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Solo: A Memoir of Hope
The Glass Castle meets A League of Their Own in Solo , a candid and moving memoir about family, loss, and reconciliation from Hope Solo, the supremely talented, headline-making goalkeeper for the U.S. women’s national soccer team. During the 2011 Women’s World Cup, Solo became an idol, role model, and sex symbol to a new generation of young American sports enthusiasts, inspiring the kind of intense devotion not seen since the days of Mia Hamm. An Olympic gold medalist and arguably America’s sexiest athlete, Hope has been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated (twice), in ESPN: The Magazine , and as a contestant on the hit ABC television show Dancing with the Stars , and her poignant, compelling, and profoundly inspiring personal history will score big with her legion of fans.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 14, 2012
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1501 people want to read
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July 27, 2016
There is much to be said about this outspoken goal keeper for the US Women’s National Team. Some people will describe her as selfish, some as too outgoing. People say she needs to keep her comments to herself. To me, she is an amazing goal keeper who says the things many people think, but are too afraid to say, and doesn’t care what the media says about her. Why should she? She is an Olympic gold medalist – more than once, and the greatest goal keeper in the world. In her autobiography, you, as the reader, gain an insight into what made Hope into the person she is today.
When you think of star athletes, you think of fame, fortune maybe, and having a life where everyone looks up to you. For Hope, the story did not go that way. She has had to face much adversity to get to the place she is today.
Her books takes you through stories about her personal family life, some of which could be really hard to share with people. Especially knowing the media hasn’t always been on your side – there will always be critics. The stories are filled with emotion, and gives you a pretty good insight into the type of person she is, which does not include selfish.
There aren’t many good ways to critique an autobiography, you can’t judge the story, because it is all real. But, the writing in this book was full of intelligence and class. Hope has faced many issues with her team and with the media, she explains how every one of those events came about. She may not apologize for everything she says, which she shouldn’t, but she gives her perspective on the situations and makes you realize that the media does, in fact, blow things up in order to get a good story.
It will have you crying one minute, then laughing the next. I guarantee, if you ever had a negative opinion about Hope, your mind will instantly be changed after reading this emotion-filled memoir.
5/5 stars. Beautifully written, and had me hooked from the very first page.
When you think of star athletes, you think of fame, fortune maybe, and having a life where everyone looks up to you. For Hope, the story did not go that way. She has had to face much adversity to get to the place she is today.
Her books takes you through stories about her personal family life, some of which could be really hard to share with people. Especially knowing the media hasn’t always been on your side – there will always be critics. The stories are filled with emotion, and gives you a pretty good insight into the type of person she is, which does not include selfish.
There aren’t many good ways to critique an autobiography, you can’t judge the story, because it is all real. But, the writing in this book was full of intelligence and class. Hope has faced many issues with her team and with the media, she explains how every one of those events came about. She may not apologize for everything she says, which she shouldn’t, but she gives her perspective on the situations and makes you realize that the media does, in fact, blow things up in order to get a good story.
It will have you crying one minute, then laughing the next. I guarantee, if you ever had a negative opinion about Hope, your mind will instantly be changed after reading this emotion-filled memoir.
5/5 stars. Beautifully written, and had me hooked from the very first page.
September 21, 2012
I debated docking this a star for the occasional moments when Hope's perspective doesn't really allow her to accept other viewpoints or see the negatives of some of her own actions. But this book is a memoir- of course it's biased, of course Hope calls things exactly as she sees them. Every story has (at least) two sides, and Hope never claims to present more than one of them. I feel the onus is on the reader to read her accounts of events with a critical eye.
I was surprised by how moved I was reading Hope's story. She has always seemed very tough and impermeable, and it was fascinating and sad to read about her internal struggles and difficult childhood. I've always had a lot of respect for her as an athlete, and I now respect her much more as a person for making it through all of that intact.
A lot of what Hope had to say about women's soccer and the national team was depressing, particularly regarding the 2007 World Cup incident. If all of what she says is true, I can't quite look at some former players the same way. Regardless, it seems clear that the lineup decision and the aftermath of Hope's interview were handled badly by all, particularly Greg Ryan. Hope pulls no punches and isn't afraid to name names or point fingers where she feels they are deserved. Reading about the difference once Pia Sundhage took over made me even sadder that Pia is leaving, and interested/concerned about her replacement.
I'd suggest this to anyone who likes reading contemporary memoirs. Even for those who don't particularly care about soccer, or sports at all, this is a fascinating read. Hope and co-author Ann Killion write in a very direct style that nevertheless manages to get across a great deal of emotion. You can really feel Hope's pain and anger at being ostracized by her teammates. It's not quite a scathing expose, but there is still plenty of drama, too.
I was surprised by how moved I was reading Hope's story. She has always seemed very tough and impermeable, and it was fascinating and sad to read about her internal struggles and difficult childhood. I've always had a lot of respect for her as an athlete, and I now respect her much more as a person for making it through all of that intact.
