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Tiger: The Real Story - Steve Helling
by thedevilinme "Racism makes or breaks the man" (Barak Obama-2008) I have always resisted the temptation to read books about guys like Tiger Woods. As an amateur sports writer myself you just know they are going to be sterile propaganda accounts because sports hacks know if they write anything negative about the worlds most ... famous stars they will lose their access, as was definitely the case with Tiger, the recent tawdry revelations as succinct evidence of that you can get. Everyone knew what he was up to but they were muzzled. But that was then and this is now and any man knows you must lever leave your wife alone with your mobile phone or your world will indeed coming crashing down. And if your misses has a seven iron in her hand your going to be sleeping in the car tonight. And if your bloodstream is full of the tranquiliser Vicadin and you're almost asleep at the wheel you are going to hit something hard like the wife does you. Never humiliate a woman. Now is the time to read about the golfer Tiger Woods. The driving violation Tiger was eventually charged with was for 'not being in control of a vehicle' in his private driveway in a private gated village, incurring a fine of $164 dollars. But the losses would be far greater elsewhere for Tiger, his reputation as shattered and in pieces as his rear window of his sports utility vehicle on that eventful night, allegedly smashed by his wife and his utility club for his misdemeanours. Sadly this book is not the one for the big reveal, just a rushed collection of tabloid stories stuck together for a quick releases to cash in from the big event from Steve Helling, a sportswriter that doesn't seem to have had much access to Tiger over the years. There is nothing new here guys, bar the odd titbit that non American readers may not know about Tigers philandering. There is a lot of filling out with stories from Earl Woods, Tigers bear of a dad, and pops various misdemeanours with the ladies, a promiscuity that tiger inherited, like father, like son, the books narrative suggesting Tiger was living his fathers life vicariously after dad got sick and died. The latest count is 11 women said to have had sexual relationships with Tiger during his marriage. Maybe deep down Tigers insecurity was of being black and needed to be accepted by his white piers, in what ever slice it came to feel accepted in the big scheme of things. At least he didn't have to show his birth certificate to prove he is American! The book begins with that quite sickly statement Tiger made to the press in late 2009 to own up to his 'indiscretions', his big sponsors dropping out one-by-one like the women did the woodwork that claim to have slept with him over the years. There were quite a few of both. Whereas Nike stuck with him, Elin Nordegren, his stunning Swedish wife, didn't, humiliated by the shear volume of lovers and the locations they met, Tiger so blaze near the end that he was canoodling with girls in a 'titty bar' not a mile from his Florida home where the infamous car crash happened. By that point he clearly wanted his sex addiction to be exposed so he would have to change his destructive lifestyle, common to the big stars with an insatiable ego. His dad liked the ladies and so did Tiger, the heart of the narrative here. His choice of women angered some in the black community, their number one sportsman that had beaten all manner of prejudices to make it to the very top of a white middle-class sport just wasn't interested in a black wife or girlfriend, never mind the hoars and waitresses being of his race, preferring trophy blondes instead, another handful of sponsors already lost there. This is a biography though and Tigers early years couldn't be more of a contrast to the seedy philanderer he has become today, an only child bought up in a conservative black family with a military father and caring mother. Dad had passed up a potential professional baseball career to go to college as his father had banged into him that education was the most important thing outside of family for a Blackman to make it in life, soon living his sporting dreams vicariously through little Tiger, a golf club forced into the little Tiger cub's hands almost at birth. Earl rose to Green Beret level in the army and very disciplined with his son, tough but fair says his friends, Tiger almost in agreement at that claim in later interviews. A two-year-old Tiger famously appeared on a TV show in 1978 with Bob Hope, his swing as good then as it is now, incredibly shooting a 48 on a nine hole par municipal course just three months later from that appearance. Right from the early days it was clear Earl was grooming his kid for stardom, just as Richard Williams did in tennis with his girls, a point made in the book throughout on the Woods story. By 16 a shy and gauche Eldrick Tont Woods was winning every age group championship going but had also witnessed his father's divorce and womanising first hand. Earl pushed more on the importance