5 comments about John Elway.

1. This is one of the best books one can find about John Elway. Sure, it misses much of the autobiographical details, but it gets down to business quite well, distilling John's football life into its essential components. Its strength arises from diversity of perspective. Not only do you hear Mike Shannahan's memories and opinions, but also Dan Reeve's and the words have a healing effect for us long term fans. Likewise, hearing not only from key Bronco team mates but also from his rivals gives one the complete story.



2. I got this book from my wife as a birthday present, and immediately sat down and read it cover to cover. I knew a lot of the info in the book already, having been a Bronco fan since 1972, but it did refresh a lot of old (and somewhat painful) memories. I feel this book is a "must have" for any Bronco/Elway fan.



3. Interesting comments from other players, but not a lot of new information for fans who have followed John's career. Nice book to have for a sports collection.



4. This book (Biography of John Elway) shows not only History of John Elway, but also of his Teamates and other Players around the NFL . This book is loaded with Players, Coaches, and the Owner of the Denver Broncos.



5. This book offers commentary and descriptins of John Elway by other NFL teammates, players, and coaches. Included are chapters by Mike Shanahan, Terrell Davis, Brett Favre, Dan Reeves, and Clay Matthews (who played for the Cleveland Browns, against the Broncos in 3 AFC Championship games). Each individual's comments are very interesting, as they all offer a different perspective.

   The only drawback is that the book appears to have been completed before Super Bowl 33; so Dan Reeves does not offer his views on coaching *against* Elway in a Super Bowl. A minor critique, though, as he still provides an interesting read.

   The book is also filled with many excellent photos from Elway's NFL and college days.

5 comments about A Coach's Life.

1. 26 Jun 2005
   
   Dean Smith wrote a very good book. Humble, and self-effacing. Very worthwhile read. There is a reason why so many people respects him, including Michael Jordan who calls him "Coach" and Phil Jackson "Phil". Aren't that many people with this kind of integrity around any more.



2. The book "A Coach's Life" written by Dean Smith, is a life story of one the best coaches to have ever stepped on the hardwood. This book starts off talking about Dean's childhood. He tells stories of himself as an athlete, playing football, baseball and basketball.
   As a senior, Dean coached the incoming freshman football players the plays. Dean Smith was then offered a head coaching position at Air Force. After the years at Air Force, Dean Smith was offered an assistant coaching position under Frank McGuire. It wasn't long until Dean Smith became coach in 1960-1961.
   
   From then on Dean went on to become one of the greatest coaches to ever coach in college basketball. Dean Smith won 879 wins, has gone to 11 Final Fours, and has won two national championships. Dean Smith went on to coach some of the best players who have played the game of basketball.
   The book is structured very well. It starts off by talking about where he comes from, his schooling, his athletic background, then his coaching career and then his overall thoughts on the game and his life.
   
   My overall evaluation is that this is a decent book. I loved the book, but keeping interest in the book would be difficult if you are not interested in basketball or coaching basketball. I have been involved with basketball for almost my entire life, so that it why I enjoyed the book so much. North Carolina has been my favorite college basketball team for as long as I remember.