A lot of what Hope had to say about women's soccer and the national team was depressing, particularly regarding the 2007 World Cup incident. If all of what she says is true, I can't quite look at some former players the same way. Regardless, it seems clear that the lineup decision and the aftermath of Hope's interview were handled badly by all, particularly Greg Ryan. Hope pulls no punches and isn't afraid to name names or point fingers where she feels they are deserved. Reading about the difference once Pia Sundhage took over made me even sadder that Pia is leaving, and interested/concerned about her replacement.
I'd suggest this to anyone who likes reading contemporary memoirs. Even for those who don't particularly care about soccer, or sports at all, this is a fascinating read. Hope and co-author Ann Killion write in a very direct style that nevertheless manages to get across a great deal of emotion. You can really feel Hope's pain and anger at being ostracized by her teammates. It's not quite a scathing expose, but there is still plenty of drama, too.
October 19, 2012
I was blown away by the honesty and openness of this book. I have always seen Hope Solo as a wonderful athlete, but I truly see her as an amazing woman. I am glad my daughters see her as a role model.
October 30, 2012
After reading this book, I am not sure if I am a fan of hers anymore. Yes I admire her ability to rise up and become one of the greatest goalies ever. She makes it seem as if her family was the worst and she had the worse childhood. She had an entire community rally behind her to make sure her dreams came true. The book was a little boring and read like a gossip magazine. There wasn't a whole lot of substance. Yes we understand your life was rough, but the fact that she stated that 50 thousand times in the book pissed me off. Also no one needs to know who you have dated so stop telling the reader about the amount of men you have dated. Ugh it was a frustrating read. It got good around the middle, but only because she trash talked her old teammates. Although what they did to her seemed incredibly petty and drawn out for no reason. SO yeah not my favorite book, but I am glad I read it.
May 20, 2025
3.5 stars
April 17, 2013
A good deal of Hope Solo's identity is an outspoken competitor and fierce athlete. She is definitively one of the greatest living athltes (of any gender) alive today.
Few people will be able to relate to more than just tiny commonalities shared with Solo's story because it is a pretty mad-whack one to hear and tell. But there is plenty to admire and even aspire to as far as personal strength and character-building is concerned.
Astonishingly, Hope Solo has managed to deliver her memoir about her crazy life in a realistic yes-I-recognize-how-crazy-this-sounds manner while still coming out the other side a deeper public figure and solidly-grounded personality. Though sometimes reading like a middle-school diary (as excerpts of her diary are in fact included) and often revealing its dual-purpose of public venting of past injuries, the writing is crisp enough and the dwelling short enough to make reading this memoir an engaging conversation throughout. Also, the reader gets to witness authentic personal growth from her youth to young adult to established professional veteran, in the condensed period of simply reading her memoir. Many memoirs are entirely retrospective and mature from the beginning. Solo seems to grow and progress in maturity along with the pages turned by the reader.
Still just as often as not, Solo's actions and comments seem just as unjustified as before she made her case (which can often be boiled down to if this was in a man's arena it would be a non-starter). But few people would not have felt the injuries leading to her backlashes as keenly. Her approach to such obstacles has been a 'why-the-hell would I not say my piece'? Of course, retrospectively, the reader will often wonder whether she would not have come out on top more often had she kept her mouth shut and allowed things to work themselves out.
Her best counter-argument to this questioning comes late in the book, when she makes a clear point about the rapidity of successful team change engendered by the backlash she fomented post Brazil 2007 Olympics.
This book should be on the to-read list of anyone who has ever been the least bit curious about Hope Solo's life. Like Solo herself, her memoir has few rivals among sports-stars or public figures alike.
Few people will be able to relate to more than just tiny commonalities shared with Solo's story because it is a pretty mad-whack one to hear and tell. But there is plenty to admire and even aspire to as far as personal strength and character-building is concerned.
Astonishingly, Hope Solo has managed to deliver her memoir about her crazy life in a realistic yes-I-recognize-how-crazy-this-sounds manner while still coming out the other side a deeper public figure and solidly-grounded personality. Though sometimes reading like a middle-school diary (as excerpts of her diary are in fact included) and often revealing its dual-purpose of public venting of past injuries, the writing is crisp enough and the dwelling short enough to make reading this memoir an engaging conversation throughout. Also, the reader gets to witness authentic personal growth from her youth to young adult to established professional veteran, in the condensed period of simply reading her memoir. Many memoirs are entirely retrospective and mature from the beginning. Solo seems to grow and progress in maturity along with the pages turned by the reader.
Still just as often as not, Solo's actions and comments seem just as unjustified as before she made her case (which can often be boiled down to if this was in a man's arena it would be a non-starter). But few people would not have felt the injuries leading to her backlashes as keenly. Her approach to such obstacles has been a 'why-the-hell would I not say my piece'? Of course, retrospectively, the reader will often wonder whether she would not have come out on top more often had she kept her mouth shut and allowed things to work themselves out.
Her best counter-argument to this questioning comes late in the book, when she makes a clear point about the rapidity of successful team change engendered by the backlash she fomented post Brazil 2007 Olympics.
This book should be on the to-read list of anyone who has ever been the least bit curious about Hope Solo's life. Like Solo herself, her memoir has few rivals among sports-stars or public figures alike.
