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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
This advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided to me by the publisher through the Amazon Vine program, of which I am a member.
~
I'm a Yankee fan, and Derek Jeter is my favorite player. So maybe I was predisposed to like this book. On the other hand, if author Ian O'Connor didn't get his facts straight, I'd know, and call him on it. But O'Connor did an excellent job of research, and adding in quotes and stats and examples without ever getting wordy or boring or redundant. He gives us a peek behind the curtain of Jeter's life in chronological order and keeps it interesting throughout. This despite the fact that Jeter has not exactly led a controversial life.
We're used to the scandalous biography, the tell-all, the skeletons dragged out of the closet. This book doesn't have that. Because there are no skeletons in Jeter's closet. This is a book about one person's lifelong work to achieve a dream: to play shortstop for the New York Yankees. Okay, so maybe a lot of people have that dream. The difference is Jeter actually accomplished it--and in a big way. This is his story.
There are thirteen chapters, an introduction, and an epilogue. O'Connor covers all the bases (pardon the pun), and is such a good writer that the story flows along nicely, without getting bogged down with boring details, or unnecessary tangents. He even makes the second chapter, "The Draft," exciting (even though we already know the outcome), as he chronicles how Jeter lasted until the sixth pick of the 1992 draft, when the Yanks were finally able to nab him. Only once did O'Connor get a little off-track; that's when he spent too long on the Jeffrey Maier incident. Well, not such much the incident, as the fame and media tour Maier and his family went on afterward, and what led him to getting a ticket to the game to begin with (Maier was the 12 year-old fan who leaned over the wall and caught Jeter's homerun ball during the '96 ALCS).
The subtitle of this book is "The Journey of Derek Jeter," and that's exactly what it is. From his boyhood dream of playing for the Yankees, to the reality of leading the team to five championships, the most recent of which (2009) as the team's captain.
But this book isn't just about Jeter's journey--it's also about the journey of Jeter's Yankees, from his first season as a full-time player (1996), through the dynasty years, to his relationship with other Yankees (Joe Torre, Alex Rodriguez), to the new ballpark and World Series win in 2009, and on up to and including the 2010 season, and his contract negotiation afterward.
THE CAPTAIN is an inspirational book about hard work, family, and believing in yourself.
~
I'm a Yankee fan, and Derek Jeter is my favorite player. So maybe I was predisposed to like this book. On the other hand, if author Ian O'Connor didn't get his facts straight, I'd know, and call him on it. But O'Connor did an excellent job of research, and adding in quotes and stats and examples without ever getting wordy or boring or redundant. He gives us a peek behind the curtain of Jeter's life in chronological order and keeps it interesting throughout. This despite the fact that Jeter has not exactly led a controversial life.
We're used to the scandalous biography, the tell-all, the skeletons dragged out of the closet. This book doesn't have that. Because there are no skeletons in Jeter's closet. This is a book about one person's lifelong work to achieve a dream: to play shortstop for the New York Yankees. Okay, so maybe a lot of people have that dream. The difference is Jeter actually accomplished it--and in a big way. This is his story.
There are thirteen chapters, an introduction, and an epilogue. O'Connor covers all the bases (pardon the pun), and is such a good writer that the story flows along nicely, without getting bogged down with boring details, or unnecessary tangents. He even makes the second chapter, "The Draft," exciting (even though we already know the outcome), as he chronicles how Jeter lasted until the sixth pick of the 1992 draft, when the Yanks were finally able to nab him. Only once did O'Connor get a little off-track; that's when he spent too long on the Jeffrey Maier incident. Well, not such much the incident, as the fame and media tour Maier and his family went on afterward, and what led him to getting a ticket to the game to begin with (Maier was the 12 year-old fan who leaned over the wall and caught Jeter's homerun ball during the '96 ALCS).
The subtitle of this book is "The Journey of Derek Jeter," and that's exactly what it is. From his boyhood dream of playing for the Yankees, to the reality of leading the team to five championships, the most recent of which (2009) as the team's captain.
But this book isn't just about Jeter's journey--it's also about the journey of Jeter's Yankees, from his first season as a full-time player (1996), through the dynasty years, to his relationship with other Yankees (Joe Torre, Alex Rodriguez), to the new ballpark and World Series win in 2009, and on up to and including the 2010 season, and his contract negotiation afterward.
THE CAPTAIN is an inspirational book about hard work, family, and believing in yourself.
Good view of what drives Derek Jeter and how he is seen in the clubhouse. Shows the good and the not so good. Very impressed. Good read if you want to know more about him, and really the way his family shaped his values.
This was definitely an interesting read, even for someone like me who is not a die-hard fan of baseball stats. Having grown up watching the Yankees, my favorite part of this book was reading about some of the other players who were instrumental to Jeter's career. Some were with him from the minor leagues in Greensboro while others floated in and out of the Yankee clubhouse. I think it was a great addition to the story.
While The Captain kept me hooked until the end, it did grow heavy at times as O'Connor threw in any and all names he found relevant. There were plenty of occasions where I didn't get the reference or got lost in a side story that deviated far from the main point O'Connor was trying to make.
The beginning of the novel was also difficult to get through as Derek Jeter was placed on a golden pedestal. Page after page was endless praise of Jeter and his ability to do everything right all the time. It was hard to swallow all that perfection. Once he signed to the Yankees though, O'Connor was more able to describe Jeter as he was, flaws and all, instead of this ideal image. It was much more inspiring to read about Jeter's journey when everything wasn't portrayed as perfect.
Overall, The Captain was a good read, full of interesting facts and stories that enriched not only Jeter's journey, but also helped me learn more about the dynamics of baseball itself.
While The Captain kept me hooked until the end, it did grow heavy at times as O'Connor threw in any and all names he found relevant. There were plenty of occasions where I didn't get the reference or got lost in a side story that deviated far from the main point O'Connor was trying to make.
The beginning of the novel was also difficult to get through as Derek Jeter was placed on a golden pedestal. Page after page was endless praise of Jeter and his ability to do everything right all the time. It was hard to swallow all that perfection. Once he signed to the Yankees though, O'Connor was more able to describe Jeter as he was, flaws and all, instead of this ideal image. It was much more inspiring to read about Jeter's journey when everything wasn't portrayed as perfect.
Overall, The Captain was a good read, full of interesting facts and stories that enriched not only Jeter's journey, but also helped me learn more about the dynamics of baseball itself.
informative
slow-paced
Big Yankees fan, so I enjoyed it t, but definitely can be lackluster in parts
Solid. A few minor gripes not worth mentioning (style points) but otherwise it was dang solid.
informative
medium-paced
Derek Jeter is the greatest Yankee of my lifetime. Some may dispute that, but they're wrong. Jeter has risen to greatness, year after year, and has reshaped his game to remain productive far longer than most do. He's a champion, many times over, and I hate him. I hate the Yankees. I wish they would lose 162 games a year, and I'd never tire of that.
The beginning of this book paints Jeter as a demigod, and gushes far beyond what's appropriate for a man who isn't family or lover to gush about someone. It's awkward and grotesque, and I nearly quit reading it. I pressed on, however, and I'm glad I did. O'Connor really digs into what's behind this man who shies from the media, avoids scandal, and puts winning championships above all else. The picture O'Connor fills out isn't always pretty, and reveals the killer, self-centered narcissism behind that baby face that all winners seem to have. The portrait also reveals the team-first attitude, the charitable work, the openness to fans, and the desire to lend a hand to those who haven't betrayed him.
In the end, Jeter is a complex human being, as are we all, but one who excels in a skill we're willing to pay millions to watch. I still hate him for his Yankee pinstripes, admire him for his approach to the game, resent the rings he wears that should have gone to the Braves, and plan to applaud him when, someday, he enters the Hall of Fame. It's a good read.
The beginning of this book paints Jeter as a demigod, and gushes far beyond what's appropriate for a man who isn't family or lover to gush about someone. It's awkward and grotesque, and I nearly quit reading it. I pressed on, however, and I'm glad I did. O'Connor really digs into what's behind this man who shies from the media, avoids scandal, and puts winning championships above all else. The picture O'Connor fills out isn't always pretty, and reveals the killer, self-centered narcissism behind that baby face that all winners seem to have. The portrait also reveals the team-first attitude, the charitable work, the openness to fans, and the desire to lend a hand to those who haven't betrayed him.
In the end, Jeter is a complex human being, as are we all, but one who excels in a skill we're willing to pay millions to watch. I still hate him for his Yankee pinstripes, admire him for his approach to the game, resent the rings he wears that should have gone to the Braves, and plan to applaud him when, someday, he enters the Hall of Fame. It's a good read.