Review of Ride On! Dame Sarah Storey's Extraordinary Journey of Triumph

[Catherine Sweet]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Ride On! Dame Sarah Storey's Extraordinary Journey of Triumph" by S.A. Sterling.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Ride On! by SA Sterling is a biography about Dame Sarah Storey, a top athlete who won nineteen Paralympic gold medals. Sterling writes books about inspiring stories that teach readers about self-growth and celebrating the human spirit.

The book starts with Storey’s childhood; her love of sport is already apparent. Storey was born with a hand deformity and had minimal functioning in her left arm. She stood out as different because of her dedication to swimming, which meant she was bullied at school. The book charts her change from swimming to cycling and her career as a top cyclist. She faced some difficult times, such as a cycling accident, which left her badly injured. Storey married and had two children, and we find out how she combined her career with motherhood. Towards the end of the book, we learn about Storey’s achievements off the field. She was made a dame, created a racing team, and became an Active Travel Commissioner for Manchester.

The writing style is conversational and easy to read. The author’s admiration and respect for Storey shines through. There are many quotes from interviews with Storey over the years. The author has undertaken extensive research, and numerous publications are referenced, adding depth to the content.

The author praises Dame Sarah Storey throughout the book for her attitude and achievements. Examples are “She’s a legend on paper and in person,” “Dame Sarah Storey’s ability to overcome anything she puts her mind to,” and “Sarah shows us that you can’t let anything stand between you and your dreams.” I felt there were too many comments like this, and it would have worked better to let Dame Sarah Storey’s life story demonstrate these attributes without repeatedly expressing them.

This book will appeal to readers interested in athletics who want to learn how a top athlete has built their career. I enjoyed reading about this sporting icon, but I will take one point off for the repeated praise as outlined above. The editing is excellent and I award this book 4 out of 5 stars.

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Ride On! Dame Sarah Storey's Extraordinary Journey of Triumph
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