Lettres à une jeune gymnaste

by Nadia Comaneci

A unique glimpse into the remarkable life, and fascinating mindset, of the woman who broke records-and boundaries-for female athletes everywhere

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Romania, Autobiography, History

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[eRin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nadia Comaneci stole the world's hearts in the 1976 summer Olympic Games when she came out of nowhere to score the first ever perfect 10...and then six more. In Letters to a Young Gymnast, Comaneci writes as if she is replying to a pen pal's questions about her life. From her early childhood in the tiny village of Onesti, Romania climbing trees, to being spotted doing cartwheels by Bela Karolyi. To her intense training and sheltered life, to the Olympics (just another competition in her eyes), to growing up and clashing with her coaches. Nadia continues to describe her life under communist rule and the dead-ends where she found herself when she eventually decided to make the toughest decision of her life--to defect to the United States. With the fear of imprisonment or being shot in the back, she bravely snuck out into the Romanian night and headed the six hours on foot to Hungary. Her story doesn't end happily there, though; she has many years of hardships and misunderstandings in the U.S. before her fairy tale ending comes to light. Through it all, Nadia exhibits the grace and poise that has come to be synonymous with her name.

The darling and hero of the gymnastics world finally opens up about her life and it is interesting all the way through. Comaneci does a great job of expressing how *normal* her life was while training--she wasn't really a hero that she could seeand she definitely wasn't treated much better than other people (well, except for the three meals a day she was guaranteed). I feel that she kind of downplayed some aspects of her life like the training and her relationship with Karolyi, but overall it was a good glimpse into the life of a living legend who, until now, has kept her life very private.

Oh yeah--a lot of people have complained that the writing is not very good. Maybe it's not excellent, but considering that English is her third language,I think it's amazing!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, this sets the record straight. While this is an inspirational book, and is intended to be so, what I get from it is a better understanding of the story of two incredible people, Nadia and her famous coach Bela Karolyi. I cannot think of one without the other.

I only catch Nadia and Bela every four years when I watch the Summer Olympics. Their stories are intriguing and each has had their share of good and bad press. I love Bela's enthusiasm for the sport and his gymnasts and wonder at the criticism he's encountered. I love what Nadia accomplished and wondered at her floozy image after her defection. I have never dug into the gossip or image to what was true and what wasn't. Now a better picture of who they are emerges.

Nadia's description of her childhood and how it interfaced with the improbable career of Bela is amazing, a one in a million happening. I did not know that he was Hungarian and not "in" with the powers that were. The training and the love of the sport must have been a protective oasis for the youngsters in this program. In the US, where the media looks for stories of conflict, it is bound to find criticism of Bela from disappointed young gymnasts. If you want to be #1, and are willing and able to do the work, he is clearly your "go to" guy. I understand what he did now, and appreciate him and his wife even more.

I did wonder about Nadia's post defection image. While I attributed it to confusion, I hadn't understood how it came about. I can imagine her commitment and trust in her "savior" (who may have risked his life too) and having only guarded experiences in her new country, not knowing its language and having no means of support, she had to rely on someone. While she should have reconnected with Bela, she relied on Constantin who obviously knew his way around the eastern block. His judgement and connections didn't fit the new world any more than his influence on her taste in fashion.

While I have read a number of books of defectors, the most recent being Mao's Last Dancer, Nadia's escape has to be the most heroic. Interestingly, not long after, the Ceausescu regime fell making visits to and from family possible.

While a path of defection is easier for the famous, Nadia describes the stress that comes with the decision. Only the very disciplined can consider taking the mental and physical risks. Her journey across the borders called on all her endurance and team training. She was able to keep her "team" from being sent back.

I like the simple prose and the format here. More than a letter to a specified audience of young gymnasts, Nadia is revealing to all who she is and how she came to be.

[Jycel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me temo que no puedo ser imparcial al juzgar este libro (Nadia es muy grande para mí). De todas maneras, es imposible hacer un comentario sin ponerme subjetiva. Voy ya con ello.

La única pega que le puedo poner es el estilo de escritura. Y ni siquiera es una pega en sí.

El inglés no es el primer idioma de Nadia y se nota. Esto puede que resulte disuasivo a la hora de meterse en la narración, no es mi caso. Ya sea porque el inglés tampoco es mi lengua madre, o sencillamente porque Nadia tiene una voz que me llega muchísimo, he disfrutado de su relato como si fuera propio, apropiándome de cada palabra, de cada recuerdo, de cada esfuerzo y de cada sacrificio.

