The Frog Princess

by Angie Beasley

The Frog Princess is the story of Angie Beasley's transformation from ugly duckling to beauty queen.

With few jobs around, bland food and cold weather, the best that Angie could hope for was a job at the local Findus factory.

Her family didn't have it easy. Her baby brother was a cot death and the tragedy caused her mother to turn to the Jehovah's Witness faith. Their poverty, now combined with an austere belief system, meant no Christmas, no birthdays and little joy.

But aged 16, Angie decided that she was destined for bigger things. After seeing a TV advertisement she entered a beauty pageant. And won. She went on to take 25 titles, including Miss Leeds, and her home town title Miss Cleethorpes, giving her the opportunity to model while travelling the world.

Just as Angie felt that life couldn't get any better, she got engaged to a man who trapped her in a terrifying cycle of domestic violence. When she eventually escaped him, she had lost all of her money and self-esteem. She was on the bottom rung of the ladder yet again. But Angie picked herself up, turned her talents to event management and grafted her way to becoming Director of Miss England.

Evoking the magical, lost world of the 1970s beauty pageant, The Frog Princess is Angie Beasley's real life fairytale.

The eldest of six children, Angie Beasley (nee Chapman) was born in 1963 in Grimsby. With few prospects in life beyond the local fish factories, she decided to enter Miss Yorkshire Television at the age of 16. Within eight years, Angie had gone on to win twenty-five beauty titles, leading to work in the entertainment industry. She is now the Director of Miss England Limited, and lives in Leicester with her son.

Genres: Memoir

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2011

About the author

Angie Beasley (nee Chapman) was born in 1963 in Grimsby, the eldest of six children. She was destined for a life working in one of the local fish factories but refused to stop at this. At 16, she entered Miss Yorkshire Television, which was the start of her career in beauty pageants. After eight years Angie had won a total of 25 beauty titles, before going on to work for legendary entertainment impresario Eric Morley. She rose to the top of the tree in her profession, organizing Miss United Kingdom in the '90s, and is now Director of Miss England Limited. Angie lives in Leicester with her son.

Reviews

[Redfox5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

After 10 days spent trudging through 'The Difference Engine', I breezed through 'The Frog Princess' with no trouble.

This is a light, easy read of a rags to riches tale of how a poor girl from northern England became a beauty queen.

This is an interesting look at the beauty pageant scene from the seventies and until modern day. You can see how attitudes have changed and how it's popularity has nosedived. Personally I see no harm in a beauty pageant for consenting women, it's the kids ones I take issue with.

More interesting than the pageants, is the story of Angie's life. It's tragic at times but I like how she seems to pick herself up again and again. It's a shame about her dad though .

This book could have really done with a photo section in the middle. I really wanted to see some pics from her beauty pageant days. I tried to google her but because she now has so much to do with 'Miss England', you just get loads of different girls come up.

Well worth a read if you are into this sort of thing.

[J.R. Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first autobiography that I have picked up and have chosen to read of my own volition.

I have to admit when I began to read this I thought it would be more about Jehova's witnesses. However I wan't disappointed about the thread that this book took. It was a tremendously well written, detailed and inspiring true life story about overcoming your fears and having the courage to follow your dreams .

It details all the heartache and hardship that Anigie has been through, how it affected her life and how staying true to her instincts and her dreams have got her exactly where she wanted to be. Even if it's not exactly how she imagined she would get there.

Not only that but she inspires and encourages others to hold their heads high and follow their dreams.

I would recommend this to readers who are going through or have been through a tough time.

[Joanna Aira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I envy Angie for being so gutty and determined in doing the things that she needs to do and the things that she likes to do.
Her life is AWESOME.
I mean, yes, there are HORRIBLE horrible circumstances in her life but when you look at the big picture, you'll be in total awe and be amazed with her.
She's a fighter. I really envy her guts. I need that kind of attitude in life. :D

[Hannah Polley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was getting frustrated by the beginning of this book as it was written in the same way as tragic life abuse stories but I couldn't see anything that bad having happened to the narrotor. Yes, she was poor but it annoys me when people try and use the fact that they had to share bath water or always had hand me downs clothes as something that was awful. Grow up and get over it, your parents did the best they could!

Once Angie had grown up and it moved on to the beauty pageant stuff, it became a lot more interesting and I enjoyed reading about that world. Sadly there is not actually that much about competing in this book as she went on to management after she won her biggest title. I did feel bad for her during her abusive relationship stage and was glad when she got out of that.

It's an ok book and did keep my interest but not one I would be interested in reading again.

[Christine Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a loan from my friend and not something I would normally go for but it was a quick read and surprisingly interesting for the most part.

[Linda O'Sullivan]

Great Read

What a great read . Loved the book . And someone who has done well from my home town .

[Jaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a great biography and I thoroughly enjoyed it