The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
Book Review: Surely Michael Lewis' best storytelling to date
Summary: 5 Stars
I've read all of Michael Lewis' books except "Coach" (as a friend recently commented, "let's leave those to Mitch Albom"). Lewis has made a career out of counter-intuition. "The Blind Side" fits well into the Lewis groove. The casual fan watches football and thinks quarterback, running back, wide receiver. But Lewis takes you through the game's evolution (with its increased reliance on precision passing) and shows you why the left tackle has become the game's second-highest-paid position. As Lewis notes, as the salaries of quarterbacks have risen, so has the cost of insurance. And, on the football field, quarterback insurance is personified by the left tackle...protector of the blind side.
As one reviewer notes here, 'The Blind Side' contains "many stories, all good." Exactly. While the incredible tale of Michael Oher consumes a good portion of the book, there are other great stories. For example, Lewis paints a brilliantly vivid picture of Lawrence Taylor's impact on the league; and I love the juxtaposition of Bill Walsh's brand of football (as personified by Joe Montana) vs. Bill Parcells' brand of football (as personified by LT).
I'm tempted to say this might be Lewis' finest work. The only reason I won't is because of the monster that is Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street, a book that people may well be referencing 50 years from now. I'm also a big fan of the under-appreciated "Trail Fever" (released as Losers: The Road to Everyplace but the White House - which I bet Lewis hated since the whole point of the book was that the so-called losers were life's real winners - in paperback). But "The Blind Side" is surely the author's best storytelling. I bet he'll agree to that.
Book Review: A superbly written book
Summary: 5 Stars
If you don't care a lick about football, you probably won't get much out of this book; but if you have even a glimmer of interest in football and enjoy books that are well written, then do yourself a favor and read Blind Side. Michael Lewis is someone who can develop a story--he writes stunningly well.Book Review: Another Michael Lewis winner
Summary: 5 Stars
Lewis fans will not be dissappointed by this wonderful read. As always, Lewis explains the evolution of his subject, in this case an offensive left tackle, in an interesting, compelling, and fact-based manner. His humor is ever present and he takes fair shots at all participants. Lewis' keen eye for socio-economic and cultural dynamics is actually surpassed by his ability to communciate the nuances in a direct, unflinching way. I always enjoy Lewis' writing style, which I feel is a little like Hemingway's short, athletic prose. At the end of the day what Lewis is really really good at is understanding that shifts in culture (sports, business, etc) happen because certain individuals make them happen. His ability to delve into the lives of these people and help us get to know them is what makes his books so interesting.Book Review: Wow!
Summary: 5 Stars
Incredible book! Michael Lewis even topped himself (Moneyball) in this book. Very entertaining book and insightful about the evolution of football told through the story of the top blue-chip football recruit.
I recommend this book to anybody
Book Review: Not just for football fans!
Summary: 5 Stars
MONEYBALL by Michael Lewis was one of the finest books
on baseball I have ever read . . . I can now say that his
latest, THE BLIND SIDE, was one of the finest books on
football I have ever read--or make that heard (in that
I listened to it on CD).
It was so good, in fact, that at the end I found myself
staying in my car one afternoon because I wanted
to see what happened . . . and when it was over, I
thought to myself, "Too bad. This is a story I wanted
to continue."
But methinks it will, in that we will most probably hear more
about Michael Oher (its main character) . . . it concluded
with Oher still in college after what might be described as
an improbable climb from his being a homeless Memphis
kid to a career that will likely take him into the National
Football League.
En route, Lewis touches upon many fascinating subplots:
the role of the left tackle in the game, how society lets
young black youngsters drop out of the educational
system, collegiate recruiting, the NCAA, and how diploma
mills lead to both college credits and degrees.
You don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy THE BLIND
SIDE . . . those interested in education and sociology
will like it, along with anybody else looking for a story
that will hold your attention from beginning to end.
I got a particular kick out of this book because it made
many long car rides go quickly, in large part due to
Grover Gardner's excellent narration.