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Tough Girl: Lessons in Courage and Heart from Olympic Gold to the Camino de Santiago
A coming-of-age memoir of a young swimmer's triumphs and heartbreaks on the path to winning Olympic gold at age 14. Some 50 years later, author Carolyn Wood embarks on a solo pilgrimage to walk the 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in an attempt to reclaim her "inner tough girl" as she reflects on coming out as gay in the 1970s after a brief marriage and motherhood, and the disillusionment and loss she experiences when her 30-year relationship suddenly ends.
After several failed attempts at learning to swim, young Carolyn Wood finally conquers her fears and dives into unknown waters. By 1958 she sets a goal to make the 1960 Olympic team and, along with teammates and competitors, begins the arduous road to Rome. Losses, pain, fear, and fatigue accompany the rambunctious athlete as she finds her way through athletic training, school, and dealing with social gender expectations as she realizes she's gay.
Tough Girl artfully weaves Wood's life story around the tale of her long walk on the Camino de Santiago, an effort to tap into her tough girl resilience so she can begin to accept the end of her long marriage. The ups and downs of Carolyn's childhood road to the Olympics as well as her journey on the Camino, will thrill and inspire readers.
After several failed attempts at learning to swim, young Carolyn Wood finally conquers her fears and dives into unknown waters. By 1958 she sets a goal to make the 1960 Olympic team and, along with teammates and competitors, begins the arduous road to Rome. Losses, pain, fear, and fatigue accompany the rambunctious athlete as she finds her way through athletic training, school, and dealing with social gender expectations as she realizes she's gay.
Tough Girl artfully weaves Wood's life story around the tale of her long walk on the Camino de Santiago, an effort to tap into her tough girl resilience so she can begin to accept the end of her long marriage. The ups and downs of Carolyn's childhood road to the Olympics as well as her journey on the Camino, will thrill and inspire readers.
304 pages, Paperback
Published August 14, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 27, 2021
I really enjoyed this thoughtful, well-written memoir. Carolyn Wood was a champion swimmer in her youth in the 1950s, leading up to a trip to the 1960 Rome Olympics. She writes engagingly about her training experiences, as well as her developing sense of self as a young person. Interspersed amongst those chapters is her more recent experience walking the Camino de Santiago alone, a journey undertaken in retirement after her wife leaves their relationship. She’s never preachy or facile, but there’s a lot in there about how to live, how to persist and keep going, how to let go.
It was also very interesting reading about her time as a young swimmer. For example, it was back before women’s sports in the US were required to be funded equally at the College level, so the expectation was that a girl’s competitive career ended after high school. One Olympics and done was the aspiration, for the most part. Wood was a sassy kid with a penchant for pranks - as she was growing up in Portland, it made me think of Beverly Cleary, and perhaps a slightly more potty-mouthed Ramona. She was also growing up as a young lesbian amidst all the gender structures of the 1950s. Even in the 1970s, she lost custody of her young son due to her sexual orientation, though she and her wife maintained a meaningful, enriching relationship. Overall, a really good read.
It was also very interesting reading about her time as a young swimmer. For example, it was back before women’s sports in the US were required to be funded equally at the College level, so the expectation was that a girl’s competitive career ended after high school. One Olympics and done was the aspiration, for the most part. Wood was a sassy kid with a penchant for pranks - as she was growing up in Portland, it made me think of Beverly Cleary, and perhaps a slightly more potty-mouthed Ramona. She was also growing up as a young lesbian amidst all the gender structures of the 1950s. Even in the 1970s, she lost custody of her young son due to her sexual orientation, though she and her wife maintained a meaningful, enriching relationship. Overall, a really good read.
August 30, 2017
Great Read All The Way Through
I came into this book with zero expectations and ended up pleasantly surprised. This book had an amazing thoughtfulness and flow that kept me interested from beginning to end. I had the pleasure of taking English from Ms. Wood in 1999 and at the time she never mentioned any of her adventures in class. It's great 17 years later to see that she is as great a writer as she was a teacher. I probably wouldn't read as much today if it weren't for some of the literature that she introduced me to. I only wish at the time I would have had a greater appreciation for what she was trying to do. Give this a read and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
I came into this book with zero expectations and ended up pleasantly surprised. This book had an amazing thoughtfulness and flow that kept me interested from beginning to end. I had the pleasure of taking English from Ms. Wood in 1999 and at the time she never mentioned any of her adventures in class. It's great 17 years later to see that she is as great a writer as she was a teacher. I probably wouldn't read as much today if it weren't for some of the literature that she introduced me to. I only wish at the time I would have had a greater appreciation for what she was trying to do. Give this a read and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
August 17, 2024
It felt like the potential conflict in this one was "I was heavily supported in every possible way into being an Olympic athlete.... but did my coach and parents who drove me places, gave me excellent advice, showed up for me in every possible way REALLY support me and think 14 year old me could win a gold medal?" And that's just not a very interesting premise for me.