Sea como sea, sus palabras se me cuelan muy dentro. Y he vívido su historia con lágrimas en el corazón y sonrisas en los ojos. Nadia es única, y jamás habrá nadie como ella.

Obstinada y metódica. Pero también luchadora y rebelde. La niña de 14 años que conquistó al mundo entero en 1976, la mujer que luchó por encontrarse a ella misma en una situación que le vino muy grande demasiado pronto. La vida de Nadia está llena de valentía y de ganas.

Es una pena que no haya escrito algo más.

[Chantal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ay Nadia. Quizá no sea del todo objetiva porque Comaneci me puede, pero me ha gustado mucho el libro. Se nota que el inglés no es su primera lengua y la prosa es muy sencilla, pero aún así creo que es capaz de transmitir todo lo que pretende. Quizá no he conocido muchísimas cosas nuevas -demasiadas lecturas, documentales y programas dedicados a ella-, pero sí que enseña su punto de vista y deshace algunos rumores estúpidos que siempre han surgido en torno a ella. Siempre es bonito, y duro en ocasiones, leer de primera manera la historia de una mujer que cambió la historia de la gimnasia.

[Jmtimms2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading autobiographies. Nadia was my childhood idol, I spent many hours watching the movie of her life over and over. This was a great read, I walked away deeply moved learning the truth about her life. Reading the truth about her life was very sad and humbling. We often forget how much we have living in America.

[Kirti Upreti · Rating 4 out of 5]

"To be 'normal' and do normal things doesn't get you anywhere except normal." - Nadia Comaneci

The Tokyo Olympics are on. Along with the glamour, the glory, and the chance to witness human limits pushed beyond the common imagination, Olympics also bring along a sudden outburst of popular expectations fettered to their national identities. The quickly forgotten or never remembered names of scores of athletes suddenly become the talk of the town. The sport whose viewership had always been staggered and the sportspersons who struggled to get the meals required to keep up with their strenuous trainings, are suddenly elevated or pushed into the abyss basis their win or defeat - only to be forgotten once again and left to continue their survival struggle in anonymity.

Comaneci speaks of her life in communist Romania, where not just food but happiness was rationed. As she admits, she was lucky on many parts - to be admitted to a school where she was well fed, her successful defection without getting shot, but the greatest luck was to live an unforced dream and have a great coach on whom she could trust her life with. The girl with the perfect score appreciated her luck and toiled day and night to rise above the normal.

But when it comes to success, not everyone is lucky and when defeat strikes them - and it does more often than not - then the nationalist feelings sitting behind their TV screens (once in four years) cry 'disappointment'. May be if we read what it takes even to reach there, we would be a little kinder, humbler and (just may be) braver and more agile in our own lives.

[Ian D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Δεν ξέρω πόσο σούπερ σταρ είναι η Nadia Comăneci στην πραγματική ζωή αλλά για εμάς τους φανατικούς της ενόργανης (στην Ελλάδα θα είμαστε καμιά 25αριά το πολύ) ανήκει στους θρύλους του αθλήματος. Προσωπικά, δεν είναι η αγαπημένη μου αθλήτρια, ούτε καν η αγαπημένη μου Ρουμάνα αθλήτρια (Daniela Silivaș και Cătălina Ponor FTW) αλλά δεν μπορώ να μην την κατατάξω στις μεγάλες στιγμές του σπορ.

Η αυτοβιογραφία του πιο διάσημου 10αριού των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων - λοιπόν - όχι του πρώτου (Παρίσι 1924) και καθόλου τέλειου (σήμερα θα είχε αρκετές μειώσεις λόγω βημάτων στην προσγείωση και έλλειψη ευρύτητας) αλλά μία από τις πιο επιδραστικές στιγμές των Αγώνων, το πρόσωπο του Μόντρεαλ και η αφορμή να γίνει πιο mainstream η γυμναστική στο ευρύ κοινό στο δρόμο που είχε ανοίξει η Olga Korbut 4 χρόνια νωρίτερα, κατακτώντας τις καρδιές εκατομμυρίων θεατών και αποτελώντας έμπνευση για άλλους τόσους.

