Thank you to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is Misty Copeland telling of her friendship with Raven Wilkinson, breaking barriers in the very white ballet world, and sharing ballet history that they both encountered . They had a 10 year friendship with Ms. Wilkinson becoming a mentor to Ms. Copeland and Ms. Wilkinson telling Ms. Copeland that she would always be the wind at her back. Ms. Wilkinson was a black ballet dancer about 50 years before Ms. Copeland, encountering racism at every turn while following her dreams. Ms. Copeland credits dancers like Ms. Wilkinson paving the way for her and through her trials and tribulations, turning to her mentor for support and advice. This is a lovely memoir filled with history, ballet, resilience, and friendship.

I know very little about the world of classical ballet, but this book gave me a new appreciation for the dedication and perseverance it takes to pursue such a physically demanding artform. Especially for those like Misty Copeland and Raven Wilkinson who have to deal with racism on top of everything else.

At its heart this book is a love letter from Copeland to her mentor. Wilkinson and Copeland had a very special and sweet bond which was lovely to read about. The chapters alternative between Misty's story and Raven's story, and it was fascinating to see the similarities and differences between their careers and experiences.

Recommended for those who like classical ballet and even for those who don't know much but are interested in it because this was a fascinating look at the industry and the racism and colorism in it.

I received The Wind at My Back by Misty Copeland from Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing. This book is very interesting how she weaves her story with her mentor’s, Raven Wilkerson, story. Both women paved their way for Black ballerinas. It’s an incredible story of passion and struggle growing up a Black professional ballerina.

Thank you for sharing this important book with me.
I appreciate the chance to read it.
THANKS so much!

The Wind at My Back has elements of both memoir and biography, for Misty Copeland has woven her own milestones and challenges on the way to becoming a prima ballerina with the story of her mentor, Raven Wilkinson. Wilkinson, also a professional dancer, came of age in the 1950s as a black woman before Civil Rights. Her courage in the face of danger and disrespect galvanized Copeland at a pivotal point in her career.

However, more than the story of two careers, she has written, first of all, the story of a relationship--a true friendship that bridged generations. "Every time you step on the stage," promised Raven, "I'll be the wind at your back." The two women were connected by a level of mutual understanding born of overcoming obstacles placed in their path by those who refused to see black people as capable of success in traditionally "European" art forms.

Second, Copeland writes to clarify and enlarge her readers' understanding of calling. As children, both Raven and Misty were stirred deeply by their exposure to ballet. In response, they gave up leisure time and other pursuits to devote themselves body and soul to their art. The love for what they were doing and the drive to succeed carried them through painful injury and the even more painful barriers of disrespect and injustice.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

I'm a casual ballet fan. We saw The Nutcracker at the Houston Ballet as a family more times than I can count. Like every other millennial, I became mildly obsessed with Swan Lake after Black Swan. There are various styles of ballet. The Vaganova method remains my favorite. I hope to make it to the Mariinsky Theatre one day.

With that all said and done, American ballet is still showstopping. I appreciate that it's slowly growing more diverse. Misty is the first African-American principal ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre. I hadn't realized this wasn't quite an autobiography, but rather a reflection on her friendship with Raven Wilkinson, her mentor and pioneer. Raven's story is an empowering one. She was a ballerina at the height of segregation. Because she could not perform safely in the South, she eventually left the US to perform in Europe.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This is a great tribute to those who helped pave the way before us! Misty not only tells her story and struggles, but tells her mentor Raven's struggles as well.

I really enjoyed hearing Raven's journey in ballet in a world that was even more challenging than today due to racism. Enough so that she wasn't safe and had to dance overseas. Her relationship with Misty was really a beautiful friendship to see. Raven was such a guiding force in Misty reaching her goals.

This book really embodies perseverance and is an example to little girls out there that they can reach their dream too, no matter the color of their skin! Every little step forward makes a difference for the future!

this is a wonderfully written book by an idol of mine. I learned so much about Misty but also about Raven and illustrated the way that we can follow those who have paved the path before us and honor their own struggles. A hopeful and wonderful book.

What a beautiful tribute to her mentor!! In this book, Misty Copeland pays homage to Raven Wilkinson. Wilkinson was the first African-American woman to dance with a major ballet company. Misty, realizing Raven Wilkinson paved the way for her, developed a close relationship with Wilkinson over the years. This book highlights that relationship & what it meant to Misty's career.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this tribute & I highly recommend it. Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy!

