I received a reviewer copy of Proud by Ibtihaj Muhammad from the publisher Hachette Books from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Racism, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry towards Muslims, Hate Letters and Death Threats

What It’s About: Ibtihaj Muhammad is the first American Muslim Woman to wear Hijab in the Olympics. This is her story of how she got there.

What I Loved: I loved reading this book during the Olympics. I am a huge fan of the Olympics and Ibtihaj made Olympic history so reading her story was great. Also, I found this book largely well written, which doesn’t always happen here. I really connected to the drive to do things for college admission and then finding your place in something you love. Ibtihaj writes a lot of being the only person of color in a room and the impact it had on her. Her journey to the Olympics wasn’t a straight forward path, like so many we see, and the role lack of diversity in her sport had on her made her stop several times. This book forced me to consider my own biases and think about how racism plays into sports, especially sports largely dominated by white people. I learned a lot and this story is a story of an American woman doing something extraordinary. I’m also from NJ so I enjoyed placing a lot of the descriptors in her work.

What I Didn't Like So Much: I felt like often there were figures who let her down and didn’t have faith in her and then they would show up again, and it was like problem never existed. For instance her final coach was at the Olympics with her, but before then she said he didn’t travel or coach her cause he didn’t believe in her. I just felt like some gaps were there and we didn’t fully get the story of how things reconciled or went awry in case of friendships.

Who Should Read This: People who love the Olympics. People who want to read stories about history-making women. People who want to read about people who perhaps don’t get a lot of attention. People who want to read a behind the scenes story.

Quick Summary: Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first African American to wear Hijab, shares how she rose to the top in a sport largely populated by wealthy white kids.

I deeply appreciated the opportunity to read and review this book. I'll be using it's contents in my teaching and will make sure to keep an eye out for more works from this author/publisher.

This was a really interesting read. I honestly requested it because I wanted to support a fellow WOC. It was interesting to read about how she was received in the fencing community. Damn. I can't say I'm surprised but hearing things confirmed was sad. Overall though, this book was motivational. Ibtihaj only had herself to look up to and she eventually climbed her mountain. So happy her story is out there for everyone to read.

This book was SO. GOOD. I am trying to educate myself more on the immigration issues and what it's like to immigrate to the US, and build a life here. I found this book to be fasincating, and super inspiring.

Proud by Ibtihaj Muhammad is a book I looked forward to reading, but I left the book feeling shortchanged. There was a disconnect between Ibtihaj and her writer. Ibtihaj's voice shone through in the first few chapters, but as the book continued on, her relatability dwindled. The word choices, especially when she reflected on how she felt in relation to other people, were not as strong as they had been earlier in the book. It is disappointing because I entered this book excited to hear her story and perspective, and I was exceptionally pleased with the first five chapters. But from chapter 6 on, I felt that I only received a watered down version of her personality.

Thank you to Hachette Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Being a fencer myself, I was so excited to read this book. Proud is one of my most anticipated reads of the year.

As the first Muslim American woman to wear a hijab while competing for the United States in the Olympics, Ibtihaj Muhammad is an inspirational symbol for people all around the world. While her success is well-known, her book Proud invites readers into her life and her inner thoughts. This is a wonderful memoir that inspires and teaches. Ibtihaj Muhammad tells her story of her fight for the American dream, her struggles as a Muslim American, and finally her success in the Rio Olympics.

From the get-go, Ibtihaj begins with her first experiences of her status as a minority from the small age of grade 4. Even though her name is a 7 letter word, her teacher finds it difficult to pronounce and cuts it down to “Ibti”. While Ibtihaj accepts, she questions why her teacher can easily pronounce other longer names. From a young age, Ibtihaj is already experiencing the results of her differences.

Raised in a middle-classed family, Ibtihaj’s parents wanted Ibtihaj to get involved in a sport, while still being able to stay true to their faith. When her mother discovered fencing while looking into a school gym one day, she knew exactly that this was the sport for her. With the clothing that provided coverage over the body and a mask to shield the face, fencing was perfect for Ibtihaj. With the mask, everyone was the same and equal.

