LoveReading4Kids Says
Since leaving BBC Breakfasts’s iconic red sofa Louise Minchin has been busy. Busy caving in the wild; busy free-diving beneath ice; busy cycling across Argentina; in fact… busy having no less than 18 jaw-dropping adventures of a lifetime. In Fearless, she tells these adventure stories with the newsreader professionalism you might expect, and we get to meet the 18 phenomenal women adventurers who invited her into their worlds.
Louise seems to have crammed all this into a single year - her competence as a triathlete is widely known but even so, this is a lot of energy, risk and courage for such a short window. In her introduction she explains how career battles with sexism have nurtured a drive to tell the stories of these women, to rebalance the narrative which for so long has revolved around men in adventure circles. The women she meets in Fearless are humble, self-deprecating and honestly vulnerable as they go about their projects.
I like the way Louise Minchin tells a story. Every chapter starts with a key moment of the challenge she finds herself in, drawing you into the scene. Here she is, staring into pitch-black freezing cold water; or sapped of energy on the waters around Alcatraz; or shivering violently on a mountain … wherever she finds herself she is clearly not comfortable and yet also super-happy. Such is the contradiction of ‘Type 2 Fun’ - the idea that some hellish things are worth it for the subsequent euphoria. Beyond these dramatic opening paragraphs Louise then settles into the broader experience, but importantly the character and back-stories of the women themselves also shine through. It is clear in many cases the personal reasons why these women do what they do, and Louise finds the time to listen while getting on with the adventure in front of her, getting the job done.
Fearless is an interesting title because, of course, there is fear in these women. Fear perhaps of being unfulfilled, of not responding to their calling, fear of fear itself. This collection of adventures will inspire women everywhere to act on their dreams, to believe they can do it, because what is clear is that the women who are already out there tearing down barriers and putting up firsts and records are just like them. They don’t consider themselves special, talented or particularly different. They are just ordinary, but also extraordinary. Louise Minchin is one of them. Brave stuff.
For further tales of women in adventure, read Tough Women - a collection of adventure writing by the women themselves, under the expert curation of Jenny Tough.
Greg Hackett
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Fearless Synopsis
'To get to the heart of who these women are... I decided to do it the way that I know best, by taking part, spending time right beside them to experience the things they love.'
Driven to bring more attention to female stories of courage and endeavour, Louise Minchin pushes herself to the extreme and embarks on thrilling endurance adventures with trailblazing women.
She freedives under the ice in the dark in Finland with Cath, the first woman to swim a mile in the Antarctic Circle; she cycles across Argentina with Mimi, one of the world's most famous female endurance runners; and she swims from Alcatraz with Anaya and Mitali, two young sisters who have braved the shark-infested waters over 70 times.
With her natural empathy and sense of humour, Louise forms close bonds with 18 incredible women. She explores what drives them and how they find the resilience and determination to go on despite life's setbacks.
Lizzie overcame a life-threatening illness and now paddleboards whilst cleaning up the planet with her community; Rhian set up a charity in the face of grief and fundraises through hikes; and Zee took up rugby alongside her busy nursing career and motherhood. Louise reminds us of the bravery inside us all, and how essential it is to celebrate women's achievements. Prepare to be touched and inspired by these fearless women.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781399401180 |
| Publication date: |
25th May 2023 |
| Author: |
Louise Minchin |
| Publisher: |
Bloomsbury Sport an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
| Format: |
Hardback |
| Pagination: |
240 pages |
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Louise Minchin Press Reviews
Incredibly moving and inspiring... Louise perfectly tells the stories of powerful and intrepid women... a reminder of what women can do and how enormous our untapped potential is. - Gabby Logan
Prepare to be blown away… the most incredible examples of girl power. - Judy Murray OBE
An extraordinary book. - Claudia Winkleman, BBC Radio 2
Louise is such a positive and uplifting presence. Her fearlessness should inspire us all. - Susanna Reid
Wow – I loved this book. What a wonderful celebration of women’s courage, resilience and endeavour. - Dame Kelly Holmes
Brilliant … impressive and vividly told. - The Times
Fantastic! - Alex Jones, BBC The One Show
Terrific. An inspiring, expansive exploration of adventure seeking. A call to arms for women to chase the best versions of themselves. I loved it... Not only is it a cartography of wonderful women to discover, it's a manifesto for change that will seep into different areas of life. - Irenosen Okojie MBE, writer and Women's Prize for Fiction 2023 judge
A celebration of the strength, power and determination of women. Reading these stories will leave you feeling inspired while dreaming up your own challenge to tackle. Life is for grabbing, and these women do just that. - Giovanna Fletcher
An entertaining rollercoaster... it took me to places emotionally I now long to go physically. … A deep dive into the limitless strength of the female spirit. - Lorraine Candy, Sunday Times bestselling author and journalist
It’s brilliant – I loved it. - Lorraine Kelly
A truly remarkable collection of stories from incredible women... their adventures are an inspiration to us all. - Sir Chris Hoy
Fascinating, beautifully drawn and thoroughly inspiring. - Psychologies
This brilliant book reminds us we are all capable of so much more than we believe. Completely inspiring. - Bryony Gordon
A special book… a beautiful exploration of what it means to be fearless... Fabulous outdoor adventures to inspire us all to get outside and have fun… Keep this book to hand when you need a dose of inspiring female courage and resilience. - Julia Bradbury
I love this book. - Susie Dent
If you were ever looking for inspiration to help you set that goal, then you’ll find it here. - Woman & Home
A moving and powerful read that will help you to connect with your inner bravery. - Woman's Own
This book celebrates the bravery of these women of all backgrounds, religions, ages, shapes and sizes ... Many adventures are terrifying, some are painful, all are exhilarating ... It’ll leave you feeling inspired, thrilled and utterly exhausted. - Woman's Way
Louise takes you on an exhilarating adventure across the globe to tell extraordinary women's stories and to test herself. - Top Sante
Every day working alongside Louise felt like an adventure with an extraordinary woman. She is as amazing and just as inspirational as the women she writes about. - Dan Walker
An inspiring book by an inspiring woman. Fearless will take you on an adventure with a selection of moving and motivational stories. The kind of stories that hold up a mirror to show you who you are and what you might be capable of. A beautiful book. - Alice Feeney, novelist
I was thrilled to read Fearless. Every one of the nineteen women featured in the book (and I’m including Louise herself) is an awe-inspiring role model in her sport (or sports) of choice. Their stories will take your breath away. - Eleanor Oldroyd, sports broadcaster
Wow. What an incredible book... So many remarkable and inspiring stories. Thoroughly engaging and deftly written. - Giles Paley-Phillips, author and podcaster
A perfect antidote to any time you think you can't keep going. Whilst it features incredible feats of determination and tenacity, Louise as the author experiences each of the gruelling challenges alongside the women. As a reader, it means you're transported through each and every challenge, uphill struggle and feat. It's such an inspiring read and sends a message to us all that nothing is impossible. - Nicola Rowley, author and podcaster
