5 comments about Never Give Up: My Stroke, My Recovery & My Return to the NFL.

1. Truly insperational. I love Tedy Bruschi and this shows the heart of a true sportsman and a great person. This book is easy to read and a must read if you are a PATS fan at all!



2. I haven't finished the book, but what i have read is excellent. It was well written, and I felt it explained in the details of his life.



3. I am a HUGE Patriots fan and i could not put this book down. I am 14 years old and i have to read every single night and i was excited when i started to read this book. This book makes you think about what you have and the things that you take for granted. Even though the patriots lost the super bowl i got over it quicker than i would of since i had just finished the book. I liked the insight on what goes on and what goes through the NFL players head. You have got to read this inspirational book!



4. I bought this book for my husband for Christmas. He has hardly put it down since he got it. I can't wait for him to finish so I can read it!



5. Bruschi inspires people, even those who aren't football fans, in this book that tells about what he went through when he had his stroke and the aftermath. I would even recommend this book for stroke survivors or people whose family or friends had a stroke.

5 comments about Every Second Counts.

1. This book is a very insighful look into Lance's life, and how it changed after being diagnosed with cancer. It describes his battle with cancer in detail, including lengthy descriptions of chemotherapy treatments. If you want to learn about cancer and chemotherapy, this is a good book to pick up!



2. 
   Lance's first book, It's Not About the Bike, is a great book weaving together the author's fight to overcome cancer and his remarkable first win of the Tour de France in 1999.
   
   Every Second Counts continues the story, including action up to and including the 2003 Tour. But it falls far short of the standard set in the original work.
   
   Much of the material dealing with Lance's values as a family man and a cancer survivor is repetitive; having established himself as multi dimensional in Not About the Bike, Armstrong should have gone deeper into the racing action this time around.
   
   Nevertheless I didn't regret reading this. Lance's achievements are astonishing and every bit of insight adds something. The description of the epic moment in the 2001 Tour when, after bluffing, Armstrong stared down Jan Ulrich and blasted past him up the Alpe d'Huez is worth it in and of itself.



3. Lance Armstrong is a unique athlete unparalleled in the world of cycling. This book gives you a look inside his head to find a very focused driven person with an indominatable spirit. You will find it enlightening and sometimes not very pretty, but no one can argue with his willingness to train ruthlessly to win. How many of us would be willing to climb a steep mountain on a bike and then come down and do it again to get it right. He shows us what it takes to win the greatest bike race in the world - multiple times. Lance is a champion among champions and we can all learn something from his drive and will to win!



4. This picks up where "It's Not About the Bike" left off. This is a more mundane read than About the Bike, but it was still a very good read. Lance lets you into his head a bit more to see what makes him tick and what his beliefs are. Well worth the read.



5. I liked this book even more than "It's Not About the Bike", and I loved that book. I enjoyed learning about the incredible team work involved in something as crueling as the Tour de France. As a woman, I wasn't raised participating in team sports and I never thought of a bike race as anything but an individual performance. I really felt as if I was riding along with the guys up those massive peaks...Good writing in my opinion...Insightful

5 comments about Karate-Do: My Way of Life.

1. This is a great book for anyone taking Shotokan Karate. This is more of an autobiography on Funakoshi. I think his life is very interesting. He tells of how he was a very sick boy but became 100 times healthier through his study of karate. This book gives his philosophy on the way he lived his life. He reminds us that everybody starts out as a beginner and the true nature of what karate really is. Anyone can learn karate, there is nothing super human about it. If you are interested in the origins of karate and how Shotokan became organized and introduced to the world, then this would be a great book for you. It's an easy read and very much enlightening.



2. This really gives a great insight into a lot of the philosophy of the master. How you take the information inside this book is up to personal opinion but whatever your opinion it is an eye opener if you wanted to know why perhaps some things are the way they are



3. A wonderful book from the man who effectively created Shotokan Karate.
   Funakoshi was a very humble man who was trained by two early Okinawan masters (Yasutsune Azato & Yasutsune Itosu). He never boasts of his acheivements and indeed claims only ever to have used his skills once, when he was quite old, to protect himself and his goods from a young thug. He regretted this act though.
   
