5 comments about Pre: The Story of America's Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine.

1. This is one of the few negative reviews I have ever given. But I bought this book because I think Pre is interesting and I love Track and Field.
   
   This book is sooooo boring. I forced myself to finish after a few months of reading it on and off. This is basically a book just listing times from races and people talking about how much they loved Pre.
   
   Do NOT buy this book!



2. An avid runner, I enjoyed the book immensely. Read it before you hit the roads.



3. i am always interested in reading about successful athletes. pre was a great read, simple easy read, some great insight on pre from some of his running partners. i enjoy the statistics and he had many.



4. Taken too young from us - will always be a hero to us.
   Read this motivational book.



5. This is an excellent read for anyone. You don't have to know who Steve was to enjoy this book. The book has a lot of information and details that were not in the movies.

4 comments about Winning Is Not Enough: The Autobiography (UK Edition).

1. Jackie Stewart's sense of humor and keen insights as a color commentator for Formula 1 racing have always appealed to me. But I was surprised to learn he is a fine and entertaining writer. This autobiography shares the low and high moments of a fast-paced life, from his roots in Scotland, the early days as a mechanic in a Dumbuck garage to his triumphs against immense odds to become a Formula 1 champion. I was touched by his giving back so much - improving racing safety, helping others afflicted with dyslexia and organizing events to assist noteworthy causes. His adventures on and off the track will surprise you. The book has the warm feel of an armchair adventure told by an open fire - you will be pleased to enjoy his world, and very cranky that your visit is over when you turn the last page.



2. One of the best and most enjoyable books I have read in years. Anybody remotely interested in racing or cars should read this.



3. This is simply a great book. I am familiar with Stewart's excellence as a speaker so it should come as no surprise that he tells great stories in print too. What comes through beyond the details of his life is his committment to integrity and thoughtfulness above all else in human nature. Jackie is as concerned about a gameskeeper in rural Scotland as the Royal person or CEO in his next meeting.
   
   The book is full of wonderful anecdotes about his career but what is truly remarkable are the powerful recollections he brings to each tale. It's not enough for Jackie to remember the date he drove X or met with Y, he also recalls the weather, what everyone was wearing and what they had for dinner. These memories create a lush background for the storyteller to act upon.
   
   If there is a downside to the book it is Stewart's need to name everyone associated with even trivial events in his life. I think this is just Jacklie's way of being inclusive and thanking all, and is at best a small defect in what is otherwise a warm and readable story about an extraordinary life. Highly recommended.



4. I found this in my local book store and was surprised that it has not been released by Amazon yet. Being a formula one fan may make me a bit biased but i can say with sincere honesty that this is the best autobiography i have ever read. For a person to be ridiculed at school for suffering from dyslexia and then going on to become a true ambassador for the sport of f1 and others, Jackie Stewart is a truly remarkable man and i cannot rate this book more highly. A must for anybody's library.

5 comments about Made in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History.

1. Great story as told by a Great Champion. Reading Hughes' book was informative and a GREAT read. Hughes is a hero in and out of the Octagon. The account of his life and his Christian faith is very uplifting. This is a must for any M.M.A fan, (without being preachy) I wish Hughes the best of luck in the future and hope whomever reads "Made In America" enjoys this book as much as i did.



2. I think this book is worth the money I spent on it;but I was hoping he'd say his bad attitude was fake to sell tickets.He truly is a jerk and if you read this book;he'll tell you all about it!



3. Wow, I'm amazed by the horrible reviews here. Do you people even know what MMA is??
   
   Matt Hughes is cocky, he isn't the most dominant champion of all time, he's a horrible writer, that's what they said! Well of course he is cocky, it's called the superior confidence of being a dominant champion. That kind of "cocky" confidence, is what gets your hand raised at the end of the fight, these are men, professional fighters that want to break your face more than anything.The writing isn't perfect, right, that means that the words are straight from Matt, not some notetaking editor.
   
   I'm a hardcore UFC fan and I've seen Matt win and I have seen Matt get totally dominated, never has he been disrespectful to an opponent. He earned his place in the UFC and reigned as champion, his glory days are over, but he will "DEFINITELY" be in the UFC Hall of Fame.
   
   I read this book in about a week, thats quick for me. I loved it!
   
   It's Matt's life, his story, the ups and downs, the road to the UFC and his personal life. The book is very entertaining, with many funny stories, as well as great fight stories.
   
   If you love the UFC and MMA you'll love this book. 5 Stars!



