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With WE ARE NOT BROKEN, George M. Johnson returns with a striking memoir that celebrates Black boyhood and brotherhood in all its glory. This is the vibrant story of George, Garrett, Rall, and Rasul — four children raised by Nanny, their fiercely devoted grandmother. The boys hold one another close through early brushes with racism, memorable experiences at the family barbershop, and first loves and losses. And with Nanny at their center, they are never broken. By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this personal account is destined to become a modern classic of emerging adulthood.
I’m gonna admit it, I rarely get into the Olympics. But we were visiting my wife’s mom and the Olympic softball game got put on and I was INTO IT. Is it a cliché? Perhaps (yes). But I woke up so very early to watch them lose to Japan. NOT EVEN MAD ABOUT IT THOUGH because Japan looked so happy to win. Yeah, it was a sober response from the USA, but now I am someone who has opinions about Monica Abbott (the opinion is that she is great), so that feels like a win for everyone.
Let’s look at some Olympic-centered books!
My Mother’s Daughter: A Memoir of Struggle and Triumph by Perdita Felicien
Two-time Olympian Felicien is a retired hurdler from Canada. Wow, hurdling. Running is hard enough, but let’s add jumping over things to that. I looked up the height of Olympic hurdles, and it is 3’6″, which is 67% of my height. In her memoir, Felicien talks about her mother’s immigration to Canada from St. Lucia, and how despite the many obstacles they faced as a family, her mother Catherine pulled them through.
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
Yeah, like I’m doing an Olympian list of books and NOT including this one. This is about the University of Washington rowing team that represented the United States at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin (the same games where Jesse Owens won FOUR GOLD MEDALS). It details their backgrounds, their growing up during the Great Depression, and how they beat Italy and Germany to win gold.
Native American Son: The Life and Sporting Legend of Jim Thorpe by Kate Buford
Thorpe was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics, winning TWO gold medals at the 1912 Olympics for classic pentathlon and decathlon. He also played football, baseball, and basketball. He grew up in the Sac and Fox Nation, and after his Olympic wins, played with the New York Giants baseball team (yes, baseball) and played professionally for six seasons! You might have seen the story floating around the internet that someone stole his shoes before the decathlon. He found a mismatched pair of shoes, competed in them, and won gold. Amazing.
Fire on the Track: Betty Robinson and the Triumph of the Early Olympic Women by Roseanne Montillo
Robinson was the winner of the first Olympic 100 meter dash for women at the 1928 Summer Olympics. This history encompasses her career, as well as that of early Olympians like Babe Didrikson (won “two gold medals in track and field at the 1932 Summer Olympics, before turning to professional golf and winning 10 LPGA major championships”[x]) and Stella Walsh (represented Poland at the 1932 Olympics in the 100 m dash and won gold).
Amazing job to all! I could do none of these things. Making it to the Olympics itself is a huge achievement. And if anyone comes for Simone Biles, I will come for you. *narrows eyes*
For more nonfiction reads, check out the For Real podcast which I co-host with the excellent Kim here at Book Riot. If you have any questions/comments/book suggestions, you can find me on social media @itsalicetime. Until next time, enjoy those facts, fellow nerds.