It’s hard to write a bad memoir about such an incredible historical moment, the story of Chicago’s all black rowing team is truly inspired and told with passion and finesse. Large portions of dialogue in memoirs always have me giving a side eye because nobody remembers any conversation word for word but this story was told exceptionally well.

This was a great memoir about Arshay and his experience growing up in the west side of Chicago and how rowing changed his life.

This story broke my heart while reading and all the Arshay faced as a kid. The story still speaks about race, class , gangs and how hard it is to get out of the vicious cycle. I am glad Ken had the heart and the vision to start a rowing club in a Black school and gave these boys a chance to live beyond what they know.

This book shares the negative aspects of life. It doesn't shy away from drama, but it also had a bit of suspense even though it's non-fiction. It's about someone going beyond the horrors around him to find a way to be successful.

Such a powerful and inspiring read! I also had the opportunity to listen to some of the audiobook and would have liked to hear the author's voice narrating the audiobook. Especially after finding out he is a motivational speaker. This was still a great and inspirational read!

An uplifting and honest story about underdogs, hard work, and creating a new path. As a rower and rowing coach, I absolutely loved how Arshay Cooper captured the wonder of the first time you lay your eyes on a rowing shell, taking your first strokes on the erg, rowing your first race (when everything goes wrong!). Rowing should be universally accessible, because it provides unlimited opportunities and lessons. Definitely give this one a read!

A most riveting story about the underdogs! I loved this from beginning to end!
The story focuses on the first all-black high school row team in the nation. Based on a true story set in the West side of Chicago.
Now that I've read the bool, I can't wait to watch the documentary!

I rarely read non fiction or memoirs but this is a memoir I’m glad I read. Arshay Cooper tells his story of growing up in a tough neighborhood in Chicago in the late 1990s and the first all Black crew team at his high school. This was an inspiring story of hard work, learning team work, and resilience. I’m looking forward to watching the documentary coming out.

I love reading non-fiction, but I rarely enjoy reading books about sports. The intensity and competition doesn't appeal to me. I was convinced to read The Boys in the Boat a few years ago and I was surprised that I enjoyed it, so when I saw that A Most Beautiful Thing is about high school boys who had never rowed before, I decided to give it a try.

A Most Beautiful Thing by Arshay Cooper is inspiring and eye-opening. It is so hard to imagine living right on Lake Michigan and never spending time on the lake or learning to swim. However, that was and still is normal for Arshay and his friends living on Chicago's West Side.

Arshay grew up with surrounded by the tough streets of Chicago, but didn't feel the pull towards the street life like many of his friends. He wanted to graduate, become a chef, and write poetry. When Arshay hears about free pizza at lunch, he can't help but go and see what is going on. His high school is starting a crew team and he has no idea what that is, but he is fascinated by the coaches and their investment in the idea. Arshay decides to give it a chance and probably changes the trajectory of his life. He becomes part of the first Black high school rowing team in America!

I listened to the audio of A Most Beautiful Thing and Adam Lazarre-White has the most soothing voice. Thank you to Flatiron Books for providing me with a free copy.

It's a wonderful memoir about a
life changing experience.
Two committed coaches and a sponsor give a group of high school students the opportunity to thrive in life by joining the first all-black High School rowing team. This opens this the door for a life that, otherwise would not have been possible for Arshay and his teammates.

Arshay Cooper tells his story about growing up in a violent neighborhood in Chicago, trying to fight brutality, hunger and his mother's addiction.
The book is about many things. Of course is about resilience and opportunity but it's also about how team work and commitment may change your destiny and the impact of mentorship and of having people that believe in you

The story is inspiring and beautifully written.

I'm giving it 4 out of 5 Stars

“𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵.”⁣
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Arshay Cooper’s memoir: A Most Beautiful Thing tells the story of the first all black rowing team in 1990’s Chicago. Arshay and his teammates face all the things you’d expect: bullying, gang violence, drug abuse, family issues, high school drama, and unrequited love. Through it all, he demonstrates what a powerful, life changing effect rowing had on him and his crew; in many ways changing the trajectory of their whole lives.⁣
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It’s a great story but it does suffer a bit in the pacing and narrative arc. I feel like the story would have held more emotional weight if more time was devoted to getting to know his teammates. When good and bad things happened, it was hard to be very invested because I kept mixing up which one was which. In a way, I felt it was held back both from trying to include too much AND not enough... What I mean is that it covers a lot of the events that happened to the team but I think it would have been more powerful if it focused in on a smaller number of them and spent more time getting engrossed in them. It left me feeling like the story was actually in a HURRY when it didn’t need to be. I kept wanting to savor touching or important moments but the story would move on almost without a beat.⁣
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Arshay’s memoir is heartwarming; it’s filled with touches of humor, points of difficulty, and of satisfying triumph, but ultimately it felt like it was just skimming the water of a much deeper tale that could have been told. The being said, I’m still super glad to have learned about their story and I want to check out the documentary on them which came out recently.⁣
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🛶🛶🛶/5⁣
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*I received this eARC from the publisher Flatiron Books via NetGalley*

As an avid crew fan who grew up in Chicago, I was very excited to pick this one up. It was a powerful memoir that demonstrates more than what can happen when students find something to do that they love but a story about the power of teamwork, mentors, and friendship. Arshay shares his honest accounts of growing up on the West Side while weaving humor and hope into the narrative. I am looking forward to watching the documentary and enjoyed seeing the work Arshay is continuing to do to ensure that students of all races feel welcome and included in the sport.