3. Dean Smith is now known as one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time. I choose to read this memoir because I have a love for sports. Also, I have a deep passion for college sports because of the atmosphere at every college game I go to. Dean Smith coached one of my favorite colleges in the nation The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
   Dean Smith was just a regular boy that grew up in Topeka, Kansas. His father, Alfred Smith, was a teacher at Emporia High and also the coach of the basketball, football, and track and field teams. His mother, Vesta Edwards, taught all levels, from elementary to college students. She was also the church organist. Life was hard for Dean he lived in a two-bedroom house with one bathroom. He lived with his parents and his sister Joan. They also cared for his Grandmother Edwards who moved in with them when she was seventy-two.
   Dean went to college at The University of Kansas. He spent his first year playing freshman football and basketball and selling football programs at the home football games. Nowadays if you are a freshman in basketball and/or football you weren't able to play until you became a sophomore. He played basketball under the legendary Forrest C. "Phog" Allen. He had the utmost respect for him "It was impossible to play for those men and not learn something. (pg. 24)"
   Dean Smith would start coaching University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels in 1961. Dean has created some of the best known coaching strategies of all time; he started the idea of huddling up at the foul line before every foul shot and the "tired signal" that his players would use to tell him when they needed a rest. He used the tired signal because he thought they best knew how long they could stay in for. Smith coached 36 teams at North Carolina and made it to eleven final four's and won two NCAA National Championships. He coached some of the greatest basketball players of all time such as, Michael Jordan (now known as the greatest basketball player of all-time), James Worthy and Vince Carter.
   This is one of my favorite books of all-time that I have read. North Carolina is one of my favorite colleges already and Dean Smith is a very famous person from UNC so it basically was perfect for me. Plus to add on to that I have a deep passion for sports and college basketball is one of my favorites. Dean throughout his career has learned a lot from some very smart people but the thing that I think he has learned the most is that if you put your mind to it you can accomplish anything.



4. college basketball's greatest coach chronicles his life and details the philosophy and principles which governed his life and his approach to basketball. after reading the book you will understand why many consider him not only the greatest college basketball coach,but an even greater man.



5. "A Coach's Life" details the interesting facts of Dean Smith's story - from his childhood memories to his first coaching job to reaching the pinnacle of his career (winning the NCAA titles in 1982 and 1993). Along the way, you meet many people who enriched Dean's life and who, in turn, were enriched by him...there's Michael Jordan, of course, but Dean also reveals details of his relationships with a number of his players, associates and opponents, including John Thompson, James Worthy, and Frank McGuire, to name a few.

   To his credit, he avoids speaking negatively about others. It seems that he was operating under the axiom, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything." This would explain the virtual omission of Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski - glaring by its absence. So be warned - those looking for a mud-slinging expose' will be disappointed.

   But that's OK - Dean showed that he didn't have to write a "tell-all" in order to write a good book. It's just a story of a simple Kansas boy who found a way to make a difference in people's lives. And what's wrong with that?

   Rating: 4 stars.

2 comments about And ...Howe!: An Authorized Autobiography.

1. this book made my love hockey even more and know more about the howe family and there lives and i live in mich and gordie in on of the most see people in ths town and state



2. I am not an avid reader, but this book kept me glued to every page. Gordie and Colleen Howe share many interesting stories of not only their life with hockey but also of their family. I recommend this book for everyone, especially hockey fans.

2 comments about The Ageless Warrior: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore.

1. This is simply but a great book on Moore.
   The best one out there on this great champ.



2. "Ageless Warrior" is a definitive account on the life of boxing legend Archie Moore. Author Mike Fitzgerald masterfully weaves Moore's 200-plus fights and his personal life into an engaging and evenly-tempered biography. Until now, most books written on Moore tended not to let the facts get in the way of a good story. Fitzgerald, with the cooperation of Archie Moore and his immediately family, finally tells the true story of the "Old Mongoose" with pleasing results. If you're an Archie Moore or boxing fan, this book's for you.

5 comments about Remember This Titan: Lessons Learned from a Celebrated Coach's Journey As Told to Steve Sullivan.

1. In a world saturated with stories overcoming life challenges, Remember This Titan delivers a message unlike any I have read.
   Steve Sullivan's ability to capture the essence of Coach Bill Yoast while weaving in an out of the life narrative is remarkable. He has cleverly captured in words, the essence of a man who made it his life's commitment to make a difference and inspire. Sullivan has beautifully portrayed with drama, insight and humor, the life of a man whose unwavering commitment to others enabled them to prosper- all became better, some became great. Many went on to positively impact on other's lives and for this, Sullivan's book is a brilliant reminder that the `Domino Effect' can be a powerful force.
   Although Coach Bill Yoast is in the twilight of his journey, Remember This Titan and the wisdom it delivers is a legacy that will live forever.



