Product Description
Swimmer Michael Phelps is considered by many to be the greatest Olympian of all-time. At the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China, Phelps took home a record 8 gold medals. Find out about Phelps's amazing achievements, as well as what life is like for him both in and out of the pool. ... Read more

Product Description
He may live in Madrid but he continues to make front-page headlines. This is David Beckham's own story of his career to date, for Manchester United, Real Madrid and England, and of his childhood, family and private life. Featuring David's first full account of a turbulent year in Spain, on and off the field, and England's fortunes in Euro 2004.This is Beckham's fascinating life story in his own words. His rise through the ranks at the biggest club side in the world. His complex relationship with United boss Alex Ferguson. The England story, from being vilified by the nation before returning as the prodigal son to eventually captaining his country. His acrimonious falling-out with his manager and departure from Old Trafford in June 2003. And starting a new chapter of his life on foreign soil in the glare of the world's press.Now from Beckham himself, we gain a vivid and eye-opening insight into the family man behind the famous footballer, the international model and fashion leader. He describes how he first met and then married ex-Spice girl Victoria Adams, and the upbringing of their two children Brooklyn and Romeo.How his family's every step is monitored by a posse of newshounds and paparazzi. Also, the influence of his parents, growing up as a shy youngster in the family home, and how their subsequent split affected him.Intimate and soul-searching, this is the real David Beckham like we have never seen before.NEW FOR THIS PAPERBACK EDITION:- Beckham's first season with Real Madrid from within the dressing room, with key stories on the likes of Figo, Roberto Carlos and Zidane. - His exclusive reaction to the sensational allegations about his private life; their effect on his relationship with Victoria and a reappraisal of their living arrangements. - England and Euro 2004: the players' threatened strike in support of Rio Ferdinand; Eriksson as England boss; and all the behind the scenes stories leading up to and including the Finals in Portugal. - One year down the line, does Beckham have any regrets about leaving Manchester United? And is there any truth in the rumours that he is unsettled in Madrid? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Everything you'd expect from a good football autobiography, and more
I seldom read sports biographies, but nonetheless found this book hard to put down once I started on it. Beckam provides a refreshingly honest and eye-opening account of life in the dressing room and beyond. The book takes the reader on a comprehensive narrative from his childhood years to his rise to international stardom that has few dull moments. Particularly commendable, in my opinion, is the book's effort to provide a fair assessment of all the major characters in Beckham's life, especially his manager and mentor for many years, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Beckam's life beyond the football pitch also lends an extra dimension to his account that is usually absent in the traditional footballer's autobiography. His sometimes tragic, sometimes uplifting accounts of his convoluted relationship with the media, the wider British public and of course, his well-publicised courtship with Victoria are tremendously absorbing. In this sense, the book offers the reader much more than just a catalogue of golden goals and match performances.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I believe it will captivate football fans and non-football fans alike. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
Liguori interviewed more than 30 celebrities who have a deep interest in golf to compile this book, filled with quotes, quips, and reflections. Professional athletes, Hollywood stars, famous musicians, renowned businessmen, and politicians discuss a variety of issues, including discrimination in the game, the frustrations and exhilarations of the sport, and using the game as a means to get ahead in the business world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Top Notch!
Thoughtful, insightful, funny and poignant -- that's the mark of a great book.Ann Liguori is a masterful interviewer.The book is fast paced and easy to read.Perfect book for riding a train or sitting on the beach.She interviewed a wide variety of celebrities for this book and it turned into a very pleasureable reading experience.From Cheryl Ladd to Alice Cooper from Dan Quayle to Joe Pesci from Charles Barkley to Dennis Franz -- the list goes on and on.I can't say enough about this book and I look forward to reading her sequel.

Excellent golf (and life) philosophy.
My sister (The Louise Collins Show) interviewed Ann and sent me a copy of the book.I was positively enthralled and almost read it at one sitting.My fasciination was with the profound philosophies expressed by the variouscelebrities Ann interviewed. Although the interviews with them wereinteresting, I would have gained almost as much from a book thatconcentrated on the philosophies alone.I do realize of course the bookmight not have sold as well.One question Ann, are you willing to sharethe swing tip or "secret" someone passed on to you and youmentioned in your book?

When celebrities start talking on a golf course, listen!
Ann Liguori's timely collection proves once again that golf crumbles barriers and helps people find common ground. There are many fascinating disclosures in "A Passion For Golf" from some of the most tight-lipped interview subjects of our time. Each chapter is a self-contained journal. The author asks the right questions and is rewarded with compelling answers. From Dan Quayle to Joe Pesci to Sugar Ray Leonard to Charles "Peanuts' Schulz, the reader is given insights into what drives these successful people -- along with what drives them crazy.A great gift for a golf-lover, a sports fan or a movie buff. The format lends itself to many more volumes in years to come, featuring new names and new revelations. Like a great golf shot, this book is long (on detail) and straight (from their hearts).

Its much more than a golf book !
I found this book to be incredibly interesting because it shows some of the most successfulI people in the world humbled by this maddening game! I love golf and I derivedgreat satisfaction inlearning how this diverse group of peoplenot only coped with failure on the golf course butused theirtalents to getbetter. Along the way though I felt I was seeing sides of these celebrities I had never seen before. I think Ms. Liguori has discovered a truly unique methodand venue for interviewing : the golf course. I let my mother read the book she readall twenty-nineinterviewsand loved them and she doesnt even golf!