Αν και ξεκίνησα αρκετά προδιατεθειμένος όπως και σε όλες τις αυτοβιογραφίες με την τάση αγιοποίησης που τις διέπει, εξεπλάγην μάλλον ευχάριστα με την ειλικρίνεια της γραφής και την κριτική στο πρόσωπο του προπονητή της Béla Károlyi, που όσο κι αν προσπάθησε δεν κατάφερε να γίνει τόσο διάσημος όσο η αθλήτριά του. Ιστορίες από την παιδική ηλικία, τις προπονήσεις, τους αγώνες από το 1975 ως το 1980, την πολιτική κατάσταση στη Ρουμανία του Ceaușescu, τις μυστικές υπηρεσίες, την αυτομόληση προς τη Δύση.

Όλα λίγο πολύ γνωστά αλλά αρκετά καλογραμμένα, πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο που δε θα κερδίσει λογοτεχνικά βραβεία αλλά διαβάζεται πολύ πιο ευχάριστα από αντίστοιχες προσπάθειες άλλων αθλητριών (namely, το Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith της Gabrielle Douglas - θου Κύριε).

[Andi M Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This short book about a woman I thought I knew so much about provided far more insight than I expected. I learned much about Nadia and life in general. I also learned about communism and communist Romania and it’s effects on the people. Great read. Unique in style.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was younger, I tended to think of glamorous careers like pro sports as mysterious. How could I imagine the daily life of an actress or a fashion designer or a CEO or an Olympian? In my adulthood, I’ve learned enough about the nature of work and achievement (and watched enough behind-the-scenes and logistics videos) to realize that there isn’t usually any secret sauce. Most glamorous jobs require a combination of talent, hard work, and luck, and they can be broken down into discrete skills and tasks like any other job. At this point in my life, nothing about the young Romanian gymnasts’ lives and training surprised me. Plucked from obscurity when discovered practicing tumbling in the schoolyard by an elite coach who was setting up a training center and school nearby? That’s all three. Talent, luck, work, more or less in that order.

It is still interesting, though. Comaneci is, after all, a very famous and successful athlete with a dramatically intriguing personal story. One thing about me: I love a behind-the-scenes look. I probably would have found this book interesting no matter what. Luckily, there’s plenty to like, even though there are a couple of things that don’t land.

The framing device here doesn’t work very well. This is a memoir, not a series of essays like a collection of “letters” implies. Comaneci did attempt to write with a conversational tone and refer to her reader like the recipient of a letter, and that makes it odd in another direction; sporadically, she talks to her audience like she is replying to specific letters that we don’t see. Did she receive the letters she describes, over the years? Are they hypotheticals that reflect things she heard from fans or the media? I don’t know, but her rebuttals are so specific sometimes. She will say something like “in response to this particular phrasing you gave about my sacrifice of my childhood for gymnastics—” These setups often don’t sound generic enough to be invented for the book. It’s a strange level of precision for a book that otherwise isn’t written in the form of letters.

The book is by turns very honest and somewhat contradictory. She will talk about how she was never made to do anything she didn’t want and tended to obstinately do the opposite of what she was told, and then a page later, she’ll mention that it was drilled into her to follow Bela Karolyi’s orders without question. She makes a point of talking about how she doesn’t judge the careers of others because she doesn’t know what they’re struggling with, and then she attributes her own remarkable success to her drive and sense. She discusses her own lack of control over the fortunes and misfortunes life brings and over her life living under a Communist government, and she also talks about how she believes people reap what they sow. At first, I was baffled by the contradictions, but as I got further through the book, I came to think that they are sincere and reflect only the contradictions any person carries with them through life and experience. Maybe she didn’t see any conflict between the things she said. Maybe some of the conflicts I see come from my own context, which is of course very different. Then again, maybe some of the contradictions reflect conscious attempts to affect the narrative around Karolyi, the Romanian gymnastics team in the 70s, and Nadia’s own image and defection. It’s impossible to tell, but the overall effect is surprisingly genuine.

A lot of that is likely the careful level of detail Comaneci uses in describing the slow progression toward her defection. She is not wordy. The writing is fairly simple and decidedly concise. What details she chooses to include are more impactful for their limited number. The description of Munch’s The Scream and how it illustrates her feelings in the decade following her retirement is haunting, and it’s followed by her harrowing experience fleeing her country under cover of darkness with the threat of imprisonment or death on her heels. She talks briefly but frankly about how her elite gymnastics career raised the stakes for her, because she would be a much higher-profile traitor than most.

