I LOVED this book and I am so pumped for Roller Derby tryouts at the end of October. Melissa Joulwan, A.K.A. Melicious, of the Hotrod Honeys (Texas Rollergirls league) was a founding member and helped to bring back the spectacle of the 1970s. Only this time, it's not a spectacle.

Joulwan discusses how she found roller derby. She had quit he corporate job and moved to Austin, Texas with her boyfriend to start over. They were at a coffee shop in a South Austin where people staple posters/advertisements all over the back wall. She was perusing the ads and came across a poster for roller derby. They thought it sounded interested and went to see what it was all about. When she stepped into Skateland, she was immediately hooked: the loud music, ladies on skates, and the diverse crowed is what did it for her. She was so amazed by the athleticism of the women, she wanted to know how to become a part of it. A friend of a friend introduced her to one of the roller girls, invited Joulwan to their next practice, and the rest is history. Sort of.

Unbeknownst to most people, the Texas Rollergirls are actually the second roller league in Austin. They stem from Bad Girl Good Woman Productions. BGGW started with four teams and ran with the idea that the league would be governed by a few...the SheEOs. That made all the decisions, didn't attend too many practices, and didn't consult the rest of the players. Three of the four teams wanted a "By the skaters, for the skaters" mentality to govern. After many differences, and finally being fed-up, the teams split and the Texas Rollergirls were formed. Joulwan tells how the teams organized themselves, promoted themselves, and did all that was needed for bout night, such as the venue, insurance, entertainment, and refreshments. This new league worked for a common goal, and every person had a say in how it was run.

The book also gives a brief history of the sport that is sweeping the nation: how it started out during the Depression, had slight resurgences during the 1950s and 1970s, and now. It talks about how all the leagues across the nation sent representatives to Chicago to form a national governing body, later called the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, and how they formed a marketing committee, rules committee, and established a national championship.

This book is very empowering. It is written in a way that will inspire the reader to achieve whatever goal he or she has set. It makes the reader want to run away from the mainstream media's idea of beauty and be happy with who you are, where you are from, and to not be afraid to try new things. ( )

Jenna Freedman listed this in her zine as one of the books she read in 2008, and it appealed to me. I could see getting into roller derby at some point.