Andrew Radu’s The Art of Losing to a Y-14 is a memoir about competitive fencing and the private life that follows a fencer off the strip. Radu writes as a psychiatrist who once chased All-American status, then kept fencing long after the sport stopped serving as easy proof of who he was. The book opens with the two-gloved opponent who beats him at the NCAA Championships, a memory that opens the larger question of why trophies can feel cursed after a rules change takes away a favorite move and old coaches keep speaking in his head. Radu brings readers inside convention centers and Ivy League meets, showing how fencing can create pride while also making a person question the worth placed on fencing medals afterward.

Andrew Radu’s The Art of Losing to a Y-14 is excellent sports nonfiction, and Radu’s psychiatrist’s eye gives the essays some first-class gravitas. The best part is the honesty around achievement. He can laugh at the NCAA trophy with dents, then admit it did not make medical school or adulthood easier. The chapter on Dr. Laszlo Pongo is a joy, especially the coffee cup lesson that follows Radu decades later. I also loved Edriss Ndiaye, the gifted Y-14 whose bravado becomes the book’s best proof that mentorship can be maddening yet generous. Radu’s writing about anxiety is frank because he names the ugly private thoughts athletes often hide. Well written with a sharp comic edge, this is recommended for fencers, fencing parents, and anyone who has ever mistaken a result for self.

Andrew Radu tells his story in the world of elite fencing in The Art of Losing to a Y-14. Growing up raised by immigrant parents, Andrew developed a passion for fencing at a young age. Despite his many achievements, however, he also experienced his share of highs and lows. He recalls how he lost a fight he was a favorite to win because his opponent wore gloves on both hands at the Ivy League championships. He would later go on to earn All-American honors at the NCAA Championship and bring the trophy to his therapist's office. Andrew shares many stories that highlight the societal and cultural pressure in elite-level fencing environments. As a veteran, he won the 2021 Summer Nationals and continued to pursue his hobby as a bonsai gardener.

The Art of Losing to a Y-14 is a part memoir, part holistic development guide for aspiring professional fencers. In these essays, Andrew Radu shares his experiences in his long-lasting fencing career and offers keen insights rooted in existential philosophy, psychodynamic theory, and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). As a former All-American fencer and a licensed psychiatrist, Andrew, for me, was in a really unique position to see the sport of fencing both as an internal participant and an outside observer. With his stories, he shows how much sacrifice and mental toll it takes to compete at the top level in professional sports. I really enjoyed his essays, especially the anecdotes involving his first coach, Dr. Laszlo Pongo, Rolando Tucker, and later, Edriss. If you're a young fencer looking to make it pro, you're going to absolutely love this book.