bendubie's review against another edition
2.0
Nothing special as a baseball memoir. Talks about god a lot.
mlwilson1021's review against another edition
4.0
This autobiography was refreshing to read. A professional athlete who has high standards for himself, his team, and his sport has become the exception. Rivera is the first MLB player to be elected into the Hall of Fame unanimously. He was the last MLB player to wear #42, Jackie Robinson's number and a player Rivera admired greatly. He credits Robinson for paving the way for minorities to play in the MLB.
Mariano Rivera grew up in a poor fishing village and dreamed of one day being a mechanic, not a Yankee. He showed up to his try-out with a hole in his shoe and no baseball glove! There were several revelations in the book he shares with the readers about his niavete. For example, he only received a $2000 sign-on bonus, he did not know even who Babe Ruth was when he auditioned, and he didn't speak English one bit when he came to FL.
Rivera speaks openly about his childhood and his faith, which he attributes to his success. "For me, the most meaningful prayers are when I ask for God's wisdom. The Lord may not be on the side of the Yankees, but he is on my side. He is always there, ordering my steps if only I will let him." (Page 295-296)
Rivera has never taken any Performance Enhancing Drugs and expresses his dislike for PED's. He does show compassion for athletes that get wrapped up in steroids though. He honestly speaks about his thoughts while on the mound and admits his game flaws. He expresses disappointment in himself when he feels he has let a teammate down because team is everything to Rivera. Even when knocked down, he stays positive. "I don't carry things that do me no good. I let them go, so I can be light." (Pg 274)
The reason I gave it four stars instead of five really has to do with me more than the content. Rivera explains many games in great length, and for me it was a tad boring at times. I'm not a baseball enthusiast.
One of my favorite sections in the book was his "Notes from Mo." In these short notes we learned much of the back story of Yankee Stadium, the rivalry between Boston and the Yankees, and about the Subway Series.
If you have a young adult who loves baseball or sports, I would definitely hand them this book.
Mariano Rivera grew up in a poor fishing village and dreamed of one day being a mechanic, not a Yankee. He showed up to his try-out with a hole in his shoe and no baseball glove! There were several revelations in the book he shares with the readers about his niavete. For example, he only received a $2000 sign-on bonus, he did not know even who Babe Ruth was when he auditioned, and he didn't speak English one bit when he came to FL.
Rivera speaks openly about his childhood and his faith, which he attributes to his success. "For me, the most meaningful prayers are when I ask for God's wisdom. The Lord may not be on the side of the Yankees, but he is on my side. He is always there, ordering my steps if only I will let him." (Page 295-296)
Rivera has never taken any Performance Enhancing Drugs and expresses his dislike for PED's. He does show compassion for athletes that get wrapped up in steroids though. He honestly speaks about his thoughts while on the mound and admits his game flaws. He expresses disappointment in himself when he feels he has let a teammate down because team is everything to Rivera. Even when knocked down, he stays positive. "I don't carry things that do me no good. I let them go, so I can be light." (Pg 274)
The reason I gave it four stars instead of five really has to do with me more than the content. Rivera explains many games in great length, and for me it was a tad boring at times. I'm not a baseball enthusiast.
One of my favorite sections in the book was his "Notes from Mo." In these short notes we learned much of the back story of Yankee Stadium, the rivalry between Boston and the Yankees, and about the Subway Series.
If you have a young adult who loves baseball or sports, I would definitely hand them this book.
susangeo's review against another edition
5.0
Very interesting book about how the MLB works. And also the perseverance of Mariano.
aderosa32's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
hhayes18's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
3.5
Great story about making it to the big leagues from a small fishing village. There is a lot of detail about games and season. Was hoping for more about just life story and less about the game.
amyduis's review against another edition
4.0
I've never been a Yankees fan, but always respected Mariano Rivera for his character and his ability to close out games. A good balance between Rivera's personal life and his professional life.
mullinstreetzoo's review against another edition
4.0
There were a lot of baseball details in this book. Didn't make it less enjoyable though. I found it an easily captivating profile on a pitcher I've long admired. (#41--a memoir)