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Ok, I usually do not read sports stories, because I do not do sports (…that’s the phrase, right), but Kim and I just did an Olympics ep of For Real and it’s got me thinking about how uplifting tales of sportery can be, so let’s look at some!
Proud: My Fight for an Unlikely American Dream by Ibtihaj Muhammad. An Olympics read! Muhammad was the first Muslim American woman to wear a hijab while competing for the United States in the Olympics, and the first Muslim American woman to medal. As “the only woman of color and the only religious minority on Team USA’s saber fencing squad, Ibtihaj had to chart her own path to success and Olympic glory.” I love this cover so hard.
Tessa and Scott: Our Journey from Childhood Dream to Gold by Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir. I’m not gonna pretend like there wasn’t a time when I was following three separate Virtue/Moir fan accounts on Instagram. So talented! So cute together! And yet not dating! They seem like they genuinely love hanging out, and they’re equally talented, so this is awesome. Also, another Olympics read!
Bloomer Girls: Women Baseball Pioneers by Debra A. Shattuck. It’s like A League of Their Own except not at all. But there’s baseball! This isn’t about a specific women’s baseball team, but about early involvement by women in the nineteenth century. Shattuck “tracks women players who organized baseball clubs for their own enjoyment and found roster spots on men’s teams.” Sports or women’s history nerds, here’s your crossover read.
Heart of a Champion: An Autobiography by Michelle Kwan. Michelle Kwaaaaan! This teensy autobiography (shorter than 200 pages) is aimed at middle schoolers and was written in 1998 (can you believe that was more than 20 years ago?). Kwan has a more recent book (2009), but it’s more focused on lifestyle. This came out right around the time she won a silver medal at the ’98 Olympics in Japan and then won the ’98 World Championships. She is an icon, and if you know a middle schooler, maybe get this for them.
As always, you can find me on social media @itsalicetime and co-hosting the nonfiction For Real podcast with Kim here at Book Riot. Until next time, enjoy those facts, fellow nerds.