Again and again, Comaneci describes the surprise of realizing that she is a symbol. She is always amazed that the president of Romania cares who she is or what she does. Her fame gets her into and out of very difficult situations. In the final chapters, she describes her return to Romania and her wedding there, which serves the dual purpose of giving a joyful end to the book and illustrating one more time that Nadia Comaneci is just a person, though she seems larger than life.

I enjoyed this book. It’s short but substantial and gives a window, in her own words, into the eventful life of an athletic icon. I picked it up on impulse at Half Price Books while I was in the sports section looking at books about hockey, and I’m certainly pleased with what I got.

[Courtney Kirshe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The autobiography “Letters to a Young Gymnast” by Nadia Comaneci is the story of her life in the gymnastics world. I loved this book because I can sort of relate because I am a gymnast too. The part I can most relate to is the hard and grueling practices. But the part that helped me was how to get through things and I think that, that is the message she is trying to send throughout the book. Nadia’s life is very interesting. The part that I found the most fascinating is how she stumbled upon the sport that eventually changed her life. This book also shows how prejudice could change some ones life. When Nadia and her coach Bella Karolyi went to a meet they almost did not let them compete because she was form Romania and at the time Romania was a communist country. If Nadia was not to compete she might have never made it to the Olympics. Another part of this book that intrigued me was her road to the Olympics and her relationship with her coaches and how they got along during the Olympics. In the book Nadia said that most of the countries would go and walk around the village and march in at the opening ceremonies but for Nadia and the other Romanian gymnasts they were to stay in there room and rest. Nadia said that she always listened to her coaches because she new that they new best. The book also talks about her experience after her first trip to the Olympics and how she was treated no differently at home even though she was an Olympic champion, and same at the gym she was given any special treatment. But she did not mind because she wanted to be an even better gymnast. I highly recommend this book it is a fun read and I recommend it for anybody, gymnasts especially.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

"People tend to think it is a catfight between gymnasts. What they don't understand is that everyone knows what their teammates are capable of doing in any event. It it not like you need to spy on them. Gymnasts accomplish the skills they perform in training. You cannot do more in a competition than you can in training... there are no big surprises... But the media like to play up rivalries and create heroes." (p101)

Ion Mihai Pacepa, former head of Romanian Intelligence (he was the highest ranking defector from the eastern Bloc) wrote a book Red Horizons, talks in there about Ceausescu being a fanatical nationalist (p104)

Talking about the food shortages: "Our country could have survived on our farmlands and livestock, but Ceausescu exported most of our food. He had incurred $10 billion in loans from the West and decided in 1981 that he was going to pay the debt in full by exporting everything that could be sold abroad." You've got to wonder what the West was doing making such big loans to Soviet bloc countries at the height of the cold war. It seems to support my belief that the cold war was not won by the West with nuclear missiles or spies, but by economists and accountants (if it was even won at all).

[Thaynes4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nadia Comaneci was the first gymnast to ever receive a perfect 10 score in Olympic gymnastics in 1976 at the Olympics in Montreal, Canada. She was a fourteen year old elite Romain gymnast. She became famous because she caught the hearts and minds of the world through her daring and magnificent skills and routines. Once the 1976 Olympics was over Nadia had won seven perfect 10s, 3 gold medals, 1 silver, and one bronze. Then at the 1980 Moscow Olympics Nadia earned two more gold medals and two more silver to bring her Olympic total to nine medals (five gold, three silver, one bronze). In 1996, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. In April of that same year, Nadia married American gymnast Bart Conner, himself an Olympic champion, in a Romanian state wedding. Nadia now divides her time among appearances, commercial endorsement for major companies, speaking engagements, and charity events.

[Luiza Oroian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearly targeted at American audience.
As Romanian I find this book incomplete and vague or maybe dishonest in regards to some of the facts. I wouldn’t call it a biography, more like a PR stunt for the American public.

[Kevin Keating · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgot how I was recommended to read this book. Don't care much about gymnastics. But everyone remembers this girl (a little older than me actually) who got the first perfect scores. As a memoir I think it was very real. She touches on the subject of the abuses of the Karolyis, eating disorder and playing while hurt, but her most interesting stories are really about just growing up in a communist country in the 1980s. Harsh. anyway, I recommend this book with 5 stars. Quick read!

[Meghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories about competitions and training and the memoir-like vignettes were super interesting. I also feel like a learned a lot about the history of Romania.

