Publishers Weekly
08/07/2023
Bassett chronicles her trajectory from orphaned chemical fire victim to record-holding track star in her inspiring debut memoir. Adopted from a Chinese orphanage by a Michigan couple when she was eight years old, Bassett faced bullying both for being a minority and for her prosthetic leg. As a teenager, she became enamored with running, and when she made it to UCLA on a full academic scholarship, she doubled down on her dedication to the sport. After she was discouraged from training with the college team due to her disability, she decided to teach herself how to sprint and ensure “the journey ahead of her had meaning and purpose.” The training paid off: Bassett became a seven-time Paralympic gold medalist and currently holds the Paralympic 400-meter dash world record. Organized into 10 “lessons” on topics ranging from body image to loneliness that she credits with building her perseverance, the memoir doubles as an unpretentious self-help tome delivered in the tender, casual tone of a beloved older sister. Readers will be hard-pressed not to walk away hailing Bassett as a role model. Agent: Esther Fedorkevich, Fedd Agency. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"The only thing more explosive than Scout Bassett as an athlete is Scout Bassett as an author. Her break-out book, Lucky Girl, is an example of what’s possible when we embrace who we are, leverage our influence for good, and believe in ourselves and our purpose."—Billie Jean King
"Scout lives at the intersection of being a female in sports, a minority, and having a limb difference. If anyone understands overcoming adversity, it’s Scout. Lucky Girl is a guidebook for girls and women everywhere who have ever felt like an ‘other.’ This book is going to change the way you view yourself and the world around you."—Tunde Oyeneyin, New York Times Best-Selling Author, Motivational Speaker, and Peloton Instructor
"As a fellow athlete, I have always been inspired by stories of resilience and determination. Scout Bassett’s Lucky Girl is one such story that left me awestruck and motivated. I wholeheartedly endorse this book, and I believe that it will positively impact anyone who reads it."—Allyson Felix, 5-time Olympian and Co-Founder, Saysh
Tunde Oyeneyin
Scout lives at the intersection of being a female in sports, a minority, and having a limb difference. If anyone understands overcoming adversity, it’s Scout. Lucky Girl is a guidebook for girls and women everywhere who have ever felt like an ‘other.’ This book is going to change the way you view yourself and the world around you.
Allyson Felix
As a fellow athlete, I have always been inspired by stories of resilience and determination. Scout Bassett’s Lucky Girl is one such story that left me awestruck and motivated. I wholeheartedly endorse this book, and I believe that it will positively impact anyone who reads it.
Billie Jean King
The only thing more explosive than Scout Bassett as an athlete is Scout Bassett as an author. Her break-out book, Lucky Girl, is an example of what’s possible when we embrace who we are, leverage our influence for good, and believe in ourselves and our purpose.