   The book is only small, and perhaps this reflects a man who lived a very simple life. As he says "think of everyday life as Karate". Whether you are a new student nervously awaiting your first grading or a Dan grade with years of experience you should really read this book to bring a sense of perspective to your Karate.



4. This is an interesting book written by Gichin Funakoshi in the eves of his life. More than 80 years of his life he dedicated to this ancient and fantastic way of phsysical and mental training. All the while trying to become a better person, never becoming selfabsorbed or complacent. I particularly like the story where he, as an old man, is attacked by a much younger man. Master Funakoshi repels the assailant without hurting him, but afterwards he chides himself and feels that he should have been able to avoid physical confrontation completely...



5. In his biographical masterpiece, Grand Master Funakoshi gives a very witty, intelligent & often funny account of his whole life, from his early days when he was forced to take up training for his poor health to when he was finally invited to Japan to give the first successful demonstration of his art - Shotokan Karate.
   
   He was obviously a very clever man who really had a passion for his art. At an early age he developed a goal, a vision and a passion to learn all he could about karate from the then great masters of his time and present it to the world. He recounts several times in his life when he was confronted by would-be assailants and describes how he got out of the potentially lethal encounter, he does this in a very witty and often funny way.
   
   Despite the book being very small and could be read by some perhaps in a day or so, it really is very interesting and worth reading several times, especially if you practice Karate. I think that it's the sort of book that should be given to new students on joining a Shotokan club.
   
   It's just packed with gems of wisdom worth there weight in gold for successful living, even in today's manic society.
   
   As in all the other positive reviews listed here already, Funakohi's book is full of wisdom, inspiration and hope.
   
   Check out Clive Layton's "Training With Funakoshi" too, an excellent work from a different perspective not to mention Funakoshi's "Twenty Guiding Principles".

5 comments about Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Survival.

1. This book is a must read for anyone interested in travel. It was an absolute page turner. I read this book in one week. I just could not put the book down. Normally it takes me about a month to finish a book but this was just simply an amazing read from start to finish. The writer Yossi Ghinsberg told his story in an honest and inspiring way.This is what I call a true test of survival. You feel you are in there in the jungle with him through the tough and thin and every experience is re-told in such a way that you feel you too are experiencing it. I loved this book. I have recommended this book to my best friends.



2. A well-written, engrossing tale. I had a difficult time putting it down for any length of time. Not only is the story interesting, it is told with compassion. After two quick days of part-time reading, I'm already looking for another similar book. Enjoy the book.



3. Very simplistic in structure, making for a very easy read. Picks up adventure-wise around the 5th chapter and it is hard to put down. May be difficult for the animal lover at first, because of the treatment of the dog, but keep going.



4. This book gets a 3 on quality, but a 5 on easy read. It makes great airplane reading, or other times when you don't have quiet chunks of time for deeper reading.
   
   The main character of this story is a bit of a dope, and it is hard to feel sorry for him at times. He comes off as a bit hard-hearted, and he makes some crazy mistakes and decisions (I would probably make them too, though!).
   
   Compared to some of the better true-life adventure books out there, I was not impressed. Still, the story had some educational merit. It might keep me from wandering around in the Amazon.



5. If you believe, as the author of this book does, that jaguars live in packs, you are not informed enough to go on a jungle excursion.
   Yossi Ghinsberg considered himself a "backpacker" (not a tourist) and a "Man of Action." He went in search of the "Jungle Experience" and found it. Every decision he made was bad; every choice he made was wrong. The first bad decision he made was to go into the jungle ill equiped with few survivor skills, relying on his "guide" to provide what he would need. The second mistake he made was by far the worst- he talked two friends into accompaning him on his fateful jouney.
   I just finished reading a book about true heroism in the face of death entitled "Miracle in the Andes" about a group of young men who find themselves lost in one of the most inhospitable places on earth. They made intelligent decisions and correct choices and managed to survive. For them, Yossi's harrowing time in the Jungle would be like a walk in the park.

