Veteran ABC News correspondent and 20/20 co-anchor Deborah Roberts drew inspiration from her own family dynamic for her latest book.
“I grew up with a house full of them—six sisters,” Roberts said during a recent conversation on Good Morning America. “I read a study that said sisters are good for your emotional well-being, your optimism. They protect you. And I thought, my sisters… I never really thought that much about it.”
She was on the show to discuss her new book, Sisters Loved and Treasured: Stories of Unbreakable Bonds. Roberts will be in town to discuss and sign the book on Thursday, February 19 at 7 p.m. at the St. Louis County Library’s Clark Family Branch. Her visit is part of the Library’s Black History Celebration, presented in partnership with Ameren. She’ll be joined in conversation by Gwen Mizell, Ameren’s vice president of sustainability and electrification.
The collection gathers more than 50 stories from women across generations and walks of life—Viola Davis, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush, Arianna Huffington, Octavia Spencer, and everyday women whose names may not be famous but whose stories echo in households everywhere. Roberts’ own sisters are among them.
“There are people who told me, ‘I wouldn’t be friends with her if she wasn’t my sister,’” Roberts said. “But there is something there. There is a bond. I wanted to get at the root of that.”
The book doesn’t shy away from the complicated parts—distance, disagreements, or the slow drift that adulthood can bring.
“At the end of the day, they cherish who else grew up with them—who else knows all the trip wires in your life,” she said. “Even if it’s difficult, there’s something there that’s worth holding on to. And it is good for your life and your mental health.”
For Roberts, the project became both a revelation and a reminder.
“What I discovered is I’m not alone,” she said. “We’ve all had ups and downs. But I hope more than anything else, you cherish that relationship. You treasure it. And if you’ve had troubles, you can maybe repair it.”
Roberts is a New York Times bestselling author who has traveled the world reporting for ABC News. Her previous books include Lessons Learned and Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life and Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom for Modern Times, co-written with her husband, Al Roker.
But this chapter in her literary career hits very close to home.
“Sisters everywhere deserve to feel that love,” Roberts said. “I hope the book will inspire and inform—and just celebrate.”
Deborah Roberts will discuss and sign Sisters Loved and Treasured: Stories of Unbreakable Bonds at 7 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.) on Thursday, Feb. 19 at St. Louis County Library’s Clark Family Branch, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd. For more information, visit slcl.org or call 314-994-3300.