One Life

I was expecting to enjoy this book because it’s Megan Rapinoe and I generally align with her. Plus, she seems like an awesome person. I did not expect to LOVE this book. I laughed, cried, felt outraged and hated to see it end. I ended up purchasing the book in every form and I’m looking forward to reading the audiobook because while reading you can hear her voice shining through. This book is about so much more than Megan the athlete because she is so much more than an athlete. Her family dynamic (past and present), the way she was Mothered by Mammers, and how she found her voice was so present in this book throughout the chapters. When you hear Megan speak and watch her play, she puts it all out and leaves it all out on the field. That’s exactly what she did in her memoir and I for one found this book relatable. Don’t just read the book because it’s trendy and don’t read it to see if you can find a reason to dislike her. Read the book because Megan is human, flawed and honestly one of the most genuine people this world has been graced with. And her love story with Sue Bird is so beautiful. It’s rare to find that kind of love. Congrats to them! I highly recommend this one and I’m looking forward to doing a reread this weekend.

I’m a huge fan of autobiographical stories and books. It’s authentic. I love how Megan Rapinoe stuck to her true self. Daring and a lovable petty bitch. Love it. The shade thrown at Jill was epic. Every true fan saw it coming. I hope more Gays follow in the footsteps of the vulnerability and authenticity she shows. I want to Thank Megan Rapinoe for staying true to the fight for equality and racial justice. Refreshing book.

Great read with insights into how a public figure took a knee, to stand for what she believed was right. And how what one marginalized population can do affects others. Using our white privilege, after learning we have it, to address the issues in our society is something all of us need to do to bring the country back together.

The book is very well written, thanks to the wonderful work of Emma Brockes, a very competent biographer. I like memoirs, I like football and, living in Seattle since 2017, I like Rapinoe a lot. I am Brazilian, so Megan was directly responsible for my greatest sadness as a football fan in 2011, a moment that was narrated in detail in this book. Football stories (I'm sorry, Americans, but Soccer is not the name of that sport) are interspersed with Megan's ideals about the world, her strong activism and thoughts about intersectionality. The narrative structure is well constructed and organized. I intercalated between the Kindle book and thee audiobook and strongly recommend the audio version, narrated by Megan herself. I share the way Megan sees the world and if there is something she has inspired me to do, is to act. To use my privilege to change. I believe the message that stands out from this book is: Everyone has a platform, no matter how big or small, you can always do something. Megan also demonstrates that she still has a lot to mature (and this is ok) - The chapter in which she tells about the experience she had in France is slightly (but obviously not intentionally) intolerant and maybe she needs to understand a little more about introversion. Well, no one is perfect :) If you are reading this review and know Megan Rapinoe, please tell her two things: 1) Read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain; 2) Please Megan, stop scoring goals or making unbelievable plays when you are playing against Brazil!

Received it today and read it straight through. Very good read. Not at all what I was expecting.

Listened to Audiobook! I don't like to judge memoirs based on the content, as it's the author's personal story, however, how can we not give Megan five stars all around! :) Megan touches on everything from moving up through the US women's national soccer team (USWNT) ranks, torn ACLs, and other injuries to balancing college soccer with the USWNT. Then of course, she covers her experience fighting for equal pay for the USWNT and women athletes in general. She also talks about her coming-out experience and how hers differed from others in her *family* and on her *soccer teams.* She lovingly discusses her and Sue Bird's meeting and escalation to a relationship! <3 What I loved most though, was Megan addressing racism and her choice to kneel during the National Anthem. She was highly criticized for this move; she explains in great detail what it meant to her and why she did it. Megan admits to being naive to racism and racial bias, as she is a privileged white woman. However, she took ACTION and educated herself on the issues so she could be confident when she took a stand on them. She discusses how natural it is for her to be an advocate for the LGBTQ community and for equal pay, but she had to work harder to know how to speak up about racism. I really respect her for admitting that she needed to do research and work to educate herself like many white Americans need to. Thanks for sharing with us, Megan! :)

Megan Rapinoe has become a beacon for social justice. Using her celebrity status as an athlete to encourage all of us to join the cause. She tells us candidly how she grew up in a lively, loving family who nurtured her soccer passion without hesitation. Her loves and struggles are described with charming candor. I love this story!

