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Fast Girls
Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic Team | Elise Hooper
18 posts | 12 read | 28 to read
Fast Girls is a compelling, thrilling look at what it takes to be a female Olympian in pre-war America...Brava to Elise Hooper for bringing these inspiring heroines to the wide audience they so richly deserve.Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics and The House Girl Acclaimed author Elise Hooper explores the gripping, real life history of female athletes, members of the first integrated womens Olympic team, and their journeys to the 1936 summer games in Berlin, Nazi Germany. Perfect for readers who love untold stories of amazing women, such as The Only Woman in the Room, Hidden Figures, and The Lost Girls of Paris. In the 1928 Olympics, Chicagos Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever womens delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as Americas Golden Girl until a nearly-fatal airplane crash threatens to end everything. Outside of Boston, Louise Stokes, one of the few black girls in her town, sees competing as an opportunity to overcome the limitations placed on her. Eager to prove that she has what it takes to be a champion, she risks everything to join the Olympic team. From Missouri, Helen Stephens, awkward, tomboyish, and poor, is considered an outcast by her schoolmates, but she dreams of escaping the hardships of her farm life through athletic success. Her aspirations appear impossible until a chance encounter changes her life. These three athletes will join with others to defy societys expectations of what women can achieve. As tensions bring the United States and Europe closer and closer to the brink of war, Betty, Louise, and Helen must fight for the chance to compete as the fastest women in the world amidst the pomp and pageantry of the Nazi-sponsored 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
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AmandaBlaze
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect 😍 7mo
Eggs Excellent 👌🏼 7mo
28 likes2 comments
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Kshakal
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Eggs Brilliant 👌🏼 8mo
32 likes1 comment
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DcSunshine
Mehso-so

It was okay and enjoyable. I wished a specific part about a queer character hadn‘t been included. Tried to grapples with race at the time. Easy to read.

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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Hooper novelizes the world of women‘s first involvement in Olympic track and field, focusing on the lives of three particular women: Betty Robinson, Helen Stephens, and Louise Stokes. I really liked this and feel like Hooper balanced it well between these women and the minor characters. I don‘t even like running and I was certainly cheering these women on!

Julsmarshall Sweet pup! 2y
48 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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EvieBee
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Pickpick

This book has consumed me for the past week. It‘s a beautiful story that touches on the many difficulties women endured to participate in the Olympics. It sent me down so many rabbit holes. I was incensed a lot of the time, but so happy to learn about these often forgotten trailblazers. I definitely need to watch the documentaries the author recommended. Can‘t wait to read more of her work! #hoopla

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

kspenmoll Perfect timing with the Winter Olympics ending today. I love watching them. 3y
EvieBee @kspenmoll I had a goal this year to read at least one of her backlist titles before her new one comes out in spring. But you‘re so right, the timing was perfect! I had more of an appreciation for the games. (edited) 3y
67 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Readswithcoffee
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Pickpick

This is the story of the 1936 Women‘s Olympic Track Team. I had heard about the 1936 Olympics because of Jesse Owens. It was good to learn about the women‘s team. I enjoy historical fiction, but this is one of the times I wish this was a
non-fiction book so I didn‘t have to keep wondering if particular incidents were true or not.

sblbooks This sounds really good, I'm hoping to read it this month. 3y
29 likes1 comment
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Readswithcoffee
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I‘m only about a quarter of the way into this book, but I LOVE that the mothers of two of the characters are emphasizing the importance of EDUCATION for their children, especially their daughters. Both of these families are struggling financially, but these moms realize education is the way out. One family is rural, one urban. One is white, one black. This is probably a minor part of this story, but it struck a chord with me.

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Kboltz
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Pickpick

1932 and the 1936 Olympics, women were finally allowed to run. Between how women were treated back in the 1930‘s, this entire book is an eye opener in the determination of these female athletes. History is woven into this story based on these real women athletes of the time.

EvieBee I just finished this early this morning (2 am) and am so happy I read it. It really was an eye opener! I live close to Helen‘s hometown and didn‘t even know it! 3y
6 likes1 comment
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MargaretPinardAuthor
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H-A-U-L, Say it with me, I‘m feelin freeeeeeee!!!!!!!

