5 comments about What If I Had Never Tried It: The Autobiography.

1. This book is a LONG read. I don't know if the translation got lost, but it was painful. I don't know if Rossi actually penned the verse, but it comes across as poorly written and not at all thought out.
   
   His stories are all over the place, and he tends to say the same thing over and over again, but in different ways.
   
   On the plus side, it does help explain a bit about Rossi, and what he's about.



2. This guy is the best rider in the world and his story is very interesting.



3. In America there's not much coverage of Moto GP, so I didn't know that Valentino Rossi is one of the highest-paid athletes on the planet and a national hero in Italy. I began to watch Moto GP on satellite TV in Thailand about three years ago and was captivated by Rossi. He used to stand on the podium with a little smile on his face, as if to say, "What fools these mortals be!" He hasn't been winning so much lately, but he did two weeks ago in an awesome display of excellence.
   
   It's hard to imagine just how competitive Moto GP is; tons of money are involved and every one of the riders is incredibly talented. We're talking speeds of more than 200 mph on two wheels. Rossi has been World Champion seven times, which should give you an idea of his skill and determination, especially when you realize how many times he has crashed or fallen off the bike. Success never came all that easy.
   
   The book is a typical "as told to" effort by Enrico Borghi, a motorcycle journalist, and translated by Gabriele Marcotti. It is probably as close to Rossi's own beliefs as possible, but it's not great literature. A lot of time is spent on why he races bikes instead of cars (except for his adventures in rally racing, one of the most difficult competitions in the world), why he was happy to leave Honda, and how many friends from his village he is still very close to. I could have done with a bit less self-justification, but he claims to have been persecuted by the press all along, and this is his chance to speak his piece.
   
   Rossi is a fascinating person, a gorgeous man if ever there was one, and if you are at all interested in him or in motorsport you will enjoy this book.
   
   The only other thing I've been able to find about Rossi was an interview in a British man's magazine that said he likes Dire Straits. Hey, Vale! I like Dire Straits, too.
   
   James Ashley Shea



4. I'm not one to read lots of books, but this one was easy to read and I didn't put it down until I finished it in about 2 days. I'm a Rossi fan and it was pretty cool to read about the things from his past and present and the reasons he does wat he does. His good humor comes through or sure.



5. I bought this books because I was just intrigued with the fact that someone writes autobiography being 27 years old. I do not think he did it for a money or fame so I wanted to check it out. I am not fan of Valentino or Moto GP. This book by far surpassed my expectations. It is written in the way as you would talk to the person with conversation jumping from one thing to another without much chronological order and this make it enjoyable reading.
   
   Two things I liked the most is that he pays a lot of tribute to the team what is quite rare in his position. Other thing is that he reveals such intimate details and opinions about his decision making and motivation, as well about honda and yamaha teams which is really unusual keeping in mind the guy is still in the business.
   
   One thing I miss is to learn what was the writing process and to which degree Borghi was decided on the style and content. I think the ending could have been written better, but it is always the thing with good books.

No comments about Seeing Red.

5 comments about Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made.

1. This book not only offers the most incisive portrait of Jordan, the Bulls championship years, and the NBA of that era, but is also wonderful Halberstam, who tells the story with an epic sweep. Simply a beautiful work from cover to cover.



2. Nike turned Michael Jordan into a dream. Nike funneled in 1984 all of Nike's advertising resources in one player instead of in several teams. Nike made Michal Jordan a cultural icon and featured him as a star amidst other entertainment stars. And in the beginning Jordan didn't even like Nike sneakers. He preferred Adidas. Ultimately Nike paid Jordan in roughly 1 million dollars a year for five years. In 1984 no one realized that Nike was getting one of the great bargains of the time. Nike was a shoe company in great trouble. Michael Jordan saved Nike by his appeal to the youth. In the mean time basketball benefited from satellite reception that was just opening the world of cable television. Satellite reception facilitated cheap broadcasting. Bill Rasmussen obtained channel space on a communications satellite. His ESPN opened new broadcasting opportunities for basketball. In Playing for Keeps David Halberstam tells the tale of Michael Jordan in the broader cultural context. In this book Halberstam displays his usual journalistic skills. But somehow I missed the emotional involvement of his other books. The Summer of 49 and The Breaks of the Game learned me more about the relevance of sports.
   
   Luuk Oost



3. As someone very familiar with Michael Jordan's career I was startled by all the new bits of information crammed in this book. Its clear Halbertstam did his homework. He employed an exhaustive interview process that yields so many new anecdotes and perspectives of Michael Jordans career. I particulary enjoyed all the stories of Jordan showing flashes of greatness early on while being recruited by North Carolina. The book makes it clear that even at those early stages while no one could predict what was to come, those around Michael had never seen anything like him.
   
   Halbertstam also reveals the background story for many of those surrounding Jordan during his run with the Bulls. Namely Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Jerry Krause, Jerry Reinsdorf, and others. He delves into their lives, paints a picture of their character, and allows you to understand what motivated all these contrasting personalities along the way.
   