Everything you want in a book by a national treasure!

As a fan of the USWNT and soccer in general, it was great to read about Megan Rapinoe’s experiences as one of the best players in the world. However, this book is much more than just soccer, following her entry into activism and traversing coming out as a pro athlete.

Love this book, but knew I would. I love women, sports, and equality, so what's not to love? I am so darn proud of everything about this amazing athlete, outspoken no matter who is (or isn't) listening. This book is an honest look at: being gay, being supremely athletically gifted, standing up for one's principles, inequalities, relationships, training, injuries, recovery, families, addiction.......and even Trump. Anyone should enjoy this book, everyone should read it. Let's go!!!!!

I was expecting to enjoy this book because it’s Megan Rapinoe and I generally align with her. Plus, she seems like an awesome person. I did not expect to LOVE this book. I laughed, cried, felt outraged and hated to see it end. I ended up purchasing the book in every form and I’m looking forward to reading the audiobook because while reading you can hear her voice shining through. This book is about so much more than Megan the athlete because she is so much more than an athlete. Her family dynamic (past and present), the way she was Mothered by Mammers, and how she found her voice was so present in this book throughout the chapters. When you hear Megan speak and watch her play, she puts it all out and leaves it all out on the field. That’s exactly what she did in her memoir and I for one found this book relatable. Don’t just read the book because it’s trendy and don’t read it to see if you can find a reason to dislike her. Read the book because Megan is human, flawed and honestly one of the most genuine people this world has been graced with. And her love story with Sue Bird is so beautiful. It’s rare to find that kind of love. Congrats to them! I highly recommend this one and I’m looking forward to doing a reread this weekend.

I’m a huge fan of autobiographical stories and books. It’s authentic. I love how Megan Rapinoe stuck to her true self. Daring and a lovable petty bitch. Love it. The shade thrown at Jill was epic. Every true fan saw it coming. I hope more Gays follow in the footsteps of the vulnerability and authenticity she shows. I want to Thank Megan Rapinoe for staying true to the fight for equality and racial justice. Refreshing book.

Great read with insights into how a public figure took a knee, to stand for what she believed was right. And how what one marginalized population can do affects others. Using our white privilege, after learning we have it, to address the issues in our society is something all of us need to do to bring the country back together.

The book is very well written, thanks to the wonderful work of Emma Brockes, a very competent biographer. I like memoirs, I like football and, living in Seattle since 2017, I like Rapinoe a lot. I am Brazilian, so Megan was directly responsible for my greatest sadness as a football fan in 2011, a moment that was narrated in detail in this book. Football stories (I'm sorry, Americans, but Soccer is not the name of that sport) are interspersed with Megan's ideals about the world, her strong activism and thoughts about intersectionality. The narrative structure is well constructed and organized. I intercalated between the Kindle book and thee audiobook and strongly recommend the audio version, narrated by Megan herself. I share the way Megan sees the world and if there is something she has inspired me to do, is to act. To use my privilege to change. I believe the message that stands out from this book is: Everyone has a platform, no matter how big or small, you can always do something. Megan also demonstrates that she still has a lot to mature (and this is ok) - The chapter in which she tells about the experience she had in France is slightly (but obviously not intentionally) intolerant and maybe she needs to understand a little more about introversion. Well, no one is perfect :) If you are reading this review and know Megan Rapinoe, please tell her two things: 1) Read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain; 2) Please Megan, stop scoring goals or making unbelievable plays when you are playing against Brazil!

Received it today and read it straight through. Very good read. Not at all what I was expecting.

