About the Book
"Fast Girls is a compelling, thrilling look at what it takes to be a female Olympian in pre-war America...Brava to Elise Hooper for bringing these inspiring heroines to the wide audience they so richly deserve."--Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics and The House Girl
Acclaimed author Elise Hooper explores the gripping, real life history of female athletes, members of the first integrated women's Olympic team, and their journeys to the 1936 summer games in Berlin, Nazi Germany. Perfect for readers who love untold stories of amazing women, such as The Only Woman in the Room, Hidden Figures, and The Lost Girls of Paris.
In the 1928 Olympics, Chicago's Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever women's delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as America's Golden Girl until a nearly-fatal airplane crash threatens to end everything.
Outside of Boston, Louise Stokes, one of the few black girls in her town, sees competing as an opportunity to overcome the limitations placed on her. Eager to prove that she has what it takes to be a champion, she risks everything to join the Olympic team.
From Missouri, Helen Stephens, awkward, tomboyish, and poor, is considered an outcast by her schoolmates, but she dreams of escaping the hardships of her farm life through athletic success. Her aspirations appear impossible until a chance encounter changes her life.
These three athletes will join with others to defy society's expectations of what women can achieve. As tensions bring the United States and Europe closer and closer to the brink of war, Betty, Louise, and Helen must fight for the chance to compete as the fastest women in the world amidst the pomp and pageantry of the Nazi-sponsored 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
About the Author :
A native New Englander, Elise Hooper spent several years writing for television and online news outlets before getting an MA and teaching high-school literature and history. Her debut novel, The Other Alcott, was a nominee for the 2017 Washington Book Award. More novels--Learning to See, Fast Girls, and Angels of the Pacific--followed, all centered on the lives of extraordinary but overlooked historical women. Hooper now lives in Seattle with her husband and two teenage daughters.
Karissa Vacker is a multiple AudioFile Earphones Award-winning audiobook narrator and actress. After graduating with a BFA in acting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, she performed in regional theaters across the country before moving to Los Angeles. She has guest starred in network television shows and films and continues to work on screen and stage. Her audiobook credits include romance, young adult fiction, and mystery thrillers.
Reba Buhr is a performer based in Los Angeles, CA, specializing in acting, hosting, and voiceover work. Reba is best known for her work as host of Disney Channel's Disney 365. As a voice artist she can be heard as the voice of Clovis in Zagtoon's Zak Storm: Super Pirate, Numi Tahiro in Knights of Sidonia, Ponzu in Hunter × Hunter, Shan Shan in Mattel's BattleClaw, as well as national commercials. Other work includes her self-produced online talk show LittleBit Tipsy and several years as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin! A Musical Spectacular at Disney's California Adventure. Reba is a Groundlingstrained improvisor, a classically trained vocalist, and a Jedi Knight.
Kristyl Dawn Tift is an Atlanta-based actress, singer, and narrator whose voice has been described as "warm," "engaging," "versatile," and "dynamic." She holds an MFA in acting from the New School for Drama in New York City, and has been performing professionally since 2004. On stage, she has worked with True Colors Theatre Company, Aurora Theatre, Theatre Emory, and the Alliance Educational Theatre. She has been in such films and televisions shows as Hall Pass, Necessary Roughness, One Tree Hill, and House of Payne. As a performer, her voice is an integral part of creating memorable characters and telling affecting stories. Kaleo Griffith is an Earphones Award-winning audiobook narrator and classically trained actor. He graduated cum laude from Franklin Pierce University with a BA in theater, holds an MFA in acting from Rutgers University, and is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He has appeared in such television series as Law & Order and Reggie's Family & Friends, among others.
Review :
"Will hurl you down the track of American history and have you rooting for some of the toughest underdogs ever."
-- "Kerri Maher, author of The Kennedy Debutante"
