3 Historical Fiction Recs... Olympics Edition

The Olympics have officially started, and every time they are on, I feel like a kid again.

I remember when I was little in the 1980s and 90s, I was completely in awe of the athletes on the screen… especially the ice skaters. There was something almost unreal about them. The grace. The power. The way an entire arena would hold its breath for a single jump or spin and then erupt in cheers when I happened.

They felt legendary then. And honestly? They still do.

What strikes me now… watching as someone… ahem… much older… is just how deeply inspiring it is to see people who are so committed to their craft.

Years of training.

Repetition.

Falling down.

Getting back up.

All in service of one singular pursuit.

If there’s a lesson the Olympics always remind me of, it’s this…

Stay focused on your ONE thing.

Not ten things.
Not everything at once.
The thing that matters most to you.

I asked my husband and son this question, and I want to ask you too:

If you were guaranteed the chance to compete at an Olympic level, which sport would you want to be great at?

My answer? The biathlon.
There’s something about the endurance, the precision, the calm required in the middle of intense physical exertion that fascinates me.

(fun fact - Women's biathlon officially debuted at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.)

My husband chose the luge… speed, trust, and fearlessness all wrapped into one icy run.

And my son? He said any form of skating… Not sure if he was just saying that to end the conversation or not. lol.

I’d love to know… what would your sport be?

To stay with the Olympic spirit, I wanted to share a few historical fiction novels that highlight women who excelled at their sport… often in eras when they were told they shouldn’t.

Fast Girls by Elise Hooper

In the 1928 Olympics, Chicago’s Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever women’s delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as America’s Golden Girl until a nearly-fatal airplane crash threatens to end everything.

Outside of Boston, Louise Stokes, one of the few black girls in her town, sees competing as an opportunity to overcome the limitations placed on her. Eager to prove that she has what it takes to be a champion, she risks everything to join the Olympic team.

From Missouri, Helen Stephens, awkward, tomboyish, and poor, is considered an outcast by her schoolmates, but she dreams of escaping the hardships of her farm life through athletic success. Her aspirations appear impossible until a chance encounter changes her life.

These three athletes will join with others to defy society’s expectations of what women can achieve. As tensions bring the United States and Europe closer and closer to the brink of World War II, Betty, Louise, and Helen must fight for the chance to compete as the fastest women in the world amidst the pomp and pageantry of the Nazi-sponsored 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder

An unforgettable novel about competition, ambition, and a woman's struggle to earn a place in a man's world, Girl Runner follows young runner Aganetha Smart, who defied everyone's expectations to win a gold medal for Canada in the 1928 Olympics. It was a revolutionary victory because these were the first Games in which women could compete in track events. Now, Aganetha is in a nursing home, and nobody realizes that the frail centenarian was once a bold pioneer.
When two strangers appear asking to interview Aganetha for a documentary about female athletes, she readily agrees. Despite her frailty, she yearns for adventure and escape, and though her achievement may have been forgotten by history, her memories of chasing gold in Amsterdam remain sharp. But that triumph is only one thread in the rich tapestry of her life, and as Aganetha's story takes shape, it becomes clear that the power of family ties—and secrets—does not diminish through the years, and that these filmmakers may not be who they claim to be . . .

Ace, Marvel, Spy by Jenni L. Walsh

Alice strives to have it all.

At seventeen, Alice Marble has no formal tennis skills and no coach. What she does have is an ability to hit the ball as hard as she can and a strong desire to prove herself. With steadfast determination and one sacrifice after another, Alice plays her heart out on the courts of the rich and famous, at national tournaments, and—the greatest of them all—at Wimbledon, rising to be one of the top-ranked players in the world.

But then her world falls apart.

With the outbreak of war with Germany, Alice’s tennis career and life come to a screeching halt, and for the first time, she is forced to confront who she is without tennis. As she seeks to understand her new place in the world and how she can aid in the war efforts, a telegram arrives with devastating news from overseas. Heartbroken and lost, she feels like she can only watch as the war wreaks havoc in every area of her life.

Until an unexpected invitation arrives.

Alice is given the chance to fight back when the US Army sends her a request: Under the guise of playing in tennis exhibition games in Switzerland, she would be a spy for them. Alice aches for nothing more than to avenge what the war has taken from her and to prove herself against this new opponent. But what awaits her might be her greatest challenge yet.

From her start as a promising athlete with worn-out shoes to her status as a glamorous international star, Alice Marble’s determination to control her own life and destiny fuels a story of achievement, discipline, loss, and love.

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Watching the Olympics reminds me that greatness doesn’t come from doing everything—it comes from devotion. From choosing something and returning to it again and again, even when no one is watching.

So as the games unfold, I’ll be cheering, reminiscing, and quietly asking myself: what’s my one thing right now?

And I hope you’ll ask yourself the same.

💛

Now tell me—if you had your Olympic moment, which sport would you choose?

Melissa
The Literary Assistant

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