A timely, authoritative portrait of a breakthrough company.
A business book offers an extended case study of the fitness phenomenon Peloton.
Miller tells this story utilizing an intriguing dual perspective—that of an academic with an interest in entrepreneurship as well as a self-described Peloton addict. After an amusing anecdote about how he was first introduced to a Peloton bike by his wife, the author gets down to business. He weaves together the tale of his own emerging enthusiasm for Peloton with an informed and thorough account of the company’s evolution. Even as Miller gets hooked on the Peloton system, he deftly relates the meteoric rise of the firm. Admittedly, it may seem difficult for the author to remain objective, so enamored is he of Peloton. But there is solid, substantive reportage here that should not be dismissed as merely a public relations ploy. On the contrary, Miller’s cleareyed observations of how and why Peloton has been so successful, particularly in growing a fanatical customer base, are salient and perceptive. In discussing Peloton’s trajectory, the author insightfully identifies attributes of the company’s business model that set it apart. One aspect he discusses is the clever combination of a piece of hardware (the bike and, later, other fitness equipment such as treadmills) with outstanding instruction. In fact, Peloton was originally unique in providing not just a stationary bike, but rich content for which users paid a monthly subscription fee. Miller rightly points out that the company effectively “merged two traditional models in the fitness space” with some modifications.
But Peloton went beyond that, developing “interactive, live instruction from some of the best instructors in the world. No one had tried this before.” This may well have been enough to distinguish Peloton, but the real differentiator, notes Miller, was community, which, he observes, “is unlike anything I have witnessed studying startups.” In fact, the community aspect of Peloton’s world is so unique that it pervades a number of chapters in the book. That is not a bad thing—Miller enthusiastically brings community to the forefront in discussing his own personal interaction with Peloton individuals and groups. He also profiles several “Pelo Celebrities”—not luminaries who do in fact use Peloton but rather “members who have become well known in the community.” The thumbnail sketches of these individuals, some of whom are social media stars, make for engaging reading. In addition to relating these personal anecdotes, the author is adept at assessing Peloton’s role in revolutionizing fitness specifically and business in general. But the content isn’t entirely positive; to his credit, Miller chronicles some of Peloton’s stumbles along the way, not the least of which include serious injuries and isolated deaths. Perhaps most intriguing is the author’s visionary thinking about the unlimited potential of Peloton’s future offerings. He believes Peloton “is on the path to fundamentally altering individual and societal approaches to health and well-being.” Still, serious challenges ahead cannot be minimized, as indicated recently in Peloton’s faltering profits, the resignation of its founder/CEO, and a round of layoffs.
A timely, authoritative portrait of a breakthrough company.Pub Date: May 24, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-940858-97-5
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Ideapress Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A juicy story with some truly crazy moments, yet Anderson's good heart shines through.
The iconic model tells the story of her eventful life.
According to the acknowledgments, this memoir started as "a fifty-page poem and then grew into hundreds of pages of…more poetry." Readers will be glad that Anderson eventually turned to writing prose, since the well-told anecdotes and memorable character sketches are what make it a page-turner. The poetry (more accurately described as italicized notes-to-self with line breaks) remains strewn liberally through the pages, often summarizing the takeaway or the emotional impact of the events described: "I was / and still am / an exceptionally / easy target. / And, / I'm proud of that." This way of expressing herself is part of who she is, formed partly by her passion for Anaïs Nin and other writers; she is a serious maven of literature and the arts. The narrative gets off to a good start with Anderson’s nostalgic memories of her childhood in coastal Vancouver, raised by very young, very wild, and not very competent parents. Here and throughout the book, the author displays a remarkable lack of anger. She has faced abuse and mistreatment of many kinds over the decades, but she touches on the most appalling passages lightly—though not so lightly you don't feel the torment of the media attention on the events leading up to her divorce from Tommy Lee. Her trip to the pages of Playboy, which involved an escape from a violent fiance and sneaking across the border, is one of many jaw-dropping stories. In one interesting passage, Julian Assange's mother counsels Anderson to desexualize her image in order to be taken more seriously as an activist. She decided that “it was too late to turn back now”—that sexy is an inalienable part of who she is. Throughout her account of this kooky, messed-up, enviable, and often thrilling life, her humility (her sons "are true miracles, considering the gene pool") never fails her.
A juicy story with some truly crazy moments, yet Anderson's good heart shines through.Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2023
ISBN: 9780063226562
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
SEEN & HEARD
The heartbreaking story of an emotionally battered child delivered with captivating candor and grace.
The former iCarly star reflects on her difficult childhood.
In her debut memoir, titled after her 2020 one-woman show, singer and actor McCurdy (b. 1992) reveals the raw details of what she describes as years of emotional abuse at the hands of her demanding, emotionally unstable stage mom, Debra. Born in Los Angeles, the author, along with three older brothers, grew up in a home controlled by her mother. When McCurdy was 3, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Though she initially survived, the disease’s recurrence would ultimately take her life when the author was 21. McCurdy candidly reconstructs those in-between years, showing how “my mom emotionally, mentally, and physically abused me in ways that will forever impact me.” Insistent on molding her only daughter into “Mommy’s little actress,” Debra shuffled her to auditions beginning at age 6. As she matured and starting booking acting gigs, McCurdy remained “desperate to impress Mom,” while Debra became increasingly obsessive about her daughter’s physical appearance. She tinted her daughter’s eyelashes, whitened her teeth, enforced a tightly monitored regimen of “calorie restriction,” and performed regular genital exams on her as a teenager. Eventually, the author grew understandably resentful and tried to distance herself from her mother. As a young celebrity, however, McCurdy became vulnerable to eating disorders, alcohol addiction, self-loathing, and unstable relationships. Throughout the book, she honestly portrays Debra’s cruel perfectionist personality and abusive behavior patterns, showing a woman who could get enraged by everything from crooked eyeliner to spilled milk. At the same time, McCurdy exhibits compassion for her deeply flawed mother. Late in the book, she shares a crushing secret her father revealed to her as an adult. While McCurdy didn’t emerge from her childhood unscathed, she’s managed to spin her harrowing experience into a sold-out stage act and achieve a form of catharsis that puts her mind, body, and acting career at peace.
The heartbreaking story of an emotionally battered child delivered with captivating candor and grace.Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-982185-82-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2022
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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