Book Review: “Miss World 1970: How I Entered a Pageant and Wound Up Making History” by Jennifer Hosten

“Miss World 1970: How I Entered a Pageant and Wound Up Making History” by Jennifer Hosten (2020)

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography, Memoir

Length: 210 pages (hardcover edition)

Synopsis:

Jennifer Hosten went to the 1970 Miss World pageant on a lark, representing the tiny Caribbean island of Grenada, and came home with the crown and a place in history. What was supposed to be a light-hearted affair, with a parade of the world’s most beautiful women vying for the attention of the judges and comedian/host Bob Hope, turned out to be the most controversial, politically-charged, and consequential pageant ever. Women’s liberation activists blew up a BBC broadcast truck and stormed London’s Royal Albert Hall in an attempt to sabotage the show, which they deemed a “cattle market.” They threw rotten vegetables in the auditorium and hit Bob Hope with a flour bomb. When order was restored, Jennifer Hosten made history as the first women of colour to win the title. The broadcast introduced its massive audience to both a militant new brand of feminism and a new ideal of beauty, one in which the whole world could share. Ms. Hosten followed her triumph with a successful career as a diplomat and public servant in Grenada and Canada. Her book tells the stories of the epochal 1970 contest and her life with grace and an amused modesty. Her story has been purchased by the makers of The Crown and is the basis for Misbehavior, a 2020 film starring Keira Knightley. Rising British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who plays Jennifer Hosten, is contributing a foreword to the book. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

This is interesting book that chronicles Jennifer Hoston’s time at the Miss World 1970 pageant and how she won the crown. This was a historical occasion as she was the first woman of color to win the pageant which broke barriers for this competition. The book starts off where she decided to enter into the competition and the what happened after she won. The book also delves into how the competition changed her life and ultimately led to her work as a diplomat for her home country of Grenada.

I was really intrigued to read this book because I also enjoy learning about/discovering stories of women breaking barriers. I was unfamiliar to the Miss World pageant and learned not only more about the competition as a whole, but also about Grenada and a bit of history. Hosten has done so much in the entirety of career and it was interesting to read about what she has accomplished over the years.

The only downfall of this book was that I felt that it could have been more fleshed out because it was so short. A lot of events felt a bit glossed over and I wanted more background on Grenada’s history, the intricacies of the pageant as a whole, and more stories of her worldwide travels. Most of the book spent time talking about more of what happened after the pagaent and I would have like to learn more about her beginnings, etc.

Though it’s a fast read, Miss World 1970 is a interesting story about one the most controversial pageants in history.

Final Verdict:

FTC Disclaimer: I have received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.