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    Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympic Team.
    Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympic Team.
    Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympic Team.
    Audiobook12 hours

    Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympic Team.

    Written by Elise Hooper

    Narrated by Karissa Vacker, Kristyl Dawn Tift, Reba Buhr and Kaleo Griffith

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    “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 women’s 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, Chicago’s Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever women’s delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as America’s 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 society’s 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. 

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateJul 7, 2020
    ISBN9780063016613
    Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympic Team.
    Author

    Elise Hooper

    A native New Englander, Elise Hooper spent several years writing for television and online news outlets before getting a MA and teaching high-school literature and history. Her debut novel The Other Alcott was a nominee for the 2017 Washington Book Award. More novels—Learning to See, Fast Girls, and Angels of the Pacific—followed, all centered on the lives of extraordinary but overlooked historical women. Hooper now lives in Seattle with her husband and two teenage daughters. 

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    Reviews for Fast Girls

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      A fascinating fictional account of those remembered and not remembered from the women's 1936 Olympic track team.
    • 4/5
      My daughter was an athlete. Still is in many ways, although her competitive spirit is mostly seen in basketball pick-up games and adult league soccer. Throughout the years she was competing — rec league, then club teams, high school, and college — she was inspired by players that had made their mark on her sport. Fast Girls by Elise Hooper pays tribute to the women of the 1936 US Olympic track team who battled gender bias, racism, societal expectations, and even family opposition. The biographical novel focuses on Betty Robinson, Louise Stokes, and Helen Stephens, ordinary, yet extraordinary women, in their quest to achieve a gold medal. While a fictional account, Hooper does an admirable job of bringing the era to life. These three overcame so much in their personal lives to compete on an international level. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, with each woman being a favorite as I read through their stories. As I read the book, I couldn’t help seeing parallels even today. Women compete at all levels now, but they still face similar trials as the women who went before them. I loved learning about the women who allowed women’s access to sport today. My book club read/discussed this book — we all liked it. But those who read the book (I listened to the audio version) said they had trouble at first distinguishing the characters. The audiobook has several narrators, making the transitions easier for the listener.Recommended.Audience: adults.(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
    • 4/5
      Lovely book about the women runners in the 1936 Olympics.
    • 4/5
      Story of the first women to race in the Olympics. The novel has been somewhat fictionalized but stuck to the historical facts of the 1932 and 1936 olympics. I found this book interesting and informative. It never ceases to amaze me the misogynistic and racist attitudes that existed in the past.
    • 5/5
      The book opens with Betty Robinson competing and winning a gold medal at the 1928 Olympics. Her daring and athleticism, inspires girls around the country to begin competing in track and field events. Louise Stokes, an African American girl, begins training and fighting to join future Olympic teams. In Missouri, Helen, a socially awkward girl, is ostracized by her schoolmates. With Betty as her example, she begins running and dreaming of a different life. This book outlines the Olympic journey's of these three athletes, as they compete to be the fastest woman in the world.I really enjoyed this book. The women were interesting and dynamic characters. Their journeys, never easy, were inspiring and moving. I would love to read more from this author. Overall, well worth a gold medal!
    • 4/5
      Fast Girls by Elise HooperSource: NetGalley and Wm. Morrow PaperbacksRating: 4/5 stars**MINI-REVIEW**The Bottom Line: Fast Girls is a sweeping saga of young women, talented young women fighting for their place in the world against the most serious of obstacles. From race to gender, the women of Fast Girls are beacons of inspiration; women who overcame everything to pave the way for future generations. Outside of the obvious (in case it isn’t – the accomplishments of the athletes) the thing I found encouraging about this book was the number of people willing to help these women achieve their goals. From the coaches to the families to the citizens of their hometowns, these women created a spirit that was felt and honored by so many. Of course, this book isn’t all about the spirit of goodness and athleticism. There are also many dark elements to this book and to these women’s lives all of which absolutely had an impact on their work and ability to compete. Though I truly and sincerely hated it for the impacted women, I appreciated the author including the ugly truths and really reflecting for the reader the reality of what these women faced, overcame, and accomplished. A fine historical fiction. P.S. Be sure to turn the pages all the way to the end as the author has included what historical information there is pertaining to each of the featured women in the book. It is fascinating reading and led me to some additional Googling!
    • 4/5
      The 1928 Olympics allow the first ever women to compete in Track and Field. It opens many opportunities for other young ladies to try for the 1936 Olympics. Betty, Louise and Helen all come from different parts of the country and different backgrounds. But each one is determined to make their dream come true.This story is told through a different woman’s point of view. However, all have some of the same difficulties. People, mainly men, telling them they should not run. They should not compete. It will make them too masculine. They will lose their girlish figure. The list goes on and on. And that is not even touching on the African American competitors. Their challenges were doubled and tripled and then some!I enjoyed following these athletes through their struggles. All of these women were true leaders of their time. I don’t think I have quite understood the challenges these women athletes, which have gone before us, actually experienced. I was mesmerized through this whole tale.This novel is very well researched and very well written! Grab your copy today!I received a copy from Go Spark Studios for a honest review.
    • 4/5
      Its not just the Boys in the Boat and Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. There were some competitive women as well. This historical fiction account follows three women Beginning in 1928 we are let into their lives as they fight for a place in the race. Prior to 1928, women did not compete in track and field. A must read for anyone interested in women’s sports.
    • 4/5
      Though this book says it's about the 1936 Olympic team, it also covers the Olympics in 1928 and 1932. I didn't mind. Some of the athletes were at more than one Olympic Games, and the running parts of the book (competing especially, but even training) were my favorite parts. At times I found the book suspenseful, even a couple of times away from the track. The author did a good job showing the disparity in how athletes were treated based on whether they were male or female, white or black, and connected or without connections. The injustice was maddening at times, and yet the author ended the book at a moment and in a way that provided satisfaction.Thank you to NetGalley and The Book Club Girls for this early read.