Fast Girl, Suzy Favor Hamilton
Fast Girl, Suzy Favor Hamilton
23 Rating(s)
List: $23.99 | Sale: $16.79
Club: $11.99

Fast Girl
A Life Spent Running from Madness

Bestseller

Author: Suzy Favor Hamilton, Sarah Tomlinson

Narrator: Suzy Favor Hamilton, Nan McNamara

Unabridged: 8 hr 2 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 09/14/2015


Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERThe former middle distance Olympic runner and high-end escort speaks out for the first time about her battle with mental illness, and how mania controlled and compelled her in competition, but also in life. This is a heartbreakingly honest yet hopeful memoir reminiscent of Manic, Electroboy, and An Unquiet Mind.During the 1990s, three-time Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton was the darling of American track and field. An outstanding runner, a major sports apparel spokesperson, and a happily married wife, she was the model for an active, healthy, and wholesome life. But her perfect facade masked a dark truth: manic depression and bipolar disorder that drove her obsession to perform and win. For years after leaving the track, Suzy wrestled with her condition, as well as the loss of a close friend, conflicted feelings about motherhood and her marriage, and lingering shame about her athletic career. After a misdiagnosis and a recommendation for medication that only exacerbated her mania and made her hypersexual, Suzy embarked on a new path, and assumed a new identity. Fueled by a newfound confidence, a feeling of strength and independence and a desire she couldn’t tamp down, she became a high-priced escort in Las Vegas, working as “Kelly.”But Suzy could not keep her double life a secret forever. When it was eventually exposed, it sent her into a reckless suicidal period where the only option seemed out. Finally, with the help of her devoted husband, Suzy finally got the proper medical help she needed. In this startling frank memoir, she recounts the journey to outrun her demons, revealing how a woman used to physically controlling her body learned to come to terms with her unstable mind. It is the story of a how a supreme competitor scored her most important victory of all—reclaiming her life from the ravages of an untreated mental illness. Today, thanks to diagnosis, therapy, Kelly has stepped into the shadows, but Suzy is building a better life, one day at a time. Sharing her story, Suzy is determined to raise awareness, provide understanding, and offer inspiration to others coping with their own challenges.

About Suzy Favor Hamilton

Suzy Favor Hamilton is a three-time Olympian for women's middle distance running. She is a sought-after public speaker—addressing eating disorders, mental illness, and the struggles that young athletes face—as well as a yoga instructor. Favor Hamilton lives in California and Wisconsin.


Reviews

Goodreads review by SUSAN *Nevertheless,she persisted* on October 13, 2015

I was 3/4 of the way through this book and came to the conclusion that I just didn't give a damn. So,I quit. Carry on and find a book worth reading.......more

Goodreads review by Nina (ninjasbooks) on October 23, 2022

Reading this memoir made me remember the rush of mania. The sensations, though process and feeling of invincibility were very familiar to me, since I’ve been hypomanic. I was surprised by how much I missed it, so read with caution if you have bipolar disorder yourself. For others the book will shed......more

Goodreads review by Marva on October 09, 2015

Just the right time! I was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder after years of treating it as clinical depression. This book touched my heart in so many ways because it takes a great amount of courage to share your story. No embarrassment and stigma necessary!......more

Goodreads review by Bon Tom on December 12, 2017

This is textbook of mental illness. Nothing more, nothing less. It's almost academic material. And it's honest, no holds barred testimonial. As such, it offers better, and as direct as possible, first person perspective insight into bipolar disorder. Taking this into account, how anyone can rate thi......more

Goodreads review by Misty on April 06, 2016

Suzy Favor Hamilton was my idol growing up, as she was for most girls at the time who ran cross country or track. When the story broke about her being an escort in Las Vegas, I didn't judge. I knew there had to be a reason behind it. I suspected it might have to do with being used to being in the sp......more