Collection
Publication
Random House Audio, 6 Hours
Description
Follows one young man from his impoverished childhood with a crack-addicted mother, through his discovery of the sport of football, to his rise to become one of the most successful, highly-paid players in the NFL.
User reviews
LibraryThing member mrtall
An almost perfect work of non-fiction. Lewis blends the story of Michael Oher, a big kid who's been more or less abandoned by the world, and his rise to big-time football, with a well-researched and completely accessible analysis of the way the pro game's changed its views of offensive linemen.
My
My
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dull, workmanlike description does no justice at all to this book. If you're a sports fan, it's pure gold. If you're not, read the book anyway for the quality of Lewis's character profiling and limpid prose. Show Less
LibraryThing member NativeRoses
This is the true story of Michael Oher, a black kid from Memphis who was poor, unschooled, sometimes hungry and homeless, and is now on track to becoming a first-round draft pick for the NFL. Lewis takes us deep into the life of the formerly shy, somewhat passive loner known as Big Mike, who
"Michael had no money and no reliable way to get around. He was totally dependent on whoever might give him a lift, and he had no idea, when he arrived at school in the morning, where he might spend the night. He sort of shopped around every day for the best deal he could find."
i was struck by the heart of those who helped him succeed ~ his friend, Big Tony, who first drove him to the white side of town and argued that he should be enrolled in an expensive private school; Leigh Anne Tuohy who noticed Michael wearing the same clothes every day and eventually became his adoptive mom when Sean and Leigh Anne took him in; Sue Mitchell who volunteered many hours to tutor him to help him overcome his lack of education; etc. And faced with enormous changes, Michael kept pushing forward:
"He'd gone from among the least valued fifteen-year-olds on the planet to among the most highly prized eighteen-year-olds. In the market for him great forces were at work. Soem of these forces arose from changes in football strategy: professional football now exalts the value of the task that Michael Oher's body is ideally suited to perform. But the greater forces arose from a series of social accidents -- his wandering out of poor black Memphis into rich white memphis, being taken in by a rich white family, and, above all, his willingness to endure an immense amount of trouble and discomfort to better his lot."
Equally fascinating is Lewis's description of the rise of the passing game and the recognition of the left tackle's importance:
"Offensive linemen were the stay-at-home mothers of the NFL: everyone paid lip service to the importance of their contribution yet hardly anyone could tell you exactly what that was. In 1985 the left tackle had no real distinction. He was still expected to believe himself more or less interchangeable with the other linemen."
But that changed when Lawrence Taylor appeared:
"(New York Giant linebacker Lawrence) Taylor is coming. From the snap of the ball (Washington Redskins quarterback Joe) Theismann has lost sight of him. He doesn't see Taylor carving a wide circle behind his back; he doesn't see Taylor outrun his blocker upfield and then turn back down; and he doesn't see the blocker diving, frantically, at Taylor's ankles. He doesn't see Taylor leap, both arms over his head, and fill the sky behind him. Theismann prides himself on his ability to stand in the pocket and disregard his fear. He thinks this quality is a prerequisite in a successful NFL quarterback. "When a quarterback looks at the rush," he says, "his career is over." Theismann has played in 163 straight games, a record for the Washington Redskins. He's led his team to two Super Bowls, and won one. He's thirty-six years old. He's certain he still has a few good years left in him. He's wrong. He has less than half a second."
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overcame tremendous obstacles to become a student at Briarcrest Christian Academy. On arrival, "Michael had no money and no reliable way to get around. He was totally dependent on whoever might give him a lift, and he had no idea, when he arrived at school in the morning, where he might spend the night. He sort of shopped around every day for the best deal he could find."
i was struck by the heart of those who helped him succeed ~ his friend, Big Tony, who first drove him to the white side of town and argued that he should be enrolled in an expensive private school; Leigh Anne Tuohy who noticed Michael wearing the same clothes every day and eventually became his adoptive mom when Sean and Leigh Anne took him in; Sue Mitchell who volunteered many hours to tutor him to help him overcome his lack of education; etc. And faced with enormous changes, Michael kept pushing forward:
"He'd gone from among the least valued fifteen-year-olds on the planet to among the most highly prized eighteen-year-olds. In the market for him great forces were at work. Soem of these forces arose from changes in football strategy: professional football now exalts the value of the task that Michael Oher's body is ideally suited to perform. But the greater forces arose from a series of social accidents -- his wandering out of poor black Memphis into rich white memphis, being taken in by a rich white family, and, above all, his willingness to endure an immense amount of trouble and discomfort to better his lot."
