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Being Miss America: Behind the Rhinestone Curtain (Discovering America) Kindle Edition

by Kate Shindle (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 67 ratings
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“[Shindler] tells the story of her year wearing the crown while offering an incisive history and analysis of an always-controversial beauty contest.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
In Being Miss America, Kate Shindle interweaves an engrossing, witty memoir of her year as Miss America 1998 with a fascinating history of the pageant. She explores what it means to take on the mantle of America’s “ideal,” especially considering the evolution of the American female identity since the pageant’s inception. Shindle profiles winners and organization leaders and recounts important moments in the pageant’s story, with a special focus on Miss America’s iconoclasts, including Bess Myerson (1945), the only Jewish Miss America; Yolande Betbeze (1951), who crusaded against the pageant’s pinup image; and Kaye Lani Rae Rafko (1987), a working-class woman from Michigan who wanted to merge her famous title with her work as an oncology nurse. Shindle’s own account of her work as an AIDS activist—and finding ways to circumvent the “gown and crown” stereotypes of Miss America in order to talk honestly with high school students about safer sex—illuminates both the challenges and the opportunities that keep young women competing to become Miss America.
 
“Kate Shindle’s sharply observed, smart, and heartbreaking take on Miss America will be embraced by pageant super fans and should be required reading for everyone who’s thought about what it takes to be America’s ideal.” —Jennifer Weiner, New York Times-bestselling author
 
“This memoir offers a captivating cultural history of the last 100 years in America through the lens of the Miss America Pageant and its white-knuckled struggle to remain relevant.” —Library Journal
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  1. Print length
    270 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    University of Texas Press
  5. Publication date
    September 1, 2014
  6. File size
    6466 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kate Shindle’s sharply observed, smart, and heartbreaking take on Miss America will be embraced by pageant super fans and should be required reading for everyone who’s thought about what it takes to be America’s ideal." ― Jennifer Weiner, author of Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, and All Fall Down Published On: 2014-09-01

"...the book is a critical yet affectionate profile of what has long been an iconic event, staged every year by one the country’s oldest not-for-profit institutions." ― Failure Magazine Published On: 2014-09-01

"This memoir offers a captivating cultural history of the last 100 years in America through the lens of the Miss America Pageant and its white-knuckled struggle to remain relevant."

― Library Journal Published On: 2014-10-20

"Millions of young women try. Only one per year becomes Miss America – most of the time. In Being Miss America by Kate Shindle, you’ll peek behind the brocade curtains to learn more."

― Rushville Republican Published On: 2014-09-02

"The Miss America Pageant: good thing or bad thing? In this well-researched, compellingly written, page-turner of a memoir/journalistic exposé, former Miss America Kate Shindle says it's both...." ― Chicago Tribune Published On: 2014-11-06

About the Author

Kate Shindle, who represented the state of Illinois, was Miss America 1998. Today, she is a working stage actor who has starred in Broadway musicals, including Cabaret , Legally Blonde, Wonderland, and Jekyll & Hyde, and dozens of regional productions. She has sung at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, worked as a correspondent for NBC’s Today, and appeared in TV/film projects such as Capote and Gossip Girl. Shindle maintains relationships with many of Miss America’s volunteers and contestants and continues to speak and write about HIV/AIDS prevention, marriage equality, and other issues in the Huffington Post, salon.com, and Newsweek. She lives in New York City.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00MEYOMQ8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Texas Press; Illustrated edition (September 1, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 1, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6466 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 270 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 67 ratings

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
67 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jules
5.0 out of 5 stars I especially enjoyed the chapters (in italics) where she was speaking about ...
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2014
Verified Purchase
I remember when Kate Shindle won Miss America. Clearly, she was talented (in fact won a Preliminary Talent Award), very fit in her swimsuit, and elegant in her white evening gown that wasn't loaded down with tons of beads (which is all-too-common in the pageant). Watching the pageant on TV doesn't, however, provide much insight into the competing women's intellect and personality. Of course, hearing that Kate was a student at Northwestern University -- one of the top universities in the world -- was a tip-off that she would rank among other "brainy" Miss Americas, such as Gretchen Carlson (1989), Marjorie Vincent (1991), Erika Harold (2003), etc. After reading a few chapters of this book, it came as no surprise when Kate said (page 6): "Later, pageant officials will tell me that the final ballot wasn't even close, and the point spread between me and the rest of the top five was the biggest in recent memory. Later, I will find out that my interview -- the first competition of the week -- was strong enough to carry me through the rest of the proceedings . . ." I'm sure she floored the judges in her interview with her wit and intellect. Her book is incredibly well-written; in fact, I checked to see if she had an editor (I didn't see one). Her humor, candor, and thoroughness is impressive. I especially enjoyed the chapters (in italics) where she was speaking about her own experiences.

