I Know This to Be True: Simone Biles

I Know This to Be True

by Simone Biles, Geoff Blackwell, Ruth Hobday

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles is an example of bravery, resilience, and persistence.

Looking back at her incredible career, she details her entry into gymnastics at just six years old and her rise to becoming the most decorated American gymnast of all time.

With candor, she discusses her daily disciplines , the importance of speaking up, and why female empowerment matters.

• Easily relatable, Biles is a role model for any young person—especially gymnasts
• Demonstrates the importance of ambition, strength, and believing in yourself on and off the mat
• Part of the landmark book series that brims with messages of leadership, courage, compassion, and hope

Inspired by Nelson Mandela's legacy and created in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, I Know This to Be True is a global series of books created to spark a new generation of leaders.

The series is a collection of extraordinary figures from diverse backgrounds answering the same questions, as well as sharing their compelling stories, guiding ideals, and insightful wisdom.

• This series offers encouragement and guidance to graduates, future leaders, and anyone hoping to make a positive impact on the world
• Royalties from sales of the series support the free distribution of material from the series to the world's developing economy countries
• Add it to the shelf with books like Make Your Little Things That Can Change Your Life . . . And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven; In the Company of Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs by Grace Bonney; and Courage to A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance by Simone Biles.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

76 pages, Hardcover

Published November 10, 2020

Reviews

[Elena · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay and a quick, easy read. However, the interviewer asked simple and repetitive questions. A little more depth would have been nice. Also, the placement of various random quotes and pictures sometimes affected the flow of the interview and made the book rather choppy. Not what I was expecting and somewhat disappointing.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Simone Biles, but the interviewer didn’t choose good questions. They kept asking her the same things so her answers were repetitive.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Simone Biles but this little book didn't do her justice. It's essentially an interview with Simone, but the questions that the interviewer asked her are simplistic, easy and repetitive. I love Simone so much and I wish the interview would have let her shine a bit more. It's a small, short, easy read so luckily I didn't waste too much time with this one.

[Tikvah Lanz-Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five stars for Simone, one for this book. The formatting is very awkward and breaks up in the middle of sentences for full page spread images of Simone and random highlighted quotes, making it difficult to follow.

They also used the same two or three images over and over, just mirrored.

The cover and inside flap made me think that Simone had at least maybe used a ghost writer to write her own sort of memoir, but it’s just an interview that asks the same questions asked in every other interview with her.

Not necessarily anything wrong with that, but I wish they’d made it clearer that it was just a transcript of a short interview.

At this point this interview is so outdated that the only thing it’s really good for now is to see how Biles’ opinions and thoughts have changed over time.

All in all, I adore Simone, but not this book.

[Kemi looves 2 read · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* I concur with so many of the other reviews: the book did not do Simone Biles any justice.

Some motivational quotes:
"I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles."
"I did rather regret the risks that didn't work than the chances I didn't take at all."

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book series of interviews with famous people. Some good lines from Simone Biles on how she approaches her work.

[Jordan Hamad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very short. Repetitive. Spelling typos. Oddly placed quotes and photos

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Simone but this was basically a short interview with her and then the same brief rehash of her life until 2018, twice. I was hoping it was more in depth about her.

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, easy read with good thoughts but very simple. Not really a biography, just an interview with Simone.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can hardly call this a book. This is an interview and belongs in a magazine, newspaper, or website. And the photography is pretty boring.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles."

[Ry · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.75

[Sam Yager Crytzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

love simone so much. just took me awhile to get through!

[Angelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not very insightful