Haley Shapley
Writer + Editor
Strong Like Her
Available April 2020
Order now wherever books are sold
An adult version of the hugely successful book Strong Is the New Pretty, this is an inspiring tribute to female athletes—those who have paved the way throughout history and those who continue to push the boundaries of what it means to be strong.
From being kept out of the sporting world by most ancient Greeks to being told by The New York Times that the 800-meter race was “too great a call on feminine strength,” women have long had to fight against the perception that to be strong is not feminine.
Yet today, as women reclaim space in business and politics, we are also seeing an explosion in the number of women participating in strength sports like powerlifting, CrossFit, and even American Ninja Warrior. Those who got us here and defied convention to bring equality to the world of physical strength finally get their due in Strong Like Her—from the first female Olympian (who entered the chariot race through a loophole) to the “Queen of Muscle Beach” Pudgy Stockton, who dazzled crowds by holding her husband over her head.
Accompanied by stunning celebrity photographs of some of today’s most exciting athletes, Strong Like Her is a group biography and cultural history, paying tribute to women pioneers in athletics and celebrating the beauty of female strength and power.
STRONG LIKE HER in the News
The Inclusive History Podcast,
October 20, 2021
Beach Babes and Women in the Water
The Inclusive History Podcast,
October 7, 2021
Female Athletes During the Victorian Era
The Inclusive History Podcast,
September 20, 2021
Shelor Select, September 10, 2021
Geneseo Scene, July 2021
University of Dayton Magazine,
May 21, 2021
The History of Women in Sports
The Krissy Krash Podcast, January 20, 2021
Haley Shapley Discusses 'Strong Like Her' on WOWSA Live
World Open Water Swimming Association, January 16, 2021
Books Sandwiched In: Haley Shapley Discusses Her Book 'Strong Like Her'
New Haven Free Public Library,
January 12, 2021
Nominee for WOWSA Award
2020 Offering of the Year
World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA), January 3, 2021
11 Sports Books from 2020
to Consider
Cleveland.com, December 8, 2020
History's Strongest Women
BarBend Podcast, December 7, 2020
"Strong Like Her" Celebrates the Game-Changing Women in Sports
BarBend, December 1, 2020
Kansas Alumni, Issue 4, 2020
Gift Guide: Supporting Local Women-Owned Businesses
Seattle Refined, November 30, 2020
Interview with Nicole Mangina
The 425 Show, November 24, 2020
What It Means to Be a "Strong" Woman
Espresso with Erin & Sarit,
November 19, 2020
Author Haley Shapley and Strong Like Her
HERstory on the Rocks podcast,
November 16, 2020
Those Who Came Before: Pioneers in Women's Strength Sports
Morning Chalk Up, November 8, 2020
This New Book Presents the Powerful Account of Female Strength Throughout History
Boxrox, November 5, 2020
SheThePeople Women Writers Fest, September 26, 2020
425 and South Sound Magazine Women to Watch 2020 Recap
South Sound Magazine, September 25, 2020
Columbia Falls Businesswoman Empowered by Bodybuilding
Hungry Horse News, September 16, 2020
The Pennsylvania Gazette, September/October 2020
We've Got the Power
Shape, September 2020
Kitsap Native Haley Shapley Features Strong Women in "Strong Like Her"
Bainbridge Island Review, August 29, 2020
Waynesboro Alum, Fitness Star Holly Rilinger Dishes on Love, Travel and Personal Trauma
Staunton News Leader, August 27, 2020
This Seattle Writer Is One of 2020's Women to Watch
KING 5's Evening, August 11, 2020
A Deadly Disaster, a Daring Australian — and Modern Women's Swimwear
Only a Game (NPR/WBUR),
August 1, 2020
Women to Watch 2020
425 Magazine, August 2020
Book on Feminine Strength Redefines What It Means to Be Strong
JenniferMargulis.net, June 24, 2020
Jamie's Bookshelf: A Rundown of Recently Published Sports Books for Your Summer Reading List
Northern Kentucky Tribune, June 12, 2020
Sport in American History, May 30, 2020
5 New Books to Read in Lockdown This Week
Irish Examiner, May 13, 2020
Sophisticated Living, May/June 2020
Interview with Jessica Luther
Burn It All Down, April 28, 2020
(interview starts at 32-minute mark)
Interview with Zerlina Maxwell and
Jess McIntosh
Signal Boost, April 24, 2020
(interview starts at 49-minute mark)
The Ninjababes Podcast, April 24, 2020
If We Think Women Are Physically Weak, Haley Shapley Breaks the 'Rules'
SheThePeople, April 22, 2020
Author Spotlight: Haley Shapley
Writer's Digest, April 21, 2020
5x5: Debut Authors Whose Novels Were Disrupted by COVID-19
Bookstr, April 21, 2020
New Orleans Review, April 16, 2020
The Mistress of the House of Books,
April 14, 2020
"Strong Like Her" Celebrates Barrier-Breaking Women Athletes
Ms., April 11, 2020
Seattleite, April 11, 2020
The Pathway Podcast, April 10, 2020
Interview with Adriana Trigiani
A Mighty Blaze, April 9, 2020
Interview with Mike Matthews: Legendary Female Athletes
Muscle for Life podcast, April 8, 2020
This New Book Celebrates the Strength of Female Athletes, Including Dancers
Dance Magazine, April 7, 2020
Telling the Stories of Women of Strength
The Kitsap Sun, April 7, 2020
Seattle magazine, April 2020
Here’s a List of 20 New Books You Must Read While Self-Isolating
The Tempest, March 26, 2020
Ms., February 5, 2020
Jonathan Albon Interview: What It's Like to Take Part in the Spartan Ultra World Championship
The Times (UK), January 5, 2019