This Book is Great Entertainment
Ann Liguori has an astonishing technique for combining golfand a behind the scenes look into the world of sports,music,hollywood,business andpolitics. This wonderful compilation of interviews includes Yogi Berra, Sly Stallone, Kevin Costner,Alice Cooper and Dan Quayle. Ms Liguori has successfully gotten each of these personalities to disclose their passion for golf as well as the environment in which they exist. This is a cannot miss to those of us who love golf or who simply want to be entertained. ... Read more

Product Description
Richie McCaw's standing within the All Blacks team is unmatched. The captain of Graham Henry's team since 2006, McCaw has carved a niche for himself as the modern-day great within the All Blacks - the charismatic, never-say-die leader whom fans of the Men in Black have come to hold in the same light as many of the most revered captains of yesteryear. Richie McCaw: A Tribute to a Modern-day Rugby Great charts the career of the proud Canterbury and Crusaders star who first burst into the national rugby conscience in 2001 when he helped his province to an NPC championship. Soon after, he was making his All Blacks debut in Dublin, beginning a test career that will ultimately culminate at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. Author John Matheson tells the story of how the understated McCaw has reinvented himself to emerge as the talisman for his charges in the same way that Buck Shelford, Sean Fitzpatrick and Tana Umaga have done before him. Interviews with teammates, coaches and opponents will help the reader gain a renewed respect for McCaw, as the All Blacks plan their next assault on the Rugby World Cup.Richie McCaw: A Tribute to a Modern-day Rugby Great takes the reader inside McCaw's inner circle to tell his story of Tri-Nations, Bledisloe Cup and Grand Slam success, overcoming shattering injuries and concussions, and World Cup heartbreaks in Sydney and Cardiff. Tellingly, though, McCaw - who was at the All Blacks helm for the Cardiff calamity - never lost the respect of the public following the 2007 World Cup. Indeed, the way he handled the aftermath only strengthened his standing with the All Blacks nation. Richie McCaw: A Tribute to a Modern-day Rugby Great plots his post-World Cup rehabilitation and celebrates the fact that, as the 2011 event nears, the All Blacks - on-field at least - are in the best possible hands as they set about replicating the efforts of David Kirk's 1987 All Blacks. ... Read more

Product Description
Shaun White has become an icon of the extreme sports world. He has dominated in both snowboarding and skateboarding, despite being years younger than many of his competitors. With an Olympic Gold Medal added to his trophy case, there s no telling how high this guy will fly! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great!
This book is perfect.It contains lots of information geared towards a younger reader.We enjoyed reading about such an inspirational young man. ... Read more

Product Description
Beast. Monster. Savage. Psycho. The glowering menace of Mike Tyson has spooked us for almost two decades. And still we remain fascinated. Why? Ellis Cashmore's answer is disturbing: white society has created Tyson as vengeance for the loss of privilege produced by civil rights.

Cashmore's eviscerating analysis of Tyson's life and the culture in which he grew up, rose to prominence and descended into disgrace provokes the reader into re-thinking the role of one of the most controversial and infamous figures of recent history. Told as an odyssey-style homeward journey to Tyson's multi-pathological origins in the racially-explosive ghettos of the 1960s, Tyson's story is part biography, part tragedy and part exposition. His associations with people like Al Sharpton, Don King and Tupac Shakur shaped his life; and events, such as the O J Simpson trial and the Rodney King riots, formed a turbulent background for the Tyson psychodrama.

Over the course of an epic boxing career, Tyson was transformed from the most celebrated athlete on earth to a primal, malevolent hate-figure. Yet, even after being condemned as a brute, Tyson retained a power - a power to captivate. Cashmore reveals that the sources of that power lie as much in us as in Tyson himself. ... Read more

Product Description
Muhammad Ali has a unique place in global history. One of the most extraordinary athletes of all times, Ali is also, as he always was, an inadvertent but powerful figure in world affairs. From the first announcement of his membership in the Nation of Islam, through his courageous refusal to fight in Vietnam, to his spiritual calm in the face of crippling disease, Muhammad Ali’s steady values have inspired others the world over to rethink their racial, political, and spiritual attitudes.

Ali’s life over the years has put irony in a different light. When Muhammad Ali stood against those who criticized him for converting to the Nation of Islam, he told the world "I don’t have to be what you want me to be." What first appeared as simple defiance was revealed over the years as rock solid conviction – a conviction that allowed him to be and do what he believed in, while also embracing the world in his loving and laughing way.

Charles Lemert writes with grace, perspective, and affection. Muhammad Ali is the first book to unravel the reasons for the enduring respect and reverence that Muhammad Ali commands long after the end of his athletic career.

