Against All Odds: My Story
by Chuck Norris, Ken Abraham
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Book Summary Information
Author: Chuck Norris, Ken AbrahamEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-09
ISBN: 0805431616
Number of pages: 246
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Book Reviews of Against All Odds: My Story
Book Review: I liked this book and recommend it.
Summary: 5 Stars
Athletes hit their peak performance at different times. "Timing is everything", athletes time training, so they can hit their peak, at the time of the fight. Chuck Norris timing was excellent, peaking and claiming six world championships. Chuck Norris is an icon in the Martial art community winning six world championships against fighter like Bill Wallace (superfoot) and Joe Lewis (one of the toughest fighters in history). I believe for his time, Chuck Norris was the best Martial Artist in the world. Chuck Norris provided innovation too the Martial Art world introducing the spinning back kick and the jumping spinning back kick, probably one of the most punishing kicks. Too illustrate how punishing Norris kicks were, he tells about going too a studio and kicking a bag with the electronic registers indicating 600 pounds of pressure, twice the force, the other students were achieving. How many MA ribs did Norris break during fighting? Norris provided a new type of fighter; a fighter that was stronger and adaptive, more willing to learn multiple disciplines, and more athletic. When Norris walked on "Return of the Dragon", he looked tough. For Norris, fighting represented courage, a desire to win, and sacrifice of the body. The MA fights were punishing: broken noses, broken arms, broken jaws, and crack ribs. Full contact fighters, in their prime, only lasted a few years. Norris exist was probably well timed, as he began open schools and starring in action movies. Norris believes there is a difference between action movies and movies of violence; claiming his movies were action and not violent; and symbolized good verses evil. I can't say I agree with him. I think they represent the issues of his time. Norris argued that Texas Ranger was a family sitdown movie and taught wholesome principles. I say these movies are all about the ratings.
Norris increased the popularity and awareness of the Martial Arts, at a time when Hollywood was not interested, in Martial Art movies. One could argue that Norris's greatest long-term strength was his acting, speaking, and promotion skills. The Chuck Norris brand has become popular, in fitness equipment, movies, weekly series, martial art schools, MA tournaments, books, and health advice. Norris's name is well known internationally and his celebrity status has made him both popular and profitable, for many companies. Chuck Norris name was so popular; Century MA supplies used him on their catalogues. Other feats are less known; very few people know Chuck Norris held records for speedboat racing, truck racing, and air racing.
I found the personal wisdom in his book less interesting than his personal experiences. The personal experiences emerges one into the mind and experiences of Mr. Norris and there is a real strong feeling that gets created from the imagery. For example, what is like to be a champion, the experience the losing a brother, the struggle through a divorce after 30 years, and hope of a new life as he rebuilt another life with a new wife.
Mr. Norris compassion towards cancer children was moving; he shares how one boy, who was dieing of cancer expressed love for Mr. Norris and died with his picture in his hands. This is the second most powerful characteristic about Mr. Norris is his ability to understand the pains and struggles of the average person; his humility and down to earth approach at communicating and understand other people makes him the "peoples hero". I found this quality refreshing and kept my interest too read the rest of the book. Mr. Norris did not seem too be a self aggrandizing individual.
Did Chuck Norris make mistakes? Yes. Was he 100% loyal too his first wife? No. Mr. Norris shared with the reader that his work caused dysfunctional in his marriage and that they grew apart from each other into apathy. This does not make sense. People don't grow apart; they anger from injury inflicted between the parties and then they methodically pick each other apart; and finally in desparation, separate. Denial is a tough addiction too overcome and hope comes through surrendering too a God. Mr. Norris seems to be following a great path and "God has great plans for him" seems too be a central theme.
It is hard to believe any celebrity can be anything other than the image their promotional writers or consultants tell them too be. It is hard to believe they are real people with happy lives. Chuck Norris definitely provides an compelling argument that he is a normal guy with normal problems. I recommend this book.
Summary of Against All Odds: My Story
Millions of people around the world know Chuck Norris as the star of more than 20 motion pictures, including "Delta Force," "Missing in Action," and "Return of the Dragon." Millions more know him as a martial arts expert, the only man in the Western Hemisphere to hold an 8th degree Black Belt Grand Master in Tae Kwon Do. And then there are others who know him from his eight seasons on CBS?s longest running series, "Walker, Texas Ranger."What many don't know is that Chuck Norris is a sincere Christian?a man whose faith plays a role in everything he does. Against All Odds is an inspirational story of how Norris overcame abject poverty from childhood, the effects of his father?s alcoholism and desertion of the family, and his own shyness and lack of strength and ability early in his life. Norris writes candidly about how he was able to overcome such obstacles in his life?giving full credit to God.
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