   It must be noted that the writing of David Halbertstam is just incredible. If you're a fan of Michael Jordan or just basketball this book is a must read. The subject could not be approached by a more accomplished author.



4. 
   I'm not a big Halberstam fan, and this book didn't change that opinion.
   
   The subtitular "world that he [Jordan] made" is never really explored in any depth, and this is a surface-skimming bio of Jordan with the addition of some mini-bios on major figures in his life (David Falk, Dean Smith, Phil Jackson, etc.).
   
   The research is limited and insight is scant as Halberstam leans heavily on material already published, pulling entire sections of the book (e.g., his thumbnail bio of Jackson) from the subject's own earlier book. He returns to quote the same two or three sports writers time and again (Sam Smith - Chicago Trib and Jordan biographer - OK, but Bob Ryan - Boston Globe - a dozen quotes???).
   
   "Playing for Keeps" is a fast-reading Jordan sketch, a 400 page magazine article, during which Halberstam defers to Jordan too frequently: no real examination of the gambling, glossed over recount of James Jordan's murder, no meaningful exploration of Jordan the global commercial icon.
   
   For my taste, this book is another disppointment from Halberstam.



5. Halberstam does it again. With a keen eye and a knack for pulling the reader in, David Halberstam is one of our great modern writers. Just when you thought you knew Jordan, "Playing for Keeps" shades new light (not all of it flattering) on our greatest modern basketball player.
   
   Well worth it.

5 comments about Little Evil: One Ultimate Fighter's Rise to the Top.

1. Good, quick read!
   
   This was the original MMA fighter autobiography. Jens's was the 1st MMA fighter to tell his story. When "Little Evil" was written, was shortly after Jens Pulver defended his championship belt against then up and coming fighter(& future champion) B.J. Penn!
   
   Jens went through hell as a kid. He had every reason to become just another punk kid, with no direction in life dealing drugs and drinking. But lucky for him, he found wrestling and had alot of great coaches & mentors direct him to a life worth living for.
   
   Since this book was written however Jens Pulver lost his belt, as do all champions eventually. He will always be one of the original UFC fighters and always a legend. Jens is now training again and fighting in the WEC, he already lost one title shot against Urijah Faber, but the rematch is coming soon!
   
   As an avid fan of MMA, I think Jens still has alot of fight in him and he will be around for awhile and his legendary left hand is as strong as ever!
   
   Good short book for any MMA fans!



2. I've read Chuck, Matt and Tito's books, Randy, Ken and B.J.'s autobiographies in the beginning of their books, and this is the best (with Tito's a close second). Although I'm a big MMA fan, I was never a huge fan of Jens until this book. Jens could have turned out to be a janitor and this would still be an incredible story. I was surprised not only by his story, but his admirable honesty and humbleness with which this was written. Two thumbs up!



3. I am a mma fighter myself so that might be one reason i liked this book. But i would have to say this is my favorite book i have ever read. It literally had me wanting to read.(and i hate reading) I suggest anyone who likes mma or just fighting to get this book!



4. Very good read, it's a bit on the short side but very good. It's really great to get a chance to see inside the mind of someone who overcame what he did. It will change you view of "Lil Evil" and make you an instant fan.



5. After finishing within 2 days, I felt that it was very much more of a sob story than anything else. I am not trying to disrespect Jens. For those who want to read about Jen's past, this would fit the bill. It gives detailed account of his family life, school, financial situation etc. Perhaps for him, this was an especially emotional story hence certain people may not like this autobiography.

5 comments about Final Rounds: A Father, A Son, The Golf Journey Of A Lifetime.

1. This book really hits home as a story of a grown son and his dad. They plan a final great trip together in the twilight of the dad's life. It is about life and is a great golf story also in that the story is intertwined with the history of golf on a personal basis.
   
   My dad is gone so I gave a copy to my son. I also gave a copy to a couple of friends whose fathers are now growing old. They are golfers who learned the game growing up and playing golf with their dads. If you fit this description, I highly recommend this book.



2. ISBN 0553375644 - I started reading this book hoping for the touching story of the father and son and was vaguely disappointed. Not to say the story isn't there, because it is in it's own way, but the golf far overshadows Dodson and his father, making this a far better book for golf fans than non-fans.
   
   James Dodson and his father finally get around to planning that dream trip: all the best courses in great company. Just before they are to leave, his father calls with bad news - the trip will have to be postponed because the cancer of years ago is back. With a small laugh, the man Dodson calls "Opti the Mystic" tells him the prognosis: he has a month, maybe two, to live. Dodson realizes that this means that the trip may never happen, but another call comes soon after and the trip is on. There are conditions and one of them is that when his father says it's time to go home, it's time to go home, no argument. Opti has "things to do", clearly the tying up of loose ends in his life.
   