I won an e-galley from Flatiron books. If you like memoirs, are interested in rowing, and\or like inspirational stories then read this book. You will learn how much hard work rowing takes, especially to get as good as this high school team did. But this is also about their daily lives and the harsh environment they grew up in. They came together for a team but became a family. Even when talking about the harder parts of his life Arshay is never negative. The book is positive and inspirational throughout. You will care and root for everyone. I think this would be a great book for young adults to read.

A Most Beautiful Thing is a great read. Arshay Cooper’s writing is very fluid and effortless to read. This is his story of becoming a member of the first all black crew team. Arshay has such a positive look on life and you can’t help but root for him and his teammates to be succesful not only in crew but beyond. This book is coming out as a documentary narrated by Common later this month. Give it a go!! Thank you to @flatiron_books and @netgalley for an advanced copy.

This was an enjoyable and inspiring book. I was amazed by the dedication of these kids, in spite of their hardships. I am looking forward to seeing the documentary that is also based on this story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you Flatriron Books and NetGalley for the ARC of A Most Beautiful Thing by Arshay Cooper. I read so many inspiring moments while reading Arshay’s telling of his and teammates’ historic achievement. At times I felt conflicted; this is still a great story of overcoming and becoming greater than what society may label you.

There’s not much better than an overcoming underdog story. Even more so when it’s a true story.

This one made me recognize some privileges I had growing up despite my family living near poverty. My mom and dad were married and present throughout my childhood. It wasn’t always my favorite, but I had food available at all times. I never felt unsafe playing in my neighborhood.

Arshay’s description of the West Side of Chicago is downright frightening. When you’re not familiar with that type of environment, there’s no way to totally understand it. These words were eye opening and inspiring. I especially loved the snapshot of where each of the crew members landed as adults.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flat Iron books for the opportunity to read this in advance.

Arshay Cooper was an African American teenager growing up on the tumultuous West Side of Chicago in the 1990s when he seized an opportunity to change his life. A white coach pitched the idea of starting a rowing team at Cooper’s mostly black and Latino high school. Many students dismissed rowing as being a “white sport,” a fair assessment since the high costs often preclude participation by low-income students. But a local business executive bankrolled the team, and so was born the rowing team at Manley Career Academy High School.

Cooper chronicles his journey as a crew member in “A Most Beautiful Thing: The True Story of America’s First All-Black High School Rowing Team.” The sport made intense demands on the young men, requiring them to train hard, learn how to swim, and make countless sacrifices – including not reacting to the racist jeers from competitors and spectators. The experience turned a team of strangers into brothers and unleashed their potential.

The book is as uplifting as its title suggests, and sections detailing the races are downright heart-pounding. A documentary film, also called “A Most Beautiful Thing,” showcases the now-adult team reuniting to once again inspire the community. Directed by Mary Mazzio, with narration by hip-hop artist Common, the film opens in limited theatrical release on July 10.

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the world to discover it also. Overcoming differences and learning to work together are themes we all need to see. There is so much hope in this book.

On GoodReads 6/28. Will be added elsewhere on publishing day.

I throughly enjoyed this book. This is a memoir that takes place in the late 1990’s in Chicago. The author, Arshay Cooper, is a black teenager in high school. His life is hard. His family life is complete chaos. They are very poor. They live in a gang-infested area that is as violent as any war zone. There is little to no hope in this boy’s life. He has such a good heart and wants very much to rise above his situation but has no tools and no idea where to get the tools to break the cycle. His school is offered a chance to develop a rowing program. It’s financed by a wealthy white man that rowed crew in college and believes it can help disadvantaged youth. The coaches recruit some (very reluctant) students. These kids form the first all-black crew team. Initially, the boys are resistant to a lot of what is expected of them. Also, they aren’t supported by the rest of the school, their families, or the community. Slowly, they start to form a team. They become competitive in a sport that is so very different from the world they’ve grown up in.

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This story is full of hope. The odds seem overwhelming but as each of these kids puts one foot in front of the other they make amazing progress. The book is very timely as well. The issues young black men face today are the same as the kids from the team faced 20 years ago. You’ll feel uplifted by the story and better educated on some of the issues that we’re seeing in our news today.

A Most Beautiful Thing by Arshay Cooper is an inspiring and incredible story about a group of young Black boys growing up on the West Side of Chicago who become the first Black high school rowing team. It chronicles the story of how difficult and challenging growing up in low social economical communities not only impacts their life choices but mindsets and family environment as well.

Arshay Cooper narrates the book and as he details that he was never an athlete or considered a popular guy in high school and joining a rowing team was something he never considered. It was not a sport he even knew about. Growing up on the West Side, basketball and football were the sports to play and that is what was considered being an athlete and a way to get out the neighborhood. So when his friend Preston wants to join the team, he is reluctant to do so. Unbeknownst to him and the rest of the team that joins, rowing changes their lives in unexpected ways that they would have never imagined.

This book explores not only the premise of the first all Black high school rowing team but also the impacts of growing up poor, racial bias, family dynamics, having a support system, brotherhood, adventuring to the unknown,, discovering your drive and striving for your dreams.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!