Heat: My Life on and Off the Diamond

This book has it all! It made me laugh it made me cry. Dwight Gooden was honest and he showed how human he really is. Being one of Doc's biggest fans it was a very easy read, the thing that surprised me is that is wasn't really about baseball. It was about family, struggle and overcoming a horrible illness, drug abuse. He was recently released from Tampa Bay and I am hoping he signs with another team soon. He has nothing left to prove I just enjoy watching him pitch.

Doc honestly looks back on everything he has done in his career, right and wrong. He is willing to tell all that has transpired, no matter how painful it is to relay. He has come to terms with his past and hopefully, young stars will understand the dangers of having too much too fast.

This book is excellent not only with baseball content, but with a revealing account of Gooden's life. Very unlike the traditional baseball autobiography (Ryne Sandberg's comes to mind) that reveals nothing new and simply rehashes a career. This book chronicles Gooden from his early days when he dominated with the Mets to his downward spiral into addiction and subsequent recovery. There was also an extremely disturbing story about his Mets teammate Kevin Mitchell that left me speechless.

From his early days as a young man learning the craft of pitching to the highs of winning a World Series to the lows of addiction this book offers insight to the price of fame. This is an entertaining and honest story of a great baseball player who has become an even greater husband and father. Not just for basdeball fans, I reccomend this book for everyone who enjoys the story of surviving and growing.

Klapisch again successfully takes his readers on a major league adventure that few actually ever experience. He offers us insight to the world behind the spotlight of a major league athlete and delivers a very human and likeable Dwight Gooden. The author goes well beyond the standard 'ra-ra' sports book - he leaves no holes barred. A must read for any sports and baseball fan