December 1, 2003
Although part of a mentoring series (Letters to a Young Lawyer
; Letters to a Young Chef
; etc.), this memoir is less about motivating aspiring gymnasts than justifying the author's life choices. Romanian-born Comaneci took the sports world by storm when, at the age of 14, she was the first person in Olympic history to earn a perfect score in gymnastics. At the event she garnered several more medals. When the author recounts her early years with legendary coach Bela Karolyi and details how his intensive training requirements plus her own determination led to her success, the text is engrossing. Comaneci, however, devotes far too much space to discussing the controversies that dogged her career. She refutes the oft-repeated accusation that Karolyi abusively overworked his young gymnasts and further denies that she drank bleach when the Romanian government assigned her to another coach. Although Comaneci's descriptions of her harsh life in Romania (although far easier than most) under dictator Ceausescu are compelling, and her decision to defect in 1989 completely understandable, she does not acknowledge that the man who facilitated her escape, Constantin Panait, was anything other than a personal manager. According to newspaper reports at the time, Panait, married with four children, controlled her life and finances and was responsible for TV bookings where the gymnast appeared overweight and inappropriately dressed. More discussions about the sport and less defensiveness about mostly forgotten gossip would have strengthened this mentoring guide.
January 1, 2004
In her first book since the post-Olympics Nadia, gymnast Comaneci, now in her forties, writes her life story as a series of responses to imaginary fan letters from young gymnasts. She paints a vivid picture of her childhood in relatively poor Romania, athletic precocity at age six, and whirlwind rise through the European ranks to the 1976 Montreal Olympics, when she astounded the world with an unprecedented seven perfect 10.0 scores. She defends her controversial coach, B la Karolyi, and claims ignorance of eating disorders and other abuses of young gymnasts. Many rumors swirled around her: that she had a lavish lifestyle in Romania, dated Romanian dictator Ceaucesu's son, and had an affair with a married man who helped her defect. Comaneci sets the record straight and comes across as a very thoughtful, determined person who combined her extraordinary skills with lots of work. This unique and thought-provoking book should have wide appeal. Recommended for all public libraries.-Kathy Ruffle, Coll. of New Caledonia Lib., Prince George, B.C.
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