Listened to Audiobook! I don't like to judge memoirs based on the content, as it's the author's personal story, however, how can we not give Megan five stars all around! :) Megan touches on everything from moving up through the US women's national soccer team (USWNT) ranks, torn ACLs, and other injuries to balancing college soccer with the USWNT. Then of course, she covers her experience fighting for equal pay for the USWNT and women athletes in general. She also talks about her coming-out experience and how hers differed from others in her *family* and on her *soccer teams.* She lovingly discusses her and Sue Bird's meeting and escalation to a relationship! <3 What I loved most though, was Megan addressing racism and her choice to kneel during the National Anthem. She was highly criticized for this move; she explains in great detail what it meant to her and why she did it. Megan admits to being naive to racism and racial bias, as she is a privileged white woman. However, she took ACTION and educated herself on the issues so she could be confident when she took a stand on them. She discusses how natural it is for her to be an advocate for the LGBTQ community and for equal pay, but she had to work harder to know how to speak up about racism. I really respect her for admitting that she needed to do research and work to educate herself like many white Americans need to. Thanks for sharing with us, Megan! :)

Megan Rapinoe has become a beacon for social justice. Using her celebrity status as an athlete to encourage all of us to join the cause. She tells us candidly how she grew up in a lively, loving family who nurtured her soccer passion without hesitation. Her loves and struggles are described with charming candor. I love this story!

Everything you want in a book by a national treasure!

As a fan of the USWNT and soccer in general, it was great to read about Megan Rapinoe’s experiences as one of the best players in the world. However, this book is much more than just soccer, following her entry into activism and traversing coming out as a pro athlete.

Love this book, but knew I would. I love women, sports, and equality, so what's not to love? I am so darn proud of everything about this amazing athlete, outspoken no matter who is (or isn't) listening. This book is an honest look at: being gay, being supremely athletically gifted, standing up for one's principles, inequalities, relationships, training, injuries, recovery, families, addiction.......and even Trump. Anyone should enjoy this book, everyone should read it. Let's go!!!!!

There was nothing to dislike at all. I love watching our women’s national soccer team and Megan is definitely one of the many stars on that team. By reading her book I feel like I really her got to know her and that’s a good thing.⚽️

Interesting, well written read to the end (which I didn’t expect). Having spent 25 years in Redding, her insights to that community are right on, only while I agree that the New York is my personal favorite at Jacks, the petite sirloin is probably better.

You don't even need to be a soccer fan to absolutely love and be inspired by this book. You only need to care about people and want to read how someone decided to put actions above just words in using her platform to help continue the conversations to evoke real change. To play it safe be damned!

Her story is so interesting and it’s told so well that I read it in one day. I couldn’t put it down.

I am not a big soccer fan but I liked this book a lot because she talks about more than sports - her family, being gay, making decisions about relationships and jobs. This is a good story for anyone.

I learned more about the USWNT! I highly recommend the book to all who follow the USWNT. When will women’s sports get more coverage?

My stepmom was surprised to receiver this book for Christmas l, because she planned to buy it. But of course due to the hustle and bustle of the holidays, she forgot. She loved it!

I loved this book on Megan's life so far. I have shared this with several friends for their teenage daughters as a great inspiration for how to live your own best life, while standing up for what you believe. I can't wait to see what this great woman does next!

Megan is a great athlete. This book gives much needed insight on what a great human she is as well. Very inspiring. Clutch player in soccer as well as life. She has a HUGE heart and amazing empathy and intellect. National treasure.

This book was better than I thought it would be! I know a lot about Sue Bird, as a Seattle Storm fan, but wanted to learn more about Megan and what she went through for kneeling, during the the anthem.

This was a gift for our daughter. She said it’s the best book she has read in a very long time, read it in one day :)

Influential women on and off the field. Inspirational

Thoughtful, insightful and loved the soccer game action. A simple but important message that’s worth repeating - when you a chance, using your voice for good can make a difference.

Very engaging book that I read in one sitting. I appreciated that it was not singularly focused on one subject and also talked about her advocacy work.

I loved this book. Getting to know Megan better and her story made me love her even more. She is a warrior for justice and a role model for many. I read it in 2 days, it was that good.

The book was for my daughter who is a big fan of Megan and she has stated it is a great book and insight into Megan's life.

Brutally honest. She’s an icon. Read it and put some respect on everything this book is standing for. Well done

To live life so authentically and unapologetically; with such awareness and recognition of what one has and what others may not💘👏🏻

Great book about life, soccer, activism. I always enjoy getting a glimpse into the life of people I admire from a far.

Loved the book, a huge fan is hers!! So seeing and other side of her made me a even bigger fan of her!!

A great read!

Well written and very interesting

Great book!