Ibtihaj’s work ethic is truly something to appreciate. Despite getting involved in the sport much later than others, Ibtihaj makes up for it with her hard work, determination, and passion for the sport. She trains hard and doesn’t let others discouragement bring her down.

There has been many ups and downs in her fencing career, but her determination and perseverance if what brought her to the podium of the Rio 2016 Olympics. Her drive is really unparalleled and truly inspirational.

Her road to Rio was never a smooth path. What made it so difficult was the subtle and outright discrimination that she faced. Some of it sourced from the referees, who were biased when reffing her bouts. Most of it came from her team. The aggression that she faced from other fencers were heartbreaking to read, like how they would ignore her during competitions or even leave her out of group dinners. For anyone else, this would have broken their spirit. But Ibtihaj fought through it and didn’t allow it to deter her.

Not only has she been amazing in fencing, Ibtihaj has done so much for the community as well, from creating her own clothing brand, Louella, to being a part of the United States Department of State’s Council to Empower Women and Girls through Sports. Fencing has turned out to be more than just a sport for her, but a method to provide a change in the world and to empower other women.

Needless to say, this was an amazing novel. Ibtihaj writes so passionately and honestly about her struggles and success, that it’s impossible not to appreciate her work. It’s amazing how despite all the aggression she’s faced for her differences, she remains so faithful to her identity and doesn’t falter from her ideals. This world doesn’t have enough fencing novels like these. This world doesn’t have enough people like her. This is a must-read. It’s truly inspirational and empowering.

I loved this memoir about a black Muslim woman who goes to compete in the Olympics. This was a wonderful memoir. I highly recommend it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Proud: My Fight for an Unlikely American Dream by Ibtihaj Muhammad with Lori L. Tharps

I love the Olympics and while I am a fan of the Winter Olympics, I absolutely adore the Summer Olympics. I monitor all of the events, medal counts and carve out the time to watch my favorite events. Fencing is nowhere near the top of that list. If it’s on and I happen to turn to it fine, but I never go out of my way to watch fencing. I couldn’t even name an athlete that played fencing. Until I saw Ibtihaj Muhammad and then my interest was piqued. I wanted to know more about her, the woman competing in a hijab. I kept my eye on her performance during the Olympics and was excited to see the team medal. And I never forgot that there was a young woman, who competed in a hijab representing the United States during what felt like an extremely divisive time. When I saw that this book was available I jumped at the chance to know more about her.

Proud tells the story of Ibtihaj Muhammad, her family and what drove her to compete in fencing since the age of twelve. I was engaged throughout this memoir. I’m not Muslim, but I am an African American woman who can relate to many of the experiences she describes throughout the pages. But I can’t deny that the differences in my experiences and hers are largely related to the fact that she is a Muslim woman who chooses to wear a hijab. It’s an act of faith that some people ignorantly feel is a threat. It has led to discrimination throughout her life both inside and outside of her sport. I admired watching her persevere even though she knew that she was being discriminated against.

I really enjoyed this memoir. It is well written and extremely honest. Muhammad emphasizes throughout her memoir what it means to her to be a Muslim African American woman and I loved that she spoke so passionately about what that means to her. I love that she didn’t shy away from how she has been treated and how it has spurred her on to become an activist and to speak out against discrimination. In a time when people still have to stress the importance of representation, I am glad that Muhammad has embraced what her identity means to so many others who look at her and see themselves. I definitely recommend this memoir.

We watch the Olympics and admire the athletes, but how often do we think about what it takes to get there? I loved how Muhammad was honest and forthright in her memoir, giving us wonderful insight into the process of learning, striving, and competing at world-class levels.

I also loved that she was so open about her faith and that her experience of Islam is so different from the Islamophobia so many folks have. I am also deeply impressed that, when any expression of faith is frowned upon in the greater culture that her editors allowed it to be published. But to do otherwise would o this fine woman an injustice.