2. A friend sent me the book as gift. She said it would change my life. She was right. It took me on a glorious trip. In a world filled with deceit, fear, anger and lost people Remember This Titan shows how one man can make a differance. Remember This Titan is a story that delivers integrity and courage in abundance. Coach Bill Yoast is now my hero. Remember This Titan is triumph and should be required reading for anyone looking to navigate life with a sense of purpose. Five Stars is not enough.



3. This is a great motivational and uplifting story. A must read for teens and parents alike!!



4. Remember This Titan, is a wonderful accounting of Bill Yoast's life, ups and downs, the expected and the unexpected. It is the story of a man who LIVED decency long before it was fashionable. The success of the team, both on the field and in their interpersonal relationships, was nurtured by the presence of this fine teacher, leader and coach. In a time when schools go out of their way to emphasize that character counts, this is a fine, enjoyable book to share with the children/students in your life. There are so many valuable lessons, from Mary's impact on Coach Yoast to the profound influence of Raymond Tetfeller on Yoast's young life. This book is beautifully written. It flows with astonishing honesty from humor to heart-wrenching pain. Sullivan has an obvious knowledge, understanding and respect for Coach Yoast. As if all of the above isn't enough, there are action plans and lists of invaluable facts in the back. Remember This Titan is a great read which has had a lasting impact on me. p.s. I had a student at the end of the year say, "Hey, Ms. Stewart are YOU reading a football book, cool!" Enjoy.



5. "Remember This Titan" is an excellent story of an American hero. In a time when personal glory is mainstream, Bill Yoast was not only an inspiration to a community but to the nation as well. Absorbing every word of a simply beautiful story of a no-nonsense man, I learned that, "In navigating life, the best lessons are learned when the riding gets rough". Not only do I believe in the philosophy of life according to Coach Yoast but our entire youth organization and metro area are looking forward to having Mr. Sullivan and Coach Yoast motivate our young men for our 2006 football season. I look forward to meeting Coach Bill Yoast and Steve Sullivan in August, (www.greenmountainfootball.org) and showing them that the TITAN theory exists in Colorado. Steve Sullivan along with Bill Yoast are truly the cornerstone of INSPIRATION.

5 comments about One Last Shot: The Story of Michael Jordan's Comeback.

1. ONE LAST CHANCE IS ABOUT THE 3RD COMEBACK BY FORMER NBA GREAT MICHAEL JORDAN. AFTER BEING AWAY FROM THE GAME FOR 3 YEARS, JORDAN RETURNS AT AGE 38 TO TRY AND TAKE THE WIZARDS TO THE PLAYOFFS. MJ HAD ALOT OF RUST AND MILEAGE ON HIM AS HE TRYS TO BE THE MAN ON THE WIZARDS. SOME NIGHTS HE WAS, BUT MOST HE WAS MEDICORE OR LOUSY. MJ LET HIS SUPERSIZE EGO TELL HIM THAT HE WAS STILL GOOD ENOUGHT TO COMPETE AND PLAY MOST OF THE GAME NIGHT AFTER NIGHT. BUT AGE AND A BAD KNEE DID HIM IN. THERE IS SOME INTERESTING STORIES IN THIS BOOK AND I DID LIKE IT. I KNOW JORDAN IS THE BEST GUARD I HAVE SEEN. THIS BOOK MAKES HIM HUMAN, BUT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT JORDAN THE PERSON IN THIS BOOK EXCEPT FOR HIS PASSION FOR BASKETBALL. IF YOU ALREADY KNOW ALOT ABOUT JORDAN'S PERSONAL LIFE THEN THIS IS A BOOK FOR YOU. THIS IS WHAT IT IS COVERING THE 2 YEARS HE TRIED A COMBACK.



2. This book One Last Shot was a good book.It wasn't the best book writen about Jordan but,it had its good points.The book I think tells it good detail most of the time.The book at points made me want to drop the book and stop reading because it didn't tell me anything I didn't know already.At other times it made me not want to put it down because it retells the games that went on.Overall this book ok not the best but it's a good book if you havn't already read a book and Jordan.



3. I was writing stories before MJ was shooting hoops. I was published before he warmed the bench at Laney High School. I've scored more rejection letters than he has points in a game, and in fact I got another one last week. MJ, my classmate, you in my house now!
   
   What? He wasn't involved with this book? Damn.
   
   I really don't have any interest in the NBA. I admire some of the players who've played over the years, I always enjoy reading a well-written bio about an interesting person, I marvel that we (myself included) idolize some celebs the way we do, I'll drop just about anything to watch an MJ highlight reel, and one reason I was cheering him on during his 21st century comeback was that we were both born in 1963.
   
   So what about the book? Well, first I wanted to establish that I'm not a sports nut, unless we're talking about the NFL. That means that, if you don't care about the NBA either, my book review might be of interest. Now let's read.
   
   Well, I read two of its thirteen chapters, 40 of its 300 pages. I guess you do have to be a basketball fan to enjoy it. Very knowledgeable author, but just not what I want to read. Oh well. I still love Michael.



4. This book is just bad, little inside info on what was going on, bar a few quotes that are hardly "inside info". The book has little organization, going over the same things again and again, and worst of all, reads like a perpetual box score, which face it, you could have got yourself from a newspaper backlog.
   
   This doesnt come close to "JORDAN RULES" by sam smith, which is a shame, as it could have given us a much more clear picture of the "3rd coming"



5. This book looks like the author took some newspaper and magazine clips from others and cobbled them together in a sloppily written book devoid of insight. He has nothing of value here. And it's particularly disappointing that he would try writing a book about Jordan's comeback in Washington when it's obvious he spent little time, if any, traveling with the team during Jordan's Washington days. This book reeks of a clip-and-paste job. Don't waste your money.

1 comments about Duty, Honor, Victory: America's Athletes in World War II.

1. This book wasn't at all what I thought it would be. I expected it to primarily address those "prominent" athletes who achieved some measure of distinction on the battlefields of World War II and to be more about those athletes and less about the war. Instead, I found the book to be basically a history of World War II which walked us through the battles in chronological order while interspersing the names of many "athletes" who participated in the various actions.
   
   I put the word "athletes" in quotations because I had a little difficulty with what seemed to me to be the author's loose definition of an athlete. I realize that many career military officers played sports while at the military academies, but I somehow have difficulty in considering career military personnel to be "athletes." When I think of Generals George S. Patton, Omar Bradley or Dwight D. Eisenhower, for example, I don't think of them as athletes. I think of them as soldiers. The author also extended his definition of an athlete to include anyone who played sports in high school, college, or the pros, and to include a multitude of sports. This introduced a host of lesser names throughout the book, which served only as a distraction from the main theme, which seemed to be World War II.
   
   To say that this book was extremely well researched would be a major under-statement. I was amazed. But still, I couldn't figure out why the author had written the book, or to whom it was addressed. To me, it is an extremely interesting and informative book when taken as a history of World War II. But I think it would have been a much better book if it hadn't distracted the reader by inserting the names of so many unknown "athletes," particularly just because they were there.

5 comments about Stranger to the Game: The Autobiography of Bob Gibson.

1. ...covering breaking into the big leagues black in the 1950s
   and highlights of the 1960s MLB. Competitive force of Gibson
   comes through in his slightly biased and semi-confessional
   bio.



2. During elementary school, 1972-1976, baseball was myth to me. The players were larger than life. Baseball cards were treasured. The World Series was something I looked forward to every year. I loved my Dodgers. I read Baseball Digest.
   I studied those baseball cards and Digests, and I got the impression that this Bob Gibson guy was pretty good.
   A few years later, I noted he was in the Hall of Fame.
   Years passed, I did the whole medical school thing, yadda yadda yadda and baseball got away from me. The strike didn't help.
   Then, whether it was the McGwire/Sosa chase, or I was just ready to come back, my interest in baseball expanded. Now I was reading every book I could on the subject.
   A grateful patient gave me an autographed baseball. I've never owned an autographed baseball, but I must admit, holding it felt like I was holding something with a strange energy. It was charmed. Almost magical.
   It was signed by "Bob Gibson". (He gave me another signed by Lou Brock too...)
   I went back and found my old baseball cards, and then sought out older Gibson cards.
   Then I found this book.
   This is a highly opinionated, often bitter, tell-it-like-it-is autobiography from a pitcher so good, they changed the game. They actually physically changed baseball because Bob Gibson was too good.
   I simplify, but only a bit.
   I smiled reading the account of his childhood, in Omaha, Nebraska.
   That's where I went to medical school...at Creighton, which is where Mr. Gibson went.
   He was a player who only wanted to win. To compete. To dominate.
   AND he played for The Harlem Globetrotters. Seriously. Right before he joined up with the Cardinals.
   He spent his entire career with the Cardinals. I wish people stayed with their teams more nowadays. You'll read about his fight against racism and bigotry; he followed bravely in Jackie Robinson's footsteps. They're cut from similar cloth.
   He became the most feared pitcher in baseball.
   Not because he was unafraid to use the brushback, which he did and did well. It was because batters often felt beat as they stepped into the batter's box. He would routinely strike out the side on ten or eleven pitches. He pitched complete games, even when they went into extra innings. He won twenty games a year, regularly.
   Then came 1968. He was, as it is said, the Pitcher of The Year in the Year of the Pitcher. Only five players hit over .300 that year. Gibson's league-leading ERA was 1.12. That's almost not fair.
   He mentions how proud he was of the fact that he could hit; he's the last pitcher to win 20 games and hit over .300 as well. One year, he hit more home runs than any other Cardinal but two. Yes, a sad comment on the lack of power amongst the rest of the team, but still.
   He is sometimes profane, controversial, thorny, uncompromising but somehow still admirable.
   I think his prickly personality may have overshadowed his amazing career. He defends himself (as if he needs defending) but remains unapologetic.
   I couldn't stop reading this book.
   He is an essential character in the story of baseball. He is the link from old style, confrontational, rough and tumble baseball of the 40's and 50's and the power pitchers of today. I'm talking specifically Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and perhaps Eric Gagne.
   He was overpowering. His legend deserves better.
   Read this book.



3. I am Bob's eldest offspring, Renee Gibson. I'm writing this review for 2 reasons. One is about the book itself; second is to comment about a review by DBW in Oakland, CA. Being it that I experienced most parts of this book, I was moved across the spectrum of emotions, which makes it good. Many things I knew, some I learned for the first time. The single thing that made me not rate this book a 4 or 5 was solely because the offspring who was there at the time has never been asked for their comments or opinions, maybe because we are females? My brother, Chris who I love dearly, was all over the book; I was in California. I was a natural athlete who understood the game as well as anybody, played softball for many years, and had funny inside information about my father. DBW was correct about something, and I'm risking much to say that my father is as mean off the field as he was on the field. He hated to lose ... anything! When I find a ghost-writer for my autobiography, you'll get to know more details. Of course he may not see himself this way, and I understand why. But, it's true. Otherwise, I enjoyed reading his second book from a non-fan's point of view (smile).



4. I am Bob's eldest offspring, Renee Gibson. I'm writing this review for 2 reasons. One is about the book itself; second is to comment about a review by DBW in Oakland, CA. Being it that I experienced most parts of this book, I was moved across the spectrum of emotions, which makes it good. Many things I knew, some I learned for the first time. The single thing that made me not rate this book a 4 or 5 was solely because the offspring who was there at the time has never been asked for their comments or opinions, maybe because we are females? My brother, Chris who I love dearly, was all over the book; I was in California. I was a natural athlete who understood the game as well as anybody, played softball for many years, and had funny inside information about my father. DBW was correct about something, and I'm risking much to say that my father is as mean off the field as he was on the field. He hated to lose ... anything! When I find a ghost-writer for my autobiography, you'll get to know more details. Of course he may not see himself this way, and I understand why. But, it's true. Otherwise, I enjoyed reading his second book from a non-fan's point of view (smile).



5. "Stranger to the Game" can be enjoyed on at least two different levels. On one level, fans get all the details they need about Gibson and his journey with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1959-1975: the early struggles with racist manager Solly Hemus; Gibson's relationship with catcher Tim McCarver; lessons learned by the Cards in their strong run at the pennant in 1963, and the fruits of those lessons in '64; the frustrating seasons of 1965 and '66; the powerhouse Cards of '67 and '68, punctuated by what might have been the greatest pitching performance of all time in 1968, by the author; and the gradual decline of both Gibson's skills and the Cards. The early years of Gibson's life in Omaha, Neb. are interesting, too -- the influence of his older brother; the things he learned from playing basketball, etc.

   But the book also offers some fascinating insights on what it means to be as fierce a competitor as Gibson was. On the field, especially when combined with great talent and intellect, it's a very powerful positive. But in so many other areas -- dealing with the press, trying to get and maintain other jobs in baseball after retirement, coping with the foolish things people do in everyday life, and perhaps even marriage -- it has been a detriment to Gibson. Several times in the book, he is appalled that people see him as "the meanest man to play baseball" (in the words of one fan who approached him in public). It doesn't make sense to him that people would fail to see that his angry demeanor on the mound, and when dealing with most opposing players off it, were designed for a very specific effect, one that made absolute sense in the context of his profession. Even within the limits of the diamond, people sometimes forget that while Gibson hit 90 batters with pitches, Don Drysdale hit 154, and Jim Bunning hit 160.

   The racial element of course serves to underscore this misunderstanding, in Gibson's view. Those determined to see a black man as threatening are that much more likely to be unable to separate job-specific toughness with a person's normal everyday persona. This, as much or more than anything else, has kept Gibson on the periphery of baseball since his retirement.

   Throughout sports, one of the key issues confronting any athlete is how, and when, to turn off the mindset he or she must cultivate for the playing field. In some ways, a competitve approach to life in general is certainly desirable, as so many of our daily struggles are battles, to one degree or another. Gibson portrays himself as being able to flip this switch on or off, depending on the situation. Others disagree.

   Several years after "Stranger to the Game" was published, Gibson, at 66, had a physical altercation with a motorist (can there be any doubt who won?) who cut him off in traffic. The incident suggests that Gibson's competitive fires, perhaps combined with the machismo so intertwined with competition for most male athletes, still rage as intensely as ever.

   What haunted me about "Stranger to the Game" is that I think there should be more room, both in baseball and outside of it, for someone who takes Gibson's approach to things.

5 comments about Pavel Bure: The Riddle of the Russian Rocket.

1. Although the author really didn't have much access to Pavel himself, he fills in lots of the gaps and dispells a lot of the myths about the most exciting player to put on a Nux jersey (sorry, Markus Naslund...you're great but you don't lift me out of my seat like Pavel did).

   This book only confirms my thoughts on writers like Tony Gallagher and Al Strachan--guys who never let the facts get in the way of a story. It also is an eye opener about how Nux mgmt operates and how the Nux WILL NEVER WIN A CUP until they bag this whole Quinn and his acolytes (Burke and now Nonis) hiring policy.