Equally fascinating is Lewis's description of the rise of the passing game and the recognition of the left tackle's importance:
"Offensive linemen were the stay-at-home mothers of the NFL: everyone paid lip service to the importance of their contribution yet hardly anyone could tell you exactly what that was. In 1985 the left tackle had no real distinction. He was still expected to believe himself more or less interchangeable with the other linemen."
But that changed when Lawrence Taylor appeared:
"(New York Giant linebacker Lawrence) Taylor is coming. From the snap of the ball (Washington Redskins quarterback Joe) Theismann has lost sight of him. He doesn't see Taylor carving a wide circle behind his back; he doesn't see Taylor outrun his blocker upfield and then turn back down; and he doesn't see the blocker diving, frantically, at Taylor's ankles. He doesn't see Taylor leap, both arms over his head, and fill the sky behind him. Theismann prides himself on his ability to stand in the pocket and disregard his fear. He thinks this quality is a prerequisite in a successful NFL quarterback. "When a quarterback looks at the rush," he says, "his career is over." Theismann has played in 163 straight games, a record for the Washington Redskins. He's led his team to two Super Bowls, and won one. He's thirty-six years old. He's certain he still has a few good years left in him. He's wrong. He has less than half a second."
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LibraryThing member gocam
After a beautiful opening passage and engaging opening chapters, this was, for me, a disappointing, ultimately exasperating, "he said, she said, he did, she did" exploration of changes in football strategy over the past decades on one hand, and the culture surrounding how the teams are built,
I'm a football novice, but found it wonderfully incisive when sticking to the nuts and bolts of what has happened to the game, and the importance of the team players who are (or were) often ignored in the spectacle. I found Lewis recent history of how the offensive game has changed captivating even to someone with very little knowledge of the sport. However, its in Lewis' coverage of the personal and cultural back story that the book becomes far less satisfying, and suffers from an overly bland, turgid relating of the facts when the subject positively screams out for some sort of opinion, author's voice or other form of subjective expression or introspection. In covering Oher's rise through high school to pre-NFL college the author untangles Michael's life and presents this untangling in an awkward order that seems to match that in which he discovers the facts making the telling seem more like a diary of Lewis than an exploration of his subject. Oher's story is certainly interesting, sad, tragic and uplifting to some degree - it is also infuriating and Lewis doesn't shy away from the negative - but in the way that Lewis tells it not sufficiently _engaging_ to lift this work to the level where I would unreservedly recommend it.
There is a heartbreakingly sad social story here that includes, yet goes beyond the personal, and deserves a much more engaging telling, and ultimately this book left me disappointed that it dedicated so much page space to the topic with so very little depth.
As a history of a changing game, it succeeds with gusto - as a commentary on the social underpinnings I left feeling a little short-changed.
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developed and educated: focusing particularly on the players (many of whom are black kids from poor single parent upbringings with little formal education) who have grown to fill the now crucial quarterback protection position. This feels like a mightily padded magazine article, and in a shorter format the punch would be stronger but expanded to fill the book length the flaws defocus from the real story here. I'm a football novice, but found it wonderfully incisive when sticking to the nuts and bolts of what has happened to the game, and the importance of the team players who are (or were) often ignored in the spectacle. I found Lewis recent history of how the offensive game has changed captivating even to someone with very little knowledge of the sport. However, its in Lewis' coverage of the personal and cultural back story that the book becomes far less satisfying, and suffers from an overly bland, turgid relating of the facts when the subject positively screams out for some sort of opinion, author's voice or other form of subjective expression or introspection. In covering Oher's rise through high school to pre-NFL college the author untangles Michael's life and presents this untangling in an awkward order that seems to match that in which he discovers the facts making the telling seem more like a diary of Lewis than an exploration of his subject. Oher's story is certainly interesting, sad, tragic and uplifting to some degree - it is also infuriating and Lewis doesn't shy away from the negative - but in the way that Lewis tells it not sufficiently _engaging_ to lift this work to the level where I would unreservedly recommend it.
