ALTHEA The Life of Tennis Champion Althea Gibson

Chanté McCormick rises to the challenge of narrating Jacobs's comprehensive biography of Althea Gibson with grace, energy, and a rich voice. Gibson charted a host of firsts. She was the first Black tennis player to win Wimbledon and the US Open--and to be ranked Number 1 in the world. She was also the first Black player in the Ladies Professional Golf Association. These achievements occurred before such accomplishments came with any financial reward and at the same time that she was sometimes being refused service in hotels and restaurants. Gibson also cut a record, costarred in a John Wayne movie, and became New Jersey's Athletic Commissioner. McCormick has excellent timing and vocal variation. She beautifully matches Jacobs's view of Gibson as ambivalent about her trailblazing status. A.B. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2023]