A backstage pass to the European world of beauty pageants. You are introduced to all the insider tips that go into making the beauty spectacle we see at home. The contestants are a puzzle of ideals and ambition all vying for a world title and all the doors they hope it opens. You have a nucleus of girls all with different reasons for dreaming and scheming their way to the final numbers. It is really funny and in this day and time a bit nostalgic. Happy reading.

This book lacked oomph.

The book was repetitive, which made its storyline feel jumpy and awkward to follow at times.

This book just wasn't for me. I did find learning a little bit of history around Miss World 1970 and about Grenada (in particular the political coup) rather interesting so wasn’t a total waste of time.

#MissWorld #NetGalley review.

I’m grateful to have read this book. The story is beautiful. I’m surprised I was unfamiliar with it, as it feels really important.

I wanted to love it, but I couldn’t. I felt that the writing was very methodical and not very vulnerable. It felt rehearsed, and not whole hearted.

I greatly enjoyed learning but felt that the language could have been better.

I received a free ARC ebook from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I was aware of the controversy around the 1970 Miss World competition because I'd seen an extensive documentary about the event and the characters involved quite recently. I'd also, long ago, heard the BBC Radio 4 programme 'The Reunion' which brought together many of the players. And, of course, I'd seen publicity for the film 'Misbehaviour' which recreates the events of the competition.

Perhaps I knew too much.

Perhaps I expected too much.

Perhaps the publicists have rather 'overegged the pudding' on this one.

If you want a book about the Miss World competition of 1970, it's disappointing. The coverage of the issues related to the Womens Liberation Movement and their 'attack' on the show is very poor. I was left thinking Jennifer Hosten absolutely didn't 'get it'.

If you want a book about the woman who became 'Miss World 1970' and how her life played out after the crown, then that's what this is. But sadly, her story is probably damaged by association with a much better and more comprehensive film about the competition.

Jennifer Hosten's win was a shock to audiences worldwide as she was the first 'woman of colour' in the competitions history. At least that's what the book claims. I'm confused as Miss India, had one a few years earlier and I'm not sufficiently up to speed to understand why she wouldn't have taken that accolade. There's an even more interesting story that the book barely mentions about South Africa and the artificially-created non-country of 'Africa South' which meant two contestants, one white, one black, were sent from South Africa at the height of its Apartheid regime. To me, THAT's the much more interesting race story at the heart of the competition. However if you're looking for an examination of racism or sexism, don't expect to get it from Jennifer Hosten. Like the embodiment of a polite living-breathing-Barbie Doll, she rarely steps away from the Mecca party line in describing her year as Miss World, even finding nice things to say about the deplorable Bob Hope.

Her year on the road as Miss World is interesting, including the Bob Hope Christmas Tour. There's something just so bizarre about flying in a pageant queen to strut about and entertain the military. Do they still do it? I fear they may well do and I wonder what women serving in the military feel when beauty queens are shipped in to entertain the troops.

Hosten's work after Miss World is interesting but treated quite superficially. I'm amazed that such an accomplished diplomat writes with the style of a suburban housewife who didn't graduate high school. Several failed marriages disappear in just a few lines on the page with barely a mention. She does good work all over the world whilst barely troubling her fingers on the keyboard.

And when it's all over, she's still oblivious to why the Women's Lib movement objected to her objectification all those years earlier. I have a friend in the USA who trains pageant girls and she can give me chapter and verse on the benefits and empowerment of young women as well as the potential to win large amounts of money towards their education. Sadly, I still can't get past judging people on their looks.

I suspect Jennifer Hosten would have done well in life with or without the Miss World competition but after reading this book, I doubt she'd have done well if she wasn't beautiful.

Addendum. In the description of her travels as Miss World, Hoston tells us that she visited the Sydney Opera House and that the Queen had opened it a few months earlier. This cannot be true. The Queen didn't open the Opera House until 1973 - at least two years after Hoston visited.


Posted at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3304777240 and also at Amazon.co.uk

In 1970, Jennifer Hosten became the first Miss World of color. From the small Caribbean island of Grenada, she was a long shot in the competition. Amidst protests by the Women's Liberation movement, sexist, and racism, she rose above.

Overall, this book was a bit bland. It lacked details and skimmed over events. Although Jennifer came across as a very determined and intelligent women, her personality did not shine through. Overall, a bust.

"Miss World 1970" is an autobiography written by Jennifer Hosten, the first woman of color to win the title of Miss World in 1970, the most politically-charged and controversial pageant ever. The world witnessed both a novel feminist activism as well as a feat of diversity-- and Jennifer Hosten guides us through the year through her eyes.

I'd recommend it to all who are interested in this interesting time and place in history where the struggle for women's liberation and diversity intersected. I also recommend it to those interested in the film adaptation featuring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Keira Knightley.

