My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
Rollergirl: Totally True Tales from the Track
The 1950s phenomenon of Roller Derby is back in full force, and it's definitely not your grandma's game anymore. With leagues in more than one hundred cities across the country, a national tournament, and major sponsors, the new wave of the sport has gone mainstream. No one is better qualified to tell the story of Flat Track Derby's astronomic rise than Melissa "...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
February 6th 2007
by Touchstone
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
327)
Very cool book - the new beginning and the ongoing story of Roller Girls. Found out I actually know a woman who does this, so HAD to read the book! Its great!
My reading of this significantly improved after my initial impression at the Page 8 mark. I thought it was going to be one of those GRRRLS RAWK kinds of books throughout, and while there was the occasional overbearing attempts at that form of feminism, it turned out to be not quite as distracting as I expected.
The author, Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan, uses the book not just to tell the stories of bouts (though she does that too) - she showcases some of the more popular and ...more
The author, Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan, uses the book not just to tell the stories of bouts (though she does that too) - she showcases some of the more popular and ...more
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 her corporate job and moved to Austin, Texas with her boyfriend to start over. They were at a coffee shop in South Austin where people staple posters...more
Joulwan discusses how she found roller derby. She had quit her corporate job and moved to Austin, Texas with her boyfriend to start over. They were at a coffee shop in South Austin where people staple posters...more
Hardly a perfect book, but a fun read for an aspiring Roller Girl.
This book follows the history of the Austin roller girls leagues as they catfight their way into the current teams. The book includes several (overly long) bout recaps, and introductions to several of Mel's favorite roller girls. It culminates with the 2006 championships - rather unsuprisingly won by Mel's team, the first league to start.
There were a few highlights throughout the book: descriptions of the ...more
This book follows the history of the Austin roller girls leagues as they catfight their way into the current teams. The book includes several (overly long) bout recaps, and introductions to several of Mel's favorite roller girls. It culminates with the 2006 championships - rather unsuprisingly won by Mel's team, the first league to start.
There were a few highlights throughout the book: descriptions of the ...more
Roller derby is back, but very different from the banked track derby that many people remember from the 70's. The reimagination of derby as a flat track, skater-run sport started with a single league in Texas in 2003. Today, there are leagues of smart, strong women all over the country ready and willing to step into their skates and knock a bitch down.
A fascinating history of flat track roller derby, starting with the founding of the Texas Rollergirls in 2003, and continuing thro...more
A fascinating history of flat track roller derby, starting with the founding of the Texas Rollergirls in 2003, and continuing thro...more
A fun and easy read, it tells the tale of the Texas Rollergirls inception, growth and trials. As a derby widower and volunteer it was, at times, all too reminiscent of the growing pains the Detroit league experienced, and I imagine every league must go through. I remember setting it down several times and saying aloud "wow, that's exactly what happened to us!" Overall, it was a quick and entertaining tale punctuated by some lists (I was thrilled to see one of the names I thought up ...more
Roller Derby, as seen and described by Melicious! Wow did I get into this book. Each bout was so exciting (and well written), I felt I was there and even caught myself biting my nails! It was interesting to learn about the sport itself (its history, its decline in popularity, its rebirth in American culture, etc…). But this book was about so much more. It was about women who found a passion and followed it. Just like any passion, they found roadblocks in their way, but together they pushed them ...more
When Melissa Joulwan saw her first roller derby bout way back in 2001, she was immediately hooked. Having just moved to Austin and looking for ways to reinvent herself, the chance to become Melicious, a roller derby powerhouse, seemed like the answer to her prayers. Little did she know what she — and the rest of the world — was in for.
As a sport that had come in and out of fashion since the Great Depression, roller derby was all but dead when a gang of girls from Austin, Texas got ah...more
As a sport that had come in and out of fashion since the Great Depression, roller derby was all but dead when a gang of girls from Austin, Texas got ah...more
This is a silly, quick read but a lot of fun. Better yet, my friend's names are mentioned in the list of the author's favorite rollergirl monikers. If you love derby, you'll enjoy it but if not, it's probably not worth your time.
Bethany
rated it
Recommends it for:
anyone
Recommended to Bethany by:
Dee Stortion, #1 Louder, NH Roller Derby
Shelves:
non-fiction,
favorites
Want to know about the Roller Derby revolution of today? Want to know how the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) was formed? Want to just read an awesome true story?
Pick up the Rollergirl now!!!
Mellissa 'Melicious' Joulwan (#11), one of the God Mother’s of Flat Track Roller Derby, does a wonderful job of telling how it all began in Austin Texas. Her tales, both horrific and heartwarming, take you through her and other skater's experiences at the beginning right up to ...more
Pick up the Rollergirl now!!!
Mellissa 'Melicious' Joulwan (#11), one of the God Mother’s of Flat Track Roller Derby, does a wonderful job of telling how it all began in Austin Texas. Her tales, both horrific and heartwarming, take you through her and other skater's experiences at the beginning right up to ...more
This book is what reminded me how much I loved skating when I was little. It also made me try out for roller derby. Woooo Whhoooo!