2 comments about Out of Nowhere: The Inside Story of How Nike Marketed the Culture of Running.

1. Hollister's account of NIKE's origins, trials and tribulations, successes and failures make terrific reading for anyone who favors and enjoys knowing the 'inside' story of a company that's more an icon than a business.



2. This was a great book about what made Nike, NIKE! The perspective that comes through and is shown through Mr. Hollisters account are spectacular. The most amazing thing I got from this book was what was happening on the inside of the most prestigous and inovative companies that has come along in the 20th Century. Great Read!

5 comments about Playing with the Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, World War II, and the Long Journey Home.

1. Playing With The Enemy is a beautifully written account of a man's dream, never fully realized, and the benefits which were achieved as a result. It captures the "sports" interest, essential history of World War II, the choices that shaped one individual and his whole family. It is dialogue at its best, a statement of a son's gratitude to his father and a tremendously interesting story that might never have been revealed had not Gene Moore's final hours been a time of sharing with his son, Gary. The writing in this book is superb, and, being from a small town in Illinois myself, makes me proud that the story has been told. No one should miss this account because it is entertaining and it teaches. I encourage its reading with willingness to see one's self and to recognize that our dreams, though worthy, can be redirected to even greater attainment than we might have imagined. Thank you, Gary Moore, for a true story excellently presented for us all!
   
   Dr. David Lawson
   Retired Church of God National Executive
   Church of God, Anderson, Indiana



2. I loved this book!! It's a true story of Gene Moore who was a super baseball player and a super person. It shows how he cared about other people. Hard to put this one down. Can't wait to see the movie. A must read for anyone who enjoys a good book, this is it!!



3. Gary Moore's book is a gripping story that takes hold of any history or baseball fan. Even if you're not a fan of either one, it's still a great read. The way he tells the story makes you forget that it's a true story, and the way he blends the facts together into a brilliantly crafted story that will be loved for generations to come. Mr. Moore's wonderfully crafted novel made me want to learn more about the U-boats, and some day I'll make the trip to Chicago to see the real thing.
   
   To my friend: Wonderful job! Can't wait to read your next masterpiece!



4. This book is such a wonderful reflection of Sesser and the southern Illinois area. The hopelessness of the situation during those depression years but the constant strength and hope of the people who kept life from being hopeless is so evident and well described. As a native of the area, the joy and celebration when anyone makes it big or even almost makes it big is a truth that resonates with this writing. What a great task Gary Moore has completed in forcing his father to talk. What a wonderful job of writing this great book of memories, pain, joy and victory.



5. I read Playing With the Enemy after meeting the author at a bookstore. I was intrigued by the subject matter of the story as my father, like the author's, had been scouted and signed by the Dodgers and was ultimately 'unsigned' due to an injury, at about the same time in history that Gene Moore was. While the surface similarities of our fathers' stories introduced me to the book, I found much more between the lines. The story of Gene Moore's experiences is indeed heartwarming and poignant. The mood of the story stayed with me and I found myself pondering two sub-themes. The first is the relative ease with which two seriously opposing teams could "level the playing field" (pardon the pun) and find, through compromise and acceptance a commonality agreeable to all. This wasn't just an Army/Navy rivalry, but Navy/Nazi. In spite of opposition from the powers that be, one young man's dream and drive accomplished on a small scale that which would heal the world if the idea caught on! Imagine looking at the enemy and instead of seeing only ideologies and hatred, seeing another human being with basic human characteristics, fears, families etc. and building on those similarities. What a concept! The other theme that I felt as a subcurrent running through the story is the sadness of the silence of the father. What Gene Moore perceived in his own history as reason for shame, pain, and self doubt, his son Gary saw as inspiration for telling a story too big for him to keep inside. What if Gary had never heard it? Their story has inspired me to be more open with my own children about who I am and the events that helped to form me. Turns out...they really want to know. Playing With the Enemy is a little gem of a book. If you read it solely for the baseball and WWII stories you'll love it. But I would also suggest that you read it for the bigger lessons within. There can be extraordinary power in the commission of ordinary acts.

