Rena Glickman recognized professionally as Rusty Kanokogi was a Jewish girl from Coney Island who grew up to turn into a judo master at a time when the sport was strictly for males. Disguised as a man she entered and won the 1959 YMCA Judo Championship but was forced to give back her medal when it was found that she was a lady. By no means wanting that to come about to a different female she set out to make women’s judo a common sport about the globe. Her fight for equality resulted in the very first Women’s Judo Planet Championship and turning women’s judo into an Olympic sport.
Because Eve Nadel Catarevas is a single of my critique partners I was fortunate adequate to be an early reader of this project and so thrilled to see her challenging function spend off with her debut book. One particular fearless determined lady writing about a different fearless determined lady! Nowadays Eve and I go over the correct story RENA GLICKMAN QUEEN OF JUDO:
Was there a single thing—a particular scene quote or image from Rena’s Glickman’s life—that guided you all through the writing procedure?
It was a quote. Rusty (I’ve normally utilised Rena’s nickname) normally stated “In life you happen to be either the hammer or the nail. Be the hammer.” It does not get much more simple than that!
Although researching this book which reality shocked you?
Rusty was so committed to holding the very first Women’s Judo Planet Championships (at Madison Square Garden) that she mortgaged her personal house.
Why do you feel children can relate to Rusty?
Girls right now are taught to go immediately after what they want. That wasn’t a common precept in the 1950s but that is precisely what Rusty did. Obstacles did not deter her. Rusty forged ahead.
Which sources have been vital in generating this biography?
There have been no books on Rusty. I utilised every single magazine newspaper and on the net short article I could come across. Fortunately I located Rusty’s daughter. She was invaluable.
How did you pick the timeframe for your book?
Rusty’s childhood was so rife with drama (a lot of it did not make it into the book – also dark) I knew I had to start off there. The culmination of the story was women’s judo becoming at extended final an Olympic sport.
How did you figure out if data need to be incorporated in the story or the back matter?
Ooh that is a very good query Karlin. I can not inform you how normally I place in and take out data through the writing procedure. In a single draft it really is portion of back matter subsequent draft it really is portion of the text and ultimately it really is out altogether. But not actually simply because I will have a transform of heart and back it goes just written differently. Back matter is exactly where I place components that are relevant to the subject’s life story but do not serve the story. It really is exactly where I property statistics or inroads produced beyond my subject’s lifetime.
If you could choose the perfect spot for a storywalk for this book exactly where would it be?
The streets of Coney Island exactly where Rusty grew up the spot that helped her turn into an independent sturdy-willed lady who would cease at nothing at all to reach her dream – and to encourage other individuals to do the exact same.
What is your #1 tip for writing correct stories?
Ferret out as a great deal supply material as you can. Dig dig then dig some much more. You under no circumstances know when you happen to be going to come across that cease-you-in-your-tracks quote or anecdote—the a single that pulls the entire story collectively.
What other books would you advocate to readers who enjoy Rena Glickman Queen of Judo?
HER FEARLESS RUN: Kathrine Switzer’s Historic Run by Kim Chaffee & Ellen Rooney and BILLIE JEAN!: How Tennis Star Billie Jean King Changed Women’s Sports by Mara Rockliff & Elizabeth Baddeley.
Thank you Eve for getting the hammer (wink!) and for taking the time to chat about this kick-butt biography!
Accurate STORY TIDBITS:
Spirited and empowering this book (with its “Kapow!” cover) is on 4 shelves in my TrueStory Bookshop:
*Women’s History
*Athletes
*Activists
*Jewish Heritage Stories
Each day is a very good day for a correct story! But right here are some specific tie-in dates for RENA GLICKMAN QUEEN OF JUDO.
*February (very first Wednesday in February): National Girls and Girls in Sports Day raises awareness about the optimistic elements of sports and the continued will need to market gender equality in every single way.
*June 23 (1972): The day Title IX was signed into law. Title IX prohibits sex-primarily based discrimination in any college or any other education system that receives funding from the federal government.
*July 30 (1935): Rena Glickman’s birthday.
*August 21 (2009): YMCA provides Rusty back the medal she was stripped of 50 years earlier.
*September 25 (1988): Initially Olympic Women’s Judo competitors (This was a demonstration tournament with no medals. Right after that Women’s Judo became a complete medal Olympic sport.)
*October 28: Planet Judo Day celebrates the martial art and the birthday of its founder Kanō Jigorō.
Eve Nadel Catarevas is also the author of Excellent HAIR: The Beauty of Annie Malone illustrated by Felicia Marshall and published by Creston Books.