Awesome first hand account of the early days of the roller derby resurgence in Austin, TX.
Not bad if you are interested in the sport, but a bit out of date in light of WFTDA's dominance.
Melicious describes the beginning of the current Flat Track Roller Derby craze in Austin, Texas, and how she herself became a rollergirl. The great Austin roller derby schism resulted in there being two leagues: the Texas Roller Girls and the Texas Roller Derby Lonestar Roller Girls (which soon became a banked track league). Goes into the politics and cat-fighting, the development of the athletic side of the sport, the popularity and amazing growth of it across the nation over the course of a fe...more
I was lucky enough to buy my copy straight from Ms. Joulwan herself. While many people already think they know what roller derby is like, and what rollergirls are like, this book will help open alot of eyes. While many traits are shared among many rollergirls, there are also young, old, doctors, mothers, bankers, lawyers, teachers, rock stars, and Jesus freaks. No one label can be put on any one group, and these book help to expell alot of myths. It is also an entertaining read about the creatio...more
A fun account of the reemergence of roller derby in Texas
This book was great. It was really interesting to hear about the beginnings of derby and hear the personal stories. I could feel the thrill and excitement. There were a few dry parts in the middle, and it kind of ended abruptly, but I really loved this book a lot.
This book has a great point of view from one of the girls who helped begin flat track derby along with a nice history lesson about derby before flat track.
It is a fun read with lots of action and excitement, as well as adorably awesome bios of some of the rollergirls from different teams.
Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan is en extremely talented writer and I would love to hear about more Tales from the Track through her point of view.
It is a fun read with lots of action and excitement, as well as adorably awesome bios of some of the rollergirls from different teams.
Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan is en extremely talented writer and I would love to hear about more Tales from the Track through her point of view.
Good overview of the history of the modern derby revival from someone who was there as it happened. A bit over the top in sections as far as dramatic bout recaps, and constantly being reminded that these girls are "like, so bad ass" but overall a pretty good intro to the sport as it is played today. I just started skating for the Ohio Roller Girls and I would recommend this to anyone interested in knowing the sport a bit more.
Enjoyable, but not necessary.
some of this book is really cool- her experiences getting started in derby, the inside dirt on all the politics of the texas league, etc. some fun blurbs, 'what's your roller girl personality' kind of stuff. some of it might get boring for non-hardcore derby fans. some lengthy play-by-play bout descriptions. still not done with it though, she's starting to lose my interest toward the end.
meh. i gave up. not finishing this one.
meh. i gave up. not finishing this one.
Rollergirl is a scintillating look at the fast and furious new breed of DIY flat track roller derby. Rollergirls the world over will recognize in Melicious's tale their own joyful firsts and harsh growing pains, while fans get a first-rate inside peek at the wild world of roller derby from the other side of the blue line. A must read for anyone who ever dreamed of strapping on skates over fishnets--or already has.
Great book if you like Roller Derby. It's basically a collection of stories from the point of view of one of the founding members of the WFTDA and Texas RollerGirls. I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has never been to a bout, but would highly recommend to anyone who has been to a bout, really enjoyed it, and/or ever considered becoming a rollergirl (even for a second).
I've been on a roller derby kick for a while, and this book was pretty satisfying. It was interesting to hear about the origins of the sport and the split between the first two roller derby leagues. The prose isn't anything to write home about, but Melicious does a good job keeping my interest and writing with a passion for the sport.
FANTASTIC book covering the origins and evolution (and fun) of the re-establishment of roller derby by one of it's founding members. Funny, tough, inspiring for any woman, rollergirl or not.
A MUST read for derby fans - and for any woman who wants to go out and do exactly what she wants to do in her life.
A MUST read for derby fans - and for any woman who wants to go out and do exactly what she wants to do in her life.
Kendra
rated it
Recommends it for:
rollergirls, roller derby fans, tough fun loving chicks
Recommended to Kendra by:
Miss Melicious herself!
This book is a close as you can get withour strapping on the skates. Melicious has done a great job giving her readers an inside look at the drama only rollergirls can do so well. As a fellow rollergirl I appreciate her passion and she even had me close to tears of joy in some parts.
Tales from the Texas Rollergirls. One and a half chapters in, I'm already wondering: where do I sign up? Now I just need to learn how to skate (details) and get a name. Faves from the book: Ivanna S. Pankin, Miss Conduct, and La Coneja of the Putas del Fuego.
Interesting read, especially the part about the two leagues in Austin. I saw the movie Hell on Wheels (which is an awesome doc) and the author took part in the beginning of the revival of roller derby.
Well written history of the newest wave of roller derby - women's flat track roller derby. As someone who plays roller derby, I recommend it as a very accurate depiction of the modern roller girl.
Mari hernandez
rated it
Recommends it for:
all Rollergirls, roller derby enthusiasts, my grandma, an everyone else in the world!
Melissa has put a face on roller derby for the masses. This witty read makes a rollergirl feel like she is part of a true revolution and connects leagues and women across the world.
sniffle...sniffle....
sniffle...sniffle....
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
