Pin Ups

by Yi Shun Lai

When Yi Shun Lai was old enough, her mother bought her a subscription to ‘Teen magazine, in the hopes that she’d shed her tomboy skin to reveal a polished young lady. But Lai cut out all the wrong articles—girls on BMX bikes, girls on the gridiron, girls on the ski slopes and in the ocean—and these women became her role models. Pin Ups is the story of Lai’s quest to join these women in their ranks.

Genres: Memoir

66 pages, Paperback

Published September 8, 2020

About the author

Yi Shun Lai (say "yeeshun" for her first name) is the author of the forthcoming young adult historical novel A Suffragist's Guide to the Antarctic (Atheneum Books, Spring 2024). Her prior books are PIN UPS, a memoir (Homebound Publications, 2020) and the novel NOT A SELF-HELP BOOK: THE MISADVENTURES OF MARTY WU (Shade Mountain Press, May 2016).

She is a columnist at The Writer magazine.

She teaches in the MFA program at Bay Path University.
Visit her on Twitter or on the web.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short book is packed full of great inspirations for women and people who are not in the majority. I loved reading about Lai’s early interests in sports and how she became the outdoorsy person she used to dream of. Even though the book is small, it’s rich with stories and great examples for how we can live the lives we’ve always wanted.

[Allie Kingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it. At every step of the short essay, I felt connected, and although an incredibly different journey, I saw parts of my own sports journey reflected in the essay. I was left me wanting to read any and every essay Yi Shun has written.

[Heidi Barr · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic - a must read for anyone who appreciates the outdoors, or wishes they did.

[Jen Michalski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pin Ups is a journey, and like the ultra-athlete she is, Yi Shun Lai dives headfirst into this longform essay. In examining her relationship with outdoor sports and her identity as a coastal Taiwanese-American woman, she treks through some heady territory, forging new connections (and questions) on her lifelong search for belonging. What starts as a simple premise ("This is, potentially, why sport is so attractive to me. If you are successful in sport, it’s likely not because you’re a token—it’s because you’re just good at what you do.") becomes so much more. Of course, the journey is more important than the finish, and like a good, long run or bike ride, it's the side paths and circle backs and tangents informing Lai's thought process that really make the essay. Finally, Lai's writing itself is the perfect backdrop for such ruminations, giving this work some impressive scenery along the trail.

[Heather Durham · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Pin Ups, Yishun Lai articulately expresses one of my favorite parts of writing memoir: “I also poke around to get to know myself more. It’s a very satisfying form of navel-gazing. If you can get at what got you to where you are now, maybe you can finally figure out how to get at what you really want. Or even, what what you want actually is.”

In well-written memoirs like this one, that journey of discovery is equally satisfying for the reader. I’ve never been sporty in any sense of the word, nor will I ever know what it’s like to be a person of color, but Yi Shun’s poking around, her honest insights and revelations in Pin Ups are a gift to anyone who’s ever struggled with finding their place, who’s ever sought belonging. Which is all of us.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor of receiving an advanced copy to prepare for an interview of Yi Shun.

As a fellow Asian American woman (who struggled finding her place in the world of sports), I identified with the challenges and triumphs of Yi Shun's journey through sports.

Full of vivid descriptions, in-depth reflection, and delightful humor, Pin Ups is a great book about self-discovery, nature, sports, and the solidarity of women.

Read my interview with Yi Shun here: http://angelalamturpin.com/?p=3076

[Elisa Doucette · Rating 5 out of 5]

For outdoor adventure lovers and those who dream of being

This is a nice easy read, with deep insights that pounce on you from otherwise jovial conversations. Whether it is about finding places and groups to be yourself, falling in love with outdoor adventures, or coming to terms with the realities of being a minority in the spaces you want to be - Lai offers up lots for women to ponder (and celebrate) in a fast-moving series of essays and observations.

[Kim Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told through the dual lenses of gender and ethnicity, this is an engaging and thought-provoking essay on finding oneself and a sense of belonging through outdoor sports. But you don't have to be a sporty person to see yourself in Lai's journey to follow in the footsteps of brave role models, and maybe even strive to become one yourself.

[Jennifer Guyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself relating to Yi Shun's account of wanting to be a person of the outdoors and yet not feeling quite good enough, but through persistence and a little self-reflection she finds her place in the great outdoors, inspiring me to keep pursuing what I love and being where I want to be regardless of how others see me.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book makes everyone who reads it feel good. so honest, it was wildly refreshing when you compare yourself to everyone out there, and then you realize we are all the same in that way.

[Brent Piaskoski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful blend of memoir, motivate and mirth, Yi Shu Lai's Pin Ups is the perfect book to read to inspire us to get out and challenge our athletic abilities. I loved hearing about Yi Shun's often difficult childhood and how she was able to channel teenage angst into her passion for hitting the outdoors and exploring all kinds of adventures. Her book may just inspired you to dust off that old mountain bike and take a long overdue ride - if not, you will at least love her story from the comforts of the indoors.

[Dian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Yi Shun's brief and poignant reminder of what it's like to a) search for what it means to belong in your world and b) have a series of revelations that you actually get to design some of that world (at least, that was part of my takeaway). Her path to now—which has been different in many ways from my own—had me reflect on some of my own subtly defining experiences, reflections which I've kept sifting through and letting marinate since reading a few weeks ago.

[Nancy Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

PIN UPS is an engaging exploration of Lai's relationship with the outdoors while navigating issues like race, class, and gender. The narrative seamlessly weaves together her reflections and experiences and--as they build on each other--illuminates her journey to feel at home in the great outdoors and the world of adventure sports. Thoughtful, warm, and honest, Lai's voice draws the reader right in. As I read, it felt like she was walking beside me sharing the joyful curiosity and optimism she brings to the world.