February 9, 2018
Fun, quick read. Love these women and lov Hope, too. I've followed avidly since '99. But ya know, Hope, at the point where people continue to treat you unfairly and disrespect you and otherwise hold you back, when it keeps happpening, it's probably on you, not them. Hope uses this memoir to defend herself and her freedom of speech. Yes, we all have freedom of speech, but none of us have the right to expect a safe zone when expressing our controversial opinions. I'd love to read about the next 4 years and the Zika controversy, and more recently, her bid for the soccer presidency. She crazy.
September 15, 2022
With the World Cup currently being televised, I've been reading about some of the most famous male and female soccer players. I happened to pick this up awhile ago, but somehow never got around to reviewing it. So here it goes.
First, full-disclaimer, while I am a fan of Hope Solo the athlete I cannot say I'm a fan of her personality. She's always come across as someone with a great deal of entitlement, abrasive, and not all around a pleasant person. Her actions back in 2016 showed poor sportsmanship, to say the least. While I can appreciate honesty, I'm not sure of how honest she really is.
I have mixed feelings about this book. The best chapters were those that dealt with her early life, and she should certainly be applauded for overcoming any difficulties she may have.
The rest of the book, for me, was meh. I understand her life was rough, but it seems as though she continues to use that as an excuse for everything. She repeats how hard her life was multiple times in the book, and after awhile, it made me want to shout: "I get it, lady! Move on already!"
Her past and then-present teammates are not spared the wrath of Hope. She still seems quite hostile and bitter about many of her past career bumps, and in these chapters, she comes across as a spoiled brat rather than a supposedly mature, tough-minded athlete.
Reading this book several years after the fact was quite interesting. For one thing, just a few months after this book, she was married to a former NFL player and not the boyfriend she mentions in this book over and over again. That was a little odd, but no one seems to know the story there.
She accused her former DWTS partner, Maks, of being verbally and physically abusive towards her. Maybe that's true, maybe not, but Maks himself has denied those accusations. I fail to understand why ABC would have kept him around the show after that if that were true, and risk a law suit. Well, there's always two sides to a story- his, hers, and the truth, I guess.
A few years ago, her husband was also arrested for being abusive towards her and Hope herself has now also been arrested for assault. Her husband was also arrested for driving a soccer team van drunk. All of that was before Solo made news for calling Sweden's soccer team "cowards," and her contract with the US Soccer was terminated because of her past misconduct. Most recently, though, she went to rehab for drunk driving with her children in the car.
Whether her termination was justified or not will be open to debate among soccer fans for years to come. Was it that the soccer federation didn't like her being vocal about getting equal pay, as Solo seems to believe it is? Was it because of sexism? Who knows, I'm sure we haven't heard the end of that. Maybe her next book will cover all of that.
There is no doubt that Hope Solo is a talented athlete, and probably the best goal-keeper to ever grace the field. As a person, she sounds like she's still a mess and could benefit from some therapy.
First, full-disclaimer, while I am a fan of Hope Solo the athlete I cannot say I'm a fan of her personality. She's always come across as someone with a great deal of entitlement, abrasive, and not all around a pleasant person. Her actions back in 2016 showed poor sportsmanship, to say the least. While I can appreciate honesty, I'm not sure of how honest she really is.
I have mixed feelings about this book. The best chapters were those that dealt with her early life, and she should certainly be applauded for overcoming any difficulties she may have.
The rest of the book, for me, was meh. I understand her life was rough, but it seems as though she continues to use that as an excuse for everything. She repeats how hard her life was multiple times in the book, and after awhile, it made me want to shout: "I get it, lady! Move on already!"
Her past and then-present teammates are not spared the wrath of Hope. She still seems quite hostile and bitter about many of her past career bumps, and in these chapters, she comes across as a spoiled brat rather than a supposedly mature, tough-minded athlete.
Reading this book several years after the fact was quite interesting. For one thing, just a few months after this book, she was married to a former NFL player and not the boyfriend she mentions in this book over and over again. That was a little odd, but no one seems to know the story there.
She accused her former DWTS partner, Maks, of being verbally and physically abusive towards her. Maybe that's true, maybe not, but Maks himself has denied those accusations. I fail to understand why ABC would have kept him around the show after that if that were true, and risk a law suit. Well, there's always two sides to a story- his, hers, and the truth, I guess.
A few years ago, her husband was also arrested for being abusive towards her and Hope herself has now also been arrested for assault. Her husband was also arrested for driving a soccer team van drunk. All of that was before Solo made news for calling Sweden's soccer team "cowards," and her contract with the US Soccer was terminated because of her past misconduct. Most recently, though, she went to rehab for drunk driving with her children in the car.
Whether her termination was justified or not will be open to debate among soccer fans for years to come. Was it that the soccer federation didn't like her being vocal about getting equal pay, as Solo seems to believe it is? Was it because of sexism? Who knows, I'm sure we haven't heard the end of that. Maybe her next book will cover all of that.
There is no doubt that Hope Solo is a talented athlete, and probably the best goal-keeper to ever grace the field. As a person, she sounds like she's still a mess and could benefit from some therapy.
