Savannah Guthrie talks about her book ‘Mostly What God Does,’ and book tour

Savannah Guthrie. Photo Credit: Kwaku Alston, NBCUniversal

Savannah Guthrie (“Today”) chatted about her new book “Mostly What God Does” and her book tour, which will include a stop at The Paramount.

Background on Savannah Guthrie

Guthrie is the co-anchor of the morning show “Today” on NBC News. She also serves as the chief legal correspondent for NBC News. She was named co-host of “Today” back in July of 2012.

Guthrie is a graduate of Georgetown Law, and she authored the children’s book “Princesses Wear Pants” and “Princesses Save the World.”

She is the executive producer of the Netflix show “Princess Power,” based on the book series. She is an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Award recipient. “Edward R. Murrow was obviously the example that everyone aspires to be in journalism, so that was such an honor to receive that,” she said.

In this book, Guthrie turns her journalistic eye toward the power of faith in everyday life. “Writing this book was a cathartic process,” she admitted. “It was challenging, exciting, exhilarating, and terrifying…. it was everything everywhere all at once.”

“Writing this book taught me a lot of things about myself,” Guthrie acknowledged. “One of the most interesting things was that it got me to look up things in old journals and it made me really reflect on my journey.”

“Sometimes, it takes looking back to really see how God has been guiding you and he is even right next to you even in moments when you thought you were all alone. I actually write a lot about that,” she explained.

“This is a book about faith, as well as seasons of doubt and seasons of feeling alone. Writing this book made me see things in a different perspective,” she added.

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, Guthrie said, “I am really enjoying it. I’m not the world’s expert at social media but I’ve actually been doing some Instagram Live segments lately in connection with the book release, and that has been really fun.”

“I do my own social media. Nobody else does it for me. For better or for worse, it is me,” she said with a sweet laugh.

“I really like it because it’s a way to stay connected with people, which is why we got into this business,” she added.

The Paramount show

On February 27, 2024, Guthrie will be appearing at The Paramount in Huntington on Long Island. During this intimate conversation (hosted by guest moderator Carson Daly), she will share stories about her faith and personal experiences with God’s love.

Guthrie will discuss her path to finding hope within her career, being a daughter and a mother, grief, and even the mundane moments of life. “I think it’s going to be a really fun night,” she foreshadowed.

“I am so excited for this show,” she exclaimed. “Carson Daly is going to come. Carson is one of my dearest and closest friends. His whole family and I have been friends for over 10 years. Our babies are born one week apart, his third, my first. I think Carson and I will have a heartfelt and meaningful conversation”

“Carson is a person of great faith and he is so smart and thoughtful,” she said. “Carson agreed to stay up late with me in Huntington and we are going to have a great book event.”

“I hope that people are going to come; I think it is going to be a fun night. Carson is so hilarious and irreverent so there will be a lot of laughs, and maybe a few tears but of the good kind,” she said.

“We will have a Q & A with the audience where they can come up and bring their questions. It will just be a good night of togetherness,” she added.

Advice for young and aspiring journalists

For young and aspiring journalists, Guthrie encouraged them to “stay curious.”

“Journalism is such an exciting and thrilling career but we all started small,” she admitted. “A lot of such started getting coffee for somebody or carrying big and heavy equipment.”

“I certainly did all of the above, and I really believe that there is an opportunity in everything, especially if you are willing to make something of it. Even if you are starting small and not where you want to be, keep the faith and keep on going,” she elaborated.

“Stay curious, be a good writer, care about the news, care about people. Be fair, accurate, and precise. Just keep going,” she added.

Career-defining moments

On her career-defining moments, Guthrie shared, “Covering the White House and covering the campaigns was definitely the biggest challenge that I’ve ever had in my career.”

“Then, of course, on the ‘Today’ show, we do all kinds of interviews whether it is political figures or covering tragedies and moments that are heartbreaking or breaking news. All of these are seminal moments on the air that would be a part of a highlight reel,” she added.

Stage of her life

Regarding the title of the current chapter of her life, Guthrie said, “Out of my Comfort Zone.”

“Writing that is so personal and writing a book about faith is definitely out of my comfort zone. I always tell young journalists and young colleagues on the ‘Today’ show staff that everything interesting that they are going to do in their lives is outside of their comfort zones. That is where the action is, so I have to follow my own advice,” she explained.

The importance of mental health

Guthrie underscored that mental health is “incredibly important” especially in this Internet age. “I’m glad in this day and age that we can talk about it, and be more open about it and we can share our feelings,” she said.

“Everyone needs help from time to time, and there is absolutely no shame or stigma in that,” she said. “I think social media can be amazing and a point of connection but at the same time, it can make young people feel isolated, disappointed, or left out. Just knowing that and being able to give voice to that is really important.”

Superpower of choice

If Guthrie were to have any superpower, she responded, “I would like to have a superpower of getting four hours of sleep but feeling like I had 12.”

Success

Regarding her definition of the word success, Guthrie said, “Success means living a whole life where your spirit and soul are in harmony. Your work, family, and the people that you care about are working together and you feel like you have a purpose, to me, is a success.”

“Success can come and go; it’s a North Star… it’s an aspiration,” she added.

Closing thoughts on her book

Guthrie remarked about her book, “I hope this book brings fans and readers closer to God… whatever that means for them. There is something in there even if you don’t consider yourself a person of faith. Giving yourself space to contemplate real things is really valuable, and I hope people get that out of the book.”

To learn more about Savannah Guthrie, follow her on Instagram.