   The men set out on the golf trip of a lifetime and, honestly, will bore the non-golf-fan cross-eyed with the details of games and players. If you've gotten that far, barrel through - the point of the book isn't the game, or the courses, it's the relationship between father and son. Golf is just the medium in which they relate to one another. Knowing, all along, that Opti is going to die doesn't detract from the sorrow when the time comes and, oddly, his death doesn't detract from the happier side of the story. Opti the Mystic, with an eye always for the silver lining, gives his son some incredible gifts and Dodson does his best to share them with the reader.
   
   I'm not a fan of golf and found myself just skimming very big sections of the book. The stories OFF the course were far more interesting and I wish they'd been given more ink, but Final Rounds is still a very good book.



3. Fanstic read. This will touch the heart of any golfer that has ever had the chance to play with their Dad.



4. I lost this book while I was vacationing with my wife in Italy for her 40th birthday. I couldn't wait to get home to buy another copy and finish it. That was 9 years ago. I was so moved by the story that I made a pledge to try and take my sons on a similar trip one day. Well, I've lost 3 jobs since then and have been paying college expenses for 6 years, the last 4 years for 2 kids at a time. However, my current job allowed me to go to Aberdeen, Scotland 6 times last year alone. While reading the book again, I dog earred places I wanted to include on my trip. I have also been saving magazine articles as well as itineraries from acquainteses who have made similar golf excursions. And during my trips to Scotland I've developed friendships and they have helped with insights to add my catalog of information.
   
   Well, the trip is planned. I compiled a notebook for both my sons with our planned itinerary, a route map showing the courses along our journey and website information on all the courses. I gave it to them for Christmas. They are pumped. Both are very good players and we have played alot together. My oldest is getting married in October and my yougner son plays for his college team and will graduate in May. For their birthdays they each will get a copy of Final Round to read as a prerequiste to the trip schedlued June 6-21. We will play both the famous and the hidden gems. We'll play Carnoustie on Father's Day and then drive down to St. Andrew's and watch the final round of the US Open in a pub 100 yards off the 18th green of the Old Course. Our last round will be on the Old Course. This book provided a dream for a once in a lifetime trip. I'm going to share it with two of my favorite people.



5. I picked up this book at a used book sale on a lark. I love Scotland and thought a book on a father and son golf trip to the old courses would be fun. What I didn't expect was such a great book about the relationship between a very optimistic father and his earnest son. Just before the trip the father discovers he has cancer and not long to live. They go on the trip anyway and we get to know two interesting people and how life's lessons can come in many places including on a golf course. I lost my father a few months before I read this book. I took my time reading it, not wanting it to end. It helped ease the pain of my loss and to direct my energies and lessons I have to offer to my sons.

5 comments about A Skating Life: My Story.

1. I loved Dorothy`s book. It was just as candid as the photo on the cover. For an armchair skater like me, who has followed figure skating for the past 40 years, it was a pleasure to be once on the inside of that world. I have such admiration for the dedication of those skaters and for their love of what they do. I enjoyed the book immensely.



2. Dorothy writes in almost too much detail, with a balance between revealing and keeping reserved ; what is written bewteen the lines is enough to fill in the blanks anyone might feel exist. It is curious that although Dorothy has the generosity and presence to reveal to the public a large dimension of her private suffering , benefitting so many who have suffered from depression or lived with a demanding or mentally ill family member , there is still a small faction of readers that want MORE, and this is the bane of her sweet sparkling gifted life. Someone is always asking for MORE! Her parents her husbands the coaches and now readers who feel like she must cut open a vein and bleed on to the pages or describe her bedroom details. Yikes.Dorothy is a giver, a woker who gave 110 percent to the world and the sport and the vultures still circle to pick her bones. One reader noted that she has no bitterness or anger, I think she should get some , and fast. Thank you Dorothy for the book and everything you've given in life...Now make part two of your life for you.



3. I love biographies, but this one left me looking forward to getting to the end. It seemed written through the eyes of an adolecent girl. There was nothing juicy or even interesting. It seemed Dorothy was dealing with the guilt she felt, about treating her mother badly, by writing this book. The binding fell apart half way through. It was a bust in every way possible for me!



4. If her Mother ever realized and/or finally got access to the enormous amount of money Dorothy was sending for her independence? If Dr. Forsythe's first wife told Dorothy about her life with him and how she was treated, or more to the point mistreated by him...I can't believe how blindly Dorothy allowed him to take, and take and take from her, one cannot buy love or devotion. I would have liked to know how Dorothy is doing financially; not exact figures of course, but has she recouped to a degree of financial independence, and with all the money she sent her parents over 7 years, didn't they have the decency to provide her some of her own capital to start fresh and help her young daughter? If they didn't, she needs to shut them out of her life too. Parents are to give to their children willingly, not with strings. Had some of these things been discussed in greater detail, the book would have been infinitely more enjoyable overall.
   