There is a heartbreakingly sad social story here that includes, yet goes beyond the personal, and deserves a much more engaging telling, and ultimately this book left me disappointed that it dedicated so much page space to the topic with so very little depth.
As a history of a changing game, it succeeds with gusto - as a commentary on the social underpinnings I left feeling a little short-changed.
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LibraryThing member TiffanyAK
I loved the movie, but the book ruined it for me. The family comes across as paternalistic and opportunistic, while Michael is just a boy who needs help. At the end of the day, there is a reason why the NCAA qualifying GPA was the magical number to reach. Overall, I was left upset and annoyed by
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the book, where there was none of the soul searching that redeems the parents somewhat in the movie. Also, there was too much about the technicalities and recent historical developments in football. Show Less
LibraryThing member pwlifter300
If you see the movie before your read the book then you'll be in for a big surprise. The movie is about Michael Oher being rescued from poverty by a wealthy family before being picked by the NFL. The book is essentially about the rise of the defensive linesmen role in football, the high school
I enjoyed the movie - it's heartwarming and inspirational, showing you Oher as a positive role model (and all thanks to the Tuohy's generosity, it seems..) - but the book is another thing. I've never known that reading about football stats could be entertaining, and we have to thank Michael Lewis for that. He takes us to the world of professional sports and the recruiters who all look for the next great player from a select few of high school footballers. He introduces us to Tom Lemming, who publishes newsletter about up-and-coming football talents - some of them would later be drafted by the NFL when they graduate from universities.
The book is also about the Tuohy's care for Michael, once a foster care student with an IQ of 80, and how they eventually became a family.
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recruitment program, AND about how a sport-loving family generously adopt Michael Oher and send him to Ole Miss, their alma-mater, and get the NAACP to question their adoption.I enjoyed the movie - it's heartwarming and inspirational, showing you Oher as a positive role model (and all thanks to the Tuohy's generosity, it seems..) - but the book is another thing. I've never known that reading about football stats could be entertaining, and we have to thank Michael Lewis for that. He takes us to the world of professional sports and the recruiters who all look for the next great player from a select few of high school footballers. He introduces us to Tom Lemming, who publishes newsletter about up-and-coming football talents - some of them would later be drafted by the NFL when they graduate from universities.
The book is also about the Tuohy's care for Michael, once a foster care student with an IQ of 80, and how they eventually became a family.
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LibraryThing member shawnd
I couldn't put this down. I am a football fan but not a great one by far -- I don't watch more than 8 games a year, and I don't do Fantasy League. But it is enchanting. Michael Lewis does have a gift for writing factual biographical novels. Sort of Tracy Kidder meets John Grisham. The fact the he
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interviewed extensively Bill Parcells, Bill Walsh and many other players is amazing and quality work. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmcclain19
This is a tale of two interwoven stories. The first is the story of Michael Oher, son a crack addict, who rose up to be one of the top NFL Lineman prospects in next summer's 2008 NFL Draft. And the second is the story of how football has evolved from a slug it out, pound the dirt ground based game
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to a light up the scoreboard and torch the horizons passing game. Oher, a massive man child, stumbles upon two benefactors who eventually adopt him and enroll him at a small private Christian school in Memphis where he learns to make mincemeat out of high school football defenses. Notable parts of the story are the courting of Oher by College Football's biggest names, including home visits from Phillip Fulmer, David Cutcliffe & Nick Saban to shmooze the family on the benefits of going to their particular school. Another is Lewis backstory of how a little known offensive genius by the name of Bill Walsh challenged the norm and reshaped football forever. Overall it's an excellent football history story, but it's also a fascinating look at a unique individual and the craziness that inevitably surrounds future NFL players. Show Less
LibraryThing member moss_icon
A fascinating and moving insight into the growth of a potential NFL star from very humble and difficult beginnings. I am sure the vast majority of people who have read this will be pulling for Oher to make it to the big stage. The development and changes in the guys life are brought out well by
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Michael Lewis here, this is a very fine book, he clearly has a knack for writing about sports what with this and Moneyball. I look forward to his next book on football, although I fear we may have to wait longer than I would really like. Show Less
LibraryThing member dvf1976
I like Michael Lewis sports books.
I got recommendations for this book from a bunch of weblogs and from my friend Bobby.
