The Beautiful People

 

The Beautiful People

By: Michelle Gable

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary:

The Beautiful People transports you to Palm Beach Florida in 1961. You're going to hobnob with the famous people of the 1960s- the ones you read about in the newspapers. Be prepared to spend the next couple of years getting to know Peter and Lilly Pulitzer and a Vanderbilt. Get ready for the insanely lavish parties they throw and learn their secrets- whether you want to or not. And while you're jet setting around the world you just might discover a talent you never would've thought you could do. But be careful not to get too sucked into the madness where all that glitters isn't the gold it looked like from a distance. 

Margot, "GoGo" Hightower was expecting to get engaged to her well off boyfriend. It was going to be the end of the financial troubles her family has been enduring since her stepfather's federal indictment on securities fraud. However, she gets dumped instead leaving her with no plan- or money. Best friend, Dolly, comes to her rescue when she introduces Margot and the well know photographer, Slimbo "Slim" Aarons. Margot begins a new life as Slim's latest photography assistant. Now, she's jet setting around the world and claiming Palm Beach, Florida as her new homebase. Hobnobbing with the likes of Peter and Lilly Pulitzer expose her to the life she longs to be a part of. 

As Margot becomes friends with Peter and Lilly, she soon learns that not all love stories are as real as the story you make them out to be.. In time, she gets to know the key players of the Palm Beach society and their secrets. However, it doesn't come without her own entanglement with the very people she's been admiring. Once she starts seeing the not so shiny side of the wealthy, Margot realizes this isn't the world for her. But, now she's gotten herself entangled with the key players and doesn't know how she can get out. 

I enjoyed this book. It wasn't an action packed story, but rather very character focused. Michelle takes you along for the ride as Margot navigates the ins and outs of Palm Beach society. You see what Margot sees and learn as Margot does. As the story unfolds, you get to know Slim. He's known for going through assistants, but he connects with Margot. They form a bond that sneaks up on Margot. 

I especially loved all the real life information Michelle gives you about the characters you just read about. She directs you to where you can see the photographs that made Slimbo Aarons so famous. She tells you what happened to the people you got to know after you turned the last page. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the world of Palm Beach in the early 1960s- all the people, the extravagant parties they had and the daily life of the privileged. It was eye opening- and very far from what I've ever known. 

Pull up a chair. Grab a cozy blanket and get ready to travel back in time. Get to know people you may have only heard about. Enjoy your visit. I know I did.

Unstoppable

Unstoppable

By: Maggie Nichols

Genre: Young Adult Non-Fiction

Summary:

Maggie shares with you her career of being a highly acclaimed gymnast. She'll tell you the highs and struggles and how she overcame those struggles. She also is going to take you into her dark nightmare of dealing with assault from what should have been a trusted source for her- and hundreds of fellow gymnasts. Maggie tells you how the Special Olympics inspired her and influenced her personally and professionally. Read how she navigates it all and survives pivoting her career.  

Maggie was like many little girls- myself included- who was bitten by the gymnastics bug. Once she found it, she found her passion. However, it wasn't always a happy journey. She was plagued by injuries. She had setbacks that forced her to have to reevaluate her passion and how she was going to achieve the goals she set out to accomplish. Within the pages of Unstoppable, she shares with you what it was like and how she did it. Injuries are a blow to any athlete, but the recovery isn't always just a physical one. Athletes have to overcome the mental aspect of any physical injury that requires a break from their routine. 

Unstoppable isn't just the telling of her career. Within it's pages, you're going to read some disturbing things that not only happened to Maggie, but too many of her fellow gymnasts. I've always known how disturbing the much acclaimed Karoli camp is. I've known how the athletes are treated there and the methods used to get the athletes into the "best condition for competition". I've never agreed with it and was angry with every story I read about it. Maggie shares hers with you and it will upset you. The way they altered her diet for the "better" and pushed her to the breaking point isn't uncommon to anyone who's walked the property. I had a hard time reading about what was overlooked and allowed for the sake of medals. This book reminds the reader that this facility is focused on winning at the expense of athletes' long term health. 

The hardest parts to read within the book are those involving the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of Larry Nassar. Long before he was charged and sentenced for anything, the abuse occurred. Maggie is just one of the hundreds who came forward to tell their story. Maggie tells you how that came to be and how the process was for having him put behind bars. It's not an easy read to see how many trusted adults turned a blind eye or even covered up what was happening to the very athletes they should have been protecting. It was a victory I celebrated when it finally was done and it was a victory I celebrated as Maggie takes you on that journey.

I loved reading how her transition was into college gymnastics. I loved reading how she was treated by teammates and coaches. I loved how they became a family. I loved how they were able to comin in and undo the unhealthy eating and training habits instilled, in party, by the Karoli team. By the time you finish the last page of Maggie's book you will have read how she pursued her dream and overcame the nightmares she encountered along the way. 

Unstoppable is a great book that any young adults could pull lessons from. She explains the technical aspects of gymnastics, so starting out gymnasts can have extra knowledge. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Maggie's story and I hope you do, as well.