   She was quick to mention Vioxx (which has been recalled), and SHOCKINGLY goes to the very man who betrayed her for medical advice and medication? How foolish. Surely she could afford a "real" doctor who is working for a living and up on the latest advances in osteoarthritis. Someone without an ulterior motive for helping her. There was always a sense of her needing to go back to these men for some sense of self, it is really upsetting and very sad. Dorothy will have to keep her vulnerability in check if she is to escape such mistakes in the future.
   
   She is a lovely skater, a national treasure, but has paid way to high a price for that medal.
   
   Best of luck!



5. This is a revealing look into Dorothy Hamill's life from her first moments on the ice at 8 years old, to training to become a Gold Medal winner at the '76 Olympics through her life today. Dorothy Hamill details the sacrifices her family made, the challenges with coaches and training to become an Olympic athlete and how her passion for skating got her through some of the most difficult times in her life.
   
   Dorothy Hamill was my hero growing up. I had the Dorothy haircut, the Dorothy glasses, and spent many afternoons on the skating rink at my grade school trying to teach myself spins and jumps. After reading A SKATING LIFE: MY STORY, she remains my hero.
   
   I never realized what went into becoming serious in a sport like ice skating. The expense of traveling to train with the right coach, traveling to get enough time on the ice to practice, the cost of equipment and trying to get an education while competing in shows around the world was only a part of it. It was inspiring to learn the sacrifices made by Dorothy's family and Dorothy herself, although she never writes much of her own personal sacrifices. I learned so much about the beautiful and challenging sport.
   
   Dorothy's story doesn't end with winning the gold medal in the '76 Olympics. It was only the beginning. She met the love of her life, Dean Paul Martin only to have it end in heartbreak and tragedy. My heart broke right along with her. I so wanted her to live happily ever after and the love that she still feels for her first husband, Dean Paul radiates from the pages. This was when her struggle with depression truly came to the surface, even though she battled with panic disorder and depression all through childhood. The honesty that comes from this book is truly a gift. The painful family issues and frank discussion of depression were courageous.
   
   That being said, I hoped for a bit more about her struggle with depression. There was a lot of publicity about this book and America's Sweetheart suffering from depression for years, but little description of her struggle. It was written in a very matter of fact style without a lot of adjectives. Perhaps that's where we glimpse the real Dorothy. Instead of waxing poetic or dwelling in the difficult, she soldiers on telling her story with respectability and straightforwardness.
   
   She survived another marriage that ended in painful divorce and leaving her a bankrupt single mother. I was so sad and angry for what she endured. And yet she never wrote a bitter word about anyone. I don't know of many of us who could have endured what she did, and remain so humble and without animosity or hostility.
   
   While this wasn't the best written book I have ever reviewed, I had to give it a higher rating for its pure heart and openness.
   
   I think that Dorothy found closure with some of the issues plaguing her. The one issue that will probably always haunt her is the death of her first husband. I have a feeling Dean Paul will continue to be a shadow, watching over her and waiting for her.

5 comments about The Death of WCW: WrestleCrap and Figure Four Weekly Present . . . (WrestleCrap series).

1. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK CONCERNING THE DOWNFALL OF WCW. THIS BOOK TAKE US FROM GEORGIA WRESTLING NWA AND FINALLY WCW. THE DETAILED SOAP OPERA AND STORY LINES BROUGHT BACK THE GREAT MEMORIES I HAD OF THIS ONCE GREAT WRESTLING ORGANIZATION. AT ONE TIME IT'S MONDAY SHOW OF NITRO DOMINATED THE WWE. ONLY TO SEE IT FADE AWAY DUE TO STUPID SPENDING, OVER USED PERSONNEL AND A LACK OF FRESH STORYLINES AND NEW FACES. THE BOOK GIVES A GREAT DEAL OF DETAIL OF WHAT WENT ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THIS ALL HAPPEN. FROM DUSTY RHODES, TO ERIC BISHOFF TO VINCE RUSSO THE AUTHOR POINTS THE FINGER TO ALL THE ABOVE PLUS MANY MORE LIKE HULKSTER, SCOTT HALL AND KEVIN NASH. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR ALL WRESTLING FANS AND MOSTLY FOR THOSE WHO REALLY ENJOYED THE WCW AND NITRO. ONE THE BEST BOOKS ON PRO WRESTLING.



2. This is a tough review to write. On the one hand, I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a fun trip down memory lane reviewing all the twists and turns of the Monday Night Wars in terrific detail. In fact, this is probably the most detailed book you'll find out there about this period. The authors also have a wonderful sense of humor, and the book is a quick and fun read.
   
   What immensely frustrated me, however, was that almost no effort was made to provide sources for the voluminous amounts of information presented. While there is a very short bibliography at the end of the book listing a handful of sources organized by chapter (which probably do not account for most of the information in the book), no indication is given as to which pieces of information came from which source. To me, this is a major issue because the wrestling industry is rife with unfounded internet rumors, and it's important for the reader to be able to distinguish documented facts from unfounded rumors or speculation.
   