   It hurts to read some of this as what mgmt did during Pavel's era is jaw droppingly stupid from bad trades post-1994 to being so chintzy about contract negotiations with key members of that Cup run team and I can now understand why Pavel finally wanted out. And to those out there always talking about how "great" a place to live Vancouver is, read this and wake up to the fact Vancouver is still a backwater and not some sort of cultural and enlightened "world-class" city.




2. I think that this book is probably the best book out there right now. It tells the reader everything about the Russian Rocket, including his relationship with his father. And if you're a hockey fan like me, you really have to read this wonderful book.So don't delay,order today!



3. If you're looking as to why Pavel Bure appears to be such a "selfish little (...)" (as quoted by a certain Canadian famous hockey personality), then you should read this. The readers are treated to potential reasons as to why Bure acts like he does. He's got his reasons like anyone else does, one of them being he grew up in the former Soviet Union and their media laws towards sports are very different from that of North Americas. Another one being that he is an introvert that simply doesn't like to be bothered.

   I love this book, I can just pick it up and start reading from anywhere because its so well-written. Some of the pictures are neat, like the one of him from the Soviet Union days.

   There is also some other notes on other current NHL stars like Alexander Mogilny, Sergei Fedorov, and also delves into the Bure brothers relationship with their father Vladimir-who is now estranged from the family for mysterious reasons not given.

   There is even some Russian Mafia rumors in this so if you're into that whole extortion stuff then you might like that too.

   Either way, its a very good read.




4. This book is the true meaning of perfection and excellence. He may not be Wayne Gretzky, but Bure could beat him in a speed competition easily. Through the tough times of growing up in Russia, to the glorious days of the Olympics, Pavel Bure is truly a hero and an overall nice guy too. Everyone should read this book, because I sure enjoyed it a lot, and if you know the game of hockey, you will appreciate it even more.



5. If you want to find out who the Russian Rocket is you'll have to read this book. I would recommend this autobiography for anyone to read if they have an interest in the NHL. This book gives you details on what actually took place for the Russians to be able to come and play hockey in the NHL.

5 comments about Papa Jack: Jack Johnson And The Era Of White Hopes.

1. AS a boxing historian I really enjoyed Robert's book having reread it many times. I feel Robert's did a tremendous amount of research and is very well informed about his subject. You cannot study Johnson without discussing how he reflected his times and how thy effected him. My only criticism and it is a serious one is that I feel Robert's was extremely hard in judging his subject as a man. No athlete in American history had to live through the constant painful attacks that Jack Johnson did every day from 1908 on when he took the title from Tommy Burn's ... the pressures had to be exceptionally overwhelming and in hindsight I feel Johnson should not have been judged so harshly as a man. He deserved better ... he was decades ahead of his time, a highly intelligent, self-educated and cultured man and one of the greatest fighter that ever lived.



2. I guess it would be to much to objectively view Jack Johnson as a man and not a symbol. As with all Johnson biography's the author apparently feels compelled to reduce his subject to a level that is readily digestable to the reader. Though you don't find the author referring to Johnson as a "shiftless coon" in the tradition of Denzil Batchelor, Mr. Roberts summation that Johnson was "not the hero..." places his work in line with practically every other book written on Jack Johnson.
   
   So what makes a man dead 60 years a threat to an establishment and culture which says it long ago set aside the error of its ways inregard to race relations. If this were true would we still be reading books which at every turn question the methods and motives of a Jack Johnson? Would the words of angry racists in the guise of official government reports carry the weight and ring of truth the author gives them while pointing out frequently that the subjects life style, choice of company and words are subject to scrutiny due to his ego and self-centered nature?
   
   In this age of ego driven athletes, businessmen, politicians, clergy etc., it was a wasted point to declare that Johnson's greatest strength "his ego," was his most glaring weakness. I think it safe to make this assumption of many men. Though we have politicians admired for their drive and commitment to the very values which Jack Johnson was and apparently continues to be viewed as a threat to. Their egos nor motives are challenged. What man worth his salt doesn't believe he is the best at the things he commits himself to mastering?
   