4. Several reviews have already said it better than I can, but my opinion of Matt Hughes after reading this has dropped considerably. I am a huge sports biography fan so I understand that athletes are human, but there were several anecdotes in the book that left me baffled.
   
   For example he told a story of his uncle having issues controlling his bladder. There was no context for the story and it made Matt look like an immature jerk for even including it in the book.
   
   He often recounts stories of his interactions with other fighters and fans where he either bullies or acts like an arrogant jerk to them. Instead of telling the stories as if he made a mistake and regrets his behavior, he seems to think he actually did the right thing in those situations and feels completely justified.
   
   Like others have said, the writing is terrible and there is no flow or rhythm to the stories. MMA junkies and Matt Hughes fans will probably like the book because there are a few "inside access" stories that are interested, but get it from the library.



5. Matt Hughes has been one of the most dominate champions the UFC has ever known. This book is essentially his life's story, and how a man went from a small rural town to the big lights of the UFC.
   
   The book is honest and revealing: Everything from street fights to his conversion to Christianity, to his near death experience at the swirl pool to his long up and downs with his current wife. The book does a great job of capturing Hughes' voice and personality.
   
   I found this book to be more entertaining than Iceman: My Fighting Life (although I would never say that to Liddell's face). Nevertheless, both were great reads and provide extraordinary behind-the-door information about the fastest growing sport in the country.

5 comments about Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest.

1. For a real life story it does not get much more real than this, a passion becomes an obsession that takes away the hero status that he was aiming for in the first place? . I found it easy to read. A bit of soft filling in the middle and couldn't really relate to the relationship with his wife.



2. As one of the other reviewers had written, I too have becme nearly obsessed with the events surrounding the tragic events of May 1996. I have read every book I can find on the subject.
   
   Dr. Weathers book is very well written. It gives perspective from his wife and friends view as they waited his return and the sadness and then apprehension when they find he is still alive but in dire trouble.
   
   I'd highly recommend this book. it is inspirational - his courage - his acceptance of what happened.



3. If you like to read about real mountaineering, try a book by Joe Simpson or Jon Krakauer. If you want to read a book about a guy who blows off his family to climb, and all the damage he does because of it, then this book is ideal for you.
   
   I was hoping to read a survival story, instead I got family dynamics.



4. The book is OK.I like to know all the book about 1996 Everest disaster.The middle part of book - about Beck life history - was boring.The climbing parts were OK.In my opinion the best book was "The Climb"



5. If you, like me, are an avid armchair mountaineer, gripping your cup of hot chocolate at the risk of either spilling your drink or breaking the cup as the National Geographic Channel or Discovery Times takes you over the breathtaking vistas of the Seven Summits; and if you, like me, stop to read or listen to every story of the mighty Everest and the hundreds of people who've braved its summit since Tenzing Norgary Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hilary cut the ribbon, you're bound to be drawn to this book. And certainly if you, like me, know by name everyone on Rob Hall's and Scott Fischer's teams in 1996...those who perished, and those who survived, along with a preview of the breathtaking tale Beck Weathers tells here of his rescue from the mountain, you may scratch your head in puzzlement when you realize that you are less than a third into "Left for Dead" when you've reached this point in the book. What more could there be to tell?
   
   Don't stop reading.
   
   First of all, Beck does a spectacular job, aided by his wife, now, who adds comments about how his obsession with climbing afffected the family, of his entire history of climbing, including the colorful characters and the close calls that accompany Beck and his companions during their climb. But now as he looks back, Beck is able to reflect on what he missed.
   
   Oh no. Is this turning into a screenplay for a chick flick? Well, not really. Or not entirely. But by the end, Beck has realized all that he came very close to losing ....even after the Everest climb...included much more than a hand, and was much more precious.
   
   Although I still would have liked a bit more build-up before the crisis on Everest, I thought this was a darned good book. I would not ask the author to lose any more extremities, but if he could manage to write another without losing one, that would be OK.

5 comments about Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big.

1. I read this book when it first came out and I am glad I did not review it then. Like many others I was skeptical about what Canseco was saying. I just couldn't believe that all the famous athletes that he named took steriods or HGH. The idea that he personal injected many of them seemed ludicrous. The media put it down as a bunch of lies to sell books. Canseco also had his ups and downs and did not have a great reputation in baseball. After the hearings things looked even worse. But what came out in the long run was that everything he said became highly plausible or confirmed by drug testing or further investigation. This book is now a landmark book in the history of major league baseball. The only thing I disagree with Canseco on in this book is the idea that taking steroids was good for the game of baseball even though it led to more home runs and excitement for the fans. At least in his new book based on the accumulated medical evidence he has changed his tune. No one can deny that this was one of the major books to blow the lid on the use of steriods in baseball.
   
   I believe that Canseco wrote this book for the noteriety and the money and that his selective choice of names to name was deliberate to sensationalize the book and sell copies. He now freely admits to naming people to make the book marketable in his new book vindicated. Also I think the book was intended to provide a rationalization for his own use of steroid and for turning so many others onto it. But hte Mitchell report and other investigations has confirmed that those named were really users!



2. This was really fun to read. It's been passed along about 4 times...great beach reading



3. A very bitter man indeed. I guess these books are what you do when you have been disgraced to no end. Your career written off, you're a joke to everyone, your ex is in a men's mag telling how you're basically a eunuch due to your juicing... What's left to do? Throw unsubstantiated accusations at everyone and try to take as many with you as possible. This guy was on ESPN the other day promoting the new book and accusing A-Rod while exonerating Clemens in the same breath. Need I say more? Buy it if you need something to level off that uneven table in the dining room...



4. If youre looking for book about someone complaining about being accused of taking steroids in a book where he admits to taking steroids and implements others with no proof, this is the book for you. Not once does he submit proof of any of his claims.. Multiple times he complains that he was accuse of steroids even though he says the results were obvious. Also he is so cocky. He repeatedly calls himself the best player ever. NOT EVEN CLOSE. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK OR HIS NEW ONE!!



5. Boy am I glad I checked this out of the library, instead of purchasing it! It shows the steroids not only super-inflated Canseco's body, but his ego as well. I wouldn't know, so I wonder if he was always this cocky and arrogant? Aren't there any humble jocks out there?

5 comments about A Fire to Win: The Life and Times of Woody Hayes.

1. I received the book for Christmas and read it in the span of about 4 hours. It sheds little new light on an enigmatic man who arguably was one of the best coaches in college football. I was very disappointed with the editing; too many grammatical and typographical errors. In some cases nouns and pronouns were in contrast and sentences did not have subjects or predicates. Also, the author designated Miami University (Oxford, OH) teams as the Indians. Prior to changing the name to the RedHawks, Miami's teams were called the Redskins for decades. I have not found one reference to their being called the Indians. A volume on such a noteworthy figure should strive for accuracy.



2. I am an Ohio State Buckeye Football fan and found the book to be interesting, but not in the top 20% of books that I've read. There are a few other books about Woody, but I have not read them. The author could have interviewed more former players and colleagues of Woody. Most interesting is how Woody originally got the Buckeye head coaching job and the discussion of his life immediately after his firing.



3. Mr. Lombardo seems intent on being overly objective in his book by always finding a way to knock Woody even when paying him compliments. Some examples:
   1. Woody was no racist and had black players on the team...but no black QB came aboard until well after other Big 10 teams. (So what? Does that dismiss the civil rights work he supported? Why does that need to be mentioned multiple times?)
   2. Woody was well read and very knowledgable about topics but was not a scholar because he didn't deeply explore areas that did not fit his political/cultural beliefs. (So he wanted Woody to read Marx and Mao? Give me a break with this.)
   
   I scatched my head at these and related passages. The book ends strong with Lombardo quoting from various players and coaches about the legacy of this great man and coach.
   
   However if you are a true Buckeye fan I caution you against expecting too much here. The author has consolidated information from various sources but has not effectively added enough of his own input to truly paint a vivid picture of the coach (for my taste).
   
   Perhaps I'm too spoiled by McCullough and Kearns-Goodwin biographies. While Woody doesn't merit their attention, Mr. Lombardo's effort does not reach their standards of taking the primary sources and writing a text that leaves you thinking you've met the man in the flesh. I wish I had.



4. This was a book I looked forward to reading from the moment I heard about it. I received it for Christmas and read it immediately. The book is very hard to put down and could easily be read in one or two very long sittings. What took away from the very pleasant story line and delivery was the extremely poor editing. Many times in the book I had to suffer through either double or missing articles or dates that contradicted each other. Often times words were mixed up such as "the of" instead of "of the". These were minor annoyances but still distracted from my reading pleasure.
   
   I was confused about the writers real intent. If everything the writer said is true, than the "Ohio State Football Program" was even greater than history will recognize it for. It seems that many if not most of the games and titles lost were directly related to the coach which would lead us to believe that the team should have many more titles to it's credit.
   