January 21, 2019
I really liked this book and the different stories Wood weaves together here. I enjoyed reading about the swimming and the competition, as well as her reflections on her childhood and being a young lesbian athlete during the 1960s.
#ReadingWomen #10 - Woman Athlete
#ReadingWomen #10 - Woman Athlete
October 17, 2018
Carolyn Wood, whom I knew in the olden days--my stepfather treated her mononucleosis--is fast on her feet and swims at the deep end.
"On the way to France [walking the Camino de Santiago to the ninth century cathedral in Spain], I stop first in Louisville to visit my son, now a professional actor, where he's preparing for Long Day's Journey into Night, an apt title for what lies before me."
She won a gold medal swimming in the 1960 Olympics. While at the Olympics, she read Battle Cry and On the Beach and saw Diary of Anne Frank and The Young Lions.
Later in a literature class at high school, she "loved the sprawl of Moby-Dick . . . recognized Holden Caulfield's alienation and Stephen Crane's experiments in observation." The Sound and the Fury set her "inside someone else's mind as it drifted through thoughts, sensations, and memories."
"I was seventeen, a senior in high school, already a world traveler, happy to be out on an adventure. Ahead lay college [ the University of Oregon in Eugene] and the ever-unfolding future--teaching English [discussing Holden Caulfield and phonies], a year with the Robert Kennedy family, marriage, motherhood, divorce and complications of coming out, finding a life partner and losing her."
"On the way to France [walking the Camino de Santiago to the ninth century cathedral in Spain], I stop first in Louisville to visit my son, now a professional actor, where he's preparing for Long Day's Journey into Night, an apt title for what lies before me."
She won a gold medal swimming in the 1960 Olympics. While at the Olympics, she read Battle Cry and On the Beach and saw Diary of Anne Frank and The Young Lions.
Later in a literature class at high school, she "loved the sprawl of Moby-Dick . . . recognized Holden Caulfield's alienation and Stephen Crane's experiments in observation." The Sound and the Fury set her "inside someone else's mind as it drifted through thoughts, sensations, and memories."
"I was seventeen, a senior in high school, already a world traveler, happy to be out on an adventure. Ahead lay college [ the University of Oregon in Eugene] and the ever-unfolding future--teaching English [discussing Holden Caulfield and phonies], a year with the Robert Kennedy family, marriage, motherhood, divorce and complications of coming out, finding a life partner and losing her."
October 20, 2016
A deep reflection on the nature of self wrapped up in a thrilling edge-of-your-seat account of heartbreak and triumph at the 1960 Olympic games, I finished this book last week and I still can’t put it down! The drama of Wood’s incredible pursuit of a spot on the Olympic swim team, her grueling workouts, her intensity and drive, is interspersed with reflective chapters detailing her hike along the Camino de Santiago in 2012. Wood deftly works back and forth between these two extraordinary stories, keeping the reader with her, walking a line between noise and silence, drive and release. This book is a pleasure to read.
April 24, 2023
2023: Could be interesting if you are heavily into swimming or the Camino; otherwise, it's not a great memoir.
I stole this book from the Tough Mudder offices when I used to work there because I love memoirs and am interested in hiking the Camino de Santiago someday. In my opinion, it wasn't worth the effort. I'm assuming they had a copy simply because it had the word "tough" in the title? I was expecting a Tough Mudder race to appear somewhere.
It's a huge pet peeve of mine when titles use "girl" when they really mean a woman, but I think there was enough of Carolyn's story from her early years that the title is correct here. It was fascinating to read a firsthand account of what going to the Olympics was like before I was born. I loved reading about that!
Overall, Wood covers the two parts of her life that she said she would: going to the Olympics as a young person and hiking the Camino as an older person. But she drops these nuggets throughout, like when she becomes a mom, and when she finally comes out and has a long relationship with her partner, and never dives into them. Expanding the breadcrumbs really would have made this memoir more complete and interesting! I wanted to get to know Carolyn better, but skipping over the painful parts of her life just kept the reader at a distance, ultimately acting as a detriment to the story.
