Life in Motion

Last updated
Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina
Life in Motion, An Unlikely Ballerina.jpeg
Cover of Life In Motion
Author Misty Copeland, Charisse Jones
Language English
Genre Memoir, Autobiography
PublisherTouchstone
Publication date
March 4th 2014
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover, paperback)
ISBN 978-1-47-673798-0

Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina is an autobiography by Misty Copeland, written with Charisse Jones, published March 4, 2014 by Aladdin. [1] In the book, Copeland discusses her history toward becoming the only African-American soloist with the American Ballet Theatre following a life in which she and her family lived in poverty. [1]

Contents

A young readers edition was published December 6, 2016. [2]

The book was a New York Times bestseller.

Reception

First edition

In a starred review on behalf of Booklist , Amber Peckham noted that Copeland's "professional success is impressive, but it’s not what makes her memoir such an unexpected page-turner". Peckham explained, "What keeps us reading is Copeland’s intelligent, fair, and warm voice. She speaks with candor about having to lose her luscious curves and cover herself with white makeup to look more acceptable on stage, but she never places blame on those who asked her to do so. Her story is an inspiration to anyone—man or woman, black or white—who has ever chased a dream against the odds, and the grace with which she triumphs is an example for us all." [3]

Publishers Weekly described the writing as "graceful", noting that "Copeland demonstrates a remarkable ability to focus on the positive. Although she expresses a responsibility to break through color barriers for aspiring black dancers, her achievements will encourage all those attempting to beat the odds in competitive fields". [4]

Kirkus Reviews described the book as "interesting but self-congratulatory", noting that "Copeland’s depiction of the drive that pushed her to succeed in a white-dominated art form is inspiring, but she often overplays her narrative hand to the point where self-assurance comes across as smugness or arrogance." [5]

The Washington Post' also reviewed Life in Motion. [6]

Young readers edition

Kirkus Reviews noted that "Copeland writes in a conversational tone" and that the book would be good for "any reader in need of inspiration". [7]

Booklist also reviewed the young readers edition. [8]

Awards and honors

Life in Motion was a New York Times bestseller. [9] In 2014, Booklist included Life in Motion on their list of the year's "Top 10 Arts Books". [10] The following year, they included it on their list of 2015's "Top 10 Multicultural Nonfiction" books. [11] In 2017, the Young Adult Library Services Association named Life in Motion a top ten selection for their list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. V. Padma</span> American writer

Padma Tiruponithura Venkatraman, also known as T. V. Padma, is an Indian-American author and scientist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Misty Copeland</span> American ballet dancer (born 1982)

Misty Danielle Copeland is an American ballet dancer for American Ballet Theatre (ABT), one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. On June 30, 2015, Copeland became the first African American woman to be promoted to a principal dancer in ABT's 75-year history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirstin Cronn-Mills</span> American author of childrens books

Kirstin Cronn-Mills is an American author of children's books including the Minnesota Book Award finalist The Sky Always Hears Me And the Hills Don't Mind (2009) and Beautiful Music for Ugly Children (2012) which was a Stonewall Book Award winner and a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Her third novel, Original Fake (2016), was a Minnesota Book Award finalist in 2017, along with her third nonfiction volume for high school libraries, LGBTQ+ Athletes Claim the Field. Her fourth novel, Wreck, will be published in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Partridge</span> American writer

Elizabeth Partridge is an American writer, the author of more than a dozen books from young-adult nonfiction to picture books to photography books. Her books include Marching for Freedom, as well the biographies John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth, This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie, and Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea Lange. Her latest book is the middle grade novel, Dogtag Summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwame Alexander</span> American writer of poetry and childrens fiction (born 1968)

Kwame Alexander is an American writer of poetry and children's fiction.

Martha Brockenbrough is an American author of fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. Her first book, It Could Happen To You: Diary Of A Pregnancy and Beyond, was published by Andrews McMeel Publishing in 2002. She is the founder of The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and of National Grammar Day.

<i>El Deafo</i> 2014 graphic novel by Cece Bell

El Deafo is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Cece Bell. The book is a loose autobiographical account of Bell's childhood and life with her deafness. The characters in the book are all anthropomorphic bunnies. Cece Bell, in an interview with the Horn Book Magazine, states "What are bunnies known for? Big ears; excellent hearing," rendering her choice of characters and their deafness ironic.

