Rise - by Lindsey Vonn (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The first ever memoir from the most decorated female skier of all time, revealing never-before-told stories of her life in the fast lane, her struggle with depression, and the bold decisions that helped her break down barriers on and off the slopes.

82 World Cup wins. 20 World Cup titles. 3 Olympic medals. 7 World Championship Medals.

A fixture in the American sports landscape for almost twenty years, Lindsey Vonn is a legend. With a career that spanned a transformation in how America recognizes and celebrates female athletes, Vonn--who retired in 2019 as the most decorated American skier of all time--was in the vanguard of that change, helping blaze a trail for other world-class female athletes and reimagining what it meant to pursue speed at all costs.

In Rise, Vonn shares her incredible journey for the first time, going behind the scenes of a badass life built around resilience and risk-taking. One of the most aggressive skiers ever, Vonn offers a fascinating glimpse into the relentless pursuit of her limits, a pursuit so focused on one-upping herself that she pushed her body past its breaking point as she achieved greatness. While this iconic grit and perseverance helped her battle a catalog of injuries, these injuries came with a cost--physical, of course, but also mental. Vonn opens up about her decades-long depression and struggles with self-confidence, discussing candidly how her mental health challenges influenced her career without defining her.

Through it all, she dissects the moments that sidelined her and how, each time, she clawed her way back using an iconoclastic approach rooted in hard work--pushing boundaries, challenging expectations, and speaking her mind, even when it got her into trouble. Featuring sixteen pages of photos, Rise is an inspirational look at her hard-fought success as well as an honest appraisal of the sacrifices she made along the way--an emotional journey of winning that understands all too well that every victory comes with a price.

Review Quotes

"Vonn's memoir is admirable not only for the way it portrays her ruthless will to succeed, but also for how it eschews 'juicy gossip' about a much-publicized past. Fans of women's sports and especially skiing will no doubt find the book satisfying.... A grittily candid memoir." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Vonn sets aside the medals and shows readers her human side." -- Popsugar

"I know the feeling of cold, early mornings and freezing, late-night practices. Lindsey's story from skiing tiny Minnesota hills to towering Colorado mountains strikes a chord in anyone who's been told they don't fit the mold. Rise demonstrates the importance of setting yourself apart to change the game--how the game is played, how to improve the game, and how to use your platform for those coming after you." -- Wayne Gretzky

"Lindsey Vonn's story is an unfiltered, honest look at the mountains that need conquering for a female athlete to forge her own path, no matter how good she is. Powerful and evocative, Rise showcases Lindsey's achievements on the hill and her emotional work off of it." -- Billie Jean King

"Lindsey Vonn is a true American icon in the world of sports and will be remembered as one of, if not the greatest, of all time. But more important than her historic accomplishments, the Lindsey I've become close with is a good, solid human being with a heart that knows no boundaries. And that's her greatest accomplishment of all." -- Dwayne Johnson

"Lindsey's twenty-year career in professional skiing is a testament to what it takes to relentlessly pursue greatness. She rose to the top of her sport and had incredible longevity in the face of countless setbacks, not only persevering but also succeeding at the highest level. This memoir is an honest and inspirational story of the sacrifice, hard work, and adversity she faced, and embodies what it means to be a true champion." -- Tom Brady

"Lindsey has overcome many injuries and setbacks in her career and always fought her way back. Despite what she went through, she was able to stay at the top of her sport for over a decade. Her story is inspirational, not just for athletes like myself, but to anyone facing an obstacle in life." -- Roger Federer

"Lindsey Vonn is the embodiment of what it means to be More Than an Athlete. She is someone who not only spent more than twenty years dominating and elevating her sport, but also empowering and uplifting women's sports and everyone around her while doing it. In the process, she's transcended sports to become one of the greatest athletes of her time and also one of the best in business. She's been incredibly smart and creative in her dealmaking and partner choices, which has helped forge a path that all athletes can follow." -- Maverick Carter

"This memoir deserves a gold medal. Honest and inspiring, the story of a little girl who grows up to discover that bravery in life is harder than hurling yourself down an icy mountain slope at eighty miles per hour, that friendship is more precious than fame, and that one-upping your past self and learning every single day is the ultimate competition. I literally couldn't read anything else until I finished it." -- Angela Duckworth, author of Grit

"To be a downhill champion you must love the adrenaline, the speed, and all of the danger that comes with it. Lindsey's full-throttle approach led her to immense success but also incredible defeats. She overcame it all while staying true to herself and changing the sport in the process. Her grit and determination helped her to become one of the greatest skiers of all time, but she's only just getting started." -- Jean-Claude Killy