   For example, the authors make numerous allegations about WCW's financial status at different points throughout its history with no citations or any other indications as to where this information purportedly came from. In his book, "Controversy Creates Cash," Eric Bischoff lamented the fact that internet writers often made unfounded and inaccurate claims about WCW's profits and losses since the company's information was proprietary and was allegedly unavailable to anybody outside of WCW. Of course, Bischoff could be lying through his teeth, but there's no way to tell (at least from this book) because Alvarez and Reynolds give us no way to determine where their figures came from.
   
   In addition, the book is replete with allegations of conversations and happenings that occurred backstage with, again, no citations provided to allow the reader to verify any of it. This became especially frustrating when the authors wrote about promoters' and wrestlers' INTERNAL motivations for certain actions. The authors write about these internal thought processes as if they were mind-readers. Hulk Hogan got the worst treatment, as he was frequently accused of internally plotting to put his own interests above those of WCW. A notable example occurs on page 139, detailing what allegedly led to the July 6, 1998 match between Hulk Hogan and Bill Goldberg:
   
   "As the date drew near, Hogan, the wily veteran, came up with a plan. Aware that all the Turner bigwigs would be at the show, he offered to take Goldberg on in a non-title, non-televised match in which Goldberg would get the win and and send the folks home happy. All the company execs, seeing the huge house, would obviously assume that Hogan drew it, and his standing as WCW's top dog would be cemented."
   
   How do the authors know this was Hogan's motivation and thought process? Did they interview him? Did they rely on his book or something else that he wrote? Not according to the bibliography. In the bibliography, the only sources listed for the chapter on 1998 were a Prodigy Chat with Eric Bischoff CONDUCTED IN 1997 and a personal interview R.J. Reynolds conducted with Bobby Heenan (which is also listed as a source for the chapter on 2000). Since the Heenan interview is never referred to in the text of the book, it's entirely unclear which pieces of information (if any) actually came from that interview. Even assuming that Heenan provided the authors with information about Hogan's "plan", at best that's hearsay about another individual's internal thought processes from somebody who may or may not have an axe to grind. The reader is left to wonder whether Hogan's "plan" is a documented fact, the result of hearsay from Heenan (or somebody else), or completely unfounded speculation by the authors.
   
   That's just but one example of the unfounded allegations that arise throughout the whole book. In sum, while this book is an immensely enjoyable read, the facts presented in it, other than what we saw on our TV screens, simply are not reliable. And that is a shame.



3. I bought this book a few years ago and have read it 3 times. I am a fan of RD Reynolds as a writer and his Wrestlecrap web site. I thought this book was good when I first read it at the time it came out. However, it has not held up well over repeated readings as time has passed and a lot of the so called facts in the book have been disproven.
   
   Here is the good and bad about this book.
   
   The Good
   
   This book does at least attempt to provide some facts and information to back up its opinions, which is more than most wrestling books do. It is very funny and clever in the parts written by Reynolds. The subject matter of the destruction of the second largest wrestling organization in the world is an important subject. If you are a long time fan of wrestling, then this book is a good trip down memory lane.
   
   
   
   The Bad
   
   The pseudo journalism in this book is fairly sloppy and the book is basically a collection of internet wrestling fan fantasies that can be read any place on the web. The book has fun bashing the people the authors personally dislike, such as Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, the leaders of AOL / Time Warner, et cetera, but the authors never bothered to talk to any of these parties for their views. The so called sources the authors use are mostly unnamed (which is always a sloppy journalism tactic) and mostly consist of small time under card wrestlers who are just bitter at their lack of success. The personal favorite wrestlers of the authors, such as Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Chris Benoit, et cetera are lauded and applauded without receiving any criticism for their roles in the fate of WCW.
   
   The book makes unsubstantiated, unsupported, conclusions about how Vince McMahon mishandled his purchase of WCW and how they think professional wrestling should be. As with WCW, the authors did not interview anybody in the WWF or any McMahons, so the portion of the book at the end where they are rambling about the WWF is misinformed and uneducational. Outside of the first chapter, very little is written about WCW before the birth of Monday Nitro in 1995, which is a huge omission. The book basically ignores the internal strife within AOL / Time Warner, which almost led the entire company to bankruptcy and the economic and business factors that were the real cause of the death of WCW (such as having no no DVD releases and weak overall merchandising and sponsorships).



4. This is my favorite wrestling book. The best I've ever read. Thought I should start by saying that. I've read it well over 5 times(I'm actually in the middle of reading it a 6th time).
   
   Anyway, like the title says, its a book detailing the Death of World Championship Wrestling(WCW). Not only that, but it also documents the birth, and rise of the company based in Atlanta Georgia.
   
