2024 the best and most beautiful things review

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Now a documentary narrated by Common, produced by Grant Hill, Dwyane Wade, and 9th Wonder, from filmmaker Mary Mazzio

The moving true story of a group of young men growing up on Chicago's West side who form the first all-Black high school rowing team in the nation, and in doing so not only transform a sport, but their lives.

Growing up on Chicago’s Westside in the 90’s, Arshay Cooper knows the harder side of life. The street corners are full of gangs, the hallways of his apartment complex are haunted by drug addicts he calls “zombies” with strung out arms, clutching at him as he passes by. His mother is a recovering addict, and his three siblings all sleep in a one room apartment, a small infantry against the war zone on the street below.

Arshay keeps to himself, preferring to write poetry about the girl he has a crush on, and spends his school days in the home-ec kitchen dreaming of becoming a chef. And then one day as he’s walking out of school he notices a boat in the school lunchroom, and a poster that reads “Join the Crew Team”.

Having no idea what the sport of crew is, Arshay decides to take a chance. This decision to join is one that will forever change his life, and those of his fellow teammates. As Arshay and his teammates begin to come together to learn how to row--many never having been in water before--the sport takes them from the mean streets of Chicago, to the hallowed halls of the Ivy League. But Arshay and his teammates face adversity at every turn, from racism, gang violence, and a sport that has never seen anyone like them before.

A Most Beautiful Thing is the inspiring true story about the most unlikely band of brothers that form a family, and forever change a sport and their lives for the better.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flatiron Books; Media tie-in edition (February 23, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250754771
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250754776
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.24 inches
Reviewer: Becky C
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Beautiful and Inspiring
Review: I will be upfront here: I do not personally know any Black people. I see a Black person on occasion when I'm in town at the post office or store, but that's about it. So I went into this book a bit leery but hoping for the best, and I was not in the least disappointed.I bought this book because I am a rower and was intrigued by something I read on Twitter. At the start I wasn't sure about the book, but the more I read the more I realized I needed to know about the way so many young Black people live, and not just get my impressions off television shows. Most of the time television shows gangs and drug dealing and it seems quite fake and made up, but these ugly facts were an everyday reality and threat to these boys. But when rowing entered the book, things really took on a different feel. The fact that the young (White) coaches did not pack up their gear and leave at the beginning of their effort to get the boys started is really nothing short of amazing - miraculous. Their impact on these young boys is truly immeasurable. These boys entered a different world where proper diet mattered, team work was critical, commitment was required, and extremely challenging, exhausting practice sessions were demanded of them. For most of them, they'd never had such discipline or allegiance asked of them.This opportunity was a life saver for the boys who stuck with it. They had to overcome being scoffed at, stared at, and laughed at when they showed up for competitive events and experienced humiliating losses to "all White" teams who themselves had never seen the likes of young black rowers. Even students in their own school made fun of them. Kids, however, come through, and this was an awakening for many of the prep school White rowing groups who showed compassion once they overcame their initial surprise of the Black team and recognized how far they came in the sport.The boys who stayed with the team had a once in a lifetime experience and learned the meaning of teamwork, responsibility, self-respect, and self-discipline.The author of the book, Arshay Cooper, was one of these boys. He has gone on to become a most influential, successful person in the rowing world. It's a pity, no a tragedy, that bridges like this aren't built between races very often (or so it seems). I don't know if rowing is still being offered to these young ghetto dwellers, but I sincerely hope it is. Rowing changes lives...ALL LIVES.

Reviewer: A reader
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: This book is "A Most Beautiful Thing"
Review: Arshay Cooper manages to write about an often desperate and depressiv, many layered situation without losing any of those layers, without losing any of the gray shades, and that is a huge accomplishment and part of what makes this book so special. He also keeps the layers of the story as things start to get better, as rowing, enterpreneurship classes, the coming together of the team, the coaches and foremost his own work on himself have a positive, transformative impact on him, his teammates, who are equally transformed by their own work, the team the coaches. The story is special as such, his ability to tell it makes it even more special. I think anybody involved in this story is touched, changed by it, I think and hope anybody reading it is too. If not, it isn't his fault, he is leaving it all out there on the page like he did on the water as part of the first African-American HS Crew.While I cannot walk in the shoes of any of the people in the book, Arshay Cooper has the gift to bring you as close as you could possibly get and taught me a lot. An honest, deeply felt, well written book that should be on reading lists of schools, libraries, BLM, really any adult or young reader. I do want to point out, this book has many layers adding to the whole. There is certainly the issue of privilege or lack thereof, of racism and other related issues, but there are other issues like self-discovery, writing your own story, creating your own place and family. The book is rich and I felt richer on many levels for reading it. Pigeonholing it as a "African American book" only, would be shortsighted, a disfavour to the book and author while short changing the reader and in a way a form of racism in itself.A big thank you to the author!!!!!

Reviewer: Momma Leighellen's Book Nook
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: An Inspiring Story to Encourage!
Review: “Maybe I can succeed like these coaches are telling us. Despite everything, I still believe in seizing the moment and that an opportunity is a gift.”This is the true story of how Manley High School’s ground breaking all black rowing team on Chicago’s West Side in the 1990’s came to be. Written from the perspective of Arshay Cooper, one of team captains, “A Most Beautiful Thing” chronicles the amazing obstacles these boys had to climb. Most of them weren’t able to swim, didn’t have proper clothing, and weren’t able to afford proper nutrition. Most hadn’t even heard of rowing. But it offered a way out, a way out of the only life they knew that was daily filled with gang violence, drugs, and fear.“As a black man looking at other young black men, you may say to yourself ‘I can’t swim! I don’t do water!’ We will teach you, because every time you conquer a fear, life gets a little less scary.”The stories vacillate between heartwarming, shocking, and heartbreaking as you witness kids from rival gangs, different religions, and broken homes rise up and come together to compete. They tour college campuses, train in gyms, and learn to swim. I had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that this took place in the ‘90s and not the 60s because of some of the racism they encounter. At one point they had trouble being admitted to a restaurant for food! In 1990!! But overall, the coaches believe in them and it encourages these boys to believe in themselves. They begin to want more and start to think they can really get it if they work hard enough.Now a film narrated by @common, produced by @realgranthill & @dwaynewade with music by @9thwonder that is set to come out July 31. I’m usually a girl who always likes the book better, but this will definitely be a movie that I’ll want to see!

Reviewer: Island Girl
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Easy, inspiring read, especially if you’re a waterman
Review: This takes you back to highschool, getting to know the different characters. It was fun to experience the author’s home, neighborhood & his journey through the sport of rowing.

Reviewer: Ashley
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Amazing book about overcoming the odds. While Arshay Cooper manifests his ambition to represent hope, he goes beyond and shows how a somethimes neglected sport can change your life whatever your background. Inspiring to read about so many selfless people invovled like Ken Aplart who got the initiative off the ground and was only in his 30's.

Reviewer: mr john d hudson
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Enlightening insights into the world of impoverished people of color, and a well-shared pleasure in accomplishment.

Reviewer: sharon salter
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: As a big rowing fan and athlete I loved the story and commitment that was made my this group of pupils to having a go and making a mark in the world

Reviewer: enilorac
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: An excellent book. Truly inspiring!