5 comments about The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest.

1. Having read Krakauer's book, seen the movie and watched the PBS doc, I read this, purported to be the closest to the ten sides of the truth in this adventure/disaster.
   In a nutshell, Krakauer looks bad from this perspective, Sandy Hill Pittman still looks like a phony new money weasel, and Fischer looks much better than anywhere else; he is unfairly slammed in the tv movie if this book is at all true, and it does ring truer than the other projects (though the PBS doc Storm Over Everest is a must-see).
   Worth reading for anyone into climbing and/or this incident, which says so much about our massive egos and small brains.



2. This book appears to be written primarily to rebut certain incidents mentioned in Jon Krakauer's book, Into Thin Air. I have no doubt that Boukreev was an experienced and dedicated climber but this book is presented as if he did nothing wrong up on Everest in 1996.
   
   I have read almost every book published about the deaths on Everest in 1996 and the concensus of opinion is that everybody did something that contributed to the disaster. Boukreev made his share of mistakes and I would have been more impressed with this book if that concession had been made.



3. In 1996 one of the worst mountain climbing disasters that ever occurred on Mt. Everest took place. This tale of death and near death has been told and retold a number of times. With too many people who have paid large sums of money trying to reach the top, disastrous weather conditions, and bad judgments, loss of life was inevitable. It can be argued, that some of these deaths were needless, and that other actions would have brought other outcomes. If you are going to read only one book about this disaster, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer is considered one of the best, and if I had to choose between Krakauer's book and Anatoli Boukreev's The Climb, I would choose Into Thin Air. Still, there are often two sides to a story, and Krakauer heavily criticized the actions of Boukreeve in his telling. The Climb gives you another perspective on what happened, showing Anatoli Boukreeve as more of a hero than someone who could have done more as Krakauer alleges. He stepped into the storm and rescued three of his own clients, bringing them down alive in a raging storm. Yet, could he have saved others? People who were not part of his expedition? This is the crux of the criticisms levied against Anatoli. This book, in many ways, feels like Anitoli trying to defend himself against Krakauers criticisms, but if you would like to hear more of the story, from another point of view, then I would recommend reading this book. When you are done, you can try to make your own judgment on what really happened.



4. After i read Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, i thought i knew all there was to know about the 1996 Everest tragedy. Was i wrong.
   
   In Jon's book, Toli (Anatoli) was cast as a villian who knowingly put his clients at risks. After reading this book, i felt that Toli was the real hero in the tragedy. A few things strucked me:
   
   1. Toli came across as a humble and private person who just wanted to be in the mountains. This almost spiritual tie with the mountains shone throughout this book. Climbing mountains was all he ever wanted to do.
   2. Unlike Jon's book, this one didn't indulge in any conjectures. This gave Toli's account an air of honesty and somewhat more credibility.
   3. Toli was a superb climber (probably the best on both expeditions) trained in the best Soviet traditions whose actions on Everest were made based on what he thought was best for the safety of the clients. It was way too easy for Jon and others, especially amateurs, to restrospectively point fingers at him.
   4. Quite a number of people owed their lives to his personal bravery. I thought that this fact is the most telling point in the entire tragedy.
   5. Toli's poor command of English hampered him in his work in the expeditions and prevented him from explaining why he did certain things. This unfortunate fact alone could have cast him in a bad light on everyone's account of what happened.
   
   Read both books to find out what happened in 1996 but be wary of Jon's biased and ungrounded conjectures. Jon's book is by no means the official account of what happened. Read Toli's account to get a balanced view. Personally, i'm more inclined to believe in Toli's account. I was sad when i found out that this heroic man died in his beloved mountains in 1997.
   
   Read both books and see if you agree with me.