   Overall I want to believe that the writer was fair and balanced in his praise and critique of Woody Hayes. Growing up in Ohio, many of the things I knew to be true and had heard rumors of most of the rest of it.



5. The definative Hayes bio. No "idol worship" and no ax job. This the real Woody. Love him or hate him, he went 238-72 and won 5 National Titles his way. His kids got college degrees, Woody ABSOLUTELY made sure of that. Woody's discipline is what America needs today, now more than ever. I pulled an ALL NIGHTER the day I got this book, I just had to finish it.

5 comments about Golden Girl: How Natalie Coughlin Fought Back, Challenged Conventional Wisdom, and Became America's Olympic Champion.

1. Not everything Natalie has to say shows everyone in the best of light; that's because not everyone is exactly a "great" person. This is her book and her story--if she felt someone mistreated her or did this or that wrong, she's entitled to say. All of this is part of why she is the great athlete she is today, and that should be applauded.



2. Being the father of two USA swimming daughters, I found this to be just an "okay" read. While I did find it rather annoying for the author to repeatedly bash the Terrapins, Silver did a good job portraying the pressure coaches are under to get a name for themselves by unnecessarily pushing their swimmers too far. Nonetheless, I enjoyed how the book described McKeever's unorthodox techniques and chronicled the behind the scenes march to the Olympics. In the end, it did leave me with a bit of a tarnished view of Natalie, which is a bit disappointing given the title of the book. I strongly recommend Gold in the Water.



3. Golden Girl is an absolutely outstanding book that takes a good look at not only Natalie Coughlin's push toward Olympic excellence but also talks about subjects that many consider taboo: the politics of the sport of swimming and the need for more rational training methods. I just bought a copy for my daughter's birthday. She's an Olympian in Judo. I'm an international level Judo coach. I was fascinated by the book and can easily relate to it since the Judo community suffers from the same malaise that the swimming world suffers from. Being an unconventional coach in Judo, I'm not surprised by all the negative reviews from people within the swimming world. I get the same treatment from my Judo peers who like Terri McKeever's and Dave Salo's peers are too insecure or "know it all" to even look into alternative training methods. Since I am heavily involved in coach education, I will make this book a required reading for all Judo coaches. My advice to you, the prospective buyer of this book, is to ignore the negative reviews from the swimming culture that Golden Girl decries, unless of course you too are stuck on the conventional and can't handle outside-the-box ideas.



4. The swimming literature with which I am familiar - Gold in the Water, Champions, Four Champions: One Gold Medal, Michael Phelps: Beneath the Service, By a Fraction of a Second - satiate my interest for swimming-centered narrative, but, in my opinion, the genre, as represented by this collection of books, is one dimensional. I find that these types of books (I would include a few running, and football books among them) are purportedly about courageous young athletes that overcome and achieve through commitment, belief, and the support of teammates, family, and coaches. The narrative certainly appeals to the target audience - athletes, coaches,and parents, that are deeply invested in the system that is celebrated through these pleasing tales. In my experience, as an athlete and a coach, the narrative is fairly accurate. But there are other stories to tell, and Michael Silver tries to tell one of them. Silver, like no other writer that has told the tale of swimmer and coach, questions the hard-nosed-coach archetype. He also questions the culture, the competitive swimming culture, in which this type of coach thrives.
   
   The title of the book is Golden Girl. Its Natalie's show, and all of the inherent benefits and detriments accrue. Silver tells her story, and he is clearly sympathetic with her version of the story. Perhaps if the intentions and methods of the coaches are fair game, then so are the intentions and the methods of the writer. I, for one, understand that from an outsiders perspective the world of competitive swimming might seem as backwards and dysfunctional as we've been led to believe women's figure skating and gymnastics are. Silver, it seems clear, is an outsider, and though his view of competitive swimming must have certainly been filtered through the experiences of Natalie, he seems to me to have a fair amount of corroboration. And to be honest the corroborating anecdotes that he includes don't seem particularly damaging (excepting perhaps the stories of the Terrapin Coach badgering female swimmers about their weight). I think we all know that there are some hard-nosed, mean SOBS, coaching out there. By and large, we would agree that most of these coaches really care about their athletes. They've had their say. For swim coaches, its been chronicled in the annals of Swimming World Magazine and just about every book on swimming that has every been written. This book is about giving Natalie a say. This book is about giving McKeever a say. To some they may come off as bitter or dysfunctional or defensive. It only makes them human. Bottome line is they did it their way, and win or lose, they succeeded. A core precept of McKeever's philosophy seems to be the the journey is more important than the destination. That Silver, in giving this say, allows them to question competitive swimming's cultures, institutions, and some of its personalities, seems unavoidable and possibly an opportunity for the sport to engage in some healthy introspection.
   
