Publishers Weekly
05/27/2019
Television producer Salata shares her story of transformation in this approachable debut. Salata, writing in a diaristic style, begins with her decision to leave her long career working as executive producer on The Oprah Winfrey Show. In her mid-50s, she felt it was the right time to leave, and was overwhelmed with excitement and worry about the future. As she took stock of her life, Salata began to face demons she had been avoiding: the lack of romantic love in her life, her insecurities about her body, and the pressure to always be ready and willing to work. Salata walks readers through her great “reckoning,” when she faces her foibles by starting a journal, attending a therapy spa, and taking a year off for “radical self-care.” To fight back against self-destructive thinking, she recommends readers be kind to themselves and to journal in order to “tenderly look at the landscape of your life and lovingly explore its pits and grooves, its highs and lows.” To this end, she offers her own process through revealing, in-depth discussions of difficulties in her own past, including the moment that problems with her weight began, the uncertainties of her 20s, and her victorious battle against cancer. Salata will be a comforting guide to any reader looking for new strategies for overcoming personal obstacles. (June)
From the Publisher
Sheri Salata’s journey to a life of extraordinary success ultimately triggered a transformation to wholeness and healing. We can all learn from her riveting story that joy, love and self compassion are the true goals of human existence. Read this book, The Beautiful No, and be inspired to embark on your own journey of emotional and spiritual fulfillment.” — Deepak Chopra, M.D.
“For years, Sheri Salata used her magical powers, work ethic, and generous spirit to make other people’s lives better. But finally she had to learn how to turn that magic inward, in order to master the ultimate challenge of improving, rescuing and loving herself. Being the generous soul she is, she took notes along the way. THE BEAUTIFUL NO is a road map for transformation — an honest, funny, and soulful look at what it really means to take stewardship over your own existence. This book will bring help and hope to so many people.” — Elizabeth Gilbert
“Sheri takes us through her courageous journey from her brilliant career to stepping forward to find and live her most brilliant life. Reminding us that every transition, change and transformation requires a brave surrender to the unknown and a huge does of self compassion. In every page of The Beautiful NO rings a big YES of how worth it is is to go through whatever it takes to get to know the being who we truly are.” — Agapi Stassinopoulos
“I’ve always loved deeply personal stories that lead the reader to discover a new way of considering what they believe to be true about themselves. The Beautiful No delivers courage, honesty, and contagious reflection.” — Nate Berkus
“In this bracingly honest, tenderhearted, profoundly human book, Sheri Salata peels back the layers of a life that, on the surface, looks like pure success, and tells the truth of what it is to struggle, to fear, to grieve, to desire—in other words, to live. The Beautiful No will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It will make you feel. It will make you want to be Sheri Salata’s friend.” — Dani Shapiro
“If you’ve been aching for more joy, craving deeper meaning, and daydreaming about following your soul whispers (or roars!)––you must read this book! Sheri Salata has created a roadmap and a permission slip for us all. Through her hilarious insights and masterful wisdom, we get an inside view of the magic that happens when we say yes to our lives. This book inspires me to love harder, live bolder and just frickin’ go for it. It will do the same for you, too.” — Kris Carr
“This is a beautifully written page turner that had me hooked. I was rooting for Sheri on every page and when I reached the end, I felt like I just had the best meeting with a new best friend.” — Arielle Ford
“A must read for anyone who is ready to take the leap to joy, freedom, forgiveness and authenticity.” — Colette Baron-Reid
“There are few experiences in life where you leave feeling more connected, more aware of yourself than when you begin. Sheri’s ability to tell her story in a way that feels universal and vibrationally relevant is nothing short of magical. Triumph, vulnerability, failure, strength and grace- The Beautiful No has made me a better father. You close the book and look up thinking you have been lost in conversation with your dearest friend, only to realize you’ve just been reading the entire time, looking through your new pair of magical glasses.” — Jeremiah Brent
“For thirty years, Sheri and I have been telling each other stories. This beautiful book of hers feels like every great conversation we’ve ever had—complete with laughs, tears, surprises and moments of revelation. Her voice of one of a kind and her stories never fail to inspire. Pull up a chair, as I have done many times, and dive in.” — Nancy Hala
“Sheri Salata tells a captivating story of the inner transformation it sometimes takes to shed your mind shadows so you can see your own brilliant light. Reading The Beautiful No I realized that vulnerability is a superpower. And that Sheri is my hero.” — Gordana Biernat
"Bravo Sheri Salata! You’ve brought your trademark brilliance, hilarity, authenticity and relatability to this powerful and instructive memoir. Thank you for speaking for all of us and showing us the way. A million times YES to the beautiful NO!" — Dr. Laura Berman
Elizabeth Gilbert
For years, Sheri Salata used her magical powers, work ethic, and generous spirit to make other people’s lives better. But finally she had to learn how to turn that magic inward, in order to master the ultimate challenge of improving, rescuing and loving herself. Being the generous soul she is, she took notes along the way. THE BEAUTIFUL NO is a road map for transformation — an honest, funny, and soulful look at what it really means to take stewardship over your own existence. This book will bring help and hope to so many people.
