Kobe Bryant: The Game of His Life

This account of the Kobe Bryant case is an eye opener into what has been a confusing story from the start. Just last night MSNBC reported that the prosecution has outright accused the defense team of fabricating information about the alleged victim by filing "frivolous motions" that falsely paint her character. Shapiro's account of the alleged victim is a sympathetic one, characterizing her as a young woman under attack by Kobe Bryant's dream team who are banking on trying to put her on trial as the victim. There's an incredible wealth of information about the investigation conducted by Kobe Bryant's defense team and how they tracked down the alleged victim to her rehabilitation center in Arizona, hoping to find a confession that she'd framed Bryant which never turned up. MSNBC reported yesterday (two months after Shapiro's book came out) that the prosecution is now accusing the Bryant investigators of using "illegal tactics" to get that information. Another fascinating dimension of the book are some of the broad strokes concerning Kobe Bryant's police interview inside of his hotel room. You'll never guess what he told police when they asked him what happened with the alleged victim. Overall, the book is a fascinating read and flows quickly. I picked it up at Barnes and Noble and finished it in two days. The writing is quality and information is pretty good considering it came out way before there's even been a trial date scheduled. There aren't any pictures, which could have spiced it up, but the material inside is worth your while.

This almost novelish/screeplay style manuscript reads quick and easy like a Clancy book but offers lots of facts and details into the world of Kobe Bryant and the man who is prosecuting him. I got it from a buddy of mine who picked it up and flipped through it for a plane ride from Boston to Dallas and was able to get right to the end 20 minutes from landing time. I was parituclarly fascinated with Shapiro's inside look at what happened inside the hotel room between Lilly Fuller and Kobe Bryant. The details are so specific that if they're accurate, there's no question Shapiro somehow got his hands on police reports. That alone makes you wonder what else he got his hands on and how many other reporters are following suit. Part of the book is sort of a series of flashbacks to Kobe's career and was all public information already, but then again, what's a Kobe book without taking a long hard look at the man himself? The good stuff is sort of tied in between with info on Fuller and a most unusual look at Kobe's private investigators and how they work. It also talks about Kobe's secret world and the other women he may have been with. It's a great read and if you're looking for something smooth that flows, go for it.

This is an excellent summary of what's happened in Kobe's tragic life out in Colorado and it offers a little bit of insight about what really happens in hotel rooms around the country after game-night. The authors say there are three other women that Kobe came on to in other hotels and talks about how others players even hire professionals from time to time. I have a couple of friends who hang out with some execs in the association and apprently this stuff is much more widespread that you would think. This book should definitely make other players think twice before inviting a random woman into their hotel rooms and their lives. It's pretty hard for me not to feel sorry for Kobe at this point, but if the girls story is true as written in the book, it's pretty hard not to feel some disappointment as well. Definitely a great read and it only took me a few hours. Highly recommend.

Shapiro has clearly brought Kobe Bryant to life in this fast paced high powered drama about America's greatest NBA player! I was a little worried at first that this book would slam him, but it doesn't. Instead, Shapiro focuses on Bryant's incredible past as an athlete and portrays his story as an almost Shakesperian tragedy. I think the authors are trying to say that innocent or guilty, Bryant having invited that girl into his room changed his life forever. I did some research on Shapiro and found out that he has a pretty wild past. He used to work for the Globe tabloid and then turned against them while working on the Ramsey case in Colorado. He seems like a pretty unusual guy and his writing is definitely inventive and unique. This is a well-written piece of hard news reporting and I totally recommend it!

I had my own ideas about who did what to who before reading this book. Now I'm completely confused. This book shows you Kobe's point of view and shows you the girls point of view (they call her "Lilly" in the book) and while it has a lot of damaging information about Kobe it also has some pretty crazy stuff about the girl. This will not be an easy case for a jury but the book is really exciting and the ending is crazy! Now I don't know who to believe!