While I didn't quite like this one as much as Moneyball, that's not saying much since I *loved* Moneyball.
The intermixing of Football history and how Lawrence Taylor is responsible
The story of Oher blocking a guy on defense off the field, over the track surrounding the field and toward the fence surrounding the stadium made me laugh.
I though Oher had a lot in commond with Michael Clarke Duncan's character in The Green Mile. Through much of the book it seemed like Oher had just materialized out of nowhere...
I got recommendations for this book from a bunch of weblogs and from my friend Bobby.
While I didn't quite like this one as much as Moneyball, that's not saying much since I *loved* Moneyball.
The intermixing of Football history and how Lawrence Taylor is responsible
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for the tools that a left tackle position (like the main character Michael Oher) needs to have.The story of Oher blocking a guy on defense off the field, over the track surrounding the field and toward the fence surrounding the stadium made me laugh.
I though Oher had a lot in commond with Michael Clarke Duncan's character in The Green Mile. Through much of the book it seemed like Oher had just materialized out of nowhere...
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LibraryThing member irishwasherwoman
In 1981 defensive lineman Lawrence Taylor arrives on the NFL scene, changing the face of football forever by terrorizing quarterbacks with his size, agility, and vicious determination. To counter his prowess, teams begin to look for added strength in their offensive lines. The shift in playing
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strategy trickles down to the college level, making player recruiting a national pastime. The compelling focus of this football story is Michael Oher, a 15 year-old boy rescued from the Memphis ghetto by a white family who adopts, educates and guides him to a spot on a well-respected Division I football team. The author tells this amazing story through observations and interviews. Unfortunately the book ends with some threads of the story left hanging, making you wonder if perhaps there could be a sequel. Show Less
LibraryThing member mary3s
A book club pick. A very interesting social culture book that examines poor v rich and looks at the south all in the name of winning high school/college football. It's amazing this is a true story.
The entire book club found this book engrossing.
The entire book club found this book engrossing.
LibraryThing member indygo88
As a book club read, this was different. And as football is not my favorite sport (I don't dislike it, but for me it ranks below baseball & basketball), I wasn't sure how I was going to like it, but I went in with an open mind. It basically alternates between chapters about football player Michael
The chapters specifically about Michael Oher were more engaging, although I feel myself left with a sour taste in my mouth as to the role the Tuohy family played in developing this young man's sports career. I have mixed feelings about that. If not for the financial & other numerous supports that the family provided him, he'd still be just another black kid on the street, struggling to survive. Hence, his is an inspiring story and the Tuohy's should probably be commended for their unfaltering support of Oher. But it reaffirms to me that in many cases, money makes the world go 'round, and in many instances, it was the Tuohy money that allowed all of this to happen. It makes one wonder about all of the other potential "stars" out there (athletes & other), who are unable to realize their potential because they're not fortunate to "fall into" the life-altering situation that Oher did.
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Oher's "history" & the emerging importance of the position of left tackle in the NFL and in college football. Overall, a very educational story for me. For someone who doesn't necessarily consider themselves a true football fan, some of the football history may seem a little dry. I was okay with it, but tended to start skimming the further I got into the book.The chapters specifically about Michael Oher were more engaging, although I feel myself left with a sour taste in my mouth as to the role the Tuohy family played in developing this young man's sports career. I have mixed feelings about that. If not for the financial & other numerous supports that the family provided him, he'd still be just another black kid on the street, struggling to survive. Hence, his is an inspiring story and the Tuohy's should probably be commended for their unfaltering support of Oher. But it reaffirms to me that in many cases, money makes the world go 'round, and in many instances, it was the Tuohy money that allowed all of this to happen. It makes one wonder about all of the other potential "stars" out there (athletes & other), who are unable to realize their potential because they're not fortunate to "fall into" the life-altering situation that Oher did.
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LibraryThing member DWWilkin
I became a Michael Lewis fan years ago when I read Liar's Poker. Fan may be too strong a word. I realized then that I enjoyed his style and so when browsing the book store, and with the movie trailers out, seeing that the book was by Lewis, i decided to give it a shot.
I was not disappointed. Lewis
Here we have an encouraging story of a young black boy who really has nothing in his life but his athletic ability. We have a good family that certainly does not need to exploit the boy. So they did what we all should want to do if our situations allowed, take the boy in and help. But the story is not just about that, it covers the evolution of football, these last thirty to forty years as marquee quarterbacks, or productive west-coast offense systems come into play.
