Rating: 
Summary: WHAT A DISGRACEFUL WOMAN JOAN RYAN IS
Review: This book makes me utterly ill. Has Joan Ryan ever been an elite gymnast? NO!! So therefore, why does she think that she has the right to write a book about a subject in which she has no experience. I think that she's just a sick, sick person, and everybody who says that this book is good, you'll are sick pepole, too.
Rating:
Summary: Exploitive
Review: As a young figure skater myself, I find this book quite exploitive. It puts a negative view on the training we go through. Try jumping a couple feet in the air when you are over weight. It doesn't work that way. And I for one (along with my skater friends), don't starve ourselves, we just eat healthy. My mom would KILL me if I didn't eat. Not all mom are like that; not all push their daughters to the brink of death (figureatively). If they are, they need to re-asess their values.
Rating: 
Summary: It's fun!
Review: This book clearly illustrates how bulemia and anorexia can affect gymnasts and skaters... as a skater myself, I know how important it is (especially in pairs and ice dance) to maintain a low body weight... coaches (top level ones) watch their students' weights... sometimes to an extreme. However, by the time these skaters reach the level where they would have the oppertunity to be "forced into" an eating disorder, they are old enough to decide FOR THEMSELVES if they want to continue or not. I understand that gymnastics the girls are younger, but skaters (especially ice dancers) are older and rely more on their own opinion of their sport than, "Mommy told me to go practice." (NO insult meant to gymnists.) My point is simply this, the book only covers the bad aspects of these two sports... the friendships, the relationships... all of that comes from this kind of elite training. Not to mention that teenagers are in the gym lifting weights, stretching, practicing, or on the ice, rather than out on the streets getting in trouble... plus... it's fun!
Rating:
Summary: Exploitation
Review: ZERO STARS. I borrowed this at the library. I didn't bother paying good money for what I knew would be a book about a few tragic lives, not the many,many more success stories. It is worthy of Star magazine and the Enquirer. Mary Lou Retton herself said 'you don't hear the winners complaining'. I grieve for the loss of the young lives who were wiped out by accident, or disease. But Anorexia is not exclusive to gymnastics. Nor are paralyzing injuries that may kill you outright. As an over 21, 4'10 Hispanic woman, I take exception to the implication that being petite, or small is abnormal. In my office there are several grown women 5 feet tall or shorter. Not everyone is built like Britney Spears and not everyone matures at the same rate, and it is a proven, medical fact that puberty is delayed slightly in girls who are involved in high intensity work-outs. In ninth grade I stood 4'8, and weighed 79 pounds. And there was nothing 'wrong' with me. It was just heredity (my mother is 4'8). Gymnastics doesn't make you 'short' anymore than basketball makes you tall. It is just that usually people of certain body types usually excel in certain sports. There are of course exceptions. One more thing-in ninth grade I was told by my coach to 'lose about 4 pounds'. I clearly remember a teammate glancing over at me, and exclaiming 'but she's not even fat'. 'No', said Coach, 'but it will help her run a little faster'. He was not my gymnastic coach- he was my high school track coach. EVERYONE needs to be educated as to good nutrition, and common sense. Some coaches are ignorant. They need to educate themselves. We all do. Especially parents. But not with this piece of work that just insults my sport-not to mention my height...
Rating:
Summary: Don't be afraid
Review: This book fails to point out the great parts to these sports. The friendships, the 99.9% of coaches who are also your best friends, the thrill of performing, etc. I could go on and on. Don't be frightened by this book. I know of no fellow skaters who have had any of these "nightmares". They are very, very rare. Anyone who is thinking of getting themselves or a son, daughter, relative, involved in these sports should go for it. Had my mother not taken me to the skating rink 10 years ago at 5 years old, I would not have found the sport I love. The great points to these sports far outweigh the bad.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but skewed
Review: I read the original version of this book and was shocked. I have always known about the things that go on in Gymnastics, however I believe too much attention is being paid to gymnastics in the USA. I used to do gymnastics, which I enjoyed, but then a chinese coach (I'm not racist- several of my dearest friends are chinese) came into my life. He was convinced that he was going to turn our little class into a bunch of elites. he would yell at me for not being able to do certain skills and I could tell he thought I weighed too much. I chose not to listen to him, and quit. And this year while watching the gymnastics competion at sydney I saw I shocking piece on how gymnasts are treated in China ans other foreign countries. also I'd like to say that I now play soccer and am 5' 5" and 145, and for the most part happy. I love my chosen sport and I'm not going to let people push me around. So don't let that happen to you either- if you're in an uncomfortable situation, leave. A Note To Parents: Please don't push your kids real hard, cuz they're tryin' their best.
Rating: 
Summary: What A Book!
Review: As a former gymnast and big fan of figure skating, I was drawn to this book. Although I read the book about 5 years ago when it was first published, I can still remember some of the chilling details that hit eerily close to my heart. A must for anyone who is considering high level sports for their children, or anyone who is slightly interested. The personal stories of horror make this a page-turner!
Rating:
Summary: Terrifying and Thought-Provoking
Review: This is an excellent work of investigative journalism. It presents the unseen world of elite gymnastics and figure skating. However, it presents a very negative view of the coaches, without much of their side.Written in a case-story format, it tells several heartbreaking and thought-provoking narratives of the difficulties of a young athlete. It gives perspectives from parents- how an entire family breaks with a gymnast's career. It tells of the intense pressure on the girls to perform despite injuries or fear. It gives the aftermath of a childhood spent in gymnastics. It gives a new perspective into sports, that, on the outside, are cute little girls and graceful ice princesses. After reading it, I didn't even want to watch the Olympics.
Rating: 
Summary: engrossing, but extremely biased.
Review: I think this book makes some very good points. There are definitely gymnasts and ice skaters who have suffered eating disorders and cruel coaches and terrible pressure to compete and win. But the book neglects to mention all of the gymnasts and skaters who have had positive experiences in the sport. It also ignores the fact that these kinds of problems exist in all kinds of sports, not just gymnastics and figure skating. What about the wrestler who starves himself to stay within his weight class? What about the Little League parent who screams at their child for losing a game? All sports carry with them the risk of serious problems, but they also carry great rewards. I was a gymnast AND a figure skater (and a ballet dancer) for many, many years, and I found each of these sports to be wonderful experiences, and gymnastics in particular was the best experience of my entire childhood. The discipline and hard work required to succeed are skills I will apply to all other areas of my life. And I will never forget the joy of landing a dismount and sticking it perfectly, or the feeling of incredible pride and accomplishment when my name was announced as a gold medal winner in a competition. The fact is, I would not be who I am today had I not been involved in gymnastics. I urge other parents not to deny their daughters participation in this sport because of an extremely biased and one-sided representation of gymnastics!
Rating:
Summary: A Truth finally told
Review: I became involved in gymnastics at the age of five. At first it was fun and games, untill I started competing at seven. There is more pressure on gymnastics than anyone but themselvs could imagine. Quitting the sport was the best day in my life. This book is a wonderfull look into the dark side of the sport. I would recomend it to anyone, wheather you're involved it the sport or not!
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