May 27, 2014
Hope Solo provides a look at her life, which is filled with much conflict and complication from a young age. She also provides a look into her rise in soccer and other notable moments (i.e. the fallout from comments she made in 2007 after being benched during the World Cup and her appearance on "Dancing With the Stars.")
August 27, 2012
I came into this read not knowing where it would take me as previous players (Akers, Hamm, etc), didn't get too deep and bare all their demons. I was strongly surprised and refreshed by how relatable and honest Solo is. Where most girls would look at her past as feel sorry, I look at her past as looking in the mirror at myself and how I became the person I am today much like herself. Her raw and straight to the point manner is on point so that you aren't misguided by too much detail but you aren't left not knowing the whole truth.
This is a must read for any soccer player, a NEED to read for any soccer player who has had to overcome personal struggles, and a GIVEN read for a soccer goalkeeper who had to overcome more than just life to be where they are.
This book made me realize that I wasn't alone in the epic struggle in HS and college then to my transition to adult life even if I never became a pro. Life lessons, brutal honesty, and faith that you aren't alone in the struggle are what you get out of this book.
October 30, 2016
2.5 stars. This memoir did give me a lot of background understanding for events I was only partially paying attention to, as well as understand Hope's tendency to speak her mind. Overall, though, it didn't really emotionally resonate with me. It felt too rushed in some places but too detailed in others, and too full of explanations as to why everyone is against her. The treatment of her in a certain time period was ridiculously bad from her perspective, but too much of the book felt dedicated to showing her to be a martyr. It's interesting that the recent Olympics just continued the pattern- Hope speaks out on something, goes a little too far, and punished much more harshly than seems reasonable or fair (or comparable to punishments given to men).
Hope even has a credited co-writer, which should have increased the readability and polish of the book, but I didn't think that it did. Having just read Abby Wambach's memoir, I'd say that Forward is the better of the two.
Hope even has a credited co-writer, which should have increased the readability and polish of the book, but I didn't think that it did. Having just read Abby Wambach's memoir, I'd say that Forward is the better of the two.
June 22, 2015
I didn't know much about Hope Solo before reading this. She is a very strong person, not just athletically, but also in every other way. I like that she was a fighter and truly stood strong in every thing she believed in. She put her best self out there and was a loyal friend and expected all of that in return. When here expectations weren't met, that sometimes led her into impulsive decision making and not all of those were quiet and understated. She was in proverbial 'hot water' on more than one occasion.
I loved the honesty in this. She threw some people under the bus, but she went right along with them herself. We all have our reasons for doing and saying the things we do, and I enjoyed reading about her reasons.
I loved the honesty in this. She threw some people under the bus, but she went right along with them herself. We all have our reasons for doing and saying the things we do, and I enjoyed reading about her reasons.
March 24, 2016
I enjoyed learning more about Solo's life and about her interactions with her teammates, but I couldn't escape thinking more than once that she should not be airing dirty laundry. Whatever was done or said to her, she needs to move on. Her tone is repeatedly one of victimization, and the strongest women I know do not think this way. Hopefully (no pun intended), with the writing of this book she purged herself of all the pent up emotion surrounding past events and can move forward in a way fitting for the world's best female goalkeeper.
January 26, 2018
One of my favorite books of the year. Refreshingly honest, Solo captured the intense/difficult/rewarding aspect of playing team sports at a very high level.
July 8, 2015
Much defensiveness, there is. This padwan needs to let some things go
August 31, 2012
Hope Solo is the best goal keeper in the world and one of the most fascinating athletes on the planet. Without her we would not have won gold in London or Beijing and with her we may have won the '07 World Cup. That last part, her benching at the hands of incompetent coach Greg Ryan, in favor of a past her prime Briana Scurry, is what drives much of the book. It's a tale of an unfair decision derailing a team and nearly wrecking a career that had not yet hit its peak.
Hope did not have it easy growing up in Eastern Washington with a combative, relatively poor family and a father who, though caring, was a con-man with women all over the country, as well as with a few last names and fake identities. Hope's athleticism (probably would be a borderline national team striker had she gone that route) is what set her apart as a keeper and is a tremendous aid in her ridiculous ability to block 60 mph shots from inside 10 yards. However, her attitude rubs a number of people the wrong way and as the book wore on my impression of Hope the person did dwindle a bit. Ninety percent of people are against her it seems, and when it reaches that level you have to start wondering, "Is it me?" For the '07 WC debacle I hold her blameless. She was unfairly railroaded and then her team acted like children. Hope says a male athlete would not have faced that much media scrutiny, and she's right, but a male team wouldn't have behaved like 7th graders with tactics of the silent treatment and ostracizing. Hope was the best player on that team and all but Carli Lloyd, who justifiably enough would pair with Hope as the two best players on the team in both the '08 and '12 Olympic gold medal games, turned their back on her. Classless and stupid, but this wasn't the first time a group of people who found themselves morally and logically on the wrong side of an issue refused to relent and admit their error.
