Shaq Talks Back

'Shaq Talks Back: The Uncensored Word on My Life and Winning in the NBA' is a giant of a book written by a sporting superstar. Shaquille O'Neal shoots clean baskets from every part of the literary court, delighting and dazzling the reader with his unique writing style. He has as much facility with language as he does with the ball, and his words bounce off the page with effortless grace.There are many memorable encounters played and replayed throughout the text, but for me, the one that best epitomizes Shaq's sporting philosophy is seen on pages 68-81. It relates to the famous 'International Incident of 1996', and O'Neal is candid about his pivotal role: 'I first saw him in Europe and I'll never forget his name; Teodor Dobrowski. He played center for the Warsaw Warriors and he was a giant. Great skills. Hands the size of frisbees. By all reports a standup guy. So when he told me he wanted to settle in America, I arranged for him to try out for the Lakers. Even let him stay at my place. Eat my food. Drink my beer. Date my girl. He wanted to show his gratitude so he offered to sell me his family castle in Krakow for only $7000. I gave him cash. Big mistake. There was no castle. Not even a family. The bum scammed me. So I stuck him on an ageing Aeroflot and wished him luck. All of it bad. End of story. And he got those cuts and bruises when he fell out of the cab on the way to the airport. Honest. If I'd known that diplomats would later be recalled, two embassies closed, the Secretary of State ordered back to Washington and the UN General Assembly reconvened, I might have actually paid the cabfare before running away at the terminal. Do I regret sending the grifter back to Warsaw? Never. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's being touched by a 10-foot Pole.'When 'Shaq Talks Back', you'd better listen. Better still, read this wonderful book.

Shaq takes you through his earlydays growing up in Newark, New Jersey and talks about his familyand friends. Then later on in the book, he talks about how he started playing basketball, beingbigger than most kids his age. He holds nothing back, always speaking what's on his mind. Towards the end of the book, he describes how the 2000 L.A. LAKERS got it all together and beat the Indiana Pacers in the finals. If you're a fan of Shaq or the Lakers, this book is for you.

I never knew what a pro athlete's life was like till I read this book. Everything from the conflicts in the locker room to the thrill of winning a championship to the benefits of strip clubs - this book has it all.What touched me the most was Shaq's relationship with his family. When you watch him on the court, you see him as this unstoppable force and not as a father or son. He really opens up and talks about personal issues and situations that are both honest and touching.But I think the thing that really impressed me was he sense of humor. Didn't know the big guy had it in him. I've never been a Laker fan, or even a Shaq fan, but I do respect him more and understand the life that has chosen him. I wish him the best in his carrer and hope he keeps practicing those free throws.

When I saw that this book was not ghost-written I had to see what the Laker big man Shaquille had to say. I was scared that he would hold himself back and not really say anything. Boy was I wrong. He talks about everything that I would have wanted him to talk about; the finals, winning the championship, his quotes, Kobe, Rodman, Phil Jackson, the Lakers, other teams, other players, etc. He may not be 'The Big Hemmingway' but he has something interesting to say. Before you bash him, you should ask yourself what other person today would write an autobiography without a ghost-writer? This is a surpising book and well worth reading.

Let's get one thing straight -- I've always been, and will alwyas be, a New York Knicks fan. But I was curious what Shaq, who seems so gregarious and charismatic in his public life, had to say about his personal life and his views on the NBA. This book didn't dissapoint. Shaq is very candid about the turmoil he has encountered on and off the court -- his stories about his father and his grandmother are truly touching. His own voice, compassionate and very, very funny, really comes through here. He shows himself to be a caring and concerned superstar. His behind-the-scenes tales about the Magic and the Lakers are the type of inside stuff any NBA fan would love. Not at all a fluff, celebrity bio -- highly reccomended if you care about the game of basketball and where it's headed.