XOXO, Cody
An Opinionated Homosexual's Guide to Self-Love, Relationships, and Tactful Pettiness
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
Cody Rigsby has a lot of opinions: Kevin is the hottest Backstreet Boy; grape jelly is a crime against nature; if you wear flip-flops in New York City, you do not love yourself. But if there is one opinion-one truth-that he holds above all others, it's that we shouldn't let the fear of looking stupid or being judged hold us back from living our best lives.
Cody didn't always feel this way. In XOXO, Cody, he opens up about his journey toward accepting himself, from growing up gay and poor in the South to his migration to New York City, where he went from broke-ass dancer to fitness icon. He intimately details what it was like to lose both his father and best friend to addiction and how he began to repair his relationship with his mom as an adult. He recounts his time working at a nightclub on the Lower East Side and his decision to audition for Peloton on a whim, and dishes about competing against Sporty Spice on Dancing with the Stars.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Peloton instructor Rigsby charts his journey from closeted Southern teen to fitness superstar in his endearing debut memoir. After laying out his core philosophy ("Never take life too seriously") and dropping dishy anecdotes about his time as a professional backup dancer, Rigsby briefly recounts his mother's struggles with addiction and the challenges of growing up gay in a small North Carolina town. It's not long, though, before the quips start coming hard and fast: after a still-closeted Rigsby declined sex with a woman in college by claiming he didn't have a condom, she "came bounding into my room holding up a Trojan like she found Willy Wonka's golden ticket." During a summer internship in New York City, Rigsby finally came out to his family and friends, and from the experience gathered life-changing confidence that helped him—when the time came in the early 2010s—embark on a career as a fitness instructor with Peloton despite the fact that he'd never taught a class of any kind. Rigsby's willingness to laugh at himself makes him enchanting company, though his lack of filter won't be for everyone ("You did not survive a pandemic to fake an orgasm, OK?"). Still, this brash, funny, and often inspirational memoir will appeal even to readers who've never clipped in to a Peloton bike.