The book concludes with a bonus chapter about the Olympics, decrying Brandi Chastain (yes, she is more famous for taking her shirt off than for being a great player, but when you've posed naked for ESPN the magazine the ground to stand on is a bit thin) and Canada's morally bankrupt team of thugs (hopefully people have woken up to the fact that the stereotype of Canadians being uniformly polite is one of the most ludicrous and baseless ideas around) that caps the experience in nearly real time, with a readable style consistent throughout the text.
Hope's the best goalkeeper there is, and perhaps ever was, but she comes off as a difficult person who does not find fault in herself as readily as she finds it in others. It's an interesting read for sure, but I think Hope's reign as my favorite soccer player is at a close.
Hope did not have it easy growing up in Eastern Washington with a combative, relatively poor family and a father who, though caring, was a con-man with women all over the country, as well as with a few last names and fake identities. Hope's athleticism (probably would be a borderline national team striker had she gone that route) is what set her apart as a keeper and is a tremendous aid in her ridiculous ability to block 60 mph shots from inside 10 yards. However, her attitude rubs a number of people the wrong way and as the book wore on my impression of Hope the person did dwindle a bit. Ninety percent of people are against her it seems, and when it reaches that level you have to start wondering, "Is it me?" For the '07 WC debacle I hold her blameless. She was unfairly railroaded and then her team acted like children. Hope says a male athlete would not have faced that much media scrutiny, and she's right, but a male team wouldn't have behaved like 7th graders with tactics of the silent treatment and ostracizing. Hope was the best player on that team and all but Carli Lloyd, who justifiably enough would pair with Hope as the two best players on the team in both the '08 and '12 Olympic gold medal games, turned their back on her. Classless and stupid, but this wasn't the first time a group of people who found themselves morally and logically on the wrong side of an issue refused to relent and admit their error.
The book concludes with a bonus chapter about the Olympics, decrying Brandi Chastain (yes, she is more famous for taking her shirt off than for being a great player, but when you've posed naked for ESPN the magazine the ground to stand on is a bit thin) and Canada's morally bankrupt team of thugs (hopefully people have woken up to the fact that the stereotype of Canadians being uniformly polite is one of the most ludicrous and baseless ideas around) that caps the experience in nearly real time, with a readable style consistent throughout the text.
Hope's the best goalkeeper there is, and perhaps ever was, but she comes off as a difficult person who does not find fault in herself as readily as she finds it in others. It's an interesting read for sure, but I think Hope's reign as my favorite soccer player is at a close.
April 11, 2013
Name: April M. Fell
Title: A Memoir of Hope: SOLO
Genre: Biography
APA: Killian, H. S. (2012). A Memoirof Hope: Solo. New York: Harper Collins.
Selection Process: Goodreads.com
Hope Solo has been deemed America’s greatest women’s soccer goalie of all times. This title has come at a tremendous cost for Solo’s career as a professional soccer player. The tattoo etched on her back speaks to her fight in the face of adversity and it is from second Corinthians: “Persecuted but not forsaken. Cast down but not destroyed.” (Killian, p. 123). This was a favorite biblical passage that her Grandma Alice liked to share with Hope as she struggled through many difficult times during her soccer career.
She grew up in a non-traditional family. Her father’s sketchy past would be something Hope would contend with her entire life and even upon his death; Hope was never able to piece together the voids in his life. He had kidnapped his own children at one point and had been jailed on multiple occasions for infractions of the law. Despite his transgressions, Hope loved him and stood by him through divorce, bankruptcy, homelessness and an accusation of murder.
Her mother was an alcoholic for many years of her young adult life and part of her teen years was spent living with a close friend. There is no doubt where Hope learned her fierce survival skills and loyalty. She played as a goalie with the same fierceness and intensity as she had to live her everyday life. Outspoken, independent, edgy, fierce and courageous-this is Hope Solo. I would definitely recommend this book to any female athelete in high school who has high hopes of becoming a professional athelete. Hope definitely shows the inner politics of national athletics and it is not always glamorous or glorious. She tells it like it is regardless of what others think and this is what has earned her the reputation as a "tough girl".
Title: A Memoir of Hope: SOLO
Genre: Biography
APA: Killian, H. S. (2012). A Memoirof Hope: Solo. New York: Harper Collins.
Selection Process: Goodreads.com
Hope Solo has been deemed America’s greatest women’s soccer goalie of all times. This title has come at a tremendous cost for Solo’s career as a professional soccer player. The tattoo etched on her back speaks to her fight in the face of adversity and it is from second Corinthians: “Persecuted but not forsaken. Cast down but not destroyed.” (Killian, p. 123). This was a favorite biblical passage that her Grandma Alice liked to share with Hope as she struggled through many difficult times during her soccer career.
She grew up in a non-traditional family. Her father’s sketchy past would be something Hope would contend with her entire life and even upon his death; Hope was never able to piece together the voids in his life. He had kidnapped his own children at one point and had been jailed on multiple occasions for infractions of the law. Despite his transgressions, Hope loved him and stood by him through divorce, bankruptcy, homelessness and an accusation of murder.