I stole this book from the Tough Mudder offices when I used to work there because I love memoirs and am interested in hiking the Camino de Santiago someday. In my opinion, it wasn't worth the effort. I'm assuming they had a copy simply because it had the word "tough" in the title? I was expecting a Tough Mudder race to appear somewhere.
It's a huge pet peeve of mine when titles use "girl" when they really mean a woman, but I think there was enough of Carolyn's story from her early years that the title is correct here. It was fascinating to read a firsthand account of what going to the Olympics was like before I was born. I loved reading about that!
Overall, Wood covers the two parts of her life that she said she would: going to the Olympics as a young person and hiking the Camino as an older person. But she drops these nuggets throughout, like when she becomes a mom, and when she finally comes out and has a long relationship with her partner, and never dives into them. Expanding the breadcrumbs really would have made this memoir more complete and interesting! I wanted to get to know Carolyn better, but skipping over the painful parts of her life just kept the reader at a distance, ultimately acting as a detriment to the story.
August 5, 2020
While this isn't a perfect piece of literature, it gets bumped up to five stars because the topics she covers are all so personally impactful to me. Chapters alternate between her childhood and adolescent swimming career in Portland in the 1950s and early 60s, and then 2012, when she is walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain, solo, following a devastating break up. The modern chapters are also filled with flashbacks and musings on the decades in between, decades in which she got married, had a child, got divorce and lost custody of her son because of her sexuality. She also taught English at local high schools, and spent 40 years with a woman with whom she traveled the world. The memoir is thoughtful, with a lot of name dropping in the swimming world. And since I did not actually know how the 1960 Olympics turned out for American swimmers, I was holding my breath waiting to find out!
I miss the Olympics this year. Sigh.
I miss the Olympics this year. Sigh.
February 12, 2017
I enjoyed this authentic memoir of a young swimmer growing up in the 50s who discovers the joy and accomplishment of success, who listens and hears the messages of guts and determination from coaches and mentors, and earns her place on the US Olympic Team after her freshman year in high school. It's not all glory, of course, and the era, time and place, plays a huge role in her story. The memoir is written 50 years later, when the echoes of those tough lessons come back to accompany the author on another journey. I loved this book because it's not about celebrity or overcoming a disability or some other heroic episodic journey. It's the story of a girl who learned to love to swim, and swam, every day, with the love and support of her family and her community of swimmers. The author's later journey is another one that moves, one step at a time, from here to there. I highly recommend.
June 8, 2017
I think I am a really hard grader when it comes to ratings. For me, if I am able to walk away from a book, and not finish it like a bowl of ice cream, and read deep into the night, then I don't give a 5 star. But this one is great, even though it took me a bit longer to get through. As an athlete and a woman, I am so thankful for Ms. Wood's story, and pre Title IV accomplishments. This story alone is worth the read. But it goes deeper. Much. And her integrity and commitment to herself, and her honesty, even when it was not easy, was such an inspiring read. I enjoyed her journey to Rome 1960. I enjoyed her back story, and coming of age. And the story of her finding her place once again, sans partner of 30 years. I knew nothing about her, but it was in my library's NEW BOOK selection. So happy I stumbled across this book.
May 12, 2017
I am inspired by the commitment and persistence required of both writers and athletes, so it was a special treat to meet author Carolyn Wood - an Olympic swimming champion at age 14 - and discuss her first book and memoir, "Tough Girl". Our book group hosted a lively discussion with Wood about her writing process and the Olympic journey. And, we got to touch an Olympic gold medal!
Wood's intense training and focus in preparing for the 1960 Olympics - and the excitement of the competition - is the dramatic backbone of this memoir. Oregonians will also appreciate the vivid scenes of Portland in the 1950s.
Wood's intense training and focus in preparing for the 1960 Olympics - and the excitement of the competition - is the dramatic backbone of this memoir. Oregonians will also appreciate the vivid scenes of Portland in the 1950s.
August 15, 2019
I loved this book... couldn't put it down... in my full and busy life I finished reading it in five days... what a lovely juxtaposition between her life as an Olympic swimmer in 1960, and walking the Camino de Santiago some 55 years later.
“This trek is my Walden, an experiment in living alone and paying attention here in the real world. What have I noticed?”