   Bryan and RD Reynolds do a great job of not only dissecting WCW as a whole, but also going into detail about some of the more sublte snafus the company made, some of which helped with its demise. And if you've ever heard either of these two's respective radio shows, or read their writings, you know that it has to be full of humor. And it is. It brings out a lot of humor in a situation so sad that it almost HAS to be laughed at.
   
   5 stars, easily. Also, do yourself a favor and read RD's two other books.



5. Wrestling Organizations rarely die in such a fantastic fashion as WCW did in the early 2000's, but when it's IP was bought up by WWF, it was a lightning rod moment for the change of the US wrestling industry. RD and Bryan in this book did a fantastic job summing up post 1990 wrestling's history (for more on the pre-Bischoff era, RD's other book Wrestlecrap: the Worst of Pro-Wrestling covers it more in detail) and then going into depth on the numbers and antics of how WCW first pushed ahead of WWF, and then sank to nearly nothing.
   
   I don't give five stars, only because I find the book slightly inconstant in tone - you can tell definitely when the two authors are writing, as RD's tone is nearly silly, and Bryan's much more serious. I found it disjointing and occasionally pulled me out of the experience of reading the book. Some more polish with an editor might have helped this issue. There are a few minor factual questions, but nothing that disrupts the flow of the book's story. I can also say I totally agree with the conclusion, but I think more time could have been given to the aftermath. If the book is ever re-printed, another chapter with more fallout might be a welcome addition.
   
   Those few things aside, both are entertaining and informative. Both have been part of the Internet wrestling community for years, and we hope for a long time more. I can only say it's unfortunate wrestling has been so completely boring in the last 5 years, as a book about the post-WCW history would read like a diner menu of loathsomeness.
   
   (I truly hope RD or Bryan look at this, find "loathsome" in a review, and get worried before they read the context. Sorry guys, just yank'n your chains!)
   
   Also note RD has a new book coming soon with his Wrestlecrap Radio cohost Blade Braxton, which will be a full-on wrestling comedy book called Wrestlecrap Book of Lists and will be released in Nov. 2007.

5 comments about The Life You Imagine: Life Lessons for Achieving Your Dreams.

1. I am giving this to a friend of mine's son who is nine who could care less about Derek Jeter or the Yankees. That is how good I think that this book is. It shows how Derek was focused on his goal from age 8, and I am going to get more copies for children of my friends to give to them when they turn 8.



2. Great book and great lessons for kids. Shows what can happen when you are ambitious enough and try hard enough. Great book about Derek and where he came from and where he wants to go!



3. After reading the first couple of pages I knew right away that this book would be a good one. The reason Derek Jeter became so well known is because he started very young knowing what he was going to do in life. Throughout high school and college Derek Jeter was an outstanding athlete and student, but at times he did have those people that said that he couldn't do it and that he couldn't make it to the major leagues. This book would be recommended to those who look at Derek Jeter as an idol and also are athletes. Reading this book could change the way you look at Pro athletes and maybe even inspire you to do better.



4. Book review mod 1
   
   Over the summer I read a few books. One of those books was The Life You Imagine: Life Lessons for Achieving Your by Derek Jeter. I choose this book because I'm a Yankees fan and love Derek Jeter. This book is a great book for someone who needs a role model. Derek Jeter is an amazing role model he had strait A's growing up. In this book Derek Jeter tells you how he grew up and how hard it was for him and how he never stopped trying to get what he set his goals for. This book is wonderful it shows you how any body can do it. His dream his whole life was to play short stop baseball for the New York Yankees. This book is one of those books that will inspire a person to go out and try harder then every one and get what he set out for. That's how good this book is, your are into baseball and trying hardest any way. This book is written well and will show you how a person who really like really tries his hardest and never gives up and will do what ever he has to, just to get what he sets out for. If there was a rating for this book it would get a 10 out of 10 or 100 out of 100 or 5 stars. That's just my opinion. This book is just like I said be for just one of those books that just makes a person want to do something good in life or achieve a goal or something. In this book Derek Jeter said that he would write all of his goals down and check them of as he achieved them threw out the year. This book is wonderful inspiring and just an all around baseball lovers dream book, if I was to recommend this book to anyone it would defiantly be a YES! This book is one of my favorites and would hope it would be one of yours as well. =]
   
   
   By Kevin Lunn



5. This book starts off as derek jeter stating that he wil play for the New York Yankees when he is 8 years old. They discuss the 10 rules about how to live you life and what to do. Growing up derek had alot of racial problems with his parents. He had one black and one white, and he had a sister, they were a really close family.
   
   growing up there were many racial problems in his town. He went to college in Kalamazoo michigan. He played baseball there and now hes making millions doing what he loves. He said he loves to wake up every morning knowing he loves his job.
   
   Derek is always saying set your goals high so you are always working toward them. Not too high to where you cannot reach them but just high enough that you have to work at it to get to them.
   
   This is one of the greattest books i have ever read. I will give 2 thumbs up. It was a very interesting book becuase i lvoe baseball and i want to be exactly like derek jeter.