In essence it is two books because of that, and it is what makes the story. I had to call my football buddy up half-way through and tell him I had a book he needed to read. Now I have to watch a game and wonder what the left tackle is doing.
This book was a very good read, and well worth the time and effort. It may not be as fun ultimately as Playing for Pizza by Grisham, but it is pretty good in its own way.
I was not disappointed. Lewis
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has a way of writing that brings something which you are not a part of into your life and make you one with it. Some of his short works i still find that I remember vividly, twenty years later and recite from on occasion.Here we have an encouraging story of a young black boy who really has nothing in his life but his athletic ability. We have a good family that certainly does not need to exploit the boy. So they did what we all should want to do if our situations allowed, take the boy in and help. But the story is not just about that, it covers the evolution of football, these last thirty to forty years as marquee quarterbacks, or productive west-coast offense systems come into play.
In essence it is two books because of that, and it is what makes the story. I had to call my football buddy up half-way through and tell him I had a book he needed to read. Now I have to watch a game and wonder what the left tackle is doing.
This book was a very good read, and well worth the time and effort. It may not be as fun ultimately as Playing for Pizza by Grisham, but it is pretty good in its own way.
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LibraryThing member DaffodilTurner
I don't know anything about football and I skipped all the parts of the story about football and followed the storyline about the big kid, Michael Oher. I am interested to see how the story turns into a movie. One of the parts of the story that stuck with me long after I put the book down was the
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question of how important football was to Michael's rescue from poverty. Is it ethical to adopt a child for his football talents and what he can do for your team? Should he have stayed in school and put his literacy and education first, or was putting football first his opportunity or his exploitation? Show Less
LibraryThing member dougcornelius
A great analysis of football and the importance of the left tackle. The title refers to the left tackle's importance in protecting the blind side of the quarterback. The importance of the position is mingled with the story of Micheal Oher and his rise as a high school star and college success at
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the position. (He was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft.) Show Less
LibraryThing member Brian55
I saw the movie and greatly enjoyed it and wanted to read the book.
LibraryThing member monachelibrary
Michael Oher, is one of thirteen children by a mother who is addicted to crack. He does not know his real name, his birthplace, or how to read or write. His life is transformed after a rich white Evangelical family picks him up off the streets. He takes up football and his grades slowly start to
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improve. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jthierer
I really think if this had been the exact same book, only about a kid who played baseball I would have unequivocally loved it. I enjoyed the sections that dealt with Michael and his relationship with the Tuohys, but I have very little interest in football, so the sections about the evolution of
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strategy and the left tackle were just a slog for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member maggiereads
Super Bowl XLI is right around the corner, and I have the perfect book to whet your appetite. Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball, has written another sports expose titled The Blind Side. This time he aims his knowledgeable pen at the institution of football.
His first chapter retells the horrendous
Out of nowhere Taylor raised his arm to sack attack Theismann. The force wasn’t in Taylor’s arm but rather in his descending right thigh. As he came down for the tackle his thigh was pushed down into Thiesmann’s right leg, fracturing tibia and fibula.
Lawrence Taylor had made a name for himself as a fanatical quarterback destroyer. Apparently, Taylor had a mild case of claustrophobia and preferred to maneuver away from the pack. This being, he would not lower himself into a set position when in the line of scrimmage. Once the ball was snapped, he preferred to move around the mass and be the guy closer to the top of any tackle.
Just by playing with his natural fear he became successful at “sacking the quarterback.” Time-after-time he went around the line and circled back to find the quarterback unprotected. He, in effect, hit the man from his blind side and created a new football strategy.
This new strategy requires a heavy, nimble man or waltzing elephant to be effective. It is a unique human that possesses this mixture, weight and grace—so unique, that the NFL is willing to pay big money for the specimen. The left tackle, Taylor’s position, is the second highest paid player, other than the quarterback.
Imagine you are a football scout and you have just seen an incredible sight, a sophomore at Briarcrest Christian School, bulky yet nimble, making three pointers on the Memphis basketball court. This is how Michael Oher first appeared to scout Tom Lemming, believing he had just witnessed the next Orlando Pace.