   Jack Johnson was harshly scrutinized and mistreated because of his ability to dominate his circumstances. Be they opponents or a system which physically, financially and emotionally abused the hopes and dreams of his people, Jack Johnson was an overcomer. Jack Johnson is despised today as a symbol. A bad example of what happens when one man is allowed to much independence. In every since of the word Jack Johnson was a revolutionary. We are told he wasn't a hero, nor was he a man to be admired but I would disagree whole-heartedly. Jack Johnson was simply a man born a century to soon.
   
   Mr. Roberts says their is no ghost in the house, but how wrong you are Sir. The ghost is in the house everytime a camera snaps a photo of Tiger Woods and his wife. Everytime you see a clip of Ali with his arms thrust high in the air in victory look closely you'll see the ghost smiling his golden capped smile in the front row. For every man who longs to live free you'll find the ghost dancing in his heart. Long live the spirit of freedom and the ghost of Jack Johnson.



3. Jack Johnson did tell his own tale but this was in a haphazard, uneven, entertaining if not always believable book ("Jack Johnson Is A Dandy"). Because of this we have to look elsewhere for more reliable testimony. Randy Robert's `Papa Jack' from the mid 80s was for a long time the definitive bio on the first black heavyweight champion. In the absence of people still living from Johnson's day, Roberts researches heavily and of course has the unenviable task of unearthing the facts from the deeply racist and hate filled press of the time (among many other sources all of which are referenced in detail).
   
   The book itself is an easy read. Information from Johnson's early years is scant at best, so Roberts providing an account of his family and how they came to be in Galveston, Texas in the late 1800's is not only fascinating but very admirable. How he came to box and his patchy early years in the fight game are deciphered, as is his rise to notoriety (forced to continually fight the same batch of outcast super-tough black boxers) and historic title winning fight with Tommy Burns and subsequent seven year reign (including defences against the likes of Ketchel and Jeffries), through to a 37 year old, mentally weary Johnson dropping the title to the huge but ordinary Jess Willard.
   
   For the very real danger any black man faced at the time, Johnson's fearlessness is near beyond belief. Robert's does a good job recounting his personal life cavorting with a crew of white men, romancing a string of white women, shady business practices and misadventures the world over, many times correcting the claims Johnson made in his autobiography. It makes for great reading.
   
   As for gripes? A few. The major being Roberts annoying use of obvious misquotes. Supposedly this colourful and intelligent man spoke like this: "de fight was good, erm, me tink Jeffries was good challenger" etc. A man of Robert's intellect should have gathered that this was the racist press of the time stereotyping Johnson in their reports as a mentally slow Neanderthal, whereas existing recordings of Johnson's voice prove he was a lucid speaker. This is made worse because elsewhere Robert's includes more believable coherent Johnson quotes, yet doesn't spot the discrepancy in his own work. Otherwise, what pictures are included are great, but we would have liked more. Also, there is no fight record at the back, nor are many of his later fights covered.
   
   But overall, this is a good read. Robert's does the best he can with what he had to work with, and for so long this has been the reliable and comprehensive account of the Galveston Giant. However, recently Geoffrey C Ward's award winning `Unforgivable Blackness' has surfaced, complete with supposedly far more extensive research and a greater depth of information and material. I look forward to reading that book and cannot at the time offer any comparison, however for a concise overview I would recommend combing the two and educating yourself on the incredible life of the master boxer and controversial man that was Jack Johnson.



4. Randy Roberts absolutely nails it with this wonderful and thoughtful biography of the extraordinary Jack Johnson. A must-read for any student of U.S. history and the social impact of sport. The semi-literate, one-star review below says far more about its writer than it does about this book. Can this person even read? Ignore these idiotic blitherings.



5. This is truly a terrific book - easily the best and clearest view of who Jack Johnson really was. Exhaustively researched and beautifully written - this book is well worth your time if you're interested in learning about one of the 20th century's most controversial figures.