Welcome to Lessons In Cool, a new series all about the people we’re constantly inspired by. They are tastemakers, curators of style, thought leaders, and well, just cool.

In honor of Katie Couric’s new memoir, Going There, and our limited-edition Katie Kit for Jones Road, we caught up with the talented multi-hyphenate to hear more about her book, her must-have beauty products, and how she defines cool.

First thing you do in the morning:

Check my email and read all of the newsletters I’ve gotten (including my own! Sign up for Wake-Up Call, if you haven’t already).

Biggest challenge?

I spread myself too thin / take on too much. I need people to save me from myself.

Biggest inspiration? Who inspires you?

Gosh, so many people... During the height of the pandemic we saw so many ordinary people step up to do extraordinary things. Bryan Stevenson is my personal hero. He’s an incredibly talented civil rights lawyer who also wrote Just Mercy. I could listen to him talk all day long.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I think different people will take away different things... Some people have been really moved by the chapters about my late husband Jay, others said they loved learning about my early TODAY show days and the lengths we would go to “get the get” in the 90s and early 2000s. My hope is that there’s something for everyone, and that my voice comes through on every page.

What story were you most excited to share in Going There?

In the prologue, I write that being on TV allows people to project certain qualities and expectations onto you. “The box can put you in a box. The flat screen can flatten.” I was most excited to, for the first time, tell my story from my point of view. I wanted to write an honest account of my life, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.

And now you’re starting off on a book tour— where are you headed and what will you be doing?

I’m hittin’ the road! I’m off to nine cities, starting in Boston on 10/28, NY on 10/29, and DC on 10/30. The other dates and special guests (Did someone say Jen Garner??) can be found here. I hope you all will join me along the way. I want it to be a positive, uplifting evening that leaves everyone feeling connected.

Last person you texted:

My daughters, Ellie and Carrie

Most scrolled app or site:

Instagram or my email

Beauty routine — what are the products you can’t live without:

My dear friend Bobbi Brown actually curated a special kit of her products from Jones Road to celebrate my book launch! So that’s what I’ve been using, and for a limited time you can get your own Katie Kit from Jones Road. It’s got the best mascara—it’s completely clean formulated but doesn’t flake or fall, plus a velvety eyeliner in a beautiful shade of navy, which Bobbi thought would compliment my eyes well. Then there’s a mini Miracle Balm which makes my skin look like I got a full nine hours the night before, and a very subtle gloss that I can wear alone or over a brighter lipstick.

Your go-to:

Breakfast: Smoothie with almond milk, chia seeds, frozen bananas, strawberries, and dark cherries.

Lunch: An egg scramble with tomatoes, spinach, red onion, jalapenos, and bell peppers.

Dinner: I’ve been eating a lot of eggplant parm these days. I grew eggplants in my garden, so we had eggplants out the wahzoo for a minute there.

Cocktail: Paloma

What does “cool” mean to you?:

I recently bought a shirt that said “I’m not for everyone.” I think the coolest people live life by that mantra and proudly are their truest selves.

For more from Katie, follow her at @katiecouric and sign up for her newsletter, Wake-Up Call. Order a copy of "Going There" here.