"I could have been following Walt Whitman along the open road, ‘afoot and light-hearted… healthy, free, the world before me, the long brown path before me."
Ahhh... life.
“This trek is my Walden, an experiment in living alone and paying attention here in the real world. What have I noticed?”
"I could have been following Walt Whitman along the open road, ‘afoot and light-hearted… healthy, free, the world before me, the long brown path before me."
Ahhh... life.
December 7, 2023
I bought this book because the author is local (we're both Portlanders, the same age and both MAC members) and because I, too, had walked the Camino -albeit only a portion of it! I loved the introspection she finds on the Camino, and how she ties past and present lives together. I was saddened that she had to live through pain that LGBTQ folks have an easier time with today (i.e. losing custody of her son and being unable to have a joint MAC membership) but admire how her perseverance - her "tough girl" attitude made her a winner.
December 22, 2021
As a Portland resident and member of the Multnomah Athletic Club, I enjoyed this memoir. The author details her swim team adventures and training for the Olympics, as well as reflections later in life after a break up with her female partner. Interesting how such a young person develops the discipline and determination to excel in sports. The personalities of coaches and other swimmers come to life,
July 30, 2022
The memoir of Carolyn Wood as a young swimmer in the late 1950s working towards her goal of competing at the 1960 Olympics in Rome juxtaposed with walking the Camino de Santiago in 2012 after a difficult divorce. I especially enjoyed her tales of growing up and training for the Olympics while still trying to be a kid. The walking of the Camino was a bit less engaging as it didn't feel very details, it almost felt like an afterthought to include in the book. Overall 4 stars for me.
September 26, 2018
An interesting read about an Olympian I have never heard of. I enjoyed her story but I guess I was hoping for much more detail and depth about her Camino experience (I just walked it this year) so I was pretty disappointed in that regard. Also, I am not sure how to express this but I felt the author was quite detached from her story, almost as if she was an observer rather than the star.
September 23, 2019
Another alternating story, between her swimming days and her days walking the Camino de Santiago. I enjoyed the swimming stories, having been a swimmer myself. She shared other parts of her life as well, including being gay and having a 40 year relationship which ended just prior to her hike, however it was not the primary focus of this book.
May 7, 2023
An excellent memoir! What a wonderful life to learn about and made even more wonderful by having so many connections to make with our own lives. None of us have traveled the same road as anyone else but we meet up from time to time along the way and that is good. Connecting an Olympic journey, a life journey and the Camino is no small task and the author does it well! An inspiring read.
October 26, 2018
Carolyn grew up in Portland and swam in the 1960 Olympics as a 14-year old! Interesting story of her journey, Portland in the 50's, and tapping into that strength to walk solo one of the caminos in Spain.
March 4, 2019
A well written memoir covering the author's Olympian story as a young girl and then her Camino journey in later life. The Olympian story was very good. I only wished there was more to the Camino story.
March 19, 2022
Carolyn tells the story of her Olympic swimming experience. She also talks about her journey coming to terms with her sexuality combined with her present loss of a longtime lover. Carolyn decides to help heal herself by making a 400 mile pilgrimage.
March 18, 2023
Four-star retelling of growing up in the 1950s to train as a competitive swimmer and then take part in the 1960 Olympics in Rome; two-star retelling of walking in Spain 50 years later. Luckily, the book is 80% swimming, 20% walking.
July 27, 2017
Fast moving, easy read. It is amazing what a person can do if they really put their mind to it. A young girls desire to go to the olympic's. Trials , errors and a gold metal.
November 17, 2018
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Carolyn’s writing and her account of her life.
January 17, 2019
Being a swimmer and having walked the Camino de Santiago, I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. I should point out that the book is perhaps 90% about swimming and 10% about the camino.
September 26, 2019
Excellent bio. Well written, the story of a girl raised to be an Olympic champion. Yes, that was a surprise, wasn't it, me being cliche'd. Just read it if you like strong women.
October 7, 2022
Couldn't finish it. She seems like a lovely person who lived an interesting life, but I just couldn't relate and it all fell a little flat for me.
June 11, 2023
Wow. I found this an amazing work. What the author wrote reminded me of many things in my own life. Well worth the effort to learn about youth and life after and how they support one another
July 31, 2024
I really enjoyed the journey she went on to the Olympics, but the trail part felt disconnected and otherwise distracting. But a great read to lead into the Paris Games.
March 17, 2017
4.5 stars. I found this book by searching the New Releases at the library. What a great find.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews