Rating: 
Summary: Good Read for A.I./Basketball fans!
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was honest and more detailed than most books about athletes. It did not sugar-coat or villanize the subject. For the most part it just presented situations and let the reader be the judge. There were some things in the book that made you not like AI and there were things that made you really like AI. In the end, I think the book really captured who AI is: A work in progress, an honest guy who plays with enormous passion and lives the same way. What makes him interesting is his unpredictability. His life off the court seems like the one on the court. You never know his next move. Yet you never doubt his confidence and self-awareness. This is a very good book for AI fans and anyone interested in knowing the details of his seemingly tumultuous life.
Rating:
Summary: Good Read for A.I./Basketball fans!
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was honest and more detailed than most books about athletes. It did not sugar-coat or villanize the subject. For the most part it just presented situations and let the reader be the judge. There were some things in the book that made you not like AI and there were things that made you really like AI. In the end, I think the book really captured who AI is: A work in progress, an honest guy who plays with enormous passion and lives the same way. What makes him interesting is his unpredictability. His life off the court seems like the one on the court. You never know his next move. Yet you never doubt his confidence and self-awareness. This is a very good book for AI fans and anyone interested in knowing the details of his seemingly tumultuous life.
Rating: 
Summary: No critical analysis
Review: My main criticism of this book is that it reads like it was written by a marketer pushing a brand. There is absolutely no criticism of Iverson's behavior - every fault or misstep is spun in a way to glorify AI. This book has enough material to be good, but it fails in the analysis of AI and his character.Don't get me wrong - I am not an AI hater. I think he's an interesting and compelling enough figure to deserve a biography, but that bio should not try to excuse every one of AI's faults. A good biography might have discussed them, and possibly tried to paint a picture of the man Allen Iverson might yet someday still become. This book squarely tries to place blame for every one of Iverson's travails on society and the authority figures surrounding him. The book just refuses to strike a balance that Iverson's troubles are partly caused by the circumstances he grew up with and partly of his own creation. It glorifies every poor choice as a refusal to become "whitewashed".
Rating:
Summary: No critical analysis
Review: My main criticism of this book is that it reads like it was written by a marketer pushing a brand. There is absolutely no criticism of Iverson's behavior - every fault or misstep is spun in a way to glorify AI. This book has enough material to be good, but it fails in the analysis of AI and his character. Don't get me wrong - I am not an AI hater. I think he's an interesting and compelling enough figure to deserve a biography, but that bio should not try to excuse every one of AI's faults. A good biography might have discussed them, and possibly tried to paint a picture of the man Allen Iverson might yet someday still become. This book squarely tries to place blame for every one of Iverson's travails on society and the authority figures surrounding him. The book just refuses to strike a balance that Iverson's troubles are partly caused by the circumstances he grew up with and partly of his own creation. It glorifies every poor choice as a refusal to become "whitewashed".
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting but biased
Review: Platt's biography is a compelling read. It's not something that you want to put down. Nevertheless, it paints and incomplete and too favorable picture of Allen Iverson. While Iverson is a tremendous player, all of his coaches and teammates have acknowledged that he has made some mistakes, particularly with his spotty attendance of practice and shootarounds. Nevertheless, Platt seems to make excuses for all of AI's screwups. Whenever he mentions that Iverson doesn't attend practice, makes a foolish financial decision, disrespects his coach, undermines his teammates, etc., he writes it off as a product of Iverson's tough upbringing or desire to "keep it real." While Iverson's difficult childhood certainly created some incredible obstacles, Platt goes out of his way to explain away the star's mistakes. The book gives a great inside look, but it almost seems as if Platt wants to become one of Iverson's inner circle and this novel sucks up to the superstar way too much. It's worth reading, but if you're a knowledgeable sports fan, you'll easily recognize that Pratt is way too generous.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting but biased
Review: Platt's biography is a compelling read. It's not something that you want to put down. Nevertheless, it paints and incomplete and too favorable picture of Allen Iverson. While Iverson is a tremendous player, all of his coaches and teammates have acknowledged that he has made some mistakes, particularly with his spotty attendance of practice and shootarounds. Nevertheless, Platt seems to make excuses for all of AI's screwups. Whenever he mentions that Iverson doesn't attend practice, makes a foolish financial decision, disrespects his coach, undermines his teammates, etc., he writes it off as a product of Iverson's tough upbringing or desire to "keep it real." While Iverson's difficult childhood certainly created some incredible obstacles, Platt goes out of his way to explain away the star's mistakes. The book gives a great inside look, but it almost seems as if Platt wants to become one of Iverson's inner circle and this novel sucks up to the superstar way too much. It's worth reading, but if you're a knowledgeable sports fan, you'll easily recognize that Pratt is way too generous.
Rating: 
Summary: Left me amazed
Review: Prior to reading this book, I had read EVERY thing on Allen. I'd read every magazine and newspaper article I could find. I thought this book couldn't possibly be anything I didn't already know. I was wrong. This book captures Allen in a way no other writer has. There is insight from people who haven't spoken to the media before. Platt is not an AI apologist. The good and the bad is included. 5 stars!
Rating:
Summary: BEST PLAYER EVER
Review: This book is a really great book on "the answer". It has alot of history of how he grew up,and has been through so many obstacles in his life.Even if you don't like him read this book and your whole perspective will change about the guy.Just for putting his heart and alot of dedication into not becoming another statistic of a young black man trying to make it out of the hood.He also has alot of respect for his family and friends and kept it real with them throughout.All i can say is read this book it's just that good.
CRU THICK FOREVER!
Rating:
Summary: Better than your average sports book.
Review: This book offers a lot more then just your average stat filled book. It takes us into the mind of AI...my fav player in the game.
Rating:
Summary: Ghetto basketball
Review: This is a great book for all the basketball fanatics, that want to see how one of the best (Allen Iverson) went from down in the dirt to rising to the top.
In this book Iverson has to defeat many obstacles to work his way to becoming the best. Just when you think it's all over, and he's defeated all of his obstacles, you're in for a suprise!
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