of education to his son and made sure he went to college to further grow his brain and his golf chances, Stanford University the chosen sporting seat of learning. Here he soon dominated the college golf scene and the sponsors were beginning to take note and form a line, Tiger signing huge multimillion dollar deals with Nike ($40 million) and Titleist ($20 million) before he even made his professional debut, causing animosity in golf circles, but the youngest ever winner of the prestigious US Amateur Open at 18 backing up that phenomenal potential. He was as good as he was black, and handsome too, irresistible to women and American sports sponsors alike, and as we discover in the book, money and blondes his two favourite temptations in life. Insert golf 'double entendres' here! That confidence was quickly repaid when he got a hole-in-one in his first ever pro tour event, the Milwaukee Classic seeing the Nike swish ball trickle up and in on the 205 yard par 3. But he finished 66th as the pack devoured his inexperience. He also chose to play Shoal Creek in that first year, a notoriously racist golf course from the bad old days, barriers being kicked down already by Woods, part of his mission. But the following tour events saw the nerves dissolve, 11th, 5th, 3rd and then victory in his fifth ever US tour event at just 20-years-old. In 1997 Tiger became only the 5th black player ever to be invited to The Masters, incredibly the first full black member only admitted to the club seven years earlier in 1990. Anybody who knows sports knows what happened next, Tiger winning by a record 12 shots at a record 18 under. Emotional scenes would see a tearful Earl whisper to his likewise son: "I'm proud of you (stroking his head). Let it go son, let it go. Tiger replied: "We did it pop, We did it". 13 more Majors, 71 US tour victories and a total of 128 wins would follow thereafter. He would be world number one for a record 264 weeks, and regain it for another two year run after Vijay Singh nipped in when Tiger was injured, black players holding the top two spots for an incredible seven years. Gold had changed a lot since the Tiger pounced. Although the book recaps Tigers monumental career this is also about a black man in professional sport as it is the man. The author is also black and Tigers journey to the top is just as important to him as it is Tiger. We hear Tiger was called the 'N 'word at school and had rocks thrown at him by a group of white guys, something a white guy can never contemplate how hurtful that is. It's also interesting to note how mixed the other players were towards Tiger when he was finally caught, even though they clearly knew what was going on through dressing room gossip over the years. The main reason they kept quiet was because a lot of them were probably doing the same thing to some extent. Now was clearly the chance to use that to break his game so they could win something. Elin's relationship, of course, is explored here, the pretty Swedish nanny introduced to him by Jasper Parnavik, the volcano dust eating Swede and fellow tour pro. We learn she had witnessed first hand the attention Tiger was getting from the women out and about before they married and so she must have know the problems to come, perhaps why she signed a $20 million dollar prenuptial that would give her the full whack and then staggered thereafter. To be fair she could have dragged out their marriage for the full twenty million but settled for her house in Sweden Tiger bought and $15 million so far. But all women deep down cant resist the pull of an easy life for a charismatic man that can take away their troubles and rent. Most women would have taken Tiger for every penny. As we have seen with the appalling behaviour of Imogen Thomas, certain young women will seek out a celebrity to secure that kiss and tell payday for a rainy day, 50k better than having to get a job in River Island when your celebrity wanes. You have to remember that Tiger at his commercial peak was the first sport star to earn one billion dollars over his lifetime. No wonder women were throwing themselves at him. Whether Elin married him because what's the worse that could happen was $20 million we will never know. On the whole this is an uninspiring read that recaps what most people already know about what went on, Helling, not really the man that knows. It's a concise dentist reception read that will tell you all you need to know about Tigers life and the trophies he won but it won't really explain why he self-destructed or who he lays the blame for that. The most controversial of all comment that black men are more promiscuous is neatly sidestepped. I suppose the best thing about this is it is only 250 pages short and so the perfect summer read if you one of those people who prefer the tabloid style of writing and nothing too heavy for the beach. What it isn't, is the definitive Tiger Woods story. Read the complete review |
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Son of Hamas - Yousef Mosab Hassan with Ron Brackin
by robinbarfield My interest in the Middle East conflict is more than a passing one. I do not pretend to understand it; like so many of these places torn by internal strife, take Northern Ireland and the Baltics, it seems to be beyond comprehension. The numbers of factions which arise and split and spread fear are too often so complex that it makes no ... sense to the inhabitants, never mind a curios observer. But the Israel / Palestine situation has a certain fascination for me. I have Jewish ancestry, but would not claim to be pro-Israeli, and I am a Christian. But to hear the pro-Israeli American rhetoric leaves me aghast and confused. When I hear of the indigenous Christian community being caught in the middle because of these policies, I despair. Hamas sees them as non-Muslim and Israel sees them as Palestinians. So it was with interest that I picked up 'Son of Hamas.' The back cover makes great claims, 'The shocking true story of a Hamas insider who rejected his violent destiny - and is now risking everything to expose closely guarded secrets and show the world a way to peace.' And I can say that it lives up to that high billing. ------ Mosab Hassan Yousef ------ Mosab Hassan Yousef was the son of one of the seven founders of Hamas, a splinter Palestinian organisation that arose after dissatisfaction with Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. He gives a wonderful account of his poor upbringing and involvement in early intifadas before he was arrested and faced terrible imprisonment and torture. It was in prison that he became a spy for Shin Bet (the Israeli Secret Service) but, he claims, this was not for personal gain but due to his increasing disillusionment with the violence of the struggle. In this he is well placed to give his view of both sides of the conflict. ------- Ron Brackin ------- As English is not his first language, Mosab has help in writing his account from the American journalist Ron Brackin. Brackin has spent a lot of time reporting on the Middle East but it is Mosab's voice that comes through in this book. It does not read as if it were ghost written. ------ Father - A Peace Loving Terrorist ------ One of the most touching parts of this book is how Mosab speaks of his father. He describes him as a man of peace and cannot fathom how he could be a leader in an organisation which organises suicide bombings. Throughout he speaks warmly of the character of his father and longs for the rift, which his actions have caused, to be healed. The book itself is dedicated to 'my loving father and my wounded family.' Mosab was totally rejected by his family when his work for Shin Bet was revealed. It is intriguing to read his blog where, although intending to comment on the latest machinations of the Israel-Palestine conflict, he ends up having to defend himself numerous times from all sides. ------ Israel - Torture by Leonard Cohen ------ Despite working for the Shin Bet Mosab understands the motivation of the local Palestinians. He has faced at first hand the unjust arrests, followed by the unknown of an indeterminate sentence. He describes in brutal detail the torture methods employed in prison where he was kept awake for days on end. Over and over they played 'First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin' to keep prisoners awake, and deprived them of food for weeks on end. This gives some credence to his decision to inform. It could not be for love of Israel that he turned. In fact he spends much of the book criticising their tactics and explaining how they have exacerbated the problem. Rather it was the indiscriminate attacks of Hamas and the sheer level of bloodshed that made him question their methods. His informing was very deliberate in its content. ------ A Third Way - A Way of Peace ------ Aged 21 Mosab was stopped on the street by a man who remains anonymous throughout. This man invited him to a bible study and, curious, Mosab attends. He starts reading through the bible as he felt any true Muslim should. And it is here that he is struck by the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. In particular he was struck by, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.' This was revolutionary teaching for a Palestinian terrorist and struck him very deeply. However this aspect of the book takes a back seat for the second half but is clearly used as an explanation of his changing behaviour. This is no 'trophy' autobiography (p250), ie 'look who we've won from the other side!' Mosab comes across as a very humble, self-effacing man (and has also been described by others). And his focus is not on himself or even justifying his actions but on his love for his Palestinian people and land. Instead there are moments of great poignancy as well as barbarity in this. 'We're fighting a war that can't be won with arrests, interrogations and assassinations. Our enemies are ideas, and ideas don't care about incursions and curfews. We can't blow up an idea with a Merkava. .. We're all like rats trapped in a maze. I can't do anything.' (p236) Nor does he present himself as the solution. In many ways this is a very depressing read. There have always been wars and there always will be. And Mosab's assessment of the current conflict is sober. But he is convinced that the way forward is one of peace and forgiveness and not further bloodshed, which is an astonishing testimony in itself from this terrorist. ------ Not The End - Summary ------ This is an engaging read of 250 pages which gives great insight into the current situation in the Middle East. He includes a helpful list of key players (for those of us unfamiliar with Middle Eastern names), a glossary and a timeline. It is well written, heart-warming and sobering in equal measure. I thoroughly recommend buying or borrowing a copy and reading it. It is published by Authentic media and I picked up my copy for £5. 'Truth and forgiveness are the only solutions for the Middle East. The challenge, especially between Israelis and Palestinians, is not to find the solution. The challenge is to be the first courageous enough to embrace it.' (p251) Read the complete review |
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The Hacienda: How Not to Run a Club - Peter Hook
by julwhite This review is of the book "The Hacienda - How Not to Run a Club" by Peter Hook, who was better known as the co-founder of Joy Divison and New Order. The author calls the book, "a story of how Hacienda changed the shape of clubbing in England, and where it all went wrong". I read this book after watching ... the film "24 Hour Party People" produced by Michael Winterbottom and starring Steve Coogan. The film, like this book, showed the story of the Manchester club, The Hacienda, and its ups and downs, although most of them were often downs, until its closure. In summary, the club was a commercial disaster, the accountants later worked out that every customer through the doors from 1980 to 1997 cost them 10 pounds, and Peter Hook jokingly says that if he's ever short of money, he'll start going round Manchester asking for his money back. But as can be seen throughout the book, Hook isn't angry at what happened, he seems to treat it as an exciting part of his life. The book is easy to read, although I often felt some of the stories might have been a little exaggerated, but it is fun all the same. Each chapter in the book is based on a year in the club's history, and each chapter shows the finances of the club from year to year, when the records allow. The story starts in 1980, and finishes in 1997, inevitably since the club was shut down by the authorities in June 1997. It was later demolished and turned into flats, although the name lives on, named the Hacienda Apartments. The club became important as a key part of the music scene in the north, and the birth of acid house in the north of the country. The club was busy, but took little money over the bar as most of the money went to drug dealers who were running rife in the club. It was their activities which led to the removal of the licence in 1997. The management of the club was bad, and there are many stories of this in the book, from how the venue was over-filled to how money was lost in the building in numerous ways. The police may have ended the story of this club, but this book is a fantastic history of the music scene in Manchester, or Madchester as it was often known at the time, and is important in that right. The club stayed open longer than it should because of the money that New Order was making, which subsidised the venue, and it was the constant police raids following violence that was the final straw. I enjoyed reading the book because it was an easy read, and it's written in a way which isn't bitter, when it could have easily have been given how many people were stealing from the club or just taking advantage. Hook was clearly out of his depth with his involvement in the club, from which he said he took little other than just free entry, but his passion for music generally comes over well in this title. The book is available in three formats at the moment, hardback, paperback and Kindle. The Kindle version you can download straight away is 5.99 pounds, the hardback retails at 18.99 pounds (available new on Amazon for 9.49 pounds or second-hand for 4 pounds both including postage) and the paperback retails for 7.99 pounds (available new on Amazon for 4.55 pounds or second-hand for 3.50 pounds both including postage). The paperback version is published by Pocket Books, is 368 pages long and the ISBN is 9781847391773. In summary, an interesting read, possibly a bit over-blown in places, but easy to read due to the simple layout of the book where each chapter covers a year in the history of the Hacienda. Definitely worth a look for anyone interested in music at the time, or possibly anyone who wants to run a club and wants to know the way not to do it! Recommended. Read the complete review |
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1 review Genre: Biography / Author: Hulk Hogan / Edition: New Ed / Paperback / 320 Pages / Book is published 2003-06-02 by Pocket Books |
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