and Mission Community Health Committee.

She has had a wonderfully full life and along the way, was blessed with an incredible relationship with the remarkable Betty White, her mentor and surrogate mother, prompting her to write this loving tribute, Betty White’s Pearls of Wisdom: Life Lessons from a Beloved American Treasure.

Table of Contents

Foreword 11

Introduction 13

Pearl 1 Iridescence and Illumination 19

Pearl 2 The String-Tom 37

Pearl 3 Observation and Silence 55

Pearl 4 Surrogate Mother 71

Pearl 5 Caring for Wildlife 85

Pearl 6 Gram III 105

Pearl 7 Acceptance 123

Pearl 8 Strength and Survival 143

Pearl 9 Appreciation and Thanksgiving 159

Pearl 10 Moonset-Legacy 177

Pearl 11 Twilight-Tender Moments 191

Pearl 12 The Clasp-Our Love Is Here to Stay 201

Acknowledgments 219

Notes 221

Editorial Reviews

12/16/2022

Sullivan considered Betty White to be a surrogate mother, and this warm and endearing portrait will delight fans of the comedian. White died in 2021, just days short of her 100th birthday. Sullivan's book focuses on White's "pearls of wisdom" or life lessons, and it's imbued with the actor's love of life. "Taste every minute" was her mantra. This touching and uplifting memoir focuses less on White's lengthy TV career and more on the decades spent with the Sullivans. White and her husband, Allen Ludden, were the ones to introduce Patty to Tom Sullivan (soon to be her husband) during a summer in Cape Cod, and then helped Tom, who has been blind since infancy, to develop his acting and singing career. The Sullivans remained devoted friends with White until her death and she was "Gram III" to the Sullivan children. Readers also learn that White's love of animals and wildlife was legendary and lifelong as well. It was she who re-homed Tom's retired guide dog, Dinah, when she grew too old to help Tom. Particularly moving are the final two chapters, describing the late-life period when White began "losing ground physically, mentally and emotionally." VERDICT A heartwarming read. Fans of Betty White will not be disappointed.—Penelope J.M. Klein

Library Journal

Writer, narrator, and close family friend of Betty White, Patty Sullivan brings listeners into the private world of the woman she knew well. With treasured memories ranging from White's love of animals to shared time at White's private vacation spot, Sullivan lovingly recounts personal stories and anecdotes of her time off-camera with the beloved actor. Sullivan delivers her own words, and Betty's, with a warmth that captures the special relationship the two women and their families shared. With her thoughtful delivery, Sullivan makes this audiobook a wonderful experience for listeners who are longing to get a closer glimpse of the television legend. V.B. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2023 - AudioFile