Susan Norman is a fixture in paddling circles throughout the country. She began paddling at age 2, introduced to whitewater while canoeing in the Ozarks with her family. This began a lifelong journey with rivers, working, exploring, competing worldwide, as well as winning National and World Championship titles as a member of the U.S. Slalom Kayak Team and the U.S. Women’s Whitewater Rafting Team.
This is her memoir. But it’s far from being all about paddling.
“I began writing my memoir soon after retiring from a hydrology career with the US Forest Service in Lake Tahoe and learning how to be a first-time parent after becoming the legal guardian of my four-year-old nephew at age 57,” she says of the book, which is billed as a compelling narrative about a pioneering woman’s connection to wild rivers as a whitewater world champion, and how the journey heals past and current childhood trauma.
Alternating between two time periods, Risk follows Norman’s journey as a pioneer in international whitewater kayaking and rafting competition. Outdoor adventure helped her cope with the trauma of her mother’s diagnosis of acute multiple sclerosis when she was 5, which forced her family into poverty and separation. As an adult, she was thrust into becoming a first-time parent to her 4-year-old nephew, whose early years were spent with biological parents who struggled with addiction and mental illness. Throughout the book, she grapples with whether or not she has what it takes to parent a child considered to be at risk? Risk explores how pursuing “good risk” through adventure can help one escape, and face, their fears and other types of risk.
She maintains it’s not just a memoir, but a testament to resilience. “It’s the story of how I used the lessons learned from the river to confront the effects of childhood trauma, both for myself and my nephew,” she says.
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Advanced Praise for RISK
Juliet Starrett, NYT bestselling author of Built to Move & 3x World Whitewater Champion
“RISK is an inspiring and captivating adventure story that beautifully intertwines Sue Norman’s legendary and pioneering career as a whitewater paddler with her deeply personal journey of overcoming immense challenges. Norman’s raw and heartfelt narrative, spanning from her childhood coping with her mother’s severe illness to unexpectedly becoming a mother later in life, showcases the transformative power of embracing what she calls ‘good risk.’ This book is a testament to resilience, courage, and the healing force of outdoor adventure. Get ready to be inspired!!! “
Peter Heller, NYT bestselling author of The Dog Stars, The River, and Burn
“Sue Norman’s Risk inspires awe. It is a tale of overcoming; of passion; of deep connection to nature; and of a profound commitment to bringing one’s best to a life. How does one come through early family tragedy and poverty to become a champion whitewater kayaker? How does one suddenly become a parent when a twin’s child needs a guardian? As a lifelong kayaker I thrilled to the passages about international river running and whitewater racing—the heart-pounding risks and the courage. As a human, I was profoundly moved by the lessons in how to put together a moral, generous, and meaningful life.”
Caroline Paul, NYT bestselling author of Gutsy Girl, and recent release of Tough Broad
“Sue Norman has paddled whitewater rivers around the world, skied down steep ravines, and camped in bitter cold and rain. Yet without a doubt her biggest act of courage was becoming a first time mother to a toddler at age 57, by adopting her young nephew. Can all the lessons that nature has taught her – bravery, resilience, risk assessment – persevere? In this deeply thoughtful, often funny, resonant memoir, Norman deftly explores not just the landscapes and adventures that made her who she is, but also the terrain of the human heart.”
Readers Favorite – 5 star review
“Author Susan Norman offers readers a narrative that flows with the same intensity and grace as the rivers she once conquered professionally. The memoir is filled with sharp insights into her personal strength and vulnerability that readers from all backgrounds will appreciate. Her descriptions bring the adrenaline rush of whitewater racing and the delicate moments of parenting to life with remarkable clarity. Her treatment of her child is particularly moving, revealing both her struggles and triumphs with a raw authenticity that is sure to touch readers’ hearts.”
booklife REVIEWS – Editor’s Pick
“Norman parallels the risks and rewards of parenting with her passion for whitewater paddling in this insightful debut… entwines the past and present with rich metaphors of navigating turbulent waters, describing parenting as ‘a long, tortuous path filled with small defeats and wins’…the book’s honesty is endearing and relatable, and readers from any background will connect… “
“Kirkus Reviews”
“Norman’s muscular prose confidently pulls the reader through the author’s voyage of self-discovery: ‘Instead of acting like a piece of flotsam being pushed down the river at random,’ she writes of slalom kayaking, ‘I learned to read and feel the water…to use the current to my advantage—to work with the river rather than fighting it or drifting downstream at its mercy.’ Vulnerable and often wise, this is a truly memorable parenting story. A fascinating and heartfelt chronicle of athleticism and family.”
Jen Bryant, Editor, MUTHA Magazine
“Risk explores the surprising lessons learned during Susan Norman’s most challenging ventures: navigating dangerous currents as a competitive whitewater rafter and traveling an unconventional path to motherhood. Candid and compelling, Risk illustrates the beauty and power that can be found in embracing the unexpected.”
Heather Gould, Editor, Tahoe Mountain News
“While the chapters…about her childhood … and motherhood are naturally emotional and touching, the parts …about her whitewater experiences are unexpectedly moving as well. …. the adrenaline highs and exhausting lows, the disappointments and victories, the camaraderie and competition, the hard work and thrills…and it’s not just about mastering the rules of the game, but figuring out how to design a life when the blueprint needs to be redrawn. In the end, Norman has penned a volume that is full of heart — heartbreaking, heart-pounding, and ultimately heartwarming.”