Chapter Nine was my favorite chapter, and I'm going to request that my intelligent and talented daughter in college read this chapter over her Christmas break. Chapter Nine describes how Kate decided upon HIV/AIDS awareness as her Miss America platform and how she used her platform to change people's perceptions of the Miss America Pageant. For anyone who finds comfort in the age-old, tired-out Miss America stereotype cliches, I dare you to read this chapter. Nothing irritates people with the Miss America Pageant more than when people refer to it as a "beauty pageant" as opposed to a "scholarship pageant." Read a few chapters of this book, and you'll see why Miss Americas deserve respect.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it word-for-word. I found a couple a minor items that could be edited in the second edition: on page 78, Phyllis George's year should be 1971 (not 1974) and on page 79, the Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed in 1986 (rather than 1984). Because I don't know how else to share this with the author, possibly she will see it here!

Please read this book if you want to be entertained and gain hope in today's youth.

Julie Foran LaPlant
Libertyville, Illinois
2 people found this helpful
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T McG
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Read!
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2015
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As one of those shallow armchair critics who thought "Her?" with a raised eyebrow when Ms. Shindle was crowned, I can honestly say now WOW WAS I WRONG!

Reading the incredibly articulate and passionate account of Kate's year of service, her expressive and impressive storytelling style, the direct and honest manner she uses to educate the reader, and her eloquent writing - this book was a great read from beginning to end.

The author does an impressive job with this book - both challenging the MAO and putting the group on notice. ((Really MAO staff? Treating your representatives (past and present), their parents, and your sponsors so poorly? It's a wonder they are still in business. I hope the MAO gets off its arrogant backside and fixes itself ... There's some good advice here.

Congratulations Ms. Shindle. You have shown great intelligence and altruistic drive to help this group identify its shortcomings in a very well written book.
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Larry Hoffer
4.0 out of 5 stars Kate Shindle gives a candid, fascinating look at what it's like to be Miss America...
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2014
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I'd give this 4.5 stars.

When Kate Shindle was crowned Miss America 1998 in September 1997, she became one of the most polarizing Miss Americas in some time. Some thought she was the clear winner the moment she stepped onstage; some said she only won because the pageant was fixed. Some loved her talent; some hated it. Some thought her swimsuit was fun and unique; others HATED it. But most of her detractors couldn't deny the intelligence and passion with which she spoke about her platform issue or cause, awareness and prevention of HIV and AIDS.

"I have been called courageous, a trailblazer, the first socially relevant Miss America ever, fat, thin, beautiful, handsome, ugly, talented, untalented, inspiring, infuriating, deserving, undeserving."

I've always been a fan of Shindle's, as I feel she is never afraid to tell it like it is. In Being Miss America she speaks candidly both about what it's like to be Miss America--the good and the bad--and the triumphs and challenges the Miss America Organization has dealt with historically, and those it is facing currently.

"Most of the young women who strive to become Miss America see it as the public sees it: as a dream, a wish fulfillment that guarantees one will be respected, praised, and lifted up as an example of all that is right about young American women. Little do they know what they're actually getting into if they win. Decades of stereotypes, expectations, scandal, myths, media scrutiny, public skepticism, and questionable leadership choices have made actually being Miss America nearly impossible."

Those of you that know me are probably aware that I've been a volunteer with the Miss America Organization for more than 10 years. I've been tremendously fortunate to watch some dynamic young women compete in this system, and watch the amazing things they've done with their lives and for their communities, partially as a result of the skills they've burnished through competition, and partially thanks to the scholarships they receive. I've also had the tremendous opportunity to meet a number of immensely dedicated volunteers, who are the lifeblood of this organization. Their love for the system, despite its flaws, and the incredible amount of work and sweat and tears and money they put in (most of the time for no personal gain) is both inspiring and humbling.

That's why as much as I enjoyed this book, it saddened me to get a more in-depth understanding of the problems the organization has, and get Shindle's perspectives on both the causes and the potential solutions. Being a volunteer, even in my own small way, I'm aware of some of these issues, and I also understand them as a person who has worked in the nonprofit association management field for nearly my entire career. Sure, some would say these are only Shindle's perspectives, and she has an axe to grind, and maybe not everything she says is entirely accurate, but I hope this book serves as somewhat of a wake-up call to those with the power to make change happen. Think what you must about the Miss America system, it has made a tremendous difference in millions of women's lives, and still can.

Shindle writes as I'd imagine she speaks, and I found this book really compelling. I read it in just a little more than a day. My only criticism is that the book could have used some more judicious fact-checking: in a few instances, former Miss Americas are referenced by incorrect years, and one recent Miss America's last name is spelled quite wrong throughout the book. But that's the savant in me--many people might not even notice that.

If you have an interest in the Miss America Organization or what it's like to be Miss America, you'll find this book tremendously interesting. If you love the system and/or have given any time to being a part of it, you may feel as I do. But if all you've ever thought about Miss America is she's nothing more than a crown-wearing bimbo who doesn't do anything, I'd encourage you to read this. You may not change your mind, but you should.
12 people found this helpful
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Sarah B
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read on the Miss America Organization
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2014
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Kate Shindle, Miss America 1998, does a lovely job of visiting the history of the Miss America Pageant and interspersing it with memories of her journey to the crown. Discussion of some of the ups and downs of the organization during its almost 100 year history is eye opening, and gives good insight into how the pageant can evolve in the 21st century. She holds no punches, but is optimistic that Miss America can still be a dream for a young woman. A must read for any pageant fan.
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