I have been a fan of Ronda since her first appearance in Conan. I believe that was after her first Miesha Tate fight. When I started following her, she had nearly sixty thousand followers in Facebook; now, that number surpasses a million. Although I like to keep objective - I do acknowledge this review is biased.
I loved the book. But is it any good? Fucking yeah it is. Even if it was a fictional story; this book is written with love and care. Despite the vast amount of information thrown at the reader, it is an easy read. I like a book that has a fast pace. In it, she goes from one moment [like a heartbreak], to the beginning of another journey in the next paragraph. I makes great use of symbolic elements to tie in chapters - like her thirteen-year story with her dad's flag. The book also makes great use of storytelling elements - how the her journey with picking a walk-in song ties in with her rise in one chapter. Moreover, it has a middle point [near the mid count]. It has a three act structure, and multiple plot twists I lost count. It was written with love.
I got the hard-cover version. The book's presentation is photographic. At the back of the cover, she shows her back. That wonderful lower-back to ass transition kills me every time I see it. The photos inside have photographic qualities to them [the use of black and white, etc]. I mean, there's photos, that alone is a nice touch. And thankfully it is not one of those books that have that middle glossy paper because it ruins the feel of the book midway. So, I like.
One nit-pick I have with it is that some of the pages aren't aligned, and some of the ink in some parts is blurry. Which tells me it was a rushed job. I wish it had that good old-fashioned library book - the leather; the felt. I feel this book is good enough to get that treatment. Here, my bias.
The book made me fall in love with Ronda - Because I can relate. Just like everyone else. But it also helped me understand why some people wouldn't like her. She is intense. She is opinionated, and hard headed. All those qualities that make her a champion.
A note about parenting: I am not a parent, but I have been to take a fatherly role with my younger sister nine years my junior; as well as help care for friend's kids. I respect Dr. AnnMarie's method of raising Ronda. But nowhere in this book does it mention that Dr. AnnMarie's style worked only because it is Ronda fucking Rousey. She knew she had to take that risk with Ronda. She saw a champion in her that she didn't see with her other daughters. She was desperate. I get the feeling from the book that Dr. AnnMarie had to become Ronda's father figure in pretty much all aspects. Her work is a work of genius - and I know the results went beyond her own imagination. But yes, for all you parents/future parents: Do not attempt what you read at home without professional supervision.
Like I said, it is a great book for many reasons. No other book has urged me to write a review on it; maybe that is contributed because I am a huge fan of hers. But in the literary sense, it is a great motivational book. This is aside from the countless pep-talk rants Ronda has all over the book - I am referring to the story itself. For the first half of it: Ronda is surrounded by elements that worked against her. A lot of betrayal happens in the book; although I must admit that she is quite unforgiving as a character. But when you persevere, all of a sudden, in the second half of the book; people are starting to care for her - she is then surrounded by love.
In accordance to this book, a pep talk: when the environment you live in works to put you down; you must persevere because it means that you are destined for greatness, if you make it through the impossible odds, that is. But why not? What is there to lose? Your life? Fuck your current life. Meh, hers are better.
It is an open attack letter to many of those who have wronged her. The first half of the book is dedicated to US Judo. Some parts are dedicated in trashing the people that she felt wronged her. I mean, there is rage all over this book. It is delightful. There was also stabs at other fighters, particularly Miesha - the first appetizer came in the shape of a grammar correction to one of Tate's tweets.
I connected to the personality of Ronda Rousey the moment I saw her on that show [in the shape of a YouTube video]. I then saw her fights, on the Internet. Her fighting style, forward... I then watched her interviews, and I started to realize she follows the way of the Bushido through her Judo [which is confirmed in the book]. Bushido is the Japanese warrior way for being good. It is the Japanese warrior's code of honor. I myself am a every-now-and-then-probably-won't-return Kendo practitioner; another art that follows, yes, Bushido. I agree with Ronda's views on the sport, not that I know much of it, but Olympic martial arts are becoming all about competition. Points - that's not what Judo used to stand for... and it's not just Judo. This is a topic for another time.
My first Kendo sensei once said, and this has one stuck with me fourteen years later, when you are going to hit your opponent, use your ki - your emotions, use this love to give him/her your all. When she talks about beating the opponent - like Mike Tyson has said - that you use this rage, this need for destruction... Well, I disagree. And I did start getting a sense of it near the end of the book; Ronda started to speak of fighting with love. It is an ancient martial arts tradition that is constantly shown in anime and manga, there is a good and evil side of fighting, and though the good is harder to achieve - it is the strongest one [I think this pep-talk piece is better].
My Fight/Your Fight is also a great sports book. In it she describes how she thinks. You read it while you watch replays of her fights, and you are the closest you can be inside a fighter's head. I tried it, and it was awesome. She even gives out her training routine. She tells other fighters how she trains. It is like she is inviting people to memorize her so that they have a better chance at beating her. - There many elements to this book; which is why it makes it a book to read if you don't mind reading cuss words - I mean, really, what the fuck.
In closing, I would love to meet her one day. Sit down, have a conversation. But that is highly unlikely, and that is ok. The book has helped me understand somethings about myself. Yeah, she is fucking good at this pep-talk business -
I do wonder what volume two of her story brings. I think her biggest challenge is yet to come. What will happen if she loses? How would that shape her? Can she stay at the top of her game until a worthy opponent shows up? No, seriously. It´d be a dream come true to sit with her.
I do wonder what volume two of her story brings. I think her biggest challenge is yet to come. What will happen if she loses? How would that shape her? Can she stay at the top of her game until a worthy opponent shows up? No, seriously. It´d be a dream come true to sit with her.