5. I was informed of Boukeev and DeWalt's THE CLIMB by a friend of mine who is an avid high altitude climber. Having read Krakauer's INTO THIN AIR, I was interested in other points of view of the May, 1996 Everest climb. Krakauer does a fine job in his self identified "personal account", but I felt that both a differing view and a less "personal" examination might go a long way to explaining the problems of the climb, the philosophy of commercial climbing, and enhance my understanding of that year's terrible loss of life on Everest. THE CLIMB did not disappoint me. I came away with all that I sought. Reading both books (INTO THIN AIR & THE CLIMB) provided me with a better understanding and a more well rounded viewpoint than reading either book to the exclusion of the other. I would highly recommend that those who are interested read both titles back to back to obtain the full informational effect. Then, make up your own mind about the danger and death encountered on that May in 1996.

5 comments about Running the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler.

1. Kid Delicious' story is moving -- at times tragic, heroic and beyond belief. He's part manic depressive, part obese food addict and part ultra-talented pool shark. His dedication to the game gave him solace from a world (New Jersey suburbs) that didn't have much sympathy for a fat, homely, smart-aleck kid with a sharp mind.
   
   Kid Delicious (Danny Basavich) comes to dominate the pool hustling circuit, and you can't help but admire how he pursues/embraces his true love in spite of his profound psychological struggles. His success is a testament to putting everything you have into something you love, and his failures make him human and sympathetic.
   
   If you like books like Playing Off the Rail or Positively Fifth Street, you'll love this one. Wertheim's research is very thorough and he writes like a true billiards fan, with a detailed understanding of the cadences of the game and the sundry characters who populate the dark, dank pool halls across our country.
   
   Danny Basevich's life has certainly been a roller-coaster ride, and Wertheim captures its energy admirably. A phenomenal read.



2. A good read for players wanting a peak into the recent past of life on the road for money players, and an interesting character study of Kid Delicious. Fun for those who follow the pool scene these days. A revealing picture for those who don't. Doesn't exactly make me want to throw a cue in the trunk and head off for glory.



3. This is the uplifting "rags to riches" story of the "Minnesota Fats" of our generation. Danny Basavich, aka "Kid Delicious," an overweight slob who, throughout his life was sent in and out of bi-polar depressive tailspins as a result of having been made into a piñata for the bullies in high school. Headed nowhere, and unsure of whom he was, Basavich decided that rather than continuing the daily abuse, to drop out of high school.
   
   With nowhere to go and nothing to do, in order to conquer his depression and remain in denial about his weight, (which had risen to 350 lbs), he began small-scale street hustling that eventually led him to hanging out at the local New Jersey pool halls. There he discovered he had a natural talent for the game of pool. After honing his skills, he teamed up with a young slim good-looking disciplined college dropout and they hit the road together in an effort as much to try to find themselves, as to test their talents, and find their fortune; and if they were lucky, eventually their places in the universe.
   
   The story is about how these two "modern day urban Buccaneers": pals who fed off of each other's strengths and weaknesses, took to the road and tried to corner the under world of amateur U.S. and Canadian pool culture. It is full of colorful events and characters, hustles and scams, hits and misses, ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and many boring nights in a lot of Motel 6s in Minnesota and South Dakota -- all gradually leading up to the dramatic crescendo of the book, climbing the mountain to the top of the pool food chain: the nationally televised professional title held in Miami, Florida.
   
   Although along the way, Danny becomes disciplined -- losing 200 pounds and gaining self-confidence and control over his bi-polar tailspins -- his friend, Bristol, is not so lucky. He falls victim to a drug habit, but against great odds, Basavich continues on, alone, to Miami to win the title of "The World Champion of Professional Pool." He does so in a dazzling display of pool skills and finesse, beating the great Buddy Hall in the Miami finals.
   