This memoir from Jennifer Hosten chronicles her rise to Miss World 1970. From the small insights into the world of beauty contests to the political discussion of the women's liberation movement and their opposition of the Miss World contest.

Hosten is now more involved in political work and I think that the last third of the book what focused on this was more interesting than the rest but maybe that's just me. This is soon to be a movie and I'm excited to see how it turns out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

*sigh* This book just wasn't what it seemed to be advertised to be. I wanted it to be a recounting of the pageant, a event that is pretty crazy because of the things that happened leading up to and during the pageant. But unfortunately that is only a small part of this book. The book is actually a biography of the woman who won, Jennifer Hosten. She's very inspiring and so accomplished buuuuut that's not the book i signed up for and I found that so frustrating. So if you want a biography of an amazing woman who has lived an awesome life then this is a great book for you to read...but it is not a book about the pageant

Miss World 1970 has such a great premise and blurb but it failed to deliver on what it promised. It is a quick read and it is interesting however it felt that the entire pageant and year following were such a small part of the story. The majority of the book seemed to be post pageant life which is interesting but just not what the book was billed to be. I also did not get enough information about the protests, it seems so compelling and really ended up being just a footnote.

This book needs to find it's true identity and advertise it as such. It's an autobiography by Jennifer Hosten, and that is sit. The title is a bit misleading, if you think it's all about pageants, then you're wrong. Yes, it's a fun first hand description of her experience with the two pageants she was in, but doesn't delve in deeply into beauty pageants. The cover shows it as the book the movie is based on. Not true, as the movie bills itself as solely looking at this specific pageant and showing how it contributed to the women's liberation movement. That is not what the book is about.

In fact, half the book is about what happened in Jennifer Hosten's life after the pageant, that have nothing to do with the women's liberation movement. So if you're looking for an autobiography about a lovely Grenadian/Canadian women, this is a great book. If you were looking for a book that covers the same subject matter as the movie, you will be very disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sutherland House for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Miss World by Jennifer Hosten is a memoir detailing her time in the Miss World pageant in 1970 and her life beyond it. Hosten has an interesting life story and I enjoyed reading this memoir.

It wasn't quite as expansive as I wanted and often breezed past things I found interesting. However, I learned a lot about pageants and Grenada, which I enjoyed. While I understand that Hosten has an interesting life and didn't have a big part in the Women's Lib movement/protest that took place at Miss World 1970.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

This is a fascinating memoir by Jennifer Hosten, the first woman of colour to win the Miss World contest. Much of the book focuses on her post-pageant career, her involvement in the 1979 Grenada coup, and her political and diplomatic work..
Perhaps shallowly, I had presumed based on the title, cover, and links to the film that this book would have explored in greater detail the themes of Women's Lib, pageants as a whole and the extraordinary circumstances around Ms Hosten's coronation as Miss World 1970. It did not. Instead it explored the life of a woman who leaped at opportunity as it came into view and demonstrated incredible grace in extraordinary situations.

**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Miss World 1970 is an interesting look into Jennifer Hosten's life. I expected from the title that this book would be filled with anecdotes relating to pageant life, both before and after winning the crown. It isn't. We learn the round-about way Ms. Hosten ended up entering the pageant, we run around a bit preparing for the two pageants with her and her sister Pommie (who is truly there when needed whenever and whatever the circumstances). We learn a small but of what her duties as Miss World 1970 include but mostly this book deals with life after handing her crown over to Miss World 1971. It's ok, this probably spanned 18 months or less of her life but the title is misleading.

Ms. Hosten has packed a lot of living and a lot of varied experiences into her time here in Earth; most of it in service to others. If you are looking for the backstage insiders view of pageants, you won't get that here. If you want to read about a woman who recognized opportunity knocking, who displays dignity and grace, you will get that here.

As a former pageant girl, I was so excited to read this book! I also wanted to read before I saw the movie. This memoir tells the story of how Jennifer Hosten winning Miss World set during the women's liberation movement. After the pageant it follows Hosten's life as she begins life as a diplomat and public servant in Grenada and Canada.

Miss World was a complete cover request for me since I’m drawn to anything dealing with pageant life, despite having never participated in one. It sparsely details the story of Jennifer Hosten, notably remembered as being the first woman of color to win the coveted Miss World title.
Although I usually include a summary of the books I reviewed (because the publisher provided synopsis can sometimes feel misleading or like it didn’t include enough depth), I won’t be doing that for this one. If you know anything about Jennifer Hosten or even just read her Wikipedia page, you know what is included in this book. I was desperately hoping for some sort of tell-all about the pageant business, what stakes were at play for many of the contestants, ANYTHING, but this is sorely lacking. Instead, much of the book revolves around Jennifer’s history up till now.
As other reviewers have noted, despite the title, there is very little about the actual pageant. There are a few sentences devoted to her at the time scandalous swimsuit (which was hard to picture and nothing like I had in my head after searching for photos online) and some disparaging yet still diplomatic comments about Bob Hope. Most of the book is spent discussing her life after the pageant in what feels like bullet points. While the author is undoubtedly a beautiful and talented woman and someone who has made a true difference in the world, this book would have been better off being handed over to a ghostwriter.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy. This did not impact my review.