Her mother was an alcoholic for many years of her young adult life and part of her teen years was spent living with a close friend. There is no doubt where Hope learned her fierce survival skills and loyalty. She played as a goalie with the same fierceness and intensity as she had to live her everyday life. Outspoken, independent, edgy, fierce and courageous-this is Hope Solo. I would definitely recommend this book to any female athelete in high school who has high hopes of becoming a professional athelete. Hope definitely shows the inner politics of national athletics and it is not always glamorous or glorious. She tells it like it is regardless of what others think and this is what has earned her the reputation as a "tough girl".
October 6, 2012
Amazing, I had always been on the fence about Hope Solo and thought that she had a bit of an attitude and walked around with swagger. But this book has definitely won me over, it gives great insight into her personality and her younger years. I never knew that she started her career as a forward setting goal scoring records for her high school. She did not come from wealth and a lot of the community helped her pay for Olympic development and travel teams.
This book not only focuses on how her soccer career developed listing the highs such as winning gold in the 2008 Olympics and lows such as going through intensive physical therapy after shoulder surgery to make the 2008 Olympic team. It also focused on her development as a person and her relationship with her family which was tough at times especially with her father who often was not there to support her in her childhood but always there for her college soccer games. Her father was homeless and accused of murder at one point in his life but Hope could always see the good side in people. After reading this book I now know that it is her swag and attitude that has made her be the greatest woman goal keeper in the world. She deserves to walk around with that swag, because if she didn’t have the attitude and outlook she brought to the team she may have been forced out by the veterans of the national team when she was just a rookie on several occasions because of her outspokenness, and I only want to play soccer and win, forget the politics of who is friends with who attitude, we are all a team.
This book not only focuses on how her soccer career developed listing the highs such as winning gold in the 2008 Olympics and lows such as going through intensive physical therapy after shoulder surgery to make the 2008 Olympic team. It also focused on her development as a person and her relationship with her family which was tough at times especially with her father who often was not there to support her in her childhood but always there for her college soccer games. Her father was homeless and accused of murder at one point in his life but Hope could always see the good side in people. After reading this book I now know that it is her swag and attitude that has made her be the greatest woman goal keeper in the world. She deserves to walk around with that swag, because if she didn’t have the attitude and outlook she brought to the team she may have been forced out by the veterans of the national team when she was just a rookie on several occasions because of her outspokenness, and I only want to play soccer and win, forget the politics of who is friends with who attitude, we are all a team.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2012
A lover, A fighter, A goalkeeper:
I have not yet completed the book but I am about halfway through it. As of now it is extremely shocking, I would never have guessed what Hope Solo has gone through in her life time. She is one tough cookie, having to deal with her dad's issues and fight for a starting spot on the U.S. National team. She has to make decisions and it is a truely inpirational story.
The book so far is a great read, it gives details on everythings placing a vivid picture in your mind of all her experiences. It jumps around a little which can make it confusing but it dosen't affect the read at all. I fully recommend this book, it will hit closer to home with a female soccer player or anyone who is athletic but that is not only for them. I recommend this book because it shows an amazing picture of endurance, strength, courage, hardwork, and determination. The story between her and her dad is very touching but also scary, wouldn't you want to know what he's done?
I have not yet completed the book but I am about halfway through it. As of now it is extremely shocking, I would never have guessed what Hope Solo has gone through in her life time. She is one tough cookie, having to deal with her dad's issues and fight for a starting spot on the U.S. National team. She has to make decisions and it is a truely inpirational story.
The book so far is a great read, it gives details on everythings placing a vivid picture in your mind of all her experiences. It jumps around a little which can make it confusing but it dosen't affect the read at all. I fully recommend this book, it will hit closer to home with a female soccer player or anyone who is athletic but that is not only for them. I recommend this book because it shows an amazing picture of endurance, strength, courage, hardwork, and determination. The story between her and her dad is very touching but also scary, wouldn't you want to know what he's done?
August 18, 2012
An interesting read, though at times a little too self-indulgent...Solo is an amazing athlete, and shows how her less than glamorous childhood and home life contributed to her tenacity and outspokenness...I was, however, a little surprised at how long the team continued to admonish her after the incident with her then coach, Greg Ryan, when she basically lambasted him in the press for using Brianna Scurry over her in the World Cup Final back in 2007. Didn't realize professional athletes were the same as catty middle school girls.... the best description I heard about this book was "Glass Castle meets A League of Their Own"...that pretty much sums it up.
February 14, 2014
summary
it takes place in Richland, Washington. the main characters are the dad, mom, Hope Solo and Hope's best friend Cheryl. the story is about a poor girl that had it rough all her life and had a dream to play pro soccer. she was very talented but was poor and needed help financially, and her community helped her with money. she works really hard throughout the story to achieve her goals.
recommendation
I would highly recommend this book for someone to read it really inspired me and once I picked it up I couldn't but it down. id recommend sport players or people going through a rough time to read this book.
it takes place in Richland, Washington. the main characters are the dad, mom, Hope Solo and Hope's best friend Cheryl. the story is about a poor girl that had it rough all her life and had a dream to play pro soccer. she was very talented but was poor and needed help financially, and her community helped her with money. she works really hard throughout the story to achieve her goals.
recommendation
I would highly recommend this book for someone to read it really inspired me and once I picked it up I couldn't but it down. id recommend sport players or people going through a rough time to read this book.
