Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters

Rating:
Summary: a grudge against little girls
Review: ms. ryan doesx seem to have a grudge. i even question her accuracy. did she really interview bela karoly? there were passages in her book that seemed to be lifted from his 1994 book "no fear". she stated in her book that she carried around a notebook to report. i think she was plagarizing from other sources. the author claims to be for feminism; but i couldn't help seeing catty remarks about a skater's "pear-shaped figure" ,"chunky thighs", and "stubby teeth". this seems to be an author with an agenda. granted, i would not want any young female relative of mine training with bela karoly(who by the way is a product more of eastbloc training methods; a subject this authoress does not turn her gimlet eyes on). if a person reads christine brennan's book there is a more balanced perspective. ms. brennan shows that although a young female skater may not have a trip to the olympics, she may learn a lot about life. i only wonder whether ms. ryan may be angry at her on physical shortcomings.

Rating:
Summary: the truth revealed about a dangerous sport
Review: I have worked in the Mental Health industry for many years and I am continuously amazed at the levels of destruction that teenage girls are willing to inflict upon their bodies and their psyches just to fit in and measure up to the demands of their parents and friends. I have also seen parents not only ignore, but condone and encourage this behavior in their children. This book provides a glimpse into the real world behind gymnastics and figure skating. The injuries, the abuse, the constant struggle with weight, the rigorous daily physical exertion; all required to gain success in a sport that is preying on our children and teaching them that to be the best you must be the smallest, the youngest and the fastest; and failure is not to be tolerated. Most adults could never handle that much pressure nor would they even try. Yet many parents, teachers and coaches think nothing of subjecting a pre-teen/teenage child to such a life. This book is certainly controversial in its claims, which is exactly the reason it has stirred up so many mixed reviews-- in such a high profile entertainment industry, much money is to be lost by negative publicity. I read all of the criticism against this book from those "in the know", and I have only one question, "even if only half of what this book claims is true, do you want to risk your child?" I commend the writers for tackling such a difficult project and I encourage parents and teenagers considering the industry of competitive sports to read this book together and always keep the lines of communication open.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting anecdotes, but a little repetitive.
Review: I finally bought this book after hearing about it for years. My advice -- check it out from the library or borrow it from a friend. It's not a book that you will probably want to read again. The subject matter is very interesting and the author manages to get great quotes from some of the gymnasts, skaters, coaches and parents she interviewed. Ryan is adept at telling the stories in an almost made-for-TV style of writing. But the real problem with this book is that she repeats herself, over and over and over... using the same examples and sometimes even the same exact wording as she had in previous chapters. By the end of the book I had had enough. I also think this book would benefit from an updated reprint. It would be interesting to read Ryan's interpretation of Kerri Strug's performance at the Atlanta Olympics, when she completed her second vault on a seriously injured ankle.

Rating:
Summary: Robert
Review: This book was written with such a biased opinion that is was very hard to read. The information that was used I am sure is well researched and acurate in some cases. My feelings are that what the author claims is taking place is also taking place in all sports at this level. Not to mention all the sports at the jr. high and high school level. I wish that the author would have included some positive aspects of the sport that she is trying to grind into the dirt so openly. As a former high school gymnast and now a coach for the past 10 years I take it as an insult that this woman can clump everything that is going on and place the blame on the sport and the coaches of the sport. All of the things that she claims are destroying these young girls are also happening to young girls throughout our country that have nothing to do with athletics at all. I also think it is pretty hipocritical of the author to utlize the techniques she obviously does not agree with just to write and sell her book. This book is a good book to read but please remember that it is coming from a very biased point of view that has targeted the gymnastics and figure skating world for some reason.

Rating:
Summary: As a parent of a retired gymnast.... I have a different view
Review: My daughter particpated in the gymnastics sport for about 10 years and it was a great experience. She loves the sport and still maintains a great relationship with her ex-coaches (right, Cindy! ) They were and are her family, they saw her grow up and they coached her and loved her...and I will always be greatful for that! One day she decided to retire from the sport to try new things and it was NOT the last day that she went to the gym....AT was her home away from home...I think that Joan should have done a little more research before stating how horrible is for EVERYONE...it should have been a personal opinion and as many of us know... parents have a lot to say on the matter... I LOVE GYMNASTICS!

Rating:
Summary: FICTION!
Review: I am a former college gymnast at a top 10 university and I am currently in medical schooL, so I have both an athletic as well as a medical perspective. I was astonished at how little research the author did on this topic. There are thousands of gyms in this country and what was described in this book probably only occurs at a fraction of a percent of them. I am certain that the truth was skewed to paint an unfavorable picture of gymnastics. While this was an entertaining and shocking "story", readers should be aware that this isn't what actually occurs in the real world. If this book was labeled FICTION, I would have givin it 3 or 4 stars.

Rating:
Summary: Sad truth
Review: I found this book to be very interesting. I've been a competitive gymnast since I was 5 and I started at the age of 4. Ryan tells people how it can be in the sport of gymnastics. Broken bones, pain pills, competing on injured body parts, and all the other terrible aspects of gymnastics. The only negative thought I have on the book is that she doesn't write a single positive word about competitive gymnastics. Sure there are plenty of girls who destroy their bodies competing, but there are also a large majority that live a healthy lifestyle AND compete. I think any gymnast, ex-gymnast or future gymnast should read this book.

Rating:
Summary: The book is good, but........
Review: I really do like this book but it is extremely biased. I am acompetitive gymnast, and yes, gymnastics does have its share ofparticipants who have their problems in the sport, but so does EVERY OTHER sport. Let's look at the wrestlers, or football players, or soccer players who nearly kill themselves trying to succeed. I know a few who do. Gymnastics is a tough sport, but so is every other sport, and if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely Accurate
Review: Its sad to say but this book is true. as a high level competitive gymnast for 5 years, I know this goes on inside the walls of the gym. And to those who say physical and pyschological abuse only goes on with gymnats on the 'elite' level, thats wrong. I was a level 8 and experienced this. And its VERY ACCURATE that gymnasts who "want out" can not just get up one morning and say "I quit", there is much more to it. I really think this book is for the ones who have been in high level competitive gymnastics, we can all relate somehow to this book. i know many have known the daily hour drives to the gym, painful conditioning and words from the coaches.

Rating:
Summary: More arguments than facts
Review: Joan Ryan is not worthy of being regarded as a journalist. The book is about innuendos and accusations rather than facts. Neither Bela Karolyi nor Steve Nunno nor other coaches she denounced in the book was ever held criminally or civilly liable for so-called "child abuse," because "child abuse" didn't happen. It is "journalists" like Joan Ryan who abuse the freedom of speech and press and put shame on the news media. It's the sinking of USS Maine and McCarthyist witch-hunt all in one. The damage she did to US gymnastics is incalculable. People must wonder why Karolyi and Nunno retired so early, and why American gymnasts are getting fatter? Now the results: After 96 Olympics, USA failed to win a single medal [of ANY color] in two World Gymnastics Championships. In both 97 and 99 World Championships, USA women finished 6th. What a difference after 96. Now the World Championships podium is filled with Romanian, Russian and Chinese gymnasts again. For a long time, USA was the only Western nation to rival them in women's gymnastics. Now thanks to Joan Ryan, we are only a third-rate gymnastics power, placed behind even France and Australia.