However, I found it unclear who the author was trying to write for. Also, I wasn’t a huge fan of the advice/wandering thought inserts between the stories. Overall, not my favorite writing style or genre, but lots of good content/info.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, but felt incomplete. While Nadia talked about many of the hardships of growing up and living in a communist country, she glossed over many other things that happened in her life.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il miglior libro sulla ginnastica artistica che possiate leggere!!

[Eleni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, thought- provoking, inspiring!!! I loved every bit of it!!!

[Maggie B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book “Letters to a young gymnast” by Nadia Comaneci is such an inspiring and life-changing book. I learned about Nadia Comaneci for a project in school so my mom--who was a gymnast when she was little and was also inspired by Nadia--decided to get me this book for my birthday. She read it to me in 3rd grade and even at that age I loved the book, it taught me that if I work hard enough I can do anything. I kind of forgot I had the book and dug it up this year and decided to read it again. It hit me differently this time when I read it. Being older than I was the first time I read it, it became more emotional and more inspiring.
Nadia Comaneci tells her whole life's story. She goes through her struggles and her achievement. As a little girl, she went through a lot, but she never gave up and always fought back harder than before. She ended up being the first girl ever to receive a perfect 10, she is and will always be remembered for that and also for being a strong and independent woman. In the book, she says “Life was unfair and difficult, but I still considered myself to be lucky because I had the opportunity to attend school”(Comaneci 109) I have to be honest this really hit me hard because I do not think my classmates and I appreciate school enough. Hearing this from her made me understand that school was a place to learn but to also get away from your chaotic life at home. Another thing she said in the book was “If a gymnast can’t replace fear with concentration during a competition, then she will have more problems than just a few knots in her stomach.”(Comaneci 99). As a gymnast myself I always think of this quote before competitions and it really helps me realize that I am capable of blocking out my fear if I just focus.
In the book, she talks about her escaping Romania and going to the United States which was a long and dreadful journey. She talks about all of her big gymnastics competitions and her growth as a gymnast. Nadia Comaneci is very inspiring and a motivational person. She put all of her skills, tips, and experiences into making an emotional story about her journey to success. I highly recommend reading this book because it changes your view on life and will teach you so many life lessons.

[Katianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters to a Young Gymnast by Nadia Comaneci is a truly inspirational tale. Nadia started out in Onesti, Romania in a family that comped afford only the nessecities. She was doing club gymnastics at Flames when she was little. However, when Nada turned seven, her gymnastics was getting on expensive for her family you afford. She was told to find another, cheaper gym or quit. Little Nadia was refusing to quit but she couldn't find another gym. Just as she was about to give up hope, on a fateful day she met a man at her school. His name is Bela Karolyi. This book covers her struggles as well as her accomplishments. It really sets the record straight!

I that that this book was extremely well written and interesting. Everything flowed very nicely and she explained most things in full detail. While I know that all of the people where real, they seemed made up because everybody fit the story exactly right. Nothing was ever that confusing. I loved every part of it. Overall, amazing story and book.

I would definitely recommend this book to any new or rising gymnasts. Also, anyone looking for inspiration who is not a gymnast or even looking to be one should read this book. It is appropriate for all ages and genders. In conclusion, this is one of my favorite books. Enjoy reading this fantabulous book!

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the recent gymnastics events from China, I became interested again in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal when Nadia Comaneci transformed the sport of women's gymnastics when she got 7 perfect "10's" for her events. Nadia was born in 1961, and I was interested to read about her life and what happened to her after she defected to the United States.

This book is very easy and quick read, but not terribly well written. It was good to remember the oppressive system under which she lived, and why defecting was such a terrifying thing (she was afraid of being shot in the back), and why her first interviews in the US were so hard and were so mis-read by all Americans.

Comaneci is a very focused and very disciplined athlete. It is interesting to wonder if she ever could have developed her skill and love of gymnastics in a less regimented environment?

The US women's gymnastics world was also transformed mainly by Bela and Martha Karolyi (who were Nadia's coaches in Romania and later Mary Lou Retton's coaches in the US), and this year by Nastia Luikin coached by her Russian born father and gymnast, Valeri Luikin. Interesting to see what impact these coaches are having on American gymnasts!

