I heard about Ronda Rousey for the first time earlier this year when she beat her apponent by something crazy like 14 seconds. She was on Jimmy Kimmel and I saw the interview. Then I saw more of her on GMA and finally on Ellen. She was talking about her new book and I was intrigued right away. So when I got my new library card it was the first book I wanted to check out.
It didn't disappoint and I read it in 2 days. The only negative thing I have to say is that she uses the F word. A lot. Like several on almost every page. So if that's a deal breaker for you than this isn't your book.
The main thing that struck me as I read was how totally and completely hard core she is, and she's been that way since she was a kid. She wanted to be an Olympian and by 16 she competed in Athens. And then again when she was 20. She talks about all the crap she had to go through to get there. Her battle with bulimia because she constantly worried about making weight. Her fighting her way through injuries and getting the crap beat out of her. She talks about her losses in the Judo circuits and Olympics. The first 3/4 of her book is very intense and it's mostly her going through really crappy stuff. To say she lived a hard life is a bit of an understatement, but she also brought it on herself because of the sport she was in and the goals she had.
The underlying messages of being great and being the best were pretty inspiring. She isn't ashamed to say that she is the best. She doesn't believe in humility- and I respect that. She is also pretty scary and a very tough fighter. I'm a little afraid of her after reading this book.
I love when I can't put a book down, and when I think about it when I'm not reading it and want to talk about it to anyone who will listen. This is that book. It's inspiring. It's depressing at times. It's exciting. It make me realize once again why my life is so vanilla (and why I'm SO happy that it is!). To be a world champion, to be an Olympian, to be the best- your world is anything but easy or ordinary. And there are only a few people that can handle a life like that. Ronda Rousey is one of them.
I read "An Ordinary Man" a few years ago and loved it! It's about Paul Rusesabagina, the man who saved thousands of people during the genocide in Rwanda. It's the story in "Hotel Rwanda." Watch the movie and then read the book. You won't be disappointed.
ReplyDelete