What do you think?
Rate this book
Stronger: From Trials to Triathlete to Triumphant
Not all women who are trapped in suffocating marriages grab a lifeline and pull themselves up, but not all women are Lindsey Jacobs. Worn to a nub of her former self, stripped of her self-confidence and esteem, she finally broke free from all that held her captive, only to face a life of now what? She was overwhelmed with unknowns. Her lifeline--her way back to herself and to all her potential--was through the one thing that had been her running. Running led her to the world of extreme sports and eventually the Ironman--swimming, biking, and running in a contest that challenged her physical and emotional reserves but pulled her into her authentic, strong self. If you feel trapped by circumstances you didn't design and think there's no way out; if you're an athlete and love sports; if you're a runner or if you're not, STRONGER will delight and inspire you to be your best and do your best.
204 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
1 person is currently reading
8 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 2, 2020
First review. What?! Memoirs are tough to review because it doesn't feel right to judge someone's life story. I'm mostly rating based on readability and relatability. It starts off so good. You get a little glimpse into her struggling marriage, and you can sympathize with all of the conflicting feelings she's wrestling with.
In that closet, all the red flags I'd tried to ignore - the angry outbursts, the belittling, the intimidation, the humiliation and the invalidation - swarmed me. I was drowning in little red flags.
But then it all gets very vague. She's telling her story, but it's obvious that she's leaving out quite a bit of details. She's also dealing with the death of her father. As a reader, I could feel her pain because she did such a great job of describing her relationship with him. He was so supportive and loving, and that loss was obviously huge. Then she brings up the death of a sister-in-law, but she's barely even mentioned her brother before, let alone his wife whose death ended up bringing Lindsey to the brink of despair. So many important details were left out, but then she spends several pages describing where she was during 9/11 and word-for-word conversations that have nothing to do with the point of the story.
I suppose the intended audience for this book would be the people in Lindsey's life who have loved her and supported her along her journey as opposed to a more universal audience. As someone who has never met Lindsey, it's hard for me to understand what trials she has gone through when that time of her life was written about so hazily. Other books in this category like The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics or Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption are incredible at showcasing just how far the protagonists have come in their journey because they don't hold back on the dirty details of their obstacles.
I'm also still cringing at the back of the book synopsis: "Not all women who are trapped in suffocating marriages grab a lifeline and pull themselves up, but not all women are Lindsey Jacobs." It almost reads like: "Why bother trying if you're not Lindsey Jacobs?"
This book really did start off so promising. I truly believe that the people who know her will enjoy reading about parts of her journey. The people she met who lifted her up along the way are true heroes.
In that closet, all the red flags I'd tried to ignore - the angry outbursts, the belittling, the intimidation, the humiliation and the invalidation - swarmed me. I was drowning in little red flags.
But then it all gets very vague. She's telling her story, but it's obvious that she's leaving out quite a bit of details. She's also dealing with the death of her father. As a reader, I could feel her pain because she did such a great job of describing her relationship with him. He was so supportive and loving, and that loss was obviously huge. Then she brings up the death of a sister-in-law, but she's barely even mentioned her brother before, let alone his wife whose death ended up bringing Lindsey to the brink of despair. So many important details were left out, but then she spends several pages describing where she was during 9/11 and word-for-word conversations that have nothing to do with the point of the story.
I suppose the intended audience for this book would be the people in Lindsey's life who have loved her and supported her along her journey as opposed to a more universal audience. As someone who has never met Lindsey, it's hard for me to understand what trials she has gone through when that time of her life was written about so hazily. Other books in this category like The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics or Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption are incredible at showcasing just how far the protagonists have come in their journey because they don't hold back on the dirty details of their obstacles.
I'm also still cringing at the back of the book synopsis: "Not all women who are trapped in suffocating marriages grab a lifeline and pull themselves up, but not all women are Lindsey Jacobs." It almost reads like: "Why bother trying if you're not Lindsey Jacobs?"
This book really did start off so promising. I truly believe that the people who know her will enjoy reading about parts of her journey. The people she met who lifted her up along the way are true heroes.
April 16, 2020
I grew up in O’Fallon, MO, and started doing triathlons my freshman year of high school as a part of a triathlon club a man at my church started and raced through my senior year. One of the first triathlons I did was the Lake St. Louis tri that Lindsey talks about in this book (2013). After I graduated high school and moved on to college I stopped the triathlons and started training for half marathons because I didn’t have a bike. Once I completed those I took a break from running and got more into weight training. I’ve graduated from college and still mainly weight lift, but I’ve started to run again. I will admit that after reading Lindsey’s story the itch to race is coming back stronger than ever. I’d recommend this book to anyone who has previously raced or is interested in it. A lot of times we doubt ourselves and our abilities, but Lindsey’s story is a great reminder of what we can do when we have a little faith.
February 23, 2020
This first book by Lindsey Jacobs really is inspirational. She shares her life with us, not just the highs, but the low moments of doubt and despair as well. It takes a lot of courage to be so open and the book will have you rooting for her in her struggles to find self-worth, peace and triumph. I'm sure she could have shared much more of her journey with us, but the book is well paced and keeps the reader moving toward the finish line along with Lindsey. I found myself cheering her on in races that were long ago run!
This book will pull at your heart and encourage you that anything is possible!
This book will pull at your heart and encourage you that anything is possible!
February 7, 2020
I loved this book! I enjoyed following Lindsey's journey from her trials to her triumphs. She tells an exciting and inspirational story of overcoming obstacles. This is a quick read that would be good for a plane ride. You'll spend the travel time being inspired!
February 7, 2020
A truly inspirational book about overcoming adversity and coming out on top.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews