Rating: 
Summary: Rowing & Life Interwoven
Review: I bought this book because it's about rowing, but soon found that its power lay in the way Hall described her terrible marriage and the freedom she earned by taking up sculling. Certainly it became overly introspective at some points, but as I read I was willing Hall to break free, aware of the inevitable conclusion but entranced by her impending triumph. I usually discard such personal memoirs halfway through, but this work kept me engrossed until the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful read
Review: I started this book because my son is a rower and I'd hoped to learn a bit more about the techniques and the mindset of rowers. Sara Hall provides that, but so much more. Her account of coming to grips with an abusive relationship is delicate and sensitive. Many middle-class women can see themselves caught in a subtle dance with a domineering, controlling, cagey husband. The strength she finds through rowing and her connection to community is beautifully portrayed. I encourage every woman to read it.
Rating: 
Summary: great fiction-like "journal reading"
Review: Interesting info on rowing, but aren't there 2 sides to every story? Written like a personal diary -
Rating:
Summary: Uplifting and powerful
Review: Ms. Hall provides inspiration for all women (or men) in an abusive and controlling situation. She is a survivor who found her passion, stuck by her children and finally had the courage to stand up for herself. Ms. Hall's writing is free-flowing, touching, honest but not scornful. Her "rising above" the challenges that faced her and still maintaining a positive attitude are truly admirable. I highly recommend this to all people searching for their "passion" because this book gives you hope that anything is possible, even for a 40-something mom.
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Summary: Definitely NOT Drawn to Sara Hall's Rhythm!
Review: Ostensibly about a mid-life woman's "falling in love with a boat" and her struggles toward a realization of her personal gifts. Very feminine yet gender-neutral in its lessons, this memoir is an intimate look at a personal transformation achieved in emotional hardship but propelled by a sense of love, a sense of G-d's guidance, hardheaded Rocky-like stubborness, and lessons learned from childrens' stories like Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid. This book is a very good read and possibly personally transformational. Be prepared to get wiser as you read. I just bought it for my Gen X daughter. It's the sequel to REVIVING OPHELIA that I bought for her 8 years ago.
Rating:
Summary: "Ophelia" at mid-life
Review: Ostensibly about a mid-life woman's "falling in love with a boat" and her struggles toward a realization of her personal gifts. Very feminine yet gender-neutral in its lessons, this memoir is an intimate look at a personal transformation achieved in emotional hardship but propelled by a sense of love, a sense of G-d's guidance, hardheaded Rocky-like stubborness, and lessons learned from childrens' stories like Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid. This book is a very good read and possibly personally transformational. Be prepared to get wiser as you read. I just bought it for my Gen X daughter. It's the sequel to REVIVING OPHELIA that I bought for her 8 years ago.
Rating:
Summary: A Real Winner!
Review: Sara Hall has done something in her book, Drawn to the Rythm, that until now I thought was impossible. She addresses issues of spousal abuse without accusing an entire gender. Sara found comfort in a grueling sport, rowing, and an escape route from a troubling relationship with her husband. In becoming a World Champion she has offered a sterling example of the kind of strength it takes for anyone to set themselves free. Her writing style is almost musical, a tribute to her mother I suspect. Her story is heroic, in honor of all the strong men and women in her life - father, uncle, mentors, coaches, competitors, sons, daughters and yes, even her husband. Sara says that what a winner looks like is "a woman who lets go of her demons and takes her strength into the world." This is exactly what she has done in Drawn to the Rythm. She has found in her rowing (and her writing) ways to triumph over bitterness, sorrow, resignation and anger. If only all champions had such grace.
Rating:
Summary: An awe-inspiring read
Review: Sara Hall has transcended the memoir genre with this inspirational account of the emotional and physical pain she underwent in order to evolve into a fully-integrated human being --and also,along the way, become the World's Masters Champion in the woman's single shell, one of the most demanding sports in the world. Marital abuse comes in many forms, and in Hall's case, the years of verbal disparagement and icy indifference left no physical scars - but the mental damage to her psyche was profound. The day that turned her life around was the day she glimpsed a figure racing along the water in a rowing shell and, like Paul on the road to Damascus, she was forever changed. What followed was the grueling effort (often surreptitious as well, as her husband did not approve of any activity of hers not related to the house or the children)to become proficient in an extremely demanding sport. That she was 44 at the time did not deter her. That she had to sneak out of the house in the pre-dawn hours to practice, without coach or companion, did not deter her. She knew in her heart and soul and gut that she wanted to do this, and to do it well. As she gained confidence in her abilities, she also found herself strong enough to break away from the suffocating circumstances of her personal life. Both her athletic skills and her growing self-confidence have been achieved at great cost.
The physical agony of turning oneself into a champion in any sport has rarely been described as well as this. It makes one realize that most of us will never have that defining moment experienced by Hall, and we certainly don't have the mental stamina and will power to arrive at the point where she now finds herself. Her writing is lyrical, tough, funny, and very honest. If she decides to leave the world of rowing, she has a bright literary future.
Rating:
Summary: great fiction-like "journal reading"
Review: Sara Hall is a private person who, even in her unfulfilling marriage, preferred solitude to a busy, outgoing lifestyle. To her husband she was submissive, always trying to please him at any cost, afraid to do anything which might cause his disapproval. As she tells her story, one can almost conjure up the image of a timid mouse cowering in the corner, too afraid and insecure to speak out. As she tells of her self-discovery and passion for rowing, she is inspired by the peace, tranquility and movement the sport brings. From that point on, she becomes less submissive, and rowing becomes her salvation from a domineering husband - her personal outlet in life just as some of us choose writing, music, dance or art.Unlike the book, "An Unfinished Marriage" by Joan Anderson, which I also highly recommend to readers, this marriage does not survive. However, Sara and her husband both learn some vitally important facts about their marriage and their own personal lives. Sara goes on to become a world championship rower, her confidence grows, and in the process she discovers her true self, a new passion and zest for life, and joy in her athletic accomplishments. The book is inspirational, highly recommended and most deserving of a five star rating. Thank you, Sara, for sharing your journey. May the waters you row upon always be calm and peaceful.
Rating:
Summary: AN UPLIFTING, HIGHLY INSPIRATIONAL STORY
Review: Sara Hall is a private person who, even in her unfulfilling marriage, preferred solitude to a busy, outgoing lifestyle. To her husband she was submissive, always trying to please him at any cost, afraid to do anything which might cause his disapproval. As she tells her story, one can almost conjure up the image of a timid mouse cowering in the corner, too afraid and insecure to speak out. As she tells of her self-discovery and passion for rowing, she is inspired by the peace, tranquility and movement the sport brings. From that point on, she becomes less submissive, and rowing becomes her salvation from a domineering husband - her personal outlet in life just as some of us choose writing, music, dance or art. Unlike the book, "An Unfinished Marriage" by Joan Anderson, which I also highly recommend to readers, this marriage does not survive. However, Sara and her husband both learn some vitally important facts about their marriage and their own personal lives. Sara goes on to become a world championship rower, her confidence grows, and in the process she discovers her true self, a new passion and zest for life, and joy in her athletic accomplishments. The book is inspirational, highly recommended and most deserving of a five star rating. Thank you, Sara, for sharing your journey. May the waters you row upon always be calm and peaceful.
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