Kristy Dempsey is a children's book author currently living in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. She won the 2015 Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Text on her book A Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina's Dream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raven Wilkinson</span> American ballet dancer (1935–2018)

Anne Raven Wilkinson was an American dancer who is credited with having been the first African-American woman to dance for a major classical ballet company. Wilkinson broke the color barrier in 1955 when she signed a contract to dance full-time with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She was promoted to soloist during her second season with the troupe, and remained with the company for six years. Wilkinson later became a mentor to American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland.

Ali Benjamin is an American author living in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

<i>Sweethearts of Rhythm</i> (picture book) Book by Marilyn Nelson

Sweethearts of Rhythm is a 2009 book by Marilyn Nelson and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, published by Dial Books for Young Readers. It is about various musical instruments in a pawnshop poetically reminiscing about the jazz band, International Sweethearts of Rhythm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meredith Russo</span> 21st-century American author

Meredith Russo is an American young adult author from Chattanooga, Tennessee.

<i>Audrey, Wait!</i> 2008 young adult romance novel by Robin Benway

Audrey, Wait! is a young adult romance novel by Robin Benway, published April 10, 2008 by Razorbill.

Brandy Colbert is an American author of young adult fiction and nonfiction.

<i>Out of Wonder</i> 2017 poetry collection by Kwame Alexander

Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets is a 2017 collection of poems for children's by Kwame Alexander with co-authors Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth and illustrated by Ekua Holmes. The book won the 2018 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Each of the 20 poems is written in tribute to and in the style of a well known poet.

<i>We Are Water Protectors</i> 2020 picture book

We Are Water Protectors is a 2020 picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. Written in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, the book tells the story of an Ojibwe girl who fights against an oil pipeline in an effort to protect the water supply of her people. It was published by Roaring Brook Press on March 17, 2020. The book was well received. Critics praised its message of environmental justice, its depiction of diversity, and the watercolor illustrations, for which Goade won the 2021 Caldecott Medal, becoming the first Indigenous recipient of the award. The book also received the 2021 Jane Addams Children's Book Award winner in the Books for Younger Children category.

<i>Beyond Magenta</i> 2014 book by Susan Kuklin

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out is a 2014 book written by American author Susan Kuklin. For the book, Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults, describing their sense of identity before, during, and after transitioning.

Mary Beth Leatherdale is a Canadian author and storyteller.

<i>Black Birds in the Sky</i> 2021 non-fiction book by Brandy Colbert

Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre is a 2021 non-fiction book by Brandy Colbert aimed at middle-grade and young adult readers that explores the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, as well as the historical context leading up to the event.

<i>Firebird</i> (Copeland novel) Picture Book

Firebird is a children's picture book written by Misty Copeland and illustrated by Christopher Myers. It was first published on September 4, 2014. This debut book by Copeland aims to inspire young dancers, especially those from underrepresented communities in ballet.

References

  1. 1 2 Copeland, Misty (2014). Life in motion : an unlikely ballerina. Charisse Jones. New York. ISBN   978-1-4767-3798-0. OCLC   852226309.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ↑ Copeland, Misty; Colbert, Brandy (2016). Life in motion : an unlikely ballerina (Young Readers ed.). New York. ISBN   978-1-4814-7980-6. OCLC   956984835.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ↑ Peckham, Amber (February 1, 2014). "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina". Booklist . Archived from the original on 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  4. ↑ "Nonfiction Book Review: Life in Motion: My Story of Adversity and Grace by Misty Copeland. Touchstone, $24.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-4767-3798-0". Publishers Weekly. 2014-03-31. Archived from the original on 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  5. ↑ "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina". Kirkus Reviews . January 16, 2014. Archived from the original on 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  6. ↑ Halzack, Sarah (2014-03-14). "'Life in Motion': Not as easy as she makes it look". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on 2014-03-28. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  7. ↑ "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina". Kirkus Reviews . October 11, 2016. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina: Young Readers Edition". Booklist. November 1, 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  9. ↑ Morales, Macey (2017-12-05). "Acclaimed author, ballerina Misty Copeland to serve as 2018 National Library Week honorary chair". American Library Association . Archived from the original on 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  10. ↑ Seaman, Donna (November 1, 2014). "Top 10 Arts Books: 2014". Booklist. Archived from the original on 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  11. ↑ Seaman, Donna (February 1, 2015). "Top 10 Multicultural Nonfiction: 2015". Booklist. Archived from the original on 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  12. ↑ "2017 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Top Ten". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2017-01-18. Archived from the original on 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.