The next year, Lemming “ranked him [Oher] as the #1 offensive line prospect” in the country. Follow Oher’s evolution, currently playing at Ole Miss, from gentle giant to mean machine in this very entertaining book.
His first chapter retells the horrendous
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tackle Joe Theismann endured by Lawrence Taylor—an attack which ended his football career. The ABC game, a Monday Night Football production watched by 17.6 million viewers, featured the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. It was, “the start of the second quarter, first and 10 at midfield,” when Theismann caught the “flea flicker” and set up for a pass.Out of nowhere Taylor raised his arm to sack attack Theismann. The force wasn’t in Taylor’s arm but rather in his descending right thigh. As he came down for the tackle his thigh was pushed down into Thiesmann’s right leg, fracturing tibia and fibula.
Lawrence Taylor had made a name for himself as a fanatical quarterback destroyer. Apparently, Taylor had a mild case of claustrophobia and preferred to maneuver away from the pack. This being, he would not lower himself into a set position when in the line of scrimmage. Once the ball was snapped, he preferred to move around the mass and be the guy closer to the top of any tackle.
Just by playing with his natural fear he became successful at “sacking the quarterback.” Time-after-time he went around the line and circled back to find the quarterback unprotected. He, in effect, hit the man from his blind side and created a new football strategy.
This new strategy requires a heavy, nimble man or waltzing elephant to be effective. It is a unique human that possesses this mixture, weight and grace—so unique, that the NFL is willing to pay big money for the specimen. The left tackle, Taylor’s position, is the second highest paid player, other than the quarterback.
Imagine you are a football scout and you have just seen an incredible sight, a sophomore at Briarcrest Christian School, bulky yet nimble, making three pointers on the Memphis basketball court. This is how Michael Oher first appeared to scout Tom Lemming, believing he had just witnessed the next Orlando Pace.
The next year, Lemming “ranked him [Oher] as the #1 offensive line prospect” in the country. Follow Oher’s evolution, currently playing at Ole Miss, from gentle giant to mean machine in this very entertaining book.
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LibraryThing member rapago
After seeing the movie, I was curious how much of the story was true. Now, having read the book, I can see that the movie adaptation was pretty true to the story as Michael Lewis wrote it. You can't help but feel for Michael Oher, as he somehow manages to find his way not only into a private
This is a heart-warming story about the good in people; about the importance of believing in someone and seeing beyond the stereotypes. It is definitely a feel-good story, though at times, not being much a football fan, I found the writing got bogged down in technical details about the history and nature of the game of football. At those times, I just wanted to read more about Michael.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Insight into a world, of which I will never be a part, is always interesting.
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Christian School, but eventually the NCAA and the NFL. This is a heart-warming story about the good in people; about the importance of believing in someone and seeing beyond the stereotypes. It is definitely a feel-good story, though at times, not being much a football fan, I found the writing got bogged down in technical details about the history and nature of the game of football. At those times, I just wanted to read more about Michael.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Insight into a world, of which I will never be a part, is always interesting.
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LibraryThing member rayski
Explains the development of the importance of the offensive lineman, more importantly the left tackle. But the bigger story is school programs doing whatever they can to get the talent on their teams even when it means compromising educational standards.
LibraryThing member JoanieS
Great book,just a little too technical about football for my taste. I actually liked the movie better than the book-that never happens. However, the technical details gave me an education on football-a sport I love.
LibraryThing member janemarieprice
Half a history of modern football and half the story of Michael Oher’s rescue from poverty. I came away feeling less good about this family than I did when I went in. However, there is some really fascinating information about football tactics. Am I a bad person for liking the football history
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more than the family story? … Maybe. Am I concerned about this? ... No. Is it fall yet? Show Less
LibraryThing member woodsathome
I was surprised to find this was as much about the evolution of professional football as it is about the personal story of Michael Oher. I was even more surprised that I really enjoyed the football narrative.
