XOXO, Cody

July 3, 2023
Peloton instructor Rigsby charts his journey from closeted Southern teen to fitness superstar in his endearing debut memoir. After laying out his core philosophy (“Never take life too seriously”) and dropping dishy anecdotes about his time as a professional backup dancer, Rigsby briefly recounts his mother’s struggles with addiction and the challenges of growing up gay in a small North Carolina town. It’s not long, though, before the quips start coming hard and fast: after a still-closeted Rigsby declined sex with a woman in college by claiming he didn’t have a condom, she “came bounding into my room holding up a Trojan like she found Willy Wonka’s golden ticket.” During a summer internship in New York City, Rigsby finally came out to his family and friends, and from the experience gathered life-changing confidence that helped him—when the time came in the early 2010s—embark on a career as a fitness instructor with Peloton despite the fact that he’d never taught a class of any kind. Rigsby’s willingness to laugh at himself makes him enchanting company, though his lack of filter won’t be for everyone (“You did not survive a pandemic to fake an orgasm, OK?”). Still, this brash, funny, and often inspirational memoir will appeal even to readers who’ve never clipped in to a Peloton bike.