Publishers Weekly
08/14/2023
DiGiulian debuts with a gripping memoir about how she became a professional rock climber. She discovered her love for the sport at age seven while attending her older brother’s birthday party at a climbing gym in her hometown of Alexandria, Va., where later that year she started training with a team to climb competitively. Her teenage years were spent practicing on weekdays and competing on weekends, hard work that paid off when at age 19 DiGiulian won gold in the Female Overall category at the 2011 International Federation of Sport Climbing World Championships. She continued to compete while studying at Columbia University, and though the death of her father from a stroke when she was 22 hit her hard, she worked through her grief by recommitting herself to climbing. The recreations of what it’s like to cling to cliffsides will have readers’ palms sweating (“The coarse sandpaper rock has shaved my fingertips bloody.... I maneuver my hips ever so slightly to the left in order to position my center of gravity above my left toe, which is balanced on a pebble-sized protrusion”), and her reflections on the sport are uplifting: “The challenge in life is to understand the difference between rational and irrational fear—to harness one and conquer the other.” This thrills and inspires. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Take the Lead allows us to enter the fearless mind-set of Sasha, from her childhood to first place on the podium at the most prestigious international climbing competitions, and ultimately her lifestyle traveling the world to climb some of the most challenging rock formations ever achieved. Sasha demonstrates the strength of her vision, as well as the discipline to do whatever necessary to realize her goals and raise the bar for women." —Lynn Hill, climber and author of Climbing Free
"In Take the Lead, Sasha shares her views seeped in optimism and dedication, her two ingredients to her success as a professional climber. Regardless of where you are, or the type of sport you practice, there is wisdom in Sasha's experience that can help you be the person you want to be." —Conrad Anker, mountaineer and author
"This well-written memoir combines professional rock climber DiGiulian's life story with fascinating information about an increasingly popular sport . . . Readers will cheer." —Booklist (starred review)
"Gripping . . . The recreations of what it’s like to cling to cliffsides will have readers’ palms sweating and [DiGiulian's] reflections on the sport are uplifting. This thrills and inspires." —Publishers Weekly
"Sasha DiGiulian is a card-carrying badass whose life experiences we can all learn from. Her stories of freakishly scary rock climbs that enable her to channel her courage into the world of business help us all see that our best selves are always on the other side of our discomfort zone. Take the Lead is for anyone in need of inspiration to overcome their fears in pursuit of their biggest dreams." —Sarah Robb O'Hagan, CEO of EXOS and author of Extreme You
“DiGiulian has established herself as the best female climber in the United States and arguably the best female rock climber in the world.” –The Washington Post
