  | Book Details Title: Start by Believing: Larry Nassar’s Crimes, the Institutions that Enabled Him, and the Brave Women Who Stopped a Monster |
Book DescriptionReview “A taut dramatic narrative, critical new reporting, and a full understanding of how Larry Nassar’s unfathomable evil was enabled and given long life. Start by Believing will shock you with its truths, and lift you with the courage of these women.”―Bob Ley, Emmy Award-winning former host of ESPN’s Outside the Lines“This is a horrifying story, and an important one, powerfully and carefully told by journalists John Barr and Dan Murphy. Their meticulously reported narrative presents a riveting account of the courage of these heroic women who will forever define the beginnings of the #MeToo movement.”―Christine Brennan, bestselling author and USA Today national sports columnist“Thank you John Barr and Dan Murphy for shedding light on the historical account of the crimes of Larry Nassar. This book connects the dots of when and how this atrocity happened, and chronicles the stories of the brave women who eventually acknowledged their truth, found their voice, and fueled a revolution of Time’s Up.”―Valorie Kondos Field, Former UCLA gymnastics coach and seven-time NCAA Champion“A meticulously reported and fearless work, Start by Believing is an epic indictment of the people who for decades enabled the culture of abuse and exploitation that made Larry Nassar’s crimes possible, even inevitable. John Barr and Dan Murphy expose the institutional callousness-from coaches to top executives at the USAG-and the price that generations of girls and young women have had to pay.”―Joan Ryan, bestselling author of Little Girls in Pretty Boxes“Start by Believing is a powerful look at how victims of Larry Nassar’s abuse were failed at every step along the way by the institutions-and people-that allowed it to continue unchecked for 25 years. If you want to understand how these unimaginable crimes continued for so long, and what we need to do to ensure that no more young athletes have to face similar dangers, you need to start by reading Start by Believing.”―Scott Berkowitz, President and Founder of RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National “Not a day goes by when I don’t reflect on the survivors of Larry Nassar’s horrific crimes. This empathetic, sensitively written book takes a deeper dive into the lives of the people who were hurt and shines a spotlight on their courage. I thank John and Dan for their efforts, which will no doubt support the overall goal of making our beautiful sport safe for athletes once again.”―Dominique Moceanu, 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist “An incredible story.”―Cheddar TV“Shocking…enraging.”―Salon Talks“An important story that needs to be told.”―PopSugar“[Start By Believing] features reporting so deep, broad, and incisive that it is unlikely to be surpassed…the book is a must-read.”―Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Read more About the Author John Barr has worked as an investigative reporter for ESPN since 2003. In 2019 his coverage of the Larry Nassar scandal was honored with a Peabody Award and the IRE Sports Investigations Award. In 2011, his report on human trafficking during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa won a National Edward R. Murrow Award. Prior to joining ESPN, Barr produced and reported stories for The National Geographic Channel, Court TV, and, for more than a decade, in local television. A native of London, Ontario, Canada. He lives just outside of Philadelphia.Dan Murphy is an investigative reporter at ESPN. He was honored with a Peabody Award and the IRE Sports Investigations Award in 2019. His coverage of college athletics and broader issues in the world of sports has appeared on ESPN’s digital, television and print outlets. Based now in Michigan, Murphy is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Read more Customers Review: I bought this book after hearing the authors (and 2 former women gymnasts) on a recent episode of the “The Doctors”. I was familiar with this story, but realized there was much more to be learned. ESPN reporters Jim Barr and Dan Murphy spent over 2 years investigating how the sexual predator and pedophile Larry Nassar was able for so long to sexually assault so many girls who were involved with USA Gymnastics, as well as at Michigan State. In this well written book, the authors take the reader into the insular, cult-like world of high level gymnastics, where girls endure brutal training (including emotional and physical abuse) in order to perfect difficult routines where a few tenths of a point score can make the difference between first and last place. Larry Nassar became the confidant and physician to these girls, the “good guy” in this bizarre environment. When a few brave girls complained about Nassar, they were further victimized by persons in positions of authority (including law enforcement) who didn’t believe them and/or failed to effectively act. The courage of those victims who persisted is amazing. But the massive failures are shocking, and the authors’ criticisms spare no one, including famous coaches, cowardly administrators, and inept university and law enforcement officials. Finally, some public officials showed the integrity and commitment to fight for justice, and their stories are also told. Each reader will come to his/her own conclusions, but I think that the fanatical obsession with winning was the major force which created a toxic situation for girls who were supposed to be protected. Later as young women, they confronted Nassar at his sentencing in a powerful conclusion to this story. I highly recommend this book which can offer lessons and inspiration for all of us.
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7 reviews