5 comments about Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks.

1. Both of my sons and my husband enjoyed this book. A lot of fun to read.



2. Amazing that in a few weeks, Mick Foley poured his life and soul into 760 pages of notebook paper that would make it, lightly cut and without any major edits, onto book, and earn it's New York Times #1 Bestseller's List. If only it weren't for that Oprah! (readers of the book will understand)
   
   Starting from childhood, he makes it quick, but sweet as he tells humorous stories about his friends, and the origin of the name "Cactus Jack", and his time in college, including the inspiration for Dude Love and the start of his wrestling career.
   
   Foley's writing is so personal and engrossing that he easily captures our attention with riveting stories ranging from lying to his parents and almost getting caught skipping a bus to college in order to catch a wrestling show (the famous Madison Square Garden match between Jimmy Snuka and Don Muraco), to gaining the respect and friendship of ex-wrestler and trainer Dominic DeNucci and being taken under his wing, knowing Foley couldn't afford classes, by reducing his fee, and then not charging altogether.
   
   Foley's tales of his independent circuit runs are definitely a grungy, and in some cases heartwrenchingly painful experiences, which his natural humor and goodnatured attitude help liven up and spare us the angst he must have felt, but without completely sugarcoating it.
   
   All along the way, Foley maintains a very brilliantly hidden line between kayfabe and shoot, though focusing more on the shoot aspect (for nonwrestling fans, kayfabe means the "fake" world of wrestling, including storylines and gimmicks, shoot is reality) and readily admits his talent isn't in technical or even very good wrestling, but rather in taking bumps and making the other guy and himself look good.
   
   From hellish stories of being stalked by crazed female fans thinking his real name is "Cactus Jack Manson" to wrestling in Nigeria and almost getting robbed by the corrupt government police, to losing out on a 3,000$ paycheck in Africa after the president of the country he wrestled in (who organized the event) was assassinated and the regime overthrown within weeks of his departure, Foley's wit and charm keep the story of his life so lively, you'd think it has to be fiction.
   
   Moving on to his time in WCW, he recounts the horrors of the backstage mechanics, from Ric Flair's awful booking and the backstage team's failure to recognize great potential talent, and hiring college TV production students to man their editing, to Foley's disillusionment as the feud between he and Vader was played down, a massive bump taken by Foley which the commentators could have brilliantly sold was sardonically mocked with a derogatory statement like "that's got to be excedrin headache #9!!", and Cactus Jack being attempted to be turned into a childishly ridiculous heel that would have ruined Foley's career.
   
   Then came Foley's run on the independent circuit, and shows for ECW, including full transcripts of some of his best, and in my opinion some of the best ever, promos, trying to be anti-hardcore and promoting WCW and trying to get Tommy Dreamer to go to WCW and be the pretty boy wrestler again.
   
   From the independent circuit, to stardom in the WWF, Foley is never sparse on details about stories while on the road, his many friends along the way from Mr. Haiti in Africa, to Steve Austin and Steve (William) Regal, The Undertaker, Sting, Owen Hart, Vader, and of course Terry Funk. Virtually every stop from his career, including the Japanese tours, the King of the Deathmatch, etc, and the evolution from "Mason the Mutilator" to "Mankind the Mutilator" to "Mankind" and the use of all three of his gimmicks in the WWF to eventual WWF Championship gold.
   
   Throughout it all, Foley never loses his charm or wit, or the incessant Al Snow bashing, with plenty of pictures scattered around the text and plenty of personal stories (like the time he shared a house with a junkie, a guy who was having sex with his girlfriend's 16 year old daughter, and the 16 year old trying to flirt with Mick) and stories with friends (like "Vader" Leon White's spendthrifting with hotels, or Owen Hart's penchanse for practical jokes) that his story never gets old or repetitive and when the story finally ends, you feel like you've known Mick his entire life.
   
   This is THE shining example of a great book about a pro wrestler's life, and I hope his other two books are just as great.



3. Mick Foley's "Have a Nice Day" is his first and his best. It is a whimsical journey in the life of one of the greatest hardcore wrestlers ever. Foley has always had the gift of gab, and it translates very well to the written page. Hysterical, insightful, and heartwarming.



4. If you are interested in the behind the scenes of wrestling, here's a great place to start. Mick speaks on his rise from childhood fan to wrestling superstar. He even talks breifly about the Boiler Room Brawl and his Cleveland promos! (I wish he would have went more in-depth on these topics, though.)



5. See a different side of wrestling with this autobiographical book. You'll laugh your way through this brilliant work of art and ask yourself how Foley survived.

5 comments about Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero.

1. Leigh Montville paints a brilliant portrait in words of the man who wanted to be remembered as the greatest hitter who ever lived. Ted Williams deserves to be on the short list of baseball's greatest hitters, and he easily deserved his hall of fame induction, where he was the first prominent white man to publicly call for recognition for negro leaguers Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson.
   