   Just about every book on swimming that has ever been written tells a single tale. This book tells a different tale. Its a tale that's not all that different from one that has been told before, told by a coach, in his own words - Sprinting: A Coach's Challenge by Sam Freas. Its a different type of book - a mix of narrative and instruction - but if you liked Golden Girl you may want to check it out.



5. Based on the other comments, I thought this book would be a litany of complaints by Natalie. I assumed she would really bash her old coach. Instead, he is mentioned mostly in the context of the difference between his training philosophy and that of Teri McKeever. Ray Mitchell occupies part of a chapter. This leads me to believe that those who are outraged must not have taken the time to read the book.
   
   That being said, I thought the book was more about the Cal swim season with a focus on Natalie and McKeever. It was a fascinating look at a different approach to swimming - focus on technique, workout variety and team building. As one of the many burned out former age groupers who swam lot of 10K+ workouts, I think the whole swimming world should celebrate that coaches such as McKeever and Salo are willing to try something new. Natalie and the Cal swim program are proof that there is more to swim training than piling up yardage. This is really inspiring. I used to worry about whether I was doing the right thing by introducing my children to this sport. This book has helped to re-ignite my love for competitive swimming.

5 comments about When Pride Still Mattered : A Life Of Vince Lombardi.

1. This is the complete Vince Lombardi book. The author has left no stone unturned it seems and goes into great depth in looking at what made Lombardi tick.
   
   It is not a shrine to the greatness of Lombardi book, the author does write about the Coach's flaws (lack of attention to family) but it is so engrossing that I was upset when the final chapters on Lombardi's death were being read.
   
   Maybe the book is a smidgen too long, there were times that it seemed to drag a little but all in all, a great book.



2. Presidential biographer David Maraniss ("First in His Class") turned his attentions away from Washington, D.C., and towards Lambeau Field in this remarkable book. His subject was Coach Vince Lombardi, who took over a losing program and turned Green Bay, Wisconsin, the smallest market in professional sports, into "Title Town, U.S.A."
   
   Immediately prior to Lombardi's acceptance of the head coaching position, the Packers managed to win only a single game in an entire season. In short order, Lombardi made Green Bay synonymous with victory. The trophy given to the team that wins the Super Bowl is now named for Lombardi. The Packers won the inaugural Super Bowl and repeated the following year under their celebrated head coach.
   
   Lombardi was a star player for Fordham when that university still had a football program. He developed and refined his coaching abilities at the high school level and he was promoted to assistant coaching positions at the United States Military Academy (West Point) and with the New York Giants of the NFL.
   
   As Maraniss demonstrates, Lombardi enjoyed influence throughout the country during the Sixties: he became a much sought after business conference speaker and Richard M. Nixon even contemplated offering him a place on the political ticket of the Republican Party for a brief time.
   
   This is a superior biography and a document of a time that now has gone.



3. This is the best sports biography that I've ever read, and is the gold standard by which I rate every other sports bio. I originally read the book when it was published in 1999 and decided to read it again. I didn't realize that I had forgotten so many details. Many of the games discussed I remember like it was yesterday. If you were a Packer's or NFL fan from the 60s this is a must read book.
   
   I'm very skeptical of Amazon's public reviews as I find 80% +++ of the reviewers are too easily impressed (especially business/investment books). Most grossly overrate books. With such skepticism, I did scan through a page or two of the now 138 reviews to see why anybody would give this book < 5. Two compliants said it had too much minutia and wrote too much about Vince's early life. I find that most if not all biographies talk too much about the person's early life and the person's lineage. I usually scan the early chapters of a biography until I get into the person's adult years. On my second reading of this book I picked it up around Vince's time at West Point.
   
   One last point about the author. I've also read First in His Class & his book about Roberto Clemente. Both were excellent books. However, Maraniss did co-author a book with a younger woman, who's title I forget. It was obvious from the reading that the woman had written most of the book and Maraniss wrote little of the book. His name may have been listed as a co-author to sell books.



4. I couldn't help feeling that I was right there in frozen Green Bay, in the 1960s, at one of the Lombardis' Sunday post-game cocktail parties, and everywhere else Vince Lombardi went in his life, while reading this great book.
   It's a great read, very vivid, about a great coach and (as Maraniss illustrates) not the greatest father in the world. In other words, a portrait of a human being who did great things with his work, but who had foibles like everybody else.



5. I picked up this book after hearing a strong recommendation. I knew next to nothing about Vince Lombardi, other than that he was an excellent football coach. Very glad I bought the book as this was a particularly engrossing biography.
   
   The author was very thorough in his research and traces Lombardi's life in detail for his full nearly 60 years. He provides a lot of detail on Lombardi's strengths and weaknesses. At times I wanted to slug him and tell him to quit being so intense about football and pay more attention to his family. Other times, I found myself admiring the daylights out of him. It is astonishing to think he could take the most losing team in football and turn them into major winners in just one season.
   
   There's a lot of food for thought in this biography. Is winning really so important that you should sacrifice your family and your health? Is success really success if you never enjoy it? As a recovering perfectionist, I saw many powerful examples from Lombardi's life about why I DON'T want to be a perfectionist! Nothing is ever good enough, and you never, ever get to be happy. That is one lesson in Lombardi's life that really comes blasting out of every story.
   
   If you like biographies, you will really enjoy this one. Glad I decided to pick it up.
   
   Jan Dahlin Geiger, author of "Get Your Assets in Gear! Smart Money Strategies" Get Your Assets in Gear! Smart Money Strategies

No comments about The Life of Reilly: The Best of Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly.

5 comments about Eleven Seconds: A Story of Tragedy, Courage & Triumph.

1. I would love to review this product, however, it is now well over a month and I have yet to recieve it. I would love to know where it is and why it is taking so long. I ordered it on June 12 and my credit card was billed that day but I have not yet recieved the product. I am very disappointed.



2. Travis Roy is an inspirational man, he tells everyone about the emotional state that he was through during the whole entire situation. He created a foundation that didn't just help him but helped others with the same situation. Before reading this I didn't know the process of paralysis victims, but after I was fully aware of what paralysis victims went through emotionally and physically.
   
   It is a great story for people that don't even really like hockey because any person could get paralyzed any given day. So after reading this story it made me aware of how a single mans pain can express the words of thousands.
   
   The reason why I recommend this book is because it is the story of a man that enjoyed everyday life before being paralyzed, then after 11 seconds of hockey his life completely changed, but he fought through the pain and lived everyday to the fullest and always kept his mind looking positively. He wants to walk again and keeps thinking that he can, one thing that could possibly just keep him going everyday.
   
   So this is a must read for everyone, I strongly recommend it because it makes people explicitly aware of what paralyzed people go through. After reading the book it will make you look at people in wheelchairs differently. If you do choose to read this book, enjoy it and keep in mind that Travis Roy is much luckier than many.



3. I read this book in two days! Travis Roy is an incredible person who has lived through a tragic experience. I applaud him for setting up a foundation to help other people with spinal cord injuries. As a teacher, I would love to have him speak at my school!



4. Initially I was drawn to this book because it involved my passion, hockey. But Travis' story moved me deeply. Once I started reading this book I could not put it down. I was really interested in the affect his accident would have on his relationship with his girlfriend and I was rooting for them to stay together. I'll be honest I'm pretty bummed things didn't work out between them. But this was a great story of a very inspirational person. It truly made me want to make a contribution to his foundation which I plan on doing. I would recommend this book to anyone not just fans of hockey. Good Luck in the future Trav!



5. In Eleven Seconds, a story about a young man at the age of twenty-one living life and one event happens to change it all. Playing in his first collegiate game of hockey, Travis Roy crashed the corner after a dump in, tripped, fell, and broke his fourth vertebrae and becomes paralyzed from his neck down. This single event changes the way he and his family act towards each other. The story goes through his amazing recovery and the heart and determination he had. The author portrays Travis Roy as a hero to those that are in deep pain or trouble. He accomplishes this by showing the good and bad times in his recovery stages. After a few months at the hospital, Travis Roy wants to get back into the world and show that this freak accident will not keep him down. He returns to college and tries to become a normal student, but this is impossible because he has become a well-known person due to the accident. The grit and determination of Mr. Roy and his family members through the hard times to get to a level of peace and acceptance of what has happend is amazing. This story makes you, the reader, feel that you just need to make the best of the hand that is dealt and that if anything goes wrong you just have to deal with it and make the best of the situation. Eleven Seconds is a great book and should be read by all.