Review of Beneath the Muscle
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Lopa Mehta
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- Latest Review: Beneath the Muscle by Lauren Powers
Review of Beneath the Muscle
[Following is a volunteer review of "Beneath the Muscle" by Lauren Powers.]
I am fond of reading autobiographies and memoirs because they provide a detailed insight into the experiences that have molded the character of inspirational personalities. Though I am not a keen follower of sports such as wrestling, I picked up Beneath the Muscle: Unleash Your Inner Champion by Lauren Powers as I was curious to know how this ten-time heavyweight body lifting champion achieved her success.
This short yet impactful book has 17 chapters that sequentially take us through both happy and difficult phases in the author’s life. Though the book is autobiographical, the author through the medium of her own experiences has attempted to teach readers, the life principles they must follow to achieve their personal goals. Some of the author’s experiences described in the book include how she acquired a degree from the University of Hawaii and went on to set up an extremely successful business of her own. Later as her success grew, she succumbed to drug and alcohol addiction, but she fought the addiction and became a firefighter at the age of 33. However, her story does not end there, as her career in professional weightlifting kicked off only when she was 40 and she went on to excel in that field, too.
For me, this was the most inspiring part of the book as with age, most of us tend to stick to our comfort zones. Yet, here was a woman, who was willing to work hard at any age and was unafraid of facing disappointments or failure. The author's passion for her work and determination in the face of adversity was palpable throughout the book. Along with the author’s personality and life story, even the book’s structuring, and writing have been designed to motivate readers of all ages. For example, each chapter begins with an inspiring quote by a famous personality, a feature of the book that I liked. I have even noted down some of the quotes that touched a chord in my heart. Additionally, photographs commemorating the author’s childhood and professional achievements are dispersed throughout the book, making her story relatable to readers. The book does not just restrict itself to advising readers, but at the end of each chapter also, provides a practical template in form of the Inner Champion Workbook to help them accomplish their goals.
While the book is a testament to the fact that any of us can be successful if we set our mind to it, I feel certain aspects of it could have been improved. Though in the initial chapters, the author has described the tribulations she faced as a child, I feel the writing in this section is a bit superficial and tends to gloss over the deep emotions she must have experienced. As the book progresses, I was surprised to find that the author had not given any concrete reasons to explain why she took certain life-changing decisions. I feel these explanations could have added further depth to her story. Also, the tone of the book is informal at certain places and the writing could've been slightly concise in the first few chapters. I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars as except for the few drawbacks mentioned above, it is exceptionally well-edited, and the language is easy to read.
An interesting read, I would recommend it to anyone looking to start anew or simply in need of motivation. It may also be a good choice for women looking to break down the orthodox barriers laid by society.
******
Beneath the Muscle
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I am fond of reading autobiographies and memoirs because they provide a detailed insight into the experiences that have molded the character of inspirational personalities. Though I am not a keen follower of sports such as wrestling, I picked up Beneath the Muscle: Unleash Your Inner Champion by Lauren Powers as I was curious to know how this ten-time heavyweight body lifting champion achieved her success.
This short yet impactful book has 17 chapters that sequentially take us through both happy and difficult phases in the author’s life. Though the book is autobiographical, the author through the medium of her own experiences has attempted to teach readers, the life principles they must follow to achieve their personal goals. Some of the author’s experiences described in the book include how she acquired a degree from the University of Hawaii and went on to set up an extremely successful business of her own. Later as her success grew, she succumbed to drug and alcohol addiction, but she fought the addiction and became a firefighter at the age of 33. However, her story does not end there, as her career in professional weightlifting kicked off only when she was 40 and she went on to excel in that field, too.
For me, this was the most inspiring part of the book as with age, most of us tend to stick to our comfort zones. Yet, here was a woman, who was willing to work hard at any age and was unafraid of facing disappointments or failure. The author's passion for her work and determination in the face of adversity was palpable throughout the book. Along with the author’s personality and life story, even the book’s structuring, and writing have been designed to motivate readers of all ages. For example, each chapter begins with an inspiring quote by a famous personality, a feature of the book that I liked. I have even noted down some of the quotes that touched a chord in my heart. Additionally, photographs commemorating the author’s childhood and professional achievements are dispersed throughout the book, making her story relatable to readers. The book does not just restrict itself to advising readers, but at the end of each chapter also, provides a practical template in form of the Inner Champion Workbook to help them accomplish their goals.
While the book is a testament to the fact that any of us can be successful if we set our mind to it, I feel certain aspects of it could have been improved. Though in the initial chapters, the author has described the tribulations she faced as a child, I feel the writing in this section is a bit superficial and tends to gloss over the deep emotions she must have experienced. As the book progresses, I was surprised to find that the author had not given any concrete reasons to explain why she took certain life-changing decisions. I feel these explanations could have added further depth to her story. Also, the tone of the book is informal at certain places and the writing could've been slightly concise in the first few chapters. I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars as except for the few drawbacks mentioned above, it is exceptionally well-edited, and the language is easy to read.
An interesting read, I would recommend it to anyone looking to start anew or simply in need of motivation. It may also be a good choice for women looking to break down the orthodox barriers laid by society.
******
Beneath the Muscle
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Beneath the Muscle by Lauren Powers