This text will appeal to those teaching and studying cultural studies, social theory, sports studies, and sociology, as well as to general readers interested in Muhammad Ali. ... Read more

Product Description
Muhammad Ali memorably referred to Sugar Ray Robinson as "the king, the master, my idol," and rarely a fight fan has chosen to argue too much with those words. With a career spanning three decades, multiple championships, over two hundred fights (without once taking a 10-count), and more victories than Joe Louis and Ali combined it was no surprise when RING magazine named Robinson "pound for pound, the best boxer of all time." In Being Sugar Ray, acclaimed scholar Kenneth Shropshire contends that Sugar Ray Robinson's influence extends far beyond the ring. It was Robinson who introduced America to the athlete as entrepreneur and celebrity. From his business empire to his prized flamingo pink Cadillac, described as the Hope Diamond of Harlem, Sugar Ray was the trailblazer whom every athlete since has been trying, consciously or otherwise, to emulate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

About sport and celebrity and not the greatest boxer
If you want a detailed biography of Sugar Ray then this book is not it and to be fair does not pretend to be despite the title. Shropshire who has written a number of books and articles on business and sports and black sportsmen has taken the core theme that the man was in the 1950s (after an initial first career in the 1940s) able to reinvent himself and become the prototype for many of todays black sports stars in terms of handling how they become famous and wealthy.


The book takes a number of themes such as style; business dealings, competitor rivalries and followers/hangers on and covers each in a chapter built around events in Sugar Ray's life. These are expanded to include reactions under the scrutiny of the media; mega financial wealth from very poor beginnings and obtaining status and respect with both blacks and whites (or the ability by wrong moves to easily lose it!). However Shropshire does spend a lot of time in the telling making many references to later sportsmen and events from the 1970s to date. For an non-US reader with little knowledge of NFL, NBA I suspect many of the names and events will mean little, even if the key points of principle are understood.

An interesting read from that limited perspective but I suspect if like me you read as a boxing fan, you will find it a bit of a disappointment, despite the occasional detailed coverage of a key fight. One thing the book does show is the clear evidence that many of todays superstars have it easy compared with the number of matches and scores Robinson achieved across his long period of activity. Proof again that Sugar Ray was the true all time boxing great, whatever his personal flaws.

Being Sugar Ray
I purchased this book for a friend who is incarcerated in New Jersey.
However he has written to me about how much he enjoyed this book. He told me that he had no idea of the adversity that this man faced.
He was regarded as the greatest middleweight ever and the first African American celebrity Athlete.
As a child growing up I do remember hearing so much about this boxer and the story of how he got the name Sugar Ray.He was working outin the gym when a trainer watching him said the immortal words " Thats some sweet fighter up there-in fact he is as sweet as sugar.Hence the name Sugar Ray.

Being Sugar Ray.....(or others)
This is one of the worst biographies I have ever read. The author, instead of giving us new information on Sugar Ray, compares his life and deeds to that of many other athletes, in many different sports, in many different eras. There are many bio's of Robinson available, all of them much better than this one.

Past and Present come together
Being Sugar Ray...The First Celebrity Athlete, is a read that provides an examination of the life and times of Sugar Ray and a studied insight into the superstar athletes of today. Although Charles Barkley and others resist the title of role model, Sugar Ray Robinson created the mold.
Not in the sense of an athlete to be emulated by our youth, but in creating the vision for young athletes of what Celebrity entails and looks like and from whence it came. Shropshire deftly utilizes his years of experience in the sports world to bring us closer to understanding how and why today's athletes do what they do on and especially off the playing fields. More than understanding how to train to succeed in sports, the author seeks to shed some light upon the darkness of celebrity that many of today's star represent and continue to experience. It represents an intriguing guide to the inside of sports, athletes and their vulnerability to being in the spotlight that we cast upon them. A valuable addition to a sports fan library...especially for the young superstar in training!
Bro2much





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See what's free at AOL.com.

A Puzzling Pseudo-Biography
"Sugar Ray Robinson was the consummate professional, entertainer, and businessperson. How do today's athletes measure up compared to Sugar Ray Robinson?" And unfortunately for the focus of the book, author Kenneth Shropshire spends too much valuable space in the 220 pages trying to find Robinson's trifecta in the athletes of today.

For nearly 190 of those pages Shropshire takes small snippets from Robinson's life and attempts to weave comparisons & contrasts through stars like Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Terrell Owens, Ron Artest, Randy Moss, Roger Federer, Pat Tillman, Mike Tyson, Shaq, Michael Jordan, Paul Pierce and Allen Iverson. It is oftentimes a very frustrating read as Shropshire fails to tie these loose strands together in so few pages.

And, ultimately, Shropshire questions his approach in the closing paragraph: "There is no evidence that Sugar Ray consciously led the postsegregation celebrity athlete transition. Maybe athletes today are accomplishing something unconsciously. Time will tell."

The book starts out with so much promise - chronicling Robinson's final farewell to boxing in December 1965 - and his years as an amateur fighter, with special emphasis on how he "found" his ring name and nickname. But the spotlight doesn't again fully focus on Robinson until the closing chapters of the too-often tragic boxing story of a former great champion; major financial problems to go along with severe physical debilitation from taking too many hard blows in a career lasting far too long.

I would give Shropshire the benefit of the doubt of being overly-ambitious if only somewhere in the title describes how he theorizes the evolution of Walker Smith Jr. into Sugar Ray Robinson has impacted the new generation of celebrity athletes.

"Suger Ray lived the moment," concludes Shropshire. It is too bad that Sugar Ray's moment is muddled in this book.

... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A fascinating analysis of the first famous American to erase the boundary between real history and entertainment

Canada, and Europe. Crowds cheered as cowboys and Indians--and Annie Oakley!--galloped past on spirited horses, sharpshooters exploded glass balls tossed high in the air, and cavalry troops arrived just in time to save a stagecoach from Indian attack. Vivid posters on billboards everywhere made William Cody, the show's originator and star, a world-renowned figure.
Joy S. Kasson's important new book traces Cody's rise from scout to international celebrity, and shows how his image was shaped. Publicity stressed his show's "authenticity" yet audiences thrilled to its melodrama; fact and fiction converged in a performance that instantly became part of the American tradition.

But how, precisely, did that come about? How, for example, did Cody use his audience's memories of the Civil War and the Indian wars? He boasted that his show included participants in the recent conflicts it presented theatrically, yet he also claimed it evoked "memories" of America's bygone greatness. Kasson's shrewd, engaging study--richly illustrated--in exploring the disappearing boundary between entertainment and public events in American culture, shows us just how we came to imagine our memories.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Tedious and Redundant
I was stunned by how a subject such as the Wild West shows could be presented in such a tiresome manner.The author makes the same two or three points over and over again (the meat of her book) and spends the rest of the book detailing lithographs and program covers -- copies of which appear in the book.I stuck with it to the end, but was frustrated by it being a bad read and a waste of time.

Buffalo Bill was a Major Stud Dude
This is an outstanding scholarly study of Buffalo Bill and his Wild West show.Kasson deals with her subject sympathetically and never leaps to politically correct judgments.Kasson not only offers a biography of Buffalo Bill and a study of the cultural meaning of his Wild West, but also a study of how Indians and other marginalized groups figured in the Wild West show.Excellent book.Buy it.

A solid must-have
After checking this book out of the library and reading some of it, weknew we had to own it. Kasson writes well for the serious amateur of theWild West, and the scholarship appears solid. It's clearly a work ofcontemporary history-writing, in that Kasson is very attentive to how were-tell our past to ourselves, how myths and celebrity develop. In thisrespect it resembles Paul Reddin's "Wild West Shows" (Universityof Illinois Press, 1999), which we also recommend. Readers who want to knowwhat it was REALLY like on the plains will want to consult other books.

An important analysis of America's first celebrity
Joy Kasson uses the story of Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West show to tell us about the beginnings of celebrity in America.Tracing Buffalo Bill's life from Army scout through Wild West show impresario she revealshow Cody "created an American memory through entertainment" bybringing together Northerners and former Confederates in the final decadeof the nineteenth century for a shared and comforting interpretation ofAmerican identity. The imperialist story the Wild West Show told waslegitimizing to American's who wanted to view their destruction of nativeAmerican life in their westward advancement as the justifiable acts byvictims of murderous natives, now happily tamed as actors, rather than theother way around. She demonstrates how Buffalo Bill's thesis about westernconquest by white Americans influenced the twentieth century interpretationof American history in many ways, not the least of which was the BoyScouts, and particulary through the powerful genre of the motion picture,in which Cody's influence was seminal.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West Showpromoters were among the first to manipulate the public through advertisingand image building. Kasson has given new insight into a late twentiethcentury culture that produced such phenomena as an actor as president, spindoctors and focus groups, and in countless other ways blurred the linebetween performance and reality.

A book both scholarly and readable,Buffalo Bill's Wild West has broken new ground in our understanding of thebeginnings of our celebrity culture. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1926 Theodore "Tiger" Flowers became the first African American boxer to win the world middleweight title. The next year he was dead, the victim of surgery gone wrong. His funeral in Atlanta drew tens of thousands of mourners, black and white. Atlantans would not grieve again in comparable numbers until Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968.

Flowers, whose career was sandwiched between those of the better-known black boxers Jack Johnson and Joe Louis, was not America's first successful black athlete. He was, however, the first to generate widespread goodwill among whites, especially in the South, where he became known as "the whitest black man in the ring."

The Pussycat of Prizefighting is more than an account of Flowers's remarkable achievements--it is a penetrating analysis of the cultural and historical currents that defined the terms of Flowers's success as both a man and an athlete. As we discover the sources of Flowers's immense popularity, Andrew Kaye also helps us to understand more deeply the pressures and dilemmas facing African Americans in the public eye.

We read, for instance, how boxing reinforced fans' notions of masculinity and ethnic pride; how whites rationalized the physical superiority of a black sportsman; and how blacks debated the value of athletes as racial role models. Kaye shows how Flowers, mindful that the ring was a testing ground for much more than his punching ability, carefully negotiated the mass media and celebrity culture. He crafted an uncontroversial public persona that of a religious man who prayed before each match, was deferential to whites, and exuded an aura of middleclass respectability.

Through the prism of prizefighting, this book reveals the personal cost African Americans faced as they attempted to earn black respect while escaping white hostility. Andrew Kaye gives us much to ponder regarding our own hopes and prejudices--and how we often burden our athletes and celebrities with them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

HISTORY AT ITS BEST
As its title suggests, Andrew Kaye's book is not only about Tiger Flowers; it's about the history and politics of black celebrity.Kaye has delivered a wide-ranging, sensitive & intelligently written piece of work that goes way, way beyond the usual cliches of sporting histories. Highly recommended.

not to be confused with a biography
If you are hungry for information on "Tiger" Flowers only be
prepared for a snack. The actual information concerning Mr. Flowers if put back to back probably covers 15 pages.

A good pussycat
Professor Kaye's book is about the dilemmas experienced by black athletes,
not an exhaustive account of every punch landed by Tiger Flowers and his
contemporaries. As a study of race relations in the 1920s and black life in
Atlanta, it seems to me that it succeeds admirably. The book is clearly
written and the illustrations are revealing.

More than just a biography of Tiger Flowers
I found this book interesting not only for its overview of the life and career of Tiger Flowers but for the broader look at how athletes, especially black athletes, had to cope with the pressure of the public eye in the South in the early 20th century.

Poor Tiger
I have always been a fan of Tiger Flowers. I was intrigued by stories of him as a child. I must say as a social history and/or biography of Flowers this book is a complete flop. I was lucky enough to purchase a rare copy of Flowers biography published in 1928 by Edney and Flowers' widow. The book leaves much to be desired, a contention which Mr. Kaye agrees with. Interestingly, despite this fact Mr. Kaye seems to use the Edney book as his major source for Flowers life. It would have been nice to have had a hometown heros life done in a more concise fashion. Sadly, Flowers legacy seems as neglected today, after the publication of this book, as it was before hand. Poor Tiger. ... Read more

Product Description
The Sheikh of Baghdad is the true story of one man’s journey across two continents to find his place in the world. It is an unbelievable rags-to-riches-to-rags story with wrestling as a metaphor for life itself. Adnan Alkaissy, better known as professional wrestling’s General Adnan, can finally—safely—tell his story now that Saddam Hussein, once a childhood companion and later a threat to Alkaissy and his family, is in custody awaiting trial. An odd juxtaposition of two very different worlds, this incomparable life story encompasses both the hilarious tales of what life was like in and out of the squared circle of professional wrestling and stories of heartache and despair from a man whose country is trying to find itself once again. It is also the story of a man’s desire to achieve closure on a separate life lived many years ago. Finally, it is a story about a man, now in his midsixties, who wants nothing more than to go home to a free and democratic Iraq so that he can finally introduce his new family to his old one.The Sheikh of Baghdad is the story of an Iraqi American trying to make a difference in this post–9-11 world by telling his story to provide a small ray of hope for peace in the tumultuous Middle East. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fanciful? Maybe. A good read? Definitely!
The story of Sheikh Adnan Alkaissy is a good one. He ws born in Iraq and was able to become a top amateur wrestler before heading to the US and joining the professional wrestling circuit.

It is an amazing story, I don't know how much of it is exaggerated, but it is still a top read. The Sheikh tells us his life story and gives us glimpses into life in Iraq when he was living there.

He does not dish the dirt on the wrestlers but tells a simple story of the terror in Iraq, the life of a wrestler in the US and his thoughts on where Iraq will go in the future.

Worth buying for the stories of him wrestling in Iraq and his former friend Saddam.

Very Entertaining
A great read, very entertaining and you will find this pro wrestling character to have one of the most interesting backgrounds of anyone in the business.

Sheikh of Baghdad a Winner
Adnan Bin Abdulareem Ahmed Alkaissey El Farthie, who is known in professional wrestling circles as Sheikh Adnan Alkaissy, recalls in his book, The Sheikh of Baghdad, that when he and Saddam Hussein were teenagers hanging out in Baghdad coffee shops, the tall, lanky, well-dressed and polite young man always had a book or newspaper with him, anxious to talk about Middle Eastern politics. Saddam was fascinated by the Baath Party that was gaining influence in Iraq at the time, and young Adnan could see that his friend would, one day, become one of their recruits.
Meanwhile, Adnan Alkaissey, who is allowed to use the title "Sheikh" because his father was the imam, or, spiritual leader of the Almahdia Mosque in Baghdad, was anxious to travel and see the world. Since he excelled in sports, particularly amateur wrestling, he decided to come to the United States via the American Friends of the Middle East on a football scholarship.
Adnan earned a masters degree in education from the University of Portland. Using his immense amateur skills, he financed his education as a professional wrestler. In a showbiz world where Canadians made the best Russian villains (Ivan Koloff); native Nebraskans the most believable Germans (Jim, "Baron"von Raschke), Adnan followed the example of Italian Joe Scarpa (Chief Jay Strongbow), and became Chief Billy White Wolfe. Adnan became a huge wrestling success.
In 1969, on one of several trips back home to Iraq to visit family, Adnan was "asked" bySaddam, now the Chairman of the powerful Revolutionary Command Council, to replicate his work at home. He had made a big name for himself in America, so, Saddam reasoned, Adnan owed it to his countrymen to show them that they, too, could be successful. Saddam wanted an Arab Champion whose struggles could mirror those of the Baathist Party. As you will read, Adnan could not refuse his old friend.
Sans Indian headdress and tomahawk, Adnan, who was appointed Saddam's General Director of Youth at the Youth Ministry, stages wrestling matches throughout Iraq and the Middle East. He becomes rich, a cultural icon as the Arab champion, and performs before hundreds of thousands of cheering fans. All the while, Saddam, who is giving the people bread and circuses and diverting attention away from his own plans, does not realize the matches he watches are performances.
Fame, as you will read, comes with a price.
The Sheikh of Baghdad is not a typical wrestler autobiography because it is a well-written, gossip-, beer binge-, drug- and raucous sexual exploit- free work. You'll laugh at how Saddam, fearful that Andre the Giant might actually defeat his champion, brings a solid gold pistol to the match, forcing Adnan to protect his huge opponent. You'll read sobering tales of Baathist cruelty but also of a man's desire to go back home one day and visit his family.Finally, you'll befriend an Iraqi who becomes an American, who lives the American Dream, and who wants others to have the same chances he did. The Sheikh of Baghdad gives a close look at life in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. It is evidence that Muslims and Americans can be friends rather than enemies, both in the ring and out.

One of the best Wrestling Bios I Ever Read!
Over Christmas, I was stunned to see a new wrestling autobiography, from wrestling's infamous "General Adnan". I snapped it up and read it, and was pleasantly surprised. This is one of the more interesting wrestling autobiographies to come out recently. (I've also read Ric Flair's and William Regal's.)

Older wrestling fans will remember the WWF's 1990 storyline coinciding with the Gulf War. In the storyline, Sergeant Slaughter teamed up with an Iraqi manager, "General Adnan", to side with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. In epic battles with Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior, these evildoers were eventually defeated. Slaughter became a behind-the-scenes employee at the WWE (still on television occasionally to this day), and Adnan disappeared. Who was this guy? I assumed he was just some taxi driver that Vince McMahon picked to play the role. Boy was I wrong.

Adnan Al-Kaissy really was from Iraq, and more than that, he was Saddam Hussein's official World Iraqi Champion for eight years! Adnan has a wealth of stories from his life, both from Iraq and wrestling in America's AWA as "The Sheik".

Older wrestling fans will be surprised that Adnan first wrestled in America as "Chief Billy White Wolf", and was the tag partner of Chief Jay Strongbow during the late 70s. (This shocked me, because I actually saw these two wrestle Mr. Fuji and his partner at the Capital Center in Washinton DC when I was a child.)

Later, Adnan returned to Iraq and introduced Pro Wrestling there. He would fly over friends from Europe and America, including Andre the Giant, to wrestle in the Baghdad arena. His opponents never won a match, however, as the Iraqis believed the wrestling was real, and would have killed the victorious foreigner. At every victory of Adnan, the crowds would fire off their guns in appreciation, terrifying the guest wrestler.

Adnan's stories about Saddam Hussein are the most interesting of all, and the most disturbing. Adnan knew Saddam from the time the dictator was 16 years old. Saddam was very political even then, he murdered a man who was a Communist rival. As Saddam climbed the ranks of the Baathist party, Adnan relates, he became more bloodthirsty and paranoid.

Saddam's paranoia, interestingly, was not unfounded. In 1960, Adnan relates how the entire Iraqi country watched on live television as their president was assassinated. They watched as he was strapped down to a chair, as thousands of machine gun bullets made his body smoke. The killings of Iraq's political leaders continued, president after president was murdered as the decades passed. Very informative, especially considering the political process that Iraq has today.

Adnan's story of how he became an American citizen, and how he yearns for a better future for Iraq, is spellbinding. Whether you're a pro wrestling fan or interested in the people of Iraq, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

BOOK DESCRIPTION FROM THE AUTHOR, ROSS BERNSTEIN
Unbelievable.That is, in a word, perhaps the most appropriate word to best describe life story of professional wrestler Adnan Alkaissy.Alkaissy's incredible journey begins in Iraq, where as a young boy he grew up the son of a prominent religions seik in the 1940s and `50s.A childhood friend of future dictator Saddam Hussein, Alkaissy went on to become a very successful prep wrestler and soccer player in Baghdad.
As a top-flight athlete, Alkaissy was recruited by a secret U.S. agency operating in the Middle East and given a scholarship to play football at the University of Houston.Despite the fact that he had never played American football before, Alkaissy came to America to make the most of his unprecedented opportunity.He eventually transferred to Oklahoma State University, however, where he emerged as an All-American wrestler.From there, Alkaissy got into professional wrestling as an Indian character named "Chief Billy White Wolf."
After traveling the world as a pro grappler for several years, Alkaissy returned home to Iraq as a modern day hero of sorts.Meanwhile, Saddam was rising to power in the ruling Baath Party at the time and had big plans for his old friend.With that, Saddam summoned Adnan to his palace and told him that he wanted him to wrestle for Iraq and make him proud.Adnan, who was only home for a visit to see his family, respectfully declined the generous offer.But when Saddam told him it was not an offer, but an order, he realized that his life would never be the same.
So, under Saddam's watchful eye, Alkaissy began promoting his own wrestling matches in Iraq - importing professional grapplers from around the world to compete against him.Literally hundreds of thousands of crazed fans poured into local soccer stadiums to see Adnan emerge as the Middle East Heavyweight Champion of the World, and before long a superstar was born.Adnan was rewarded with his own palace, a fleet of Mercedes complete with chauffeurs, and money beyond his wildest dreams.He was even named as the Director of Youth at the Ministry of Youth, a very coveted and prominent government position.
Soon, there were thousands of adoring fans sleeping outside his home at night just hoping to catch a glimpse of their new hero.It was utter insanity.What Adnan didn't realize, however, was that Saddam was using his old friend as a clever ruse to entertain and occupy the masses while he began his own murderous regime of torture and terror throughout the Middle East.Eight long years later, Alkaissy was fearful of being killed.So, he left everything behind and escaped in the dark of night, leaving his friends and family behind forever.
With nowhere to turn to, he came back to America, where he would start over as a professional wrestler - only this time, instead of being an adored national hero, he would be transformed into a villainous Arabian madman named "The Sheikh." Alkaissy would spend the next several decades making a new life for himself working in the American Wrestling Association.Then, in 1990, a career ending knee injury forced him to retire and become a ringside "manager" instead of a headlining villain.That same year, when Iraq invaded Kuwait and the Gulf War began, he was lured back into the limelight as a new character called "General Adnan," which was created by the head of the vaunted World Wrestling Federation, Vince McMahon.McMahon saw dollar signs with Adnan, who would now dress up like Saddam and enter sold-out arenas across the country as a real-life enemy of the state.With a wife and kids and a home in Minnesota, Alkaissy was torn between cashing in and doing the right thing amidst the backdrop of his two homelands going to war.The events that ensued were simply incredible.
This is a true story about a man's journey across two continents which has finally come full-circle.In many ways it is an unbelievable rags-to-riches-to-rags story about wrestling as a metaphor for life.It is also a story that can now finally be told only because Saddam Hussein is at long last in U.S. custody awaiting trial, and poses no threat to Alkaissy's family which still resides in Iraq.This is also a story about an Iraqi-American wanting to make a difference in this post 9-11 world and hopefully provide a small ray of hope in the quest for peace in the tumultuous Middle East.
While the book is a very odd juxtaposition of two very different worlds, albeit so is Adnan's life story.On one hand there are hilarious tales of what life was like both in and out of the squared circle of professional wrestling.On the other are stories of heart ache and despair about a man whose country is once again trying to find itself.Mixed in are truly amazing stories which will make you laugh and make you cry.It is also about a man's desire to obtain a sense of closure while telling his personal accounts about a separate life lived many years ago.Finally, it is a story about a man, now in his mid-60s, who wants nothing more than to go home to a free and democratic Iraq, where he can finally introduce his new family to his old one. ... Read more

Product Description
Robbie Deans is Canterbury aristocracy - and comes from a long line of distinguished rugby players who have represented both the beloved province and New Zealand. He has been an assistant coach to the All Blacks, and the driving force behind the Canterbury Crusaders, one of the leading teams in the International Rugby Super 12 and Super 14 competition. Now, controversially the first Kiwi coach of the All Blacks arch nemesis - the Wallabies, he faces a challenging year of divided loyalties. With fierce pride Cantabrian rugby supporters worship the ground he walks on, and this book will capture the essence of a super coach. ... Read more

Product Description

He's just My Dad! is an engaging collection of more than 200 captivating photographs featuring celebrity athletes and their children. These stunning at-home and behind-the-scenes images were captured by an eminent team of photographers led by internationally renowned photographer Sam Abell.

Diane Long's interviews of the athletes and their families provide revealing, humorous, and sometimes surprising insights into the parenting styles of these sports legends.

Devoted father and esteemed author John Grisham embraces the spirit of He's just My Dad! and shares his thoughts on fatherhood, professional athletes, and his own baseball career.

All-star dad and basketball legend David Robinson reflects on the worthwhile challenges of fatherhood in his touching afterword.

This book will entertain, delight, and show that heroes still exist. Their kids know who they are. From the carpool lines, the backyards, the homework tables, and the local parks, you can hear the children lovingly say, He's just My Dad! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Touching portrait of famous Dads and their Kids
I wish the mainstream paid more attention to the great fathers out there!This book is refreshing in that it shows famous people with their families.Some good quotes as well.Mostly pictures, but interesting none the less.

not what it appears to be
He's Just My Dad: Portraits of Celebrity Athletes and Their Children seemed to be a very interesting idea.I envisioned striking black and white studio portraits of famous Athletes that, within the same image, contained and contrasted them with their children.Instead it as though the reader is presented with a collection of family photo albums that have all the quirks of point and shoot photography.
That being said, the book does have several interesting aspects that do work well within the project.First and foremost is the text.The foreword by John Grisham was a different, but truthful, way of viewing professional athletics.The infusion of fatherhood into this foreword makes it the perfect introduction to the book, and nothing else truly needed to be said after Grisham's foreword.Furthermore the quotations say so much more than the imagery.The quotes that are selected, very easily convey the theme that fatherhood is more important than the athletic achievements that these professionals achieve.Another interesting tidbit of text was included in the sidebar of each athlete's page.This sidebar contained statistics and achievements of the professional while in athletic competition.This is very helpful when the reader has no clue what one of the athletes is famous for, or what sport they play.On top of that, photos where the environment echoes the fathers sport, or at least alludes to it, are the most interesting.
Unfortunately, the basis for this book is supposed to be the photographs, which fail to meet any expectations that one has for a project such as this.First of all is the technical skill.There are some extremely low quality images published in this book.There are the on camera flash synch speed photos, which produce a black void surrounding the subjects; seen in the Scott Stevens section.Other photos, such as the Gary Gaits' images are overexposed and burned out.Other images are exceedingly noisy.This is most apparent within the Wayne Gretzky section of the book. Being that Gretzky is one of the most famous athletes in the collection and therefore the most likely to be looked at, these photos are the worst.They are filled with grain/noise and are highly underexposed.That being said the images appear as though they have been taken with a really old point and shoot film camera, using high ISO, expired, color film.
Because of this the images feel very snapshot like.There is an eye for certain moments within the frame of some of the photos, but I feel that the moments are easier to see and ultimately capture for one who has experienced being a parent. In a way they become a parental snapshot of a father and his children.What makes this so difficult to look at is the inconsistency of photo quality. One reason for this is that many different people were hired to act as photographers for the book.This means that one single idea isn't followed exactly the same way throughout the project, resulting in varying interpretations of the theme.Another thing that hinders the book is the fact that there are very repetitious images throughout each section.There are three of about 5 images of Roger Clemens and his kids wrestling in the same location and at the same time.There a multiple images of another father fishing with his kid that looks like the images were taken within seconds of each other.Instead of family vacation photo album shots, a wider diversity of imagery or fewer stronger images should have been used.
Overall, He's Just My Dad: Portraits of Celebrity Athletes and Their Children, failed to set out what it hoped to embody.It's obvious that the warm and fuzzy idea of a father and his children, within a loving relationship, appeals to consumers.However it fails to live up to expectations, and provides the viewer with low quality images, some of which wouldn't even appear in a family photo album.

Perfect Father's Day Present
Dianne Long's "He's Just My Dad" is an example of a good idea done with perfect execution by the perfect person.This coffee table book about famous athletes and their kids is great fun.And, while the kidsquotes and the pictures and the terrific short biographies are colorful andupbeat; there is also a sense of poignancy in the book.Reading Dianne'sdescription of her husband Howie as a father is moving...As is seeing thelate 19 year old Adam Petty in the book with his dad Kyle. One note:several of the athletes find great comfort in the fact that when they comehome from work, their young children don't care about the outcome of thegame.They love them regardless.It is this unconditional love thatshines through every page of this text.I also like how no mention is madeof adopted children (like Dan Marino's child), or dads in the book who havebeen divorced (Bill Walton, for one).This book could have been called"Daddy Dearest"..except there would be no sarcasm attached.Thisbook is really is about the deeply attached fathers.Who happen to begreat active or retired athletes.Buy it for Father's Day.Even if yourdad isn't a sports fan.

Perfect Father's Day Present
Dianne Long's "He's Just My Dad" is an example of a good idea done with perfect execution by the perfect person.This coffee table book about famous athletes and their kids is great fun.And, while the kidsquotes and the pictures and the terrific short biographies are colorful andupbeat; there is also a sense of poignancy in the book.Reading Dianne'sdescription of her husband Howie as a father is moving...As is seeing thelate 19 year old Adam Petty in the book with his dad Kyle. One note:several of the athletes find great comfort in the fact that when they comehome from work, their young children don't care about the outcome of thegame.They love them regardless.It is this unconditional love thatshines through every page of this text.I also like how no mention is madeof adopted children (like Dan Marino's child), or dads in the book who havebeen divorced (Bill Walton, for one).This book could have been called"Daddy Dearest"..except there would be no sarcasm attached.Thisbook is really is about the deeply attached fathers.Who happen to begreat active or retired athletes.Buy it for Father's Day.Even if yourdad isn't a sports fan. ... Read more

Product Description
For anyone who wants to improve their horse’s jumping, proper training is crucial. And who better to teach essential jumping exercises than world-renowned Olympic riders and event trainers?Celebrity Jumping Exercises shares the training philosophies of many top instructors, including Yogi Breisner, Pat Burgess, Karen Dixon, and William Fox-Pitt.

-Readers learn the purpose of each exercise, when to use it, and how to fix common problems

-Training methods are illustrated with over 100 step-by-step color photos of celebrity riders

-Features trainers whose achievements include World, European, and Olympic medals, as well as Badminton and Burghley Horse Trail wins.

Books on jumping are hot and one with proven techniques of equestrian celebrities is destined to be a hit. ... Read more

Product Description
In this book, Scotland and British Lions coach Ian McGeechan provides an in-depth, controversial account of a life devoted to Rugby Union. The autobiography culminates in a first-hand account of the 1993 British Lions tour of New Zealand - very much an insider's view. This book follows the extraordinary successful year of 'Geech' from his upbringing - and Rugby League influences - in Headingley, through to his evolution as an international and British Lions player. Along the way he discusses the 1989 Lions tour of Australia, Scotland's unforgettable 1990 Grand Slam and recent Home Internationals as well as the Lions New Zealand Tour. He assesses the comments on the players and the issues in a rapidly changing game. As testament to the reverence and respect in which Ian McGeechan is held in World Rugby, Bob Dwyer, the Wallabies World Cup coach, provides an introduction to this volume. ... Read more