While I'm not Moslem, or black, or an athlete, I really felt like I could understand and admire Muhammad

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommended read! Thanks for providing through Net Galley. Five Stars *****

I just read Proud: My Fight for an Unlikely American Dream by Ibtihaj Muhammad with Lori L. Tharps. Ibtihaj Muhammad is an Olympic Fencer and she is a role model. She is African American and Muslim and has had to deal with all racism and hate of all things Islam that is unfortunately present in the US and the world today. Ibtihaj became well known going into the Olympics in Rio as the first American athlete to compete wearing a hijab.

Ibtihaj became a fencer almost by accident. Her family pushed her and her siblings to compete in sports, but some sports were tough due to the modest clothing required by her religion. But one day she was in the car with her mother when they drove by the high school she would be attending and saw the fencing team practicing. The uniform worn by fencers met the modesty requirements and it turns out that Ibtihaj was really talented in fencing. She also worked really hard and had a great work ethic, which also helped a lot.

I really enjoyed reading about Ibtihaj’s life and learning about fencing. I had to stop reading and watch YouTube videos occasionally to understand more of the fencing terms, what a fencing match looks like, etc. My only complaint was that Ibtihaj got a little whiney in parts. And I did not like how she said mean things about her teammates. She kept writing about how hard it was to be an African American Muslim fencer and how she was treated differently than others. I have no doubt that that is true and I cannot even begin to imagine what she went through, but I felt it took away from the book a little when it was mentioned over and over again. I would have liked to see more focus on the good she has done. She was invited to be a part of the United States Department of State’s Council to Empower Women and Girls through Sports, she helped form the charity Athletes for Impact to “connect athletes with communities to positively transform America,” and she opened up Louella Shop to help people dress conservatively and modest, but still with style. These are all discussed in later chapters of the book, but I would have liked to see them be more of the focus; I would have liked to see more emphasis on the positive things that being different has allowed Ibtihaj to do.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I think everyone should learn about Ibtihaj and her journey to becoming a role model. And you can learn a little more about fencing which I don’t think most people understand very well.

A very interesting memoir. I saw Ibtihaj interviewed during the Olympics in Rio but didn't know very much of her story. I found the memoir to be a good read. I was surprised to read her critique of several high profile coaches and fellow athletes. It is certainly her perspective of these interactions. I'd love to hear from those people to see their responses. Overall, a well put together memoir.

Inspirational. And necessary. America needs diverse stories. I’m certain that young women of color wearing a hijab will find Ibtihaj Muhammad’s story of triumph, of getting to and competing in Olympics all while wearing a hijab. That’s not to say the memoir is only for that audience, as Ibtihaj herself says, she has had girls and people of all color recite to her how much she means to them.

She is a young lady raised in Maplewood, NJ and got involved in fencing because her parents believed that their children should all be involved in sports, “that playing sports would give us a competitive edge, making us winners on the field and in life.”

So when her mom saw some kids in the gym fencing, and although she wasn’t versed in the rules of fencing or anything else for that matter, the fact that everyone was fully covered was an initial draw. Her being raised in a strict Muslim household, required her to wear a hijab and dress in a modest way. Fencing fit the bill. And so she tried it, and grew to like it. Through her recounting her story we learn she is a very committed young lady and when she is involved, she gives 100%. She worked very hard practicing and perfecting her fencing technique and eventually became the second ranked fencer in the US.

She also learned to use her voice along the way to Olympic stardom, becoming a spokesperson and role model for Muslim women in sport. Mattel was so impressed they created the first Barbie in her image wearing a hijab. “Considering how much I had loved my Barbies as a child, the thought of little girls, both Muslim and non-Muslim, playing with a Barbie who chooses to wear hijab made me so happy.” Really good story and such an empowering and inspirational journey. Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Books for an advanced DRC. Book is out Jul 24, 2018.

I enjoyed this book, even though I know almost nothing about fencing. Muhammad's story shows so much perseverance and it is so important for there to be memoirs about WOC succeeding in a variety of fields.