   It is an uplifting story, but the book is mostly for insiders, for those who know, or at least can appreciate, the fine points of pool and the art of hustling, otherwise the many events in pool halls across the many hick towns of the mid-West and South can seem quite repetitious and boring, and makes the book appear to be straining for sufficient meat to carry a complete story. For sure, there is a beginning and an end to this story, but even for one familiar with the pool milieu, the middle is often uneventful to the point of seeming to drag. Three stars



4. If you want to read about a travelling pool hustler, this is an excellent read!



5. It is not every day that a story takes you by the neck and drags you through the pages like a roller coaster ride. Kid Delicious is impossible to define or dislike. The reader roots for him and his quixotic quest to overcome depression, get a life and learn every nuance of the green baize. Any one of which is a tough task.
   This world of inveterate gamblers is fascinating, quirky, dangerous and full of folk who would pick up a snake for a dollar bet rather than get a 'real' job. The author is a gifted writer, not simply a good sports writer. He obviously cares for his protagonist but does not judge or sugar coat any of his idiosyncracies, and they are legion. The story opens a curtain on a dying sub culture. The internet, Texas Hold 'em and the growth of casinos have all contribued to limiting the action a road warrior can find today. However, Kid Delicious wrung every last drop out of his foray into the world of cross country hustling.
   Read this book, if you play pool or not. The book works on so many levels that it will be enjoyed by anyone with a soul.

5 comments about Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman.

1. My granddaughter needed books on Wilma Rudolph for a 5th grade school project. This ended up being her favorite. The text was just right for her understanding and she really liked the illustrations. As she was reading it she clutched it to her chest and exclaimed to me, "Grandma, I love this book!" It prompted a conversation about overcoming doubts, believing in yourself and what things inspire us... a conversation I don't think we would have had otherwise.



2. This is a true and exciting story that will make you never want to give up on your dreams. I really liked this book and recommend that you read it.



3. I have used Wilman Unlimited in my classroom for the past few years. It is a fantastic book to use any time during the year, but good for Black History Month also. I use it with fourth graders to teach sequencing and analyzing character. I highly recommend this book.



4. Inspirational stories fill hundreds of picture books every year. Most are simply awful. They either tell tales that are loose plots barely supported by facts or they paste together a slapdash concoction of truth and fiction with as little thought as possible. The truly beautiful bio-picture books out there are as rare as hummingbirds in autumn. So it was with great joy that I located "Wilma Unlimited" and found it to be not only inspirational but also a darned good read. Written by Kathleen Krull (the woman who could make long dead musicians fascinating in "Lives of the Musicians" and bring Cesar Chavez to life in the recent "Harvesting Hope") and illustrated by David Diaz the book is the best possible way to introduce kids to one of the world's greatest athletes.
   
   Born in 1940 to a family of twenty-one people (nineteen siblings, no less), Wilma Rudolph was initially a sickly child. Though she was energetic enough, she often caught every disease imaginable. At the age of five, Wilma's left leg twisted inward and it was clear that she'd come down with polio. Still, Wilma was a determined child and she consistently exercised her unruly leg to get stronger. After continual practice, she was finally able to walk free of the leg brace that had weighed her down. At twelve the brace was put away for good and Wilma started participating in sports. She led her high school basketball team to the finals, catching the eye of a college coach. Before you knew it, Wilma was recruited into the Tennessee State University's track-and-field team on a full ride scholarship. In 1960 she competed in the Olympic Games in Rome. The book sets this part up beautifully. Wilma arrived with a twisted ankle into a place filled with television cameras (the first time they ever filmed the Olympics), the place "shimmering heat", and her competition consisting of runners who had run faster races than she ever had. Then Wilma proceeds to win one... two... three gold medals! The last medal is especially dramatic, hinging on the moment when Wilma drops her baton and STILL beats the other runners in the 400-meter relay. The last double page spread in this book shows Wilma standing, "tall and still, like a queen", earning the last of her three medals. It's a truly proud moment for all who have the privilege to experience it once again in picture book form.
   
