From the Publisher
A book that seemed to be about tough-minded, solitary self-improvement for masters-of-the-universe types turned out to be a story about sharing, community, and love. That’s right! ...Turns out in sports, according to Madden, winning isn’t everything: It still matters how you play the game.” — Alex Gibney, Academy Award-winning writer and director of Taxi to the Dark Side
“Surprisingly personal and compelling…Madden’s epiphanies are genuine, and well rendered…. He may be subpar as an athlete. He’s far, far above that as a writer.” — SportsIllustrated.com
“The numerous workout anecdotes will entertain the CrossFit faithful, but Madden’s well-written personal narrative may appeal to a more general fitness audience.” — Booklist
“Even if you’ve never lifted a kettlebell, you’ll be fascinated by Madden’s view of the challenges and psychology behind the phenomenon.” — Self Magazine
“Stephen Madden’s engaging, open, and funny book about how it changed his life—but kept him resolutely who he is—did away with all that: He finds the human side of the sport, the activity, and the community. A perfect introduction to a worldview that can change yours.” — Will Leitch, founder of Deadspin, contributing editor for New York magazine, and author of God Save the Fan and Are We Winning?
“Madden’s entertaining and inspiring fitness memoir is ultimately about life, love, and so much more.” — Reader’s Digest
SportsIllustrated.com
Surprisingly personal and compelling…Madden’s epiphanies are genuine, and well rendered…. He may be subpar as an athlete. He’s far, far above that as a writer.
Alex Gibney
A book that seemed to be about tough-minded, solitary self-improvement for masters-of-the-universe types turned out to be a story about sharing, community, and love. That’s right! ...Turns out in sports, according to Madden, winning isn’t everything: It still matters how you play the game.
Booklist
The numerous workout anecdotes will entertain the CrossFit faithful, but Madden’s well-written personal narrative may appeal to a more general fitness audience.
Will Leitch
Stephen Madden’s engaging, open, and funny book about how it changed his life—but kept him resolutely who he is—did away with all that: He finds the human side of the sport, the activity, and the community. A perfect introduction to a worldview that can change yours.
Self Magazine
Even if you’ve never lifted a kettlebell, you’ll be fascinated by Madden’s view of the challenges and psychology behind the phenomenon.
Self Magazine
Even if you’ve never lifted a kettlebell, you’ll be fascinated by Madden’s view of the challenges and psychology behind the phenomenon.
Booklist
The numerous workout anecdotes will entertain the CrossFit faithful, but Madden’s well-written personal narrative may appeal to a more general fitness audience.
Reader’s Digest
Madden’s entertaining and inspiring fitness memoir is ultimately about life, love, and so much more.
Reader’s Digest
Madden’s entertaining and inspiring fitness memoir is ultimately about life, love, and so much more.
Reader’s Digest
Madden’s entertaining and inspiring fitness memoir is ultimately about life, love, and so much more.
Self Magazine
Even if you’ve never lifted a kettlebell, you’ll be fascinated by Madden’s view of the challenges and psychology behind the phenomenon.
Reader's Digest
Madden’s entertaining and inspiring fitness memoir is ultimately about life, love, and so much more.
Library Journal
01/01/2015
No matter what the leisure or exercise activity, there are always people who want to push it to extremes. For fitness fans, this is a program called CrossFit, which makes the Ironman triathlon look like a walk in the park. CrossFit is where drill instructors who are deemed too mean for the marines find their niche. It's the only leisure-time activity this reviewer has encountered that has a cute mascot for vomiting. Madden, once a "fat kid" and former editor of Bicycling magazine, considered himself no good because he wasn't athletic. He came to this sport in middle age and through sheer force of will mastered a series of extreme weight and cardio workouts, "embracing the suck" for one year. The exercises are not easily understood as described here. All that is clear is that too much is not enough. This title will appeal to hard-core athletes and students of psychology but may leave average readers feeling as though CrossFit practitioners have gone mad. VERDICT Limited appeal but provides exciting insight into a highly unusual lifestyle.—Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH
