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Take the Lead
- Hanging On, Letting Go, and Conquering Life's Hardest Climbs
- Narrated by: Sasha DiGiulian
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
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Publisher's Summary
This program is read by the author.
World champion climber Sasha DiGiulian tells her story—from coming of age under the scrutiny of social media, navigating a male-dominated sport, and tackling her most heart-stopping climbs—and shares the power of perseverance and positivity.
At age six, Sasha DiGiulian stepped into a climbing gym for the first time and was competing within a year. Decked out in all-pink gear and with her blonde hair tied into pigtails, Sasha knew from an early age what it was like to be a girl in a traditionally male-dominated sport, vowing to never sacrifice her femininity to fit in. With a fierce love for the climb and incredible natural talent, Sasha soon won her first National Sport Climbing Championship at only seventeen, and a year later took the title of World Champion.
To her fans, it looked like Sasha was on top of the world. But under the accolades, she was just another young woman learning how to handle the intense scrutiny of social media and dealing with body dysmorphia, all while quietly facing a potentially career-ending injury. In a relatable and inspiring voice, Take the Lead reflects on the highs and lows of Sasha’s illustrious life and career for the first time, bringing listeners on her remarkable journey from novice climber to Columbia University graduate, adventurer, environmentalist, and entrepreneur, and one of the most recognizable faces in climbing.
For listeners of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Megan Rapinoe’s One Life, Take the Lead ultimately emphasizes the power of perseverance, fearlessness and positivity in tackling some of the most daunting and fearsome climbs—on and off the wall.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.
Critic Reviews
"Take the Lead allows us to enter the fearless mind-set of Sasha, from her childhood to first place on the podium at the most prestigious international climbing competitions, and ultimately her lifestyle traveling the world to climb some of the most challenging rock formations ever achieved. Sasha demonstrates the strength of her vision, as well as the discipline to do whatever necessary to realize her goals and raise the bar for women."—Lynn Hill, climber and author of Climbing Free
"In Take the Lead, Sasha shares her views seeped in optimism and dedication, her two ingredients to her success as a professional climber. Regardless of where you are, or the type of sport you practice, there is wisdom in Sasha's experience that can help you be the person you want to be."—Conrad Anker, mountaineer and author
"This well-written memoir combines professional rock climber DiGiulian's life story with fascinating information about an increasingly popular sport . . . Readers will cheer."—Booklist (starred review)
What listeners say about Take the Lead
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Omri Bahat-Treidel
- 07-10-2023
Great book that is not just about climbing
Fantastic autobiography. Sasha made it about so much more than just climbing, exposing her inner world and difficulties that almost every person can relate too
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- Anonymous User
- 06-04-2024
slow moving
Definitely liked how Sasha read it herself.
You can hear the passion in her voice when she talks about certain subjects she has a love for.
my only dislikes were, it was a slow listen.
I wasnt drawn to continue listening everytime I stopped. i would have loved to hear more about her climbing/training and maybe even some future plans.
However it was a good overall listen, with some sad stories and good outcomes.
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