   Krull has a way with words. I'm not saying that Wilma Rudolph's life is dull. Far from it. But in the hands of a lesser author this story could easily have been bogged down in all the wrong moments. This author knows which moments should be given full glory. The moment when Wilma removes her brace and walks proudly into church will banish from your mind that similar pseudo-inspirational moment in "Forrest Gump". Wilma's struggle at the Olympics through pain and skepticism puts the reader through the same strains. You yearn for this woman to beat them and beat 'em she does. Then, best of all, come the illustrations of David Diaz. This is my first Diaz experience, though I suspect that I'll read many more of his books as the days go on. Diaz has accompanied his illustrations in this tale with sepia toned photographs. The book's endpapers display the outlines of footprints in the dirt. The title page is an evocative view of ivy climbing a raw wooden fence. Behind his colorful illustrations, each background photograph refers to the corresponding scene obliquely. When Wilma and her mother take the bus to the hospital, the photograph is a close-up of a wheel. When she packs away her leg brace, it's shredded packing paper. A great relief it is indeed that the colored illustrations are worthy of their sepia compatriots. Though these pictures may appear blunt at first, they are filled with the most delicate of designs. I loved watching the character of Wilma as she aged. As she grows in confidence, her posture improves and back stiffens until, by the last shot, she is standing taller than all the women around her. Than all the women in the world.
   
   "Wilma Unlimited" should be known to everyone living in American today. This is inspirational without being either annoying or faux-patriotic. It's an actual honest-to-goodness amazing story. The book is beautiful and its story is worthy of its packaging. I challenge you to read it and not shake your head at least once in amazement. It's just that good.



5. i am a reading specialist in Washington, DC and chose this book b/c i love David Diaz and because, like wilma, my children have many obstacles in their lives. i simply can not finish this book without nearly crying in front of my class. i've read it so many times, but the suspenseful writing and triumphant ending never get tiring. it is a truly wonderful story and wonderfully told and illustrated by this duo.

5 comments about My Life in and out of the Rough: The Truth Behind All That Bull**** You Think You Know About Me.

1. This is a sad autobiography from a man who could have excelled at a sport but failed to. He is admittedly self-destructive and the story is not all that fascinating. I'm glad I bought a used copy for very little.



2. What an awesome book. I think I read this in a day! I couldn't put it down. John is sure a good ole boy!



3. First off I must tell you that I am a fan of John Daly and his incredible natural talents. This book uncovered every detail of John's life from a kid, through two major wins, and onto where he is today. I enjoyed every page and was glad to see John tell it like it is. This book is an easy read, partly because it carries a 4th grade reading level. However, the book does a good job of revealing all the truths. Yes, most readers may have different views on John's alcoholic dependance, but one thing is for sure John didn't hide the details. If you are a fan of John or find yourself amused by watching his up and down golf game, then this book is for you!



4. John Daly has interested me for a long time. I suppose the
   whole under-dog thing, going up against the odds, etc. But
   I really enjoyed reading this book. Thought it was an easy read
   and well written since it was refreshingly naked in terms of
   a person just showing all there is to show. I would recommend
   it especially since it is so opposite of the whole stuffy
   professional golf player fraternity.



5. I have to say that after reading some of the reviews, I'm almost ashamed to write my own. But unlike some of the reviews, I'll spare you any moral soapboxing on my part and not judge the man. Quite simply, the book sheds considerable light on the life (both the good and the bad) of a guy who happens to be a well-known professional golfer. Kudos to John for having the courage to share much of his private life with the public. John's not a saint and doesn't pretend to be (and pretty much says so in the book). He candidly admits to a plethora of self destructive indulgences and decisions yet balances such with discussion about many of his commendable deeds. His honesty is refreshing. He talks about sex, love, alcohol, anger, guilt, determination, etc. He's human for God's sake!
   
   I gave it four stars because it's an easy read and is written in a style suitable for the content. And if you're interested in learning about the life of John Daly, the content serves its purpose quite well. It's both entertaining and informative. It's not meant to win a literary prize. I enjoyed it for what it is - a good book.