   Ted WAS a great hitter, and he had many other desirable qualities as well, giving generously of his time and money to charity and serving his country TWICE during the peak of his baseball powers, losing five major league seasons to WWII and Korea. We can only speculate how many more hits and homers Ted might have had if not for those lost years.
   
   But Montville shows us the warts as well. We see an arrogant young Ted who cared ONLY about hitting and only took the field because that got him his turn at bat. He considered pitchers contemptuously and Montville gives several examples where the great hitter gave priority to HIS individual achievement over less important matters, such as his team winning.
   
   Gifted with an extraordinary mind, Ted was nonetheless minimally educated and when he had opportunities to "get away with things" because of how well he could hit, Ted took every opportunity.
   
   I agree with another reviewer who wrote that Ted's career is not chronicled as well as his later years. The last hundred pages are about the pathetic final years of the great hitter's life when son John Henry used his father's name and money to finance one failed business venture after another. After Ted's death Montville describes John Henry's nearly desperate efforts to have Ted frozen at a cryonic center in Arizona, for the speculative reason that there might still be another buck in it for John-Henry. In a cruel twist of fate, John-Henry was stricken prematurely with leukemia and joined his father in frozen perpetuity.
   
   To present a biography of such a man is a daunting task, and Montville succeeds admirably. No doubt some of the unwieldy nature of this volume comes as a result of the volumes of research done by the author and an unwillingness to pare the passages that could use a prune.
   
   Universally acknowledged today as one of baseball's greatest - the last man to hit over .400 and one of the small number of players with over 500 home runs - before steroids and with five years lost to the Marines, Ted nonetheless had the personality that made baseball writers, for example, choose Joe Gordon as MVP in 1942, even though Ted won the triple crown, leading the league in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. How ticked off would the writers have to be to give such an award to someone else when you've led the league in EVERY major hitting category? Ted Williams did that to some people.
   
   A baseball hero - but a cautionary tale also of a man who was often not a role model.



2. Leigh Montville's biography of Ted Williams is exhaustive in its analysis of one of baseball's greatest hitters. At times childish and self-absorbed, but always focused upon his art, Ted Williams emerges as a troubled genius in this wonderful book. Some of the anecdotes about Williams' intensity evoke a character who loves a few things in life to obsessive delight while ignoring almost everyone and everything else. An absolute master in the science of hitting a baseball, Williams loves his talent and nourishes it in a way that illuminates how beautiful, powerful, and fragile is the human desire to achieve greatness. A must for baseball fans.
   
   Donald Gallinger is the author ofThe Master Planets



3. From the beginning, Ted Williams was a larger than life personality - a great player on the field, the last baseball player to hit over .400 - and a player off the field as well, married three times, but never to the true love of his life. His antics on and off the field were legendary, as were his breaks from baseball to serve in both World War II and Korea. And, of course, his relationship with his children, especially son John Henry, led to headlines long after his career and life were over.
   
   "Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero" by Leigh Montville is a wonderfully written look at the colorful Williams. Montville covers all aspects of Williams's life, from his childhood and troubled relationship with his parents (especially his mother), his career in Boston, his tumultuous relationship with Boston sports writers, his life after baseball, his troubled relationship with his children, and of course his controversial freezing after his death. Williams was a complex man and Montville does his best to show what made Williams tick. It's not an easy task, Williams was prickly and had two sides to his personality - the public Ted and the private Ted. By the end of the book you will both love and hate Williams - you'll love the public Ted that associated so well with fans (at least off the field and especially the young ones - Williams was instrumental in helping the Jimmy Fund, which supports young cancer patients, get off the ground) and hate the private Ted, who made life difficult for those around him.
   
   For the most part, Montville is objective in his writing, treating both the private Ted and public Ted even-handedly and making no excuses for his behavior. But his objectivity slips near the end of the book when he discusses Williams's son John Henry. It's clear that Montville doesn't like John Henry. As much as your feelings for Ted may waver throughout the book, by the end you can't help but feel sorry for him and the way his family treated him the last few years of his life.
   
   "Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero" is an interesting look at a complex man.



4. I have read a couple of books on Ted Williams, but this was the best. It's exhaustively researched -- Montville spoke to anyone and everyone who may have come across Williams, almost to a fault -- and a lot of fun to read. I guess I would label it sympathetic, but it's really quite fair. I think that after reading this book, you will understand why so many people loved Williams off the field, but why he rubbed fans and writers the wrong way. Montville made me feel like I was along for the ride throughout Williams's amazing career, and that's not always easy to do. A great read to be enjoyed by all.



5. I have been reading quite a few baseball biographies over the past 4-5 years and this one was absolutely and by far the most thoughtful, the most thorough, and simply the best. And frankly, I was not even a Ted Williams fan before I picked it up. I knew very little about him and didn't remember him, having been born in 1961. But the portrait Montville draws is remarkably detailed and nuanced. This book goes beyond the person and gives glimpses of the times.