Biography Book Club
At the end of last year, Team Glorious made a collective New Year’s resolution to read more biographies of female athletes. Some we loved, some we didn’t, but at the end of January, we came together to discuss them all.
After plenty of debate, we landed on five that we all collectively agree are bloody brilliant. It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of these athletes, their sport, or even have the slightest clue who they are. Their stories have something for you.
Outofshapeworthlessloser: A Memoir of Figure Skating, F*cking Up, and Figuring It Out by Gracie Gold
Figure skating looks so polished and perfect from the outside, but Gracie Gold’s memoir rips that illusion apart. She lays everything bare- her struggles with eating disorders, depression, and the relentless pressure to be perfect. It’s raw, sometimes brutal, but also strangely comforting, like talking to someone who truly gets it. Gracie doesn’t just tell her story, she makes you feel it, from the suffocating weight of expectation to the fight to find herself again. It’s not just a book about skating, it’s about survival, resilience, and learning to exist beyond what people expect of you. Read here.
Unbroken: My Journey from Despair to Glory by Katarina Johnson-Thompson
At just 16, what does it feel like to represent your country at the Olympics? How do you cope when a friend and mentor turns into a fierce rival? How do you navigate the threat of a potentially career-ending injury? In this candid biography, Katarina Johnson-Thompson unveils the inner workings of a champion’s mindset—marked by unwavering discipline, relentless determination, and ironclad self-belief even against daunting odds. This book not only offers an intimate look at an elite athlete’s journey but also makes us think how we support female competitors. Read here.
Coming Home by Britney Griner
Getting locked up in a Russian prison is the kind of nightmare you can’t even imagine, but Brittney Griner lived it. In this biography, she lays everything out- the fear, the isolation, the fight to hold onto hope when the world feels impossibly far away. What hit us the most wasn’t just the horror of her experience, but the love that got her through it, from her wife, her family, and the people who never stopped fighting for her release. It’s raw, deeply personal, and impossible to put down. Whether you know her as a basketball star or not, this is a story about survival, resilience, and the power of never being forgotten. Read here.
Good for a Girl, A Woman Running in a Man’s World by Lauren Fleshman
Lauren Fleshman’s book is more than just a running memoir, it’s a rallying cry. Any runner with experience competing will connect deeply with Laurens experiences navigating the often-sexist world of competitive running. Her honesty about the challenges women face, from body image pressures to unequal opportunities, is both heartbreaking and inspiring. This book isn’t just for runners though; it’s for anyone who’s ever fought for their place in a world that wasn’t always built for them. It’s a powerful and necessary read. Read here.
The Hard Parts by Oksana Masters
Oksana Masters’ story is truly unbelievable, and yet, it’s all true. From her radiation-induced birth defects and difficult childhood to being orphaned and adopted in the US, she’s faced more challenges than most can imagine. But she didn’t just survive; she thrived, winning seventeen Paralympic medals across four sports. She’s incredibly candid about navigating physical limitations, societal prejudices, and the unique pressures women face in competition. This raw and inspiring narrative celebrates the kind of strength needed not just to endure, but to excel. It’s no wonder it was a Sunday Times Book of the Year. Read here.
Happy reading!
P.S. Already powered through these and need your next women’s sport fix? The Game Changer: Lessons from the Woman Who Transformed Sport by Baroness Sue Campbell is out on 6/3/25 and available to pre-order now here.
If you don’t know Sue Campbell, she’s been breaking barriers her whole life. From her start as a PE teacher in Manchester’s Moss Side to becoming a pioneering leader in sport, she’s overseen some of the nation’s greatest moments- from the 2012 Olympics to the Lionesses’ Euros victory. As Director of Women’s Football at the FA, she has driven real change on and off the field. In The Game Changer, Sue tells her incredible story for the first time, and we can’t wait to read it!