Loved this book.

I read "One Life" in one sitting-- it was intriguing and absorbing, and I learned things I didn't know about professional soccer and about Pinoe herself. The "voice" of the book is consistent with Rapinoe's other public speeches, interviews, and essays I've heard or read. I appreciate that Rapinoe consistently acknowledges how much privilege she has in her life, and that she urges readers with similar privilege to speak up for those who don't have the same options. At times, it felt like the account was a bit too dialed back (and not just in selective use of f-bombs). I got to the end of some passages and found myself thinking that there was more to the story that wasn't being told. However, no celebrity owes any fan 100% open access to their life. There's great candor in many of the stories Rapinoe shares in this enjoyable autobiography, but now and then I was reminded of the ESPN "body issue" photos that Rapinoe briefly describes. Those photos make the viewer think you're seeing absolutely everything... even though you aren't. However, if the naked bodies in those photos weren't arranged in compelling and memorable ways, the work wouldn't be art.

Megan Rapinoe dishes like a teenager in this extremely shallow book about her life. After reading the first 15 pages, I realized that there would be no depth or insight, just rambling politically-correct observations about how lucky "we" are to be white. I think we can acknowledge her athletic prowess as part of the U.S. Women's Soccer team, but the book is absolute trash.

Great read, however it strikes me funny that a white lady keeps preaching about equality amongsts black and brown people but still finds herself to be the center of attention and the "fighting voice" when it comes to the black and brown community and the racial injustice issues. She's been recognized more times fighting for racial inequality than she has for her own community (LGBTQ+). If Megan REALLY wanted to give a platform to people of color, she'd stop putting the attention around herself and start putting it towards an actual person that has struggled with racism. I understand she can't control the media per se, but continuing to do interviews and regurtuate the same "this has to stop!" mantra and then going on to write this book is giving me performative vibes. If she is in fact an ally within the BIPOC community, then she should realize that trying to be the martyr for them is just as damaging

I've read several autobiographies from USWMNT players...including Carli Lloyd, Abby Wambach. This is my least favorite. It has the least backstory of what happens behind the scenes with the USWMNT. Megan has some interesting parts about her childhood, her twin sister, and her brother Brian. But after that, she just jumps on her soapbox. This is a book you can easily pass. I'm a bigger fan of Carli's book. And Abby's book is a nice counter to Carli's style.

I don't read a ton of books by athletes but I'm a fan of women's soccer from the NWSL to the USWNT so I decided to grab this from the library. It was a quick read and probably took me less than four hours from start to finish. While you probably expect the through like of the book to be Rapinoe's soccer career, it was actually her journey with her passion for social justice and how she as a famous white woman with a platform could use her celebrity for change. I feel like many who are a fan of Rapinoe and her passion for politics off the field will relate to the journey she's taken from advocating for gay rights to her joining in Colin Kaepernick's protest of the anthem in 2016 to equal pay and how they are interrelated. There are some things I wish she had written more about, particularly the NWSL which is about to embark on its 9th season and why the fervor and fanaticism for the USWNT doesn't seem to trickle down to the domestic league or even other women's sports but there's only so much she can write about. Overall, you can feel the passion in Megan's writing and in her words and it's definitely worth a read it you've got the time and access.

This book is an honest evaluation and description of Rapinoe's life journey, with the ups and downs given equal depth. There is a display of the drive and ego which makes her successful, which should be no surprise. She discusses openly her activism and politics, for which she will be remembered. What is unnecessary, in my view, is saturation of the "F" word in some sections, which makes the writing appear juvenile, like a 13 year old expressing new found freedom to use the word. She could defend that by saying that's how she talks, which makes sense, but enough is enough. She writes as she lives; this is who she is, accept it or not.

I don't know how this audio autobiography by someone I don't remember hearing about ended up on my retirement reading list, but I'm glad it did. It is a well-written and well-read, upbeat story of a sports superstar who shares her spotlight with timely issues to remind us we are all on the same team and deserve respect, opportunity, and fair play. I think my children and teenage granddaughter will appreciate it too, and I look forward to family discussions.

