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412 reviews for:
What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen
Kate Fagan
4.2 AVERAGE
412 reviews for:
What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen
Kate Fagan
4.2 AVERAGE
A book that delves into the intersection of cut-throat college athleticism and mental health is tremendously important in this day and age, as this is a field that is not nearly covered enough. In the case of [b:What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen|33296283|What Made Maddy Run The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen|Kate Fagan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493663844l/33296283._SY75_.jpg|54027991], while the competitive sports portions are interesting and well-written, the mental illness component is woefully underdeveloped. Overall, it made for a disjointed and at times uncomfortable read.
Specifically, my issues with this story centers on the sensationalized way the author writes about Maddy Holleran’s last moments before she committed suicide. This includes cringy re-enactments of those final days, as well as the over-reliance of Maddy’s digital and social media footprint to set the scene. In general, most people post the more idealized highs of their lives, as opposed to the gritty and messy lows—Maddy was no exception. Yet this dissonance between the image and the reality is what this book focuses on, and I feel in doing so over-simplifies a complex situation.
By the final pages, I felt like I had read something more exploitative, than illuminating. That said, I feel like my opinion is the minority on this one, so it is entirely possible that this book simply was not for me.
Specifically, my issues with this story centers on the sensationalized way the author writes about Maddy Holleran’s last moments before she committed suicide. This includes cringy re-enactments of those final days, as well as the over-reliance of Maddy’s digital and social media footprint to set the scene. In general, most people post the more idealized highs of their lives, as opposed to the gritty and messy lows—Maddy was no exception. Yet this dissonance between the image and the reality is what this book focuses on, and I feel in doing so over-simplifies a complex situation.
By the final pages, I felt like I had read something more exploitative, than illuminating. That said, I feel like my opinion is the minority on this one, so it is entirely possible that this book simply was not for me.
This was an incredibly heartbreaking but important read. Touching on the realities of anxiety and depression in today's society driven by success and sharing on social media, it raises a lot of questions and important but hard conversations to have around how we connect and how we cope. Highly, highly recommend (and it's a larger exploration of Kate Fagan's article called Split Image in ESPNW if you are interested in the topic but just want something shorter).
But in the end, how hard never to know the exact 'why' for the act of suicide.
emotional
informative
reflective
Should be required reading for student athletes, parents, and anyone working with student athletes at the collegiate level (high school too).
This book is extraordinarily written. The cars that Fagan took in telling Maddy's story and also the story of all college athletes, of all millennials, of all those struggling with mental health, should be highly commended. Don't get me wrong, every moment of this was DEVASTATING to read. But it solidifies the fact that we NEED to talk more frankly about mental health, about what can be done to help, about the fact that you are not a broken or wrong person for feeling the way you feel under influence of a mental illness. God bless the Holleran family for agreeing to let Maddy's story be shared, for putting the need of many over their personal pain.
This changed my world view. Highly recommended for all, especially coaches, athletes, and athletic administrators.
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
I think anyone will be able to appreciate this book, but if you are or have ever been a collegiate runner, this story and maddies struggles will resonate with you on such a personal level. I have never read a book i connected with so much; from the pressures of collegiate competitions, to pleasing your coaches, to mentally draining practices and not performing at your expected level. This hit close to home.