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Pretty Good for a Girl An Athlete's Story Leslie Heywood |
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The gripping story of one woman's drive to win. How can a female athlete cope with all the challenges placed upon her? This poignant and vivid memoir reflects on these pressures, the lessons they can teach, and the damage they can do. "Just in time for the upsurge in 'girl power' books comes this insightful yet disturbing sports memoir of a former Arizona high-school track and cross-country star who soars to first place in races but spirals downward in her battle to win acceptance among her male peers, to avoid eating disorders and exercise compulsion, to overcome an unhappy home life (an alcoholic father) and a destructive sexual relationship with an unethical coach. This is a well-written account of the pressures teenage athletes face that can lead to self-abuse and destruction." —Booklist "A stirring account of one female athlete's struggles in an arena defined by males. A rousing critique of what can go awry in the world of women athletes and a passionate plea to value sports for the sense of competence they can so often bring to young females." —Kirkus Leslie Heywood is a competitive powerlifter and the author of several books, including Built to Win (2003), Bodymakers (1998) and Third Wave Agenda (1997). She is associate professor of English at the State University of New York at Binghamton. 240 pages | 4 black-and-white photographs | 5-3/8 x 8-1/2 | 2000 |
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$20.00 Paper