[Simon Zohhadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Nadia Comaneci's autobiography. I would like to have given the book a higher rating; a perfect score would have fitted her perfect ten in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. I was 11 years old in 1976 and I was entranced by the 14 year old gymnast from Romania who won 3 Olympic Gold Medals and another 2 in 1980. She was probably the star of the Montreal Olympics. She became a global phenomenon but because of the restrictions imposed upon Nadia and all Romanians she was never able to enjoy that success and fame. Some of the rumours surrounding her appear to be unfounded; she was not wealthy and her relationship with the son of Ceausescu was not as it appeared. Nadia has developed into the woman that we all believed she would. After her defection her dreams of a happy life became a reality. I like the way the book is written with gymnastic sequences introducing chapters. The drawback is the lack of detail, especially about the competitions and results for each gymnastic discipline; nor are there any pictures. Nevertheless, recommended.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up watching the Olympics on TV, Nadia was a hero. It is interesting to see how she feels about her childhood, training, and how she was treated by her country and fans. As far as I could tell, Nadia wrote this book herself, not using someone else to transfer her memories to the written page. It was remarkably well written and poignant, even if English had been her first language (she learned English as an adult). Having recently read the autobiographies of American athletes, it is interesting to compare her dependence and trust with her coach, the way she perceived the media attention, and the difficulties in earning a living through sport between athletes in the two countries. I enjoyed learning her story and would recommend it to my young daughter.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Letters to a Young Gymnast - The Art of Mentoring” by Nadia Comaneci is an autobiography detailing her inspiring story from starting out as a young gymnast to the glory of not only winning Olympic Gold at the age of 14 but being the first gymnast in history to score a perfect 10! This is a lovely story of an extremely talented, determined, courageous and resilient athlete. It is a great read that I would recommend to gymnasts, parents of athletes, anyone interested in gymnastics and sports in general, and to those looking for an inspirational true story. I have now passed the book on to my girls to enjoy.

You can read the full review of this book by Mum2Athletes at http://mum2athletes.com/book-review-l...

[Wellington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up my sister attended gymnastics class and watched a lot of gymnastics on TV. Since we were a one television household, I watched a lot as well.

Nadia was before our time but she will forever be a figurehead in competitive gymnastics. Nadia writes this autobiographical book like she is responding to a young gymnast asking her questions. It's a questionable tactic, but it gives Nadia's voice a chance to shine through.

It's a sad book. Her storytelling of her perfect 10's were anti-climatic (like when I first read the moment when Frankenstein's monster came to life....) and were swallowed up more about her struggles.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Letters to a Young Gymnast by Nadia Comaneci, is a 180 pg. autobiography about her achievements, and her hard work. It started off with her being a young girl in Romania, and starting to take gymnastics. A gymnastics school found her, an wanted her to join the school. This book really shows how she evolves during her years as a gymnast. She was the first gymnasts to receive a perfect 10 at the Olympics. Through out the book, it talks about all the competitions she has gone to, the people she has met, and the challenges she had to overcome. For me this book had a slow start, but it started to get better before the middle of the book.

[Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an autobiography of Nadia Comaneci. Written in the form of letters to a young and upcoming gymnast, it offers a glimpse into the life of one of the most popular olympic stars. Her penury post olympics and restricted freedom in the then communist Romania and her defection to USA through Hungary and Austria makes for a moving narrative. She also intersperses her narrative with her most famous gymnastic routines.

[Betty Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember when 14 year old Nadia Comaneci scored the first perfect "10" in gymnastics at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, and repeated this feat 6 more times. Only 13 years old, there was no way I could have understood how being a young girl in Romania was any different than being a young girl in Canada. This is a very interesting read about her young life of training, her success as a gymnast and her defection to America.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely lovely book. I felt as though I was with Nadia through the events she described in this book. As a parent whose (8yo) daughter has just gotten involved in competitive gymnastics, taking me completely by surprise, this book helped to reassure me. Nadia often gives the kind of advice that I would want my daughter to hear (the importance of eating enough, for a quick example) and she will be receiving a copy of this book for Christmas this year.

[Sara Velluti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarò di parte ma ho adorato questo libro, che ci presenta Nadia Comaneci come un’atleta e una donna straordinaria.
Uno spaccato della sua vita che credo possa toccare corde molto sensibili per tutti gli atleti, ex-atleti e allenatori.
Emozionante e soprattutto molto interessante per chi fa parte del mondo ginnastica, oltre che scritto con grande profondità e in maniera magistrale.
Consigliatissimo!