I just scanned the first half dozen reviews and couldn't agree more. I too read it straight thru today. Wonderful read by a hero who is using her soccer stardom to speak out on issues that speak to the inequality in the U.S. Issues promoted by a president (small "p") that have been leading to the divisiveness of our society. Go Megan, and her teammates, Go! Dave Nelson (age 82)

Not always does the author read their book and read it well. Well written, well spoken. Thank you for giving us a glimpse into you and your life. You opened my eyes to a few things. You are a GOAT and you are an amazing individual that I have been able to watch play soccer in person. You gave our daughter a GOAT to watch and learn from all the way through her college days. THANK YOU

I have read a number of biographies but this one was so well written I learned not only about women’s soccer but also about the author. Her approach to life and the game was so clear that I was left wanting to know more. Her political motivation regarding racial and sexual equality was profound. Megan Rapinoe a force to be recognised.

I am so glad I read this book, especially now that Biden won the 2020 election. Megan's message that change is possible rings true. Her life story is one of determination and strength, both mentally & physically. I already admired Megan for her obvious spunk and charm; now I understand the difficult journey it took to get there.

From the outset, Megan broke barriers and created new beginnings, not just for herself, but all those coming up behind her. Unfiltered, she recites those journeys here and dares us, encourages us, challenges us to walk with her in today’s journey towards making the world a better place for all.

6 out of 5 stars, this immediately goes to my "top shelf" of books. Absolutely jam-packed with fascinating behind-the-scenes looks at the USWNT, social perspectives, and the fight for gender equality. The writing is delightfully Pinoe at her most genuine, with her humor and pragmatism, and this makes it a quick but engulfing read.

A surprisingly good book. Surprising because I didn’t realize how much good this woman had done in her relatively young life. Using your star power intelligently to positively impact the lives of others and take a stand is the most commendable behavior . Well done and thank you.

Yes, I was already a fan of Megan Rapinoe’s soccer play and her interviews, but this book also delivered on all that promise. Appreciated how clear her thinking is on all these events in her life and the world around her, and her wry and confident story-telling. I blasted through this book in two days.

What a fantastic book! My son loves Megan and after reading this book, I'm proud he picked her as a hero. I also grew up idolizing 90s women's soccer and enjoyed walking through memory. While she is a phenomenal soccer player and so fun to watch I enjoyed learning more about her life and how she uses her platform for good. We need more celebrities to use their stardom like her. A true hero and inspiration to all.

Everything about this book was amazing. Megan does an amazing job of telling her story while drawing attention to important issues in the world. A must listen

Amazing story of a successful professional woman soccer player and used her platform to try to help. Quick interesting book.

Great look at the life of a brave athlete. Explores the thought process behind her decision to stand up for issues.

If you've ever heard or seen Megan Rapinoe being interviewed, you'll recognize the "voice" in the writing here. Fascinating insight into one of the game's biggest stars. She's a fantastic player, and an even better person.

Love how she illustrates her life with unwavering confidence and it inspires me to do the same. Def worth a read.

Megan is an inspiration to us all.

Such an incredible and inspiring story. I have loved watching Megan’s journey unfold but to hear the behind the scenes made what she stands for even more powerful.

Honest, unabashed acount of standing for what you believe against systems that are seriously flawed. May you achieve Olympic Gold.

Wonderful insight into a national treasure. Rapinoe is the epitome of using your platform for good.

Hats off to Megan...she's a beast. I have nothing, but love for her and speaking up as a white female professional... RESPECT.

Awesome book. Loved the audio book in her own voice. The world is blessed to have you, Megan Rapinoe.