Loved to hear more about Misty Copeland’s life in the ballet world. There’s also about Misty’s relationship with fellow ballerina and her mentor Raven Wilkinson. Misty also has some of Raven’s back story when her career has started. It's truly impressive that there’s so many things about people of color in the ballet world.

Copeland’s second memoir focuses on her relationship with her mentor, Raven Wilkinson. This book illustrates the importance that those who come before us lead the way and make things less difficult (even if incrementally so) and how progress can be therefore payed forward. An ultimately hopeful book which is filled with love and gratitude.

An inspiring look and Copeland’s tribute to her mentor Raven Wilkinson - both ground breaking Black ballerinas and how hard and graciously they pushed to be seen and given a spot center stage - excellent book

I don't read many memoirs, but I've followed Misty's career for years, so I was interested in this book, which feels like a love letter to her mentor, Raven Wilkinson. Many relevant topics are discussed, including racism and Misty's struggles throughout her career. Her friendship with Raven is wonderful to "witness." Key themes include friendship and perseverance. While it started out a bit slow, the pace picked up. This is an encouraging read, even for those who aren't ballet fans.

I was a ballerina once upon a time, and I read every single ballet memoir I could find in my local library. I have long loved Misty Copeland, and I loved her other books. It was absolutely a no-brainer for me to grab this one. I think this is an excellent read, especially for anyone interested in the history of ballet in America, and being Black while dancing.

The full title of this book is The Wind At My Back: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts From My Mentor, Raven Wilkinson…and it is very much a love letter to Misty Copelands mentor, Raven Wilkinson. This book tackles racism, the current environment, being Black in ballet, and Misty’s struggles as a principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre. However the focus of this book is more on the mentor/mentee relationship between Misty and Raven as Raven guided Misty, and showed her that her perseverance would indeed reap reward.

The friendship that developed between the two women was lovely and worth delving into. This book leaves me wistful for my days in ballet, and Misty Copeland will always be one of my favorite dancers. This book only strengthens my respect and admiration of her. Everything she went through, everything she struggled against, she is a true icon, and reading about her mentor was a treat.

I don’t often read memoirs, but this one was definitely worth the read. You don’t have to be a fan of ballet, or of Misty Copeland to enjoy this book.

***Advanced Reader Copy courtesy of the publisher Grand Central via Netgalley

THE WIND AT MY BACK was a great, fast-paced read about friendship and persistence; the weight and opportunity of being the "first" and opening doors for others. This is a great book that is a love letter to the arts and to female friendships everywhere.

I admire Misty Copeland and really enjoyed reading about the strong women who mentored and inspired her.Perfect for all of her fans.#netgalley #grandcentral

I've long been an admirer of Misty Copeland, so naturally I really enjoyed this book. She is an inspiration and I loved learning about her relationship with her mentor.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

I really appreciated the deep dive into Misty Copeland's career and also about the women who paved the way for her beforehand. This was decently written and easy to read.

I read Misty Copeland’s memoir Life in Motion and it was one of those memoirs where I struggled with the writing style and pacing, but found her story fascinating. Since this work has a co-writer, I was curious to see if it came together better.

Copeland was a prodigy and the first Black female principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. This book addresses how many throughout her career believed she didn’t deserve to be in the room, how isolating that is, and also how it made Copeland question if she had what it took. These reflections led her to write about her own career and her mentor Raven Wilkinson, the first Black woman to receive a contract with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1955.

It’s a critical look at how those who are “first” carry both a burden and an opportunity. While I enjoyed seeing the friendship between them, I felt some sections jumped too quickly from one topic to the next. The first third dragged, but after that it’s a fast and interesting read. Overall I wanted a deeper dive.

3.5

This is a great tribute to those who helped pave the way before us! Misty not only tells her story and struggles, but tells her mentor Raven's struggles as well.

I really enjoyed hearing Raven's journey in ballet in a world that was even more challenging than today due to racism. Enough so that she wasn't safe and had to dance overseas. Her relationship with Misty was really a beautiful friendship to see. Raven was such a guiding force in Misty reaching her goals.

This book really embodies perseverance and is an example to little girls out there that they can reach their dream too, no matter the color of their skin! Every little step forward makes a difference for the future!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.