Unless you've been living in a cave, you probably have some familiarity with the personal
Unless you've been living in a cave, you probably have some familiarity with the personal
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story even if you (like me) never got around to seeing the movie- it is interesting and compelling, but I must say crying out for an update. As is the narrative ends after Michael's freshman year at Ole Miss. Show Less
LibraryThing member silenceiseverything
I think I'll start off by saying that I'm not a sports fan. At all. I get utterly bored out of my mind if I'm in the vicinity of any sports game and don't play because it's a horrible sight to see me play a sport. But oddly enough, I have an intense like of sports movies. Which is how I learned
Usually, I like to read a book before the movie comes out. Mostly, that's because when you see the movie first, the book is bound to get tainted with the movie. It's inevitable whether you loved it or hated it. In some rare instances where this happened I liked the movie more than the book. This happened with Practical Magic (another Sandra Bullock film) and The Blind Side.
The book focused more on the game of football than I would've liked. But then again, it is also subtitled Evolution of a Game, so it's not like I was misled. There were some parts of the book where my mind wandered and I was just thinking "Get back to the family. That's why I'm reading." Then again, there were some football only parts that had me engrossed in the book. But, the story of Michael Oher was why I kept reading.
Michael Oher's story was inspirational. He made something of himself, even though he was plagued with obstacles. And the Tuohy's taking him and all that they did for him was heartwarming. This book was also had it's fair share of humor and I let out a chuckle here and there. But with the good also comes the bad. And the bad comes from me seeing the movie first.
The characters were somewhat more likeable in the movie than in the book. Leanne Tuohy comes out more snobby and bitchy in the book. The coach, whom I loved in the movie, came out more as a snake and someone with ulterior motives. Another thing that bothered me in the book was how in some moments, it seemed like the Tuohy's did have a hidden agenda. I know that they didn't, but I understand how they would seem like boosters to the NCAA.
Although, some of the characters came off a bit standoff-ish in the book, one character whom I loved in the book and the movie was Sean Tuohy. He was a major part of the book, yet he wasn't that much of a main character in the movie. I enjoyed his parts in the book. Also, already having seen the movie, I kept picturing Sean as Tim McGraw. Allow me to have my shallow moment and say that since good ol' Tim is all sorts of yummy, I didn't have not one problem with his expanded role in the book.
Anyway, even though I thought the book was just okay, I absolutely loved the movie. I thought it was just amazing. It made me laugh and cry and then cry a bit more. Amazing true story, with an amazing film to back it up.
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about The Blind Side in the first place. Well, that's only partly to blame. I'm also an unabashed Sandra Bullock fan and love most of her films, so of course I had to go see The Blind Side. Usually, I like to read a book before the movie comes out. Mostly, that's because when you see the movie first, the book is bound to get tainted with the movie. It's inevitable whether you loved it or hated it. In some rare instances where this happened I liked the movie more than the book. This happened with Practical Magic (another Sandra Bullock film) and The Blind Side.
The book focused more on the game of football than I would've liked. But then again, it is also subtitled Evolution of a Game, so it's not like I was misled. There were some parts of the book where my mind wandered and I was just thinking "Get back to the family. That's why I'm reading." Then again, there were some football only parts that had me engrossed in the book. But, the story of Michael Oher was why I kept reading.
Michael Oher's story was inspirational. He made something of himself, even though he was plagued with obstacles. And the Tuohy's taking him and all that they did for him was heartwarming. This book was also had it's fair share of humor and I let out a chuckle here and there. But with the good also comes the bad. And the bad comes from me seeing the movie first.
The characters were somewhat more likeable in the movie than in the book. Leanne Tuohy comes out more snobby and bitchy in the book. The coach, whom I loved in the movie, came out more as a snake and someone with ulterior motives. Another thing that bothered me in the book was how in some moments, it seemed like the Tuohy's did have a hidden agenda. I know that they didn't, but I understand how they would seem like boosters to the NCAA.
Although, some of the characters came off a bit standoff-ish in the book, one character whom I loved in the book and the movie was Sean Tuohy. He was a major part of the book, yet he wasn't that much of a main character in the movie. I enjoyed his parts in the book. Also, already having seen the movie, I kept picturing Sean as Tim McGraw. Allow me to have my shallow moment and say that since good ol' Tim is all sorts of yummy, I didn't have not one problem with his expanded role in the book.
Anyway, even though I thought the book was just okay, I absolutely loved the movie. I thought it was just amazing. It made me laugh and cry and then cry a bit more. Amazing true story, with an amazing film to back it up.
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Subjects
Awards
Alex Award (2007)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2006)
Language
Original publication date
2006
Physical description
8.2 inches
ISBN
9780307715067