The author’s observations about Indian society and its expectations for women give this engaging and perceptive book an...
A debut memoir chronicles the experiences of an endurance athlete who became the first Asian woman to compete in the Ultraman Canada.
Vaidyanathan is an unlikely endurance athlete. A native of India, which is not known as a breeding ground for female athletes, she didn’t even consider participating in an Ironman competition until she reached an emotional dead end after studying at five colleges and spending six years in the U.S. “I asked myself, ‘Am I doing this for fun?’ ” she recalls in her memoir. “The answer came almost immediately. ‘Hell, no! I am doing this to buy me my oblivion.’ ” On one level, the book tracks Vaidyanathan's progress through a grueling series of Ironman races in Ottawa, Brazil, New Zealand, and China, culminating in her becoming the first Asian woman to compete in the three-day Ultraman Canada. In her training, she had to overcome such obstacles as being chased by a pack of dogs while running in India and dive-bombed by magpies on a group bicycle ride in New Zealand. “Luckily, the more experienced Kiwis upfront fielded most of the attacks, with no casualties,” she writes. The pace of the narrative can be slow at times, but the author livens things up with her wry humor. A cycling tour in New Zealand attracts “hard men and women with shiny quads,” while sports psychology might be a nice profession because “it paid a neat amount and I could do monologues.” In perhaps the most compelling sections, Vaidyanathan captures her journey away from the constrictive expectations and prejudices of Indian society. At a swimming pool, a reputed coach tells her, “Not worth it. Give up swimming. Get married.” And she doesn't get much support from her family either. “My parents did not speak of it to me, but my relatives put intense pressure on them to find me a man so I could ‘settle down,’ ” she writes. “What are Indian women anyway? Sediment? Settling is so boring.” It is through her physical endurance tests, in fact, that the author ultimately finds self-realization: “Sport itself had taken me to unexpected places...I visited repeatedly the dwelling of my inner goddess, the forests, and ran free.”
The author’s observations about Indian society and its expectations for women give this engaging and perceptive book an extra dimension.Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-2919947904
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Harper Sport
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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