Beautiful on the Outside
A Memoir
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4.5 • 40 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Former Olympic figure skater and self-professed America's Sweetheart Adam Rippon shares his underdog journey from beautiful mess to outrageous success in this hilarious, big-hearted memoir that the Washington Post calls "comedic gold."
Your mom probably told you it's what on the inside that counts. Well, then she was never a competitive figure skater. Olympic medalist Adam Rippon has been making it pretty for the judges even when, just below the surface, everything was an absolute mess. From traveling to practices on the Greyhound bus next to ex convicts to being so poor he could only afford to eat the free apples at his gym, Rippon got through the toughest times with a smile on his face, a glint in his eye, and quip ready for anyone listening. Beautiful on the Outside looks at his journey from a homeschooled kid in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to a self-professed American sweetheart on the world stage and all the disasters and self-delusions it took to get him there. Yeah, it may be what's on the inside that counts, but life is so much better when it's beautiful on the outside.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
U.S. Olympic athlete Rippon shares unfiltered stories of his childhood and progress to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where he won a bronze medal in the figure skating team event, in this delightful memoir. The tone is breezy and cheeky ("a lot of the major events of my childhood revolved around whatever outfit I would get to wear"), but Rippon is clear that becoming an Olympian takes serious work and focus. He discusses getting shuttled to practices as a kid by his hardworking but smothering mother; being teased for being gay; putting up with eccentric, former Soviet-bloc coaches; and being so broke as a young skater that he sometimes had only pilfered apples for dinner. He candidly talks about failing to make the Olympic team in 2010 and 2014, and of breaking his foot in 2017 and struggling to get healthy. Some of the most intriguing sections come at the end of the book, where Rippon discusses becoming the first openly gay man to make the U.S. Winter Olympic Team, publicly criticizing Mike Pence during the games for not supporting gay people, and, of course, securing his triumphant bronze medal win. This fun, inspirational memoir will appeal to ice-skating fans who enjoy personality-driven narratives.
Customer Reviews
Sordid Lives
If this book is as funny as Adam was on RuPaul Show with Paula Abdul you might just pee your pants.