Miss Gernada, Jennifer Hosten, was the first woman of color to be crowned Miss World, the year was 1970 and the pageant stage was rushed mid-competition by protesting members of the feminist liberation movement who had to be forcibly removed, before Miss Gernada took the stage to became Miss World.

Initially I was enthusiastic about reading Miss World 1970 with it’s promises of the glitz of pageantry and the passion of the feminist liberation movement. heartbreakingly, I quickly realized that Jennifer Hosten, although talented beyond measure in so many ways, including that of being a journalist, is in fact a lacking memoirist.

All the passion she has had throughout life, be it in broadcasting, as Miss World, as a Grenadian diplomat then influential development worker, a mother, thrice a wife, Jennifer must have been burnt out before writing this memoir which lacking all passion, instead read as a laundry list of self accolades.

Miss World 1970 is a book devoid of the enchantment that Ms. Hosten is obviously capable of, and seems to have been written as a marketing afterthought while Misbehaviour, a movie dramatizing the 1970 Miss World pageant, was still in production. Jennifer Hosten has lead a gloriously rich and meaning filled life with stops along the way spanning the globe twice over, she and her adventures are absolutely fascinating and I highly recommend looking into her life both during and after her reign as Miss World 1970, but perhaps, skip this book in doing so.

This fascinating memoir is by the first woman of colour to win the Miss World pageant, way back at the dawn of the 1970s. Jennifer Hosten was also the first woman to ever represents her home country, Grenada, and she very much saw her participation in the competition as an almost ambassadorial role, making her win even more important as it bought so much recognition and pride to the Caribbean island.

This book has recently been turned into a film and if you're looking for the full backstory behind the dynamics that the plot explores, you'll probably be disappointed. The Miss World pageant and the surrounding controversy is only explored in the first couple of chapters and only from Hosten's perspective (as you would expect in a memoir), whereas the film appears to tell the story from a range of women who were involved in the event, from other contestants to the feminist activists who staged protests on the night.

The rest of the book looks at how Hosten's life unfolded after winning the pageant and the political turmoil that besieged Grenada in the late 70s. I found this all quite interesting, as there is obviously so much more to her life than this one public event. However, the book is a little dry and reportative at times, hence the three-star review.

An autobiography by the Miss World 1970 winner, that is only mildly informative about the beauty competition and (surprisingly) more interesting in the last third of the book, which is more politically orientated.

Jennifer Hosten won the Miss World competition held in London in 1970, where she was representing her home country of Grenada (not to be confused with the Spanish region, Granada). She was the first woman of colour to win the competition. That wasn't the only reason this was an interesting Miss World edition: several Women's Lib protesters were in the audience and caused a minor uproar during the show, using a football rattle, throwing bags of flour on the stage, throwing leaflets, and squirting security people with ink from waterpistols.

About the first half of the book is about Hosten's life in Grenada up to show and concerning the show itself. There is a big "and then, and then, and then" quality to the writing - it all feels a bit flat, and Hosten doesn't have many insights. I did appreciate her calling the performing Bob Hope a coward for instantly leaving the stage when the flour exploded around him (no worry, she gushes about Hope in a post-Miss World chapter).

Then we get a limited insight in the world of a Miss World winner, how Hosten toured the world still representing Grenada, and how she met her first husband. It's not very exciting.

So it comes as quite a surprise when the last third of the book starts with focusing on the 1979 military coup in Grenada, and how Hosten, as a political outsider, is involved. After the coup (and invasion of Grenada in 1983 by the United States), the book stays with Hosten's now more political work, representing the Carribean in general, and as a Canadian diplomat. I found this a much more engaging story.

I won't lie - I would rather have seen a real historical work on the Miss World 1970 competition, containing interviews with all participants, including organisers, the contestants, the police and the Women's Lib protesters. It would be a much more complete overview, probably with a lot more interesting insights.

But that's of course unfair to hold against this book - but as an autobiography, it feels a bit too slight.

2.5 stars

A fascinating peek into a world I know little about. I hadn't heard of this event and don't really follow pageants but I'm glad I checked this out! The story was mind-boggling, controversial and oddly politically charged. A great peek into a tiny slice of 1970s life.

Fast read!

Though the topic was extremely interesting, I think the overall book was a little lacking in some areas in regards to storytelling. The writing did feel long-winded at times, specifically towards the end of the book. Wish it would have contained more on the pageant itself and more on the world (no pun intended) post-Miss World 1970 pageants and less about what Hosten is doing today (which felt very long and honestly, quite dry, which could also just be a result of the writing style). Other than that, this book was fine. Hence my middle of the road rating and review.