Omg, chat at me if you have feels about any in this stack!
#stacked #tbr #histfic #diversereads #writersihaveknown #nativeamericanheritagemonth #indigathon

LeafingThroughLife Nice haul! The Flight of Gemma Hardy and Those Who Save Us are great! 4y
Branwen Priory is one of the best books I've ever read! 💕📚 I hope you love it too! 4y
MargaretPinardAuthor Isn‘t it great that I‘ve worked with Jenna Blum and met Margot Livesry, @LeafingThroughLife ?! It‘s been a good year for connections!! 4y
MargaretPinardAuthor I‘m thinking I will too @Branwen ! I missed getting it in time for my local book club but they agreed to record discussion so I can avoid spoilers!!! 🤩🙌🏽 4y
36 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Laughterhp
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Bailedbailed

Sorry, I‘m out! I was here for track, field and women athletes. Not a 10 year old getting raped by her cousin.

I hate to get a bingo on a bail, but 🤷🏻‍♀️ finally got a bingo for #BookSpinBingo

rubyslippersreads Thanks for the warning. Not for me either. 4y
Sace 🤢 4y
TheAromaofBooks There are certain things that make me automatically bail, too, and I think that would be on the list!!

Great work with the bingo, though!!
4y
Kboltz Sadly it truly happened...what happens to almost all of the women in this book is terrible. We‘ve come a long way and have a long way to go. 4y
Laughterhp @Kboltz Oh really? I didn‘t realize that. I just wasn‘t expecting it. I‘m kind of glad I didn‘t read it, but I agree with your last statement. 4y
47 likes5 comments
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Sharpeipup
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My only race today is how fast I can read this book.
#summerfun #bingo @StayCurious @4thhouseontheleft

26 likes1 stack add
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Reecaspieces
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Pickpick
56 likes1 stack add
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Reecaspieces
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Before they left the Prince George Hotel, Betty‘s mother warned her to be careful aboard the steamship and avoid the girls from California. #firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl

Sharpeipup I just picked this book up from the library. 4y
Reecaspieces @Sharpeipup ooooo! Let me know what you think!!! 4y
47 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BookNAround
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Today‘s #JulyARC will be released on 7/7.

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Librarybelle
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Thank you so much, @Addison_Reads ! It arrived in the mail, and I cannot wait to read it!

Such an unique topic...I love when historical fiction explores lesser known pieces of history.

Texreader Me too!! Never heard of this one!! 5y
Addison_Reads I hope you enjoy it! 💚 5y
Hooked_on_books I went to a talk she gave about her last book a little over a year ago and she mentioned this book. She said the debate at the time was whether or not to use the real names of the athletes or not. I told her I hoped she used their names, to honor them. From the sound of the description, I think she did and I‘m so glad. 5y
82 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Addison_Reads
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It's that time again for me to purge my shelves and pass on books to my fellow Littens with some #PayItForward GiveAways. 🎉

This is a softcover ARC of the historical fiction novel, Fast Girls.

If you'd like to have this book simply comment below and let me know. US only please since we still have shipping restrictions here.

Enjoy! 😁

Librarybelle Oh...I‘d be interested in this! 5y
Addison_Reads @Librarybelle It's all yours. 💚 I'll get it out to you tomorrow. 5y
Librarybelle Thank you! ❤️ 5y
26 likes3 comments
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Addison_Reads
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Pickpick

This book was almost a so-so for me. I loved the topic. I loved that the author was addressing the discrimination that both women and people of color faced at this time in history, but I wanted to feel like I was part of the team and the races and I never quite did.

There are a lot of side stories and secondary characters that distracted from getting to know the main characters more.

Regardless, I did still mostly enjoy it. 😁

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theladygreer
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THE GOWN author Jennifer Robson is today's #read99women guest, recommending this novel by @elisehooper , inspired by three real-life pioneering women who competed on the 1936 Olympic team. "Kinetic, mesmerizing, and terrifically entertaining." http://www.greermacallister.com/blog/2020/4/23/read99women-jennifer-robson