Chalked Up: Inside Elite Gymnastics' Merciless Coaching, Overzealous Parents, Eating Disorders, and Elusive Olympic Dreams by Jennifer SeyMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
My brother-in-law gave this book to my husband as a "just because" gift during the last summer Olympics. Mike has always been a huge Olympics fan, and that's caused me to become a fan as well. We enjoy watching the gymnastics, and last year's Olympics was no different.
Jennifer Sey was the U.S. champion in 1986, and she writes an honest expose of the sport and the traumas she endured to become a champion. When she finally walked away from gymnastics, her parents (her mom in particular) were so upset with her that they hardly talked for years. Yet in the end, they forgive each other.
It always surprises me to see how brutally honest people are in books about their family relationships. Sey didn't show this book to her parents before publication, and no doubt it was difficult for them to read. Her depth of forgiveness and understanding, now that she herself is a parent, are striking.
Her account of gymnastics and her childhood was difficult to read, but overall interesting. I decided to give it only 3 stars because of the quality of the writing and editing (could have been much better).
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