April 26, 2020
This is probably one of the best biographies/autobiographies I’ve read this year - and I’ve read a few.
Reading this allowed me to understand everything U.S. Soccer forced Hope to endure from her perspective and see the way she persevered through person drama off the field.
Reading her memoir will inspire the next generation - no matter what field they’re working in or where they are - to focus on the current people they work with, and allow who they work for and external personal not to hold a shadow of past success over them.
Reading this allowed me to understand everything U.S. Soccer forced Hope to endure from her perspective and see the way she persevered through person drama off the field.
Reading her memoir will inspire the next generation - no matter what field they’re working in or where they are - to focus on the current people they work with, and allow who they work for and external personal not to hold a shadow of past success over them.
August 15, 2012
How convenient that my newfound US women's soccer fan-dom aligned with the release of this tell-all book. Certainly not fine lit, but it fulfilled its purpose of telling the controversial goalkeeper's side of the story. In a world where women have been groomed to be people-pleasers and not take responsibility for their own successes, a person like Hope Solo is refreshing. Lord knows that male athletes get away with behavior that is 10x worse.
August 23, 2012
This was an amazing book. Hope Solo, Goal Keeper on the US National Soccer team tells an amazing story. She is one of the most polarizing athletes in the US, and I love that about her. She tells her side of her life from growing up with an absentee father to being kicked off the World Cup team, to her redemption.
I didn't know what to expect when I picked this book up, but it ended up being one of the most compelling biographies I have ever read!!
I didn't know what to expect when I picked this book up, but it ended up being one of the most compelling biographies I have ever read!!
September 9, 2012
wonderfully written book that openly shares the struggles (and positives) Hope went through to get the top and become the best goalkeeper. Also shares an amazing insight of what its like to be in the game verses being a fan!
September 17, 2019
Love Hope as a keeper. She's had a lot of issues and her attitude is infamous for causing trouble since this book has come out, but this is an interesting look into the controversies of her soccer history, her strength, the 99ers and later winners, and more.
September 2, 2012
Hope Solo holds nothing back in this book or on the field. She's an inspiration that you can break the cycle of your childhood with drive and determination.
Currently reading
November 23, 2013Hope Solo never gives up.
She always try's and try's again.
August 24, 2024
I haven't cried this many times during a book in years... I'm not sure I'm cut out for regularly reading sports books. Stories of teamwork, personal strength and sacrifice, and seeing years of hardwork culminate in remarkable endings just strike such a deep cord within me that I can never control my emotions. Despite that, I'm really not much of a sports fan. Its all I can do to follow the NFL each season, and I can't pretend to keep up with anything else at all. When I picked up this book I couldn't have begun to tell you when the USWNT has won major games on the world stage. I'm happy to know that has now changed... I can't imagine I'll soon forget about the ‘99er references that inundate the tale. Learning about the growth of women's soccer in America through Hope’s eyes is a powerful journey. The two failed attempts at a professional women's soccer league are intriguing, and make me want to support the NWSL of today that finally seems to have some stability. For the parts personal to Hope, I got any notes of Hillbilly Elegy from her modest upbringing supported heavily by grandparents in Richland, Washington. It's warming to see how Solo dealt with adversity and grew into the strong woman that fights so hard for the 2011 World Cup, but graciously recognizes, in the wake of defeat, Japan's own worthiness for the title. All in all, parts of the books seemed a bit disconnected, setting up moments as significant that didn't seem to really lead to any later conclusion, but it was well written as a whole and covered 30 years of Hope’s life with a level of detail that seems almost impossible for 275 pages printed in large text. I'm glad I took a chance with this one, and now I feel much more prepared to marry into a family of women's soccer stars and fans!
September 14, 2012
Understandably Outspoken …
Prior to the 2012 Olympics, my only familiarity of Hope Solo is that she was a current member (goalie) of the athletic juggernaut also known as the US Women’s Soccer Team. Honestly, my interest in women’s soccer peaked and waned with the 1999 Women’s World Cup team and I don’t watch “Dancing with the Stars”, but Hope Solo grabbed my attention with the news of her candid tweeting during the past summer Olympics … especially her audacious jab at Brandi Chastain, the poster-child of that ’99 team. With the media painting her as yet another spoiled, outspoken, but gifted trouble-maker athlete; I was thrilled at the timely release of Hope’s autobiography: SOLO: A MEMOIR OF HOPE. While my original expectations of the book being nothing more than an assembly of girlie tabloid-like sports fodder, I quickly found myself immersed in a cathartic soul-bearing chronicle of deeply passionate individual whose complicated family life serves as her ultimate strength.
Hope Solo is often portrayed as being stunningly beautiful, remarkably talented … and an opinioned loudmouth. Seems fair … at least that’s how I felt after reading about the uproar over her comments this past Olympics; it is also a superficial characterization. Unlike most athletes that utilize their moment of fame (or infamy in some cases) as a cash cow opportunity, SOLO: A MEMOIR OF HOPE seems more an attempt to draw people into discovering who Hope Solo REALLY is and not what she appears to be. Yes, a mini-scandal during the Olympics is a great selling tool (it got me to buy the book), but her deeply personal story proved to be an interesting, emotional and rewarding read.
