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The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed The World (2011)

by Dave Zirin(Favorite Author)

4.12 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1608461270 (ISBN13: 9781608461271)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Haymarket Books

review 1: Important and engaging memoir about the courage of an athlete to take a stand against injustice, his life, struggles and redemption. John Carlos paid the price for his courage but paved the way for later generations of athletes who embrace the intersection of sports with politics and the global struggle for human rights. Although the memoir lacks some depth and detail in the later chapters, it is still a very compelling and worthwhile read, and it gives the reader a different perspective on the Olympics and athletics. Most of all, his life story gives me a newfound appreciation for the sacrifices and contributions of athletes like John Carlos towards the cause of justice.
review 2: This relaxed, casual celebrity-style memoir, written with the help of Dave Ziri... moren, is an at-times endearing portrait of John Carlos, who along with Tommie Smith, protested the treatment of African Americans by raising his black-gloved fist into the air during the national anthem at a 1968 Olympics medal service. Carlos struggled to find his place in the world after that moment, but in the meantime his path crosses with some of the most important African American figures of the second half of the 20th century.Notes:Carlos's story of Harlem is intriguing and shows such a confluence of great influences from Jazz greats to Malcolm X. Carlos makes all of his illegal activity seem righteous in its Robin Hood manner, and his status as a track phenom is almost magical. Carlos's time in East Texas is such a contrast to the scene in Harlem. We all of a sudden see what the rest of the country lived like. The description of Carlos's interior thoughts during the medal stand are too belabored. I'd much prefer a snappy, clear description of the event, something lyrical and artful.Carlos's post-Olympic life is often sad in its stunted potential and his inability to parlay his considerable thoughtfulness into a fulfilling life/career path. Carlos's telling of his story is unsophisticated and lacks a certain amount of detail and candor necessary to read as a full autobiography. less

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