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gearyofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting insight to an inspiring man. Great example of how desire and mindset can shape your focus.
Downsides are that it feels like only part of his story, there is more to be told. It's very much Ray's perception only, given the people he has his life having their thoughts on Ray from the outside in would have been great.
Ray is very aware of his own greatness and does manage to avoid blowing his own trumpet too much with the focus on building up other people.
Downsides are that it feels like only part of his story, there is more to be told. It's very much Ray's perception only, given the people he has his life having their thoughts on Ray from the outside in would have been great.
Ray is very aware of his own greatness and does manage to avoid blowing his own trumpet too much with the focus on building up other people.
lekakis's review
1.0
I can only blame myself for reading this, but then again sometimes you want to eat McDonald’s even though you know they are no good for you
karcher_makes's review
4.0
I'll start with, I'm not a big football fan. I was mostly interested in reading this because Ray Lewis spent his entire career with the hometown team, the Ravens. Despite it having 98% football content, I thought this was a well crafted book, and really gave a lot of insight into the drive behind the Ravens greatest player. I recommend it even if you're not a football or Ravens fan.
glassesgirl79's review
3.0
Inspiring story of adversity, pain, triumph and eventually self acceptance.
chemicalpoisons's review
3.0
First things first, the entire book, from the preface to the acknowledgements, is written from Ray Lewis' point of view, so that should set the tone early enough on what kind of book experience it is going to be.
Now, to the contents themselves. His narrative is certainly enlightening when it comes to days and years we have not had previous exposure at. His childhood rough life, his prowess as a youngster to Pop Warner leagues, and the subsequent relationships he made or were torn from him while he was a high school student or in the university of Miami. To those who will ask, yes; there is an entire chapter dedicated to the Atlanta incident, and its impact after the events.
It's a good book if you are a fan of Ray. I enjoyed hearing things from his perspective, but I could do less with his religious references at every possible time; they almost sound too good to be true when they are so often repeated. I would have also preferred he spoke more about the games he has had, some untold stories he could share, since he was with the Ravens from their conception. Unfortunately, there aren't enough inside scoops to glee at. And maybe it's a blessing that this book is not that long.
Now, to the contents themselves. His narrative is certainly enlightening when it comes to days and years we have not had previous exposure at. His childhood rough life, his prowess as a youngster to Pop Warner leagues, and the subsequent relationships he made or were torn from him while he was a high school student or in the university of Miami. To those who will ask, yes; there is an entire chapter dedicated to the Atlanta incident, and its impact after the events.
It's a good book if you are a fan of Ray. I enjoyed hearing things from his perspective, but I could do less with his religious references at every possible time; they almost sound too good to be true when they are so often repeated. I would have also preferred he spoke more about the games he has had, some untold stories he could share, since he was with the Ravens from their conception. Unfortunately, there aren't enough inside scoops to glee at. And maybe it's a blessing that this book is not that long.
brittanyisbooked's review
4.0
I started this book on a long car ride and kept it going as much as I could the rest of the day. I loved the narrator and I loved hearing this story. After the recent news and state of America, I needed to hear a black man's story (TRUE) story, first hand.
***If you do nothing else, read the last chapter.*** The last chapter brought tears to my eyes- it saddened me because one year later, things have only gotten worse. It spoke to me because it's all the things I wish I could articulate, all of the feelings I wish people would harbor instead of hate. The attitude that "like" and "follow" that today's social media is riddled with are NOT the way to live... we need to respect and lead instead. I loved it.
It doesn't matter if you are a Ravens fan, a Ray Lewis fan, or even a football fan. While, logically, this story revolves around football, if you stop and listening to what Lewis is telling the world about the human condition it won't matter. If you only listen to how hard he worked, and how sometimes hard work didn't matter; if you listen to how he made conscious choices that didn't always work out, but he forgave himself and others involved to move forward; if you do these things, you will be touched deeply by this book.
I am still being brought to tears writing this review which just tells me how powerful this book was. I hate seeing a powerful book fly under the radar so please, give it a read.
***If you do nothing else, read the last chapter.*** The last chapter brought tears to my eyes- it saddened me because one year later, things have only gotten worse. It spoke to me because it's all the things I wish I could articulate, all of the feelings I wish people would harbor instead of hate. The attitude that "like" and "follow" that today's social media is riddled with are NOT the way to live... we need to respect and lead instead. I loved it.
It doesn't matter if you are a Ravens fan, a Ray Lewis fan, or even a football fan. While, logically, this story revolves around football, if you stop and listening to what Lewis is telling the world about the human condition it won't matter. If you only listen to how hard he worked, and how sometimes hard work didn't matter; if you listen to how he made conscious choices that didn't always work out, but he forgave himself and others involved to move forward; if you do these things, you will be touched deeply by this book.
I am still being brought to tears writing this review which just tells me how powerful this book was. I hate seeing a powerful book fly under the radar so please, give it a read.
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