GIMP: When Life Deals You a Crappy Hand, You Can Fold -or You Can Play

As someone the same age as Mr. Zupan with a daughter in a wheelchair I was able to get motivation about her life, as well as my own from this book. This book will help anyone whose life took an unexpected turn. I recommend it or reference a story from it almost daily and I finished it a month ago.

This is one of the best biographies I've ever read!Nobody could have told Mark's story as well as he does.Yes,he's often raunchy and rude throughout the book.But he's also brutally frank and honest.He doesn't hide or sugarcoat anything.He freely admits that he's been a major jerk at times.You will feel a lot of things for Mark while reading this,but one thing you won't feel is sympathy-and that's how he wants it.He wants you to treat him just like a normal person.You will,however,come away with a lot of respect for him,because he earns it.This is a remarkable story of triumph over tragedy.It's also in-your-face,no-nonsense biography at its best.

I don't read many autobiographies of famous people because in my opinion, they too often seem self-censored, either because the person writing it wants to preserve a certain image of themselves or because they can't trust the reader enough to make the "right" interpretation about their life. Speaking as a person who worked for the authors of "Gimp" to transcribe hours of interviews with family and friends of Mark Zupan, in addition to the subject himself, I felt compelled to write about the book because I feel it does something that is all too rare among autobiographies - it tells the truth.Mark Zupan isn't a household name, but thanks to the documentary "Murderball," he has become an inspiration to many. As a college freshman who miraculously survived a car accident that left him a quadriplegic, Zupan has gone on to become a star quad rugby player and has found incredible success on and off the court. Yet Zupan's story isn't your traditional feel good story with a few too many coats of gloss. It's told in a style that's both lyrical at times and intimate enough that you feel like a friend's telling you the story over a beer. A fan of both good music and good times, Zupan wouldn't have it any other wayBut "Gimp" also takes you through the hard times as Zupan recovers from the accident and is forced to deal with relationships that have changed in his life and adjust into adulthood. As the title indicates, Zupan has a sense of humor about his life so far and also isn't afraid of confrontation, whether it's his fearlessness in playing quad rugby or correcting misapprehensions about his condition.Although one cannot fully fathom what it feels like to be a quadriplegic even after reading "Gimp," Zupan's insights go a long way towards understanding that his story is not one about lamenting a life he could've had, but rather living one to the fullest because of certain realizations he's made. As a result, it's a book that actually earns the description "inspirational" and while I met Mark as I was working on "Gimp," I feel as though I really know him now. And I'm a better person for it.

Most biographies try to be inspirational on some level - but this book goes way beyond that. It peels back the layers on what it really means to be in a wheelchair, but without getting sentimental or mawkish. It's also a great story of friendship between Mark and his best friend--who was driving during the accident that put Mark in a wheelchair. The story of how the two of them have coped over the years, from overcoming the drinking and drugs, to the suicide attempts, and ultimately finding ways to maintain their friendship, is a great read on its own. And there is some shocking, interesting stuff in this one--ever wonder the details of how to have sex in a wheelchair? Look no further. Highly recommended.