Inspiring athlete, inspiring read

⚽️ One Life ⚽️ I’ve mentioned several times that my favorite audiobooks are memoirs read by their author, so when I saw One Life by @mrapinoe in the Volumes app, I was ready to check it out! I’m not a soccer fan at all, but I love stories of strong women and those who fight for what they believe is right. This book absolutely fits those guidelines. Megan discusses her childhood with her twin sister who also plays soccer, her large family, and her brother Brian’s multiple issues with drugs and the law. Her parents got her into soccer early, but also encouraged her to volunteer and give back to her community. My favorite chapters were about Megan and her teammates fight for equal pay. It’s absolutely infuriating that the women are paid so much less especially when they were actually winning World Cups! I also loved hearing Megan talk about her support of the BLM movement and Colin Kaepernick. She explains why she fights so hard for social justice as both for racial issues and gay rights as she is a proud gay woman. 🏳️🌈 And of course I loved hearing all about her love life as she has had many famous girlfriends. I just love her and @sbird10. The ultimate sports power couple- they have 5 gold medals between them! They were featured as the first gay couple on the cover of the @ESPN Body Issue. Thank you so much to @prhaudio for the gifted copy of the book. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hmmmm... she almost nailed it. Great story, ballsy woman who has stood up for her beliefs, makes a big speech about being kind ... and then falls into the kind of lazy xenophobia that has led us to where we are in the world. Don't imagine she'll be invited back to France any time soon - and as a Brit, can hand on heart say that I'm not miserable at all. Sorry love :)

Christmas gift. Arrived on time in perfect condition. Item exactly as described.

Megan Rapinoe grew up in a Conservative family. Her dad voted for Donald Trump. She's gay and unapologetically vocal about her beliefs. She's tiny in her stature, and yet, she's fearless. Even as far as going against her family's political leanings. She's faced censure from the league in which she played, even as far as being benched by her coach. All because she decided to kneel as the Star Spangled Banner played. But still, she persisted. She's won awards, accolades, suffered injuries and heartbreaks. But still, she persisted. If you are expecting this memoir about how an athlete rallied to defeat everything against all odds, you would only be partly right. Because amongst everything, Rapinoe uses her platform for activism. And this book is about that. Facing censure against a league who didn't want to change the status quo, she persisted in raising awareness about the racial injustices in America. And when she's not doing that, she's rallying the women of the league to get their due. The economic inequality between professional men and women soccer players is beyond laughable. The women's team have won more games, gold medals, and championships than the men's team, and yet they only make half of what they earned. Truthfully, I've never followed Women's Soccer until Megan made an enemy of the White House. Since then, I've been a huge follower. What I admire about her the most is that she took the time to educate herself about racial disparities before she opened her mouth. She read books, talked to people, and did her research. She learned about redlining which is a bank's way of denying mortgages to people of colour who live in a district that they deemed 'dangerous'. She also talked about how the GI bill that excludes Black vets from receiving benefits. These are just two racial issues that she's learned on her researches. She was the first white athlete to kneel in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. Honestly, what's not to love? We never really learn about Megan Rapinoe in her memoir. She barely talked about her childhood, her twin sister. Though she was very candid about her brother's ongoing battle with addiction. Mostly, I think the main purpose of her book is to show how someone of her stature and clout could use her privilege for the good.

Meinung zur Biografie von Megan Rapinoe: Schon als das Buch bei mir ankam, war ich sehr gespannt auf den Inhalt. Megan Rapinoe ist eine der bekanntesten Fußballnationalspielerinnen der USA. Sie hat mit ihrer Mannschaft schon mehrmals den Weltmeistertitel (zuletzt 2019) geholt. Was nicht so sehr bekannt ist, ist die Tatsache, dass sich Rapinoe auch stark in der Gesellschaft für die Rechte von "Randgruppen", wenn man es so bezeichnen will, einsetzt. Sie macht sich stark für die Rechte von Homosexuellen und Schwarzen und kämpft dafür, dass Frauen gleichwertig wie Männer entlohnt werden. Wenn man ihre Geschichte gelesen hat, muss man die Frau einfach für ihren Mut bewundern. Sie scheut sich nicht davor, ihre Meinung zu sagen, selbst wenn das ihre Sportlerkarriere mehr als einmal gefährdet hat. Ich finde es toll, dass sich jemand mit so viel Social Media Einfluss auch für politisch wichtige Verbesserungen einsetzt und deshalb kann ich dieses Buch jedem empfehlen. Ich habe es im Rekordtempo gelesen und keine Seite davon war langweilig.

Megan together with her ghostwriter wrote a very interesting book about her life so far. She is a terrific soccerplayer..watching her it looks so fluent, yet in the book she describes the endless training session. She always was determined and stood up for what she knew was important. Rapinoe together with Sue Bird ..a unstoppable power couple.