Nancy Hala
For thirty years, Sheri and I have been telling each other stories. This beautiful book of hers feels like every great conversation we’ve ever had—complete with laughs, tears, surprises and moments of revelation. Her voice of one of a kind and her stories never fail to inspire. Pull up a chair, as I have done many times, and dive in.
Nate Berkus
I’ve always loved deeply personal stories that lead the reader to discover a new way of considering what they believe to be true about themselves. The Beautiful No delivers courage, honesty, and contagious reflection.
Dani Shapiro
In this bracingly honest, tenderhearted, profoundly human book, Sheri Salata peels back the layers of a life that, on the surface, looks like pure success, and tells the truth of what it is to struggle, to fear, to grieve, to desire—in other words, to live. The Beautiful No will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It will make you feel. It will make you want to be Sheri Salata’s friend.
Kris Carr
If you’ve been aching for more joy, craving deeper meaning, and daydreaming about following your soul whispers (or roars!)––you must read this book! Sheri Salata has created a roadmap and a permission slip for us all. Through her hilarious insights and masterful wisdom, we get an inside view of the magic that happens when we say yes to our lives. This book inspires me to love harder, live bolder and just frickin’ go for it. It will do the same for you, too.
Jeremiah Brent
There are few experiences in life where you leave feeling more connected, more aware of yourself than when you begin. Sheri’s ability to tell her story in a way that feels universal and vibrationally relevant is nothing short of magical. Triumph, vulnerability, failure, strength and grace- The Beautiful No has made me a better father. You close the book and look up thinking you have been lost in conversation with your dearest friend, only to realize you’ve just been reading the entire time, looking through your new pair of magical glasses.
Arielle Ford
This is a beautifully written page turner that had me hooked. I was rooting for Sheri on every page and when I reached the end, I felt like I just had the best meeting with a new best friend.
Deepak Chopra
Sheri Salata’s journey to a life of extraordinary success ultimately triggered a transformation to wholeness and healing. We can all learn from her riveting story that joy, love and self compassion are the true goals of human existence. Read this book, The Beautiful No, and be inspired to embark on your own journey of emotional and spiritual fulfillment.
Agapi Stassinopoulos
Sheri takes us through her courageous journey from her brilliant career to stepping forward to find and live her most brilliant life. Reminding us that every transition, change and transformation requires a brave surrender to the unknown and a huge does of self compassion. In every page of The Beautiful NO rings a big YES of how worth it is is to go through whatever it takes to get to know the being who we truly are.
Colette Baron-Reid
A must read for anyone who is ready to take the leap to joy, freedom, forgiveness and authenticity.
Dr. Laura Berman
"Bravo Sheri Salata! You’ve brought your trademark brilliance, hilarity, authenticity and relatability to this powerful and instructive memoir. Thank you for speaking for all of us and showing us the way. A million times YES to the beautiful NO!"
Gordana Biernat
Sheri Salata tells a captivating story of the inner transformation it sometimes takes to shed your mind shadows so you can see your own brilliant light. Reading The Beautiful No I realized that vulnerability is a superpower. And that Sheri is my hero.
Kirkus Reviews
2019-04-10
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.
