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Get Up & Fight: The Memoir of Rena "Rusty" Kanokogi, The Mother of Women's Judo
In 1959 Rusty’s well-earned first place medal was ripped away from her because she was a woman. She fought in a judo championship against a man and won, but when the judges discovered her gender, they stripped her of her title. Women were not allowed. From that point on, Rusty had a new to ensure that no woman would ever suffer such an indignity ever again! This vow sparked a fifty-year career fighting for equality—a tireless battle she would take all the way to the Olympics.
In her uniquely raw, unfiltered, humorous voice, Rusty recounts the tales of her remarkable life and journey from the rough streets of Coney Island, Brooklyn, to the offices of the political, powerful and persuasive, where she established herself as a major force in the world of women’s rights and the sport of judo, securing women’s inclusion on the international stage. Rusty’s memoir is a love story filled with passion and righteousness—for her sport, her family, and her way of life as a judoka.
Often called a pioneer, Rusty was an unsung hero in the fight to give women voice and agency, in life and in sports. She did not see human limitations, only possibilities. The establishment told her “no,” but “no” was not a part of her vocabulary. Instead, Rusty fought like hell, and won.
In her own words, Rusty decided to “be the hammer,” not the nail.
In her uniquely raw, unfiltered, humorous voice, Rusty recounts the tales of her remarkable life and journey from the rough streets of Coney Island, Brooklyn, to the offices of the political, powerful and persuasive, where she established herself as a major force in the world of women’s rights and the sport of judo, securing women’s inclusion on the international stage. Rusty’s memoir is a love story filled with passion and righteousness—for her sport, her family, and her way of life as a judoka.
Often called a pioneer, Rusty was an unsung hero in the fight to give women voice and agency, in life and in sports. She did not see human limitations, only possibilities. The establishment told her “no,” but “no” was not a part of her vocabulary. Instead, Rusty fought like hell, and won.
In her own words, Rusty decided to “be the hammer,” not the nail.
- GenresNonfiction
473 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 26, 2021
A very biased five-stars!
May 13, 2021
I won a Kindle copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.
I know very little about judo and even less about women's judo regarding its history, tradition, and path to becoming an Olympic sport. But, finding out more about its journey - especially through the eyes of the woman who is "the mother of women's judo" - seemed like an excellent way to discover its history.
The author (and her daughter) wanted the author's voice to be authentic. It is. You can hear (and feel) Ms Kanokogi's voice - through frustrations, good times, frantic times, sad times, and all other times - in this book. I'm sure living with her was, at times, like living in a whirlwind- determination seems like this woman's middle name! Reading about her interest in judo, then realizing that she, as a woman, couldn't participate, and her battle to "right the wrong" was very interesting.
I'm sure the author's daughter had a difficult time editing her mother's words, while trying to keep the flow of this book consistent and interesting. At times there were a bit too many "people I'd like to thank" sections, though they were important people to the author. At other times, the story started at one point in time, then jumped to the past, then back to present - these could be a bit jarring (especially in the beginning when characters were mentioned but without explanation of who they were). I would have enjoyed hearing more about her husband's story - although the focus of this book was on the author's work to get women's judo recognized.
I liked that there were photographs (family, letters, telegrams) in this book - they all contributed to the overall voice of the book. However, there were some Kindle formatting errors (words strung together without spaces, some indentation errors, and missing punctuation).
Overall, an interesting book about the life of a woman involved in judo. If you want a book about judo, this isn't the book for you. If you want a book about the general history of judo, you should probably give this book a pass. However, if you want a book about fighting for women's rights, participating in a sport typically considered a "man's sport" and thriving in that sport - or you want to read about a spunky Brooklyn woman who wouldn't let go of an idea and persevered until it became a reality - then do read this book.
I know very little about judo and even less about women's judo regarding its history, tradition, and path to becoming an Olympic sport. But, finding out more about its journey - especially through the eyes of the woman who is "the mother of women's judo" - seemed like an excellent way to discover its history.
The author (and her daughter) wanted the author's voice to be authentic. It is. You can hear (and feel) Ms Kanokogi's voice - through frustrations, good times, frantic times, sad times, and all other times - in this book. I'm sure living with her was, at times, like living in a whirlwind- determination seems like this woman's middle name! Reading about her interest in judo, then realizing that she, as a woman, couldn't participate, and her battle to "right the wrong" was very interesting.
I'm sure the author's daughter had a difficult time editing her mother's words, while trying to keep the flow of this book consistent and interesting. At times there were a bit too many "people I'd like to thank" sections, though they were important people to the author. At other times, the story started at one point in time, then jumped to the past, then back to present - these could be a bit jarring (especially in the beginning when characters were mentioned but without explanation of who they were). I would have enjoyed hearing more about her husband's story - although the focus of this book was on the author's work to get women's judo recognized.
I liked that there were photographs (family, letters, telegrams) in this book - they all contributed to the overall voice of the book. However, there were some Kindle formatting errors (words strung together without spaces, some indentation errors, and missing punctuation).
Overall, an interesting book about the life of a woman involved in judo. If you want a book about judo, this isn't the book for you. If you want a book about the general history of judo, you should probably give this book a pass. However, if you want a book about fighting for women's rights, participating in a sport typically considered a "man's sport" and thriving in that sport - or you want to read about a spunky Brooklyn woman who wouldn't let go of an idea and persevered until it became a reality - then do read this book.
August 17, 2021
A brutally honest biography
This book made me laugh, yell, and search the internet for all the names listed. Rusty told her story in earnest, not leaving out the ugly and bizarre. Her journey from the daughter of Jewish immigrants to helping bring women's judo to the Olympics was filled with twist and turns. Fantastic
This book made me laugh, yell, and search the internet for all the names listed. Rusty told her story in earnest, not leaving out the ugly and bizarre. Her journey from the daughter of Jewish immigrants to helping bring women's judo to the Olympics was filled with twist and turns. Fantastic
September 14, 2021
Fascinating story of a woman who wouldn't give up. All she wanted was for women to be eligible for judo tournaments. She could only compete by pretending to be a man. What a life she had! Highly recommend.
March 7, 2021
One of the best biographies out there, about one of the key people in modern judo. Highly recommended.
May 15, 2021
Great read
April 29, 2023
Thank you to Goodreads for the free giveaway copy.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews