Solo: A Memoir of Hope
By Hope Solo
4.5/5
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About this ebook
"My family doesn't do happy endings. We do sad endings or frustrating endings or no endings at all. We are hardwired to expect the next interruption or disappearance or broken promise."
Hope Solo is the face of the modern female athlete. She is fearless, outspoken, and the best in the world at what she does: protecting the goal of the U.S. women's soccer team. Her outsized talent has led her to the pinnacle of her sport—the Olympics and the World Cup—and made her into an international celebrity who is just as likely to appear on ABC's Dancing with the Stars as she is on the covers of Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, and Vogue. But her journey—which began in Richland, Washington, where she was raised by her strong-willed mother on the scorched earth of defunct nuclear testing sites—is similarly haunted by the fallout of her family history. Her father, a philanderer and con man, was convicted of embezzlement when Solo was an infant. She lost touch with him as he drifted out of prison and into homelessness. By the time they reunited, years later, in the parking lot of a grocery store, she was an All-American goalkeeper at the University of Washington and already a budding prospect for the U.S. national team. He was living in the woods.
Despite harboring serious doubts even about the provenance of her father's last name (and her own), Solo embraces him as fiercely as she pursues her dreams of being a world-class soccer player. When those dreams are threatened by her standing within the national team, as when she was famously benched in the semifinals of the 2007 World Cup after four shutouts and spoke her piece publicly, we see a woman of uncompromising independence and hard-won perseverance navigate the petty backlash against her. For the first time, she tells her version of that controversial episode, and offers with it a full understanding of her hard-scrabble life.
Moving, sometimes shocking, Solo is a portrait of an athlete finding redemption. This is the Hope Solo whom few have ever glimpsed.
Signed poster inside.
Hope Solo
Hope Solo, one of the most charismatic athletes in America, is widely regarded as the best women's goalkeeper in the world. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, she has been a member of the U.S. national team since 2000 and has appeared on the covers of Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine. A prominent spokeswoman for Gatorade and Nike, she starred on the hit reality show Dancing with the Stars. She lives in Seattle, Washington. Ann Killion is a columnist with the San Francisco Chronicle. She has covered the past ten Olympics and the last three Women's World Cups for SportsIllustrated.com and the San Jose Mercury News.
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Reviews for Solo
20 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5You certainly don't have to be a soccer fan to enjoy. Hope takes us on her journey and tells of the miles she's traveled and the ups and downs of playing goalkeeper for the US team. She states her mind and tells you what she thinks of coaches and players. She's not a fan of Brandi Chastain, for example. The story of her relationship with her troubled father weaves its way throughout the book...Great read for all sports fans.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Book review by Emily O., posted by CA Library:"Solo by Hope Solo is a biography told by Hope Solo herself. It is a non-fiction story about the protagonist, Hope Solo and tells the story of her problems growing up.The story starts with Hope being born and continues all the way up until now a days. She grows up with her family grandpa Pete and grandma Alice. Her father Gerry and her mother Judy and of course her big brother Marcus. Her family has a stressful life and put some pressure on Hope as she grows up but also gives Hope strength. Hope’s father is a very important person in her life. She loved her father dearly even though he caused major problems in Hope’s life. Spoiler Alert: When Hope’s father dies , it causes pain in Hope which could affect the way she plays in the World Cup against Brazil. This book is very emotional and it’s about much more than just soccer, it’s about Hope’s entire life. I loved reading this book because I am a soccer player and wanted to get to know more about the famous Hope Solo. This book made me laugh a lot but also made me realize how tough her life really was. I highly recommend this book whether you enjoy biographies or you like soccer. I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars."