by Mike Tyson
First published 2013
Mike Tyson opens his life story as a bullied child in Brooklyn's most dangerous neighborhood. He transforms himself into the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history, delivering ferocious performances that thrill audiences worldwide. His boxing brilliance collides with destructive choices outside the ring. Years of excessive partying, violent incidents, and legal troubles destroy his career and finances. By 2003, he sits in prison, broke and humiliated, reduced to late-night television punchlines. Tyson rebuilds himself from nothing. He admits his addictions to everything and fights to reclaim his dignity. His one-man Broadway show succeeds. His appearances in the Hangover movies surprise audiences. He finds peace as a father and husband. Tyson writes with brutal honesty about his journey from Brooklyn poverty to global fame to public disgrace. He chronicles his path to wisdom and stability. This memoir captures the complete transformation of America's most controversial athlete.
Genres: crime, autobiography, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: rags-to-riches, redemption
Setting: Brooklyn
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
592 pages · Hardcover · Blue Rider Press
Content warnings: addiction, violence