A relatively young athlete releases an autobiography while competing in the Olympics obviously means a chapter is missing and the story is incomplete. Well, maybe not. While future editions of SOLO may be supplemented with a chapter that recaps the trials and tribulations of winning another Olympic gold medal, most readers will likely discover such a chapter really isn’t necessary. I felt the purpose of Hope Solo’s memoir was less about self-promotion and more about releasing. The storyline is interesting, engaging and detailed in a manner that provides clarity without sacrificing the book’s reading flow (which is somewhat fast). While soccer may seem to be the logical focus of Solo’s memoir (it IS what made her famous enough to write the book), Solo’s relationship with her family (more specifically, her father) is what takes center stage in this memoir. It’s the rather complex and non-traditional father-daughter relationship that serves as the source of Solo’s resolve, fortitude and outspoken nature that makes her the soccer superstar she is, but also accounts for the troubles she’s encountered throughout her career. I found the stories of her family life dating back to her childhood to be sincerely written, but painful to read about. There is plenty of soccer drama too. All the ups-and-downs with winning and losing are documented, as well all the conflicts with coaches and teammates over the years (especially the “old guard” from the ’99 squad). What is refreshing is that I found Solo to be believably honest in her recollections of the more negative aspects of her soccer career. And while the ego of a world-class athlete is relatively hard to hide in autobiography, Solo reveals herself to be a sensitive and tender individual with her own insecurities … just like everyone else.
I am glad I read this book. I honestly would not have given a second thought to Hope Solo after the Olympics had it not been for the hoopla over her tweets to Brandi Chastain. Reading SOLO explained (and even justified) much of this young athlete’s behavior/attitude and revealed a much more complex and interesting individual than I expected. Hope Solo’s book not only forced me to respect her, but turned me into a big fan as well.
Prior to the 2012 Olympics, my only familiarity of Hope Solo is that she was a current member (goalie) of the athletic juggernaut also known as the US Women’s Soccer Team. Honestly, my interest in women’s soccer peaked and waned with the 1999 Women’s World Cup team and I don’t watch “Dancing with the Stars”, but Hope Solo grabbed my attention with the news of her candid tweeting during the past summer Olympics … especially her audacious jab at Brandi Chastain, the poster-child of that ’99 team. With the media painting her as yet another spoiled, outspoken, but gifted trouble-maker athlete; I was thrilled at the timely release of Hope’s autobiography: SOLO: A MEMOIR OF HOPE. While my original expectations of the book being nothing more than an assembly of girlie tabloid-like sports fodder, I quickly found myself immersed in a cathartic soul-bearing chronicle of deeply passionate individual whose complicated family life serves as her ultimate strength.
Hope Solo is often portrayed as being stunningly beautiful, remarkably talented … and an opinioned loudmouth. Seems fair … at least that’s how I felt after reading about the uproar over her comments this past Olympics; it is also a superficial characterization. Unlike most athletes that utilize their moment of fame (or infamy in some cases) as a cash cow opportunity, SOLO: A MEMOIR OF HOPE seems more an attempt to draw people into discovering who Hope Solo REALLY is and not what she appears to be. Yes, a mini-scandal during the Olympics is a great selling tool (it got me to buy the book), but her deeply personal story proved to be an interesting, emotional and rewarding read.
A relatively young athlete releases an autobiography while competing in the Olympics obviously means a chapter is missing and the story is incomplete. Well, maybe not. While future editions of SOLO may be supplemented with a chapter that recaps the trials and tribulations of winning another Olympic gold medal, most readers will likely discover such a chapter really isn’t necessary. I felt the purpose of Hope Solo’s memoir was less about self-promotion and more about releasing. The storyline is interesting, engaging and detailed in a manner that provides clarity without sacrificing the book’s reading flow (which is somewhat fast). While soccer may seem to be the logical focus of Solo’s memoir (it IS what made her famous enough to write the book), Solo’s relationship with her family (more specifically, her father) is what takes center stage in this memoir. It’s the rather complex and non-traditional father-daughter relationship that serves as the source of Solo’s resolve, fortitude and outspoken nature that makes her the soccer superstar she is, but also accounts for the troubles she’s encountered throughout her career. I found the stories of her family life dating back to her childhood to be sincerely written, but painful to read about. There is plenty of soccer drama too. All the ups-and-downs with winning and losing are documented, as well all the conflicts with coaches and teammates over the years (especially the “old guard” from the ’99 squad). What is refreshing is that I found Solo to be believably honest in her recollections of the more negative aspects of her soccer career. And while the ego of a world-class athlete is relatively hard to hide in autobiography, Solo reveals herself to be a sensitive and tender individual with her own insecurities … just like everyone else.
I am glad I read this book. I honestly would not have given a second thought to Hope Solo after the Olympics had it not been for the hoopla over her tweets to Brandi Chastain. Reading SOLO explained (and even justified) much of this young athlete’s behavior/attitude and revealed a much more complex and interesting individual than I expected. Hope Solo’s book not only forced me to respect her, but turned me into a big fan as well.
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