I Beat the Odds, Michael Oher
I Beat the Odds, Michael Oher
3 Rating(s)
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I Beat the Odds
From Homelessness, to The Blind Side, and Beyond

Author: Michael Oher

Narrator: Michael Boatman

Unabridged: 6 hr 15 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 02/08/2011


Synopsis

The football star made famous in the hit film The Blind Side reflects on how far he has come from the circumstances of his youth.

Michael Oher is the young man at the center of the true story depicted in The Blind Side movie (and book) that swept up awards and accolades. Though the odds were heavily stacked against him, Michael had a burning desire deep within his soul to break out of the Memphis inner-city ghetto and into a world of opportunity. While many people are now familiar with Oher's amazing journey, this is the first time he shares his account of his story in his own words, revealing his thoughts and feelings with details that only he knows, and offering his point of view on how anyone can achieve a better life.

Looking back on how he went from being a homeless child in Memphis to playing in the NFL, Michael talks about the goals he had for himself in order to break out of the cycle of poverty, addiction, and hopelessness that trapped his family for so long. He recounts poignant stories growing up in the projects and running from child services and foster care over and over again in search of some familiarity. Eventually he grasped onto football as his ticket out of the madness and worked hard to make his dream into a reality. But Oher also knew he would not be successful alone. With his adoptive family, the Touhys, and other influential people in mind, he describes the absolute necessity of seeking out positive role models and good friends who share the same values to achieve one's dreams.

Sharing untold stories of heartache, determination, courage, and love, I Beat the Odds is an incredibly rousing tale of one young man's quest to achieve the American dream.

About The Author

Michael Oher is an American football offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Mississippi for the Ole Miss Rebels. He is best known as the subject of Michael Lewis’s 2006 book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, and the even more popular 2009 film The Blind Side, in which Michael is portrayed by Quinton Aaron.Michael Boatman is a versatile TV, film, and stage actor whose work on the hit TV show Spin City garnered him a GLAAD Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and nominations for two NAACP Image Awards. For his work playing Stanley Babson on the long-running HBO series ARLI$$, he was nominated five times for the Image Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.


Reviews

Goodreads review by jv on May 16, 2024

I got this for 'my' students. During my first visit this school year, I noticed that, like me, many students enjoyed THE BLIND SIDE by Michael Lewis. (And yes, many more loved the movie.) It seemed only logical that we'd all enjoy hearing Mr. Oher's story, straight from Mr. Oher. I BEAT THE ODDS was......more

Goodreads review by Gina on February 18, 2011

I read Michael Lewis' novel "The Blindside: Evolution of a Game a few weeks ago and while I loved the story of Michael Oher the intricate sports/strategy portion of the book left me bored and wanting more about the life of Michael Oher. Now that I have read Michael Oher's personal account I can safe......more

Goodreads review by Natalie on May 11, 2017

"I beat the odds" is about Michael Oher and how he went from living in the hood, and very poor, to an NFL star. Michael was raised by his mother and siblings into a a bad area. His mother was addicted to drugs. She would occasionally go to rehab and come back and still be addicted. Michael kept gett......more

Goodreads review by Cody on January 14, 2013

If you were to see a homeless kid at least six five and weighs at least 300, walking down the street wearing the same clothing he does everyday, would you have the courage to pick him up and bring him into your own house? Well, that's exactly what Leigh Anne Tuohy did in the novel The Blind Side by......more

Goodreads review by Jenny on June 13, 2011

Unless you just completely don't keep up with pop culture in any way (which there's nothing wrong with), you've likely heard of the movie, The Blind Side, based on Michael Lewis's book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. Sandra Bullock won/was nominated for a variety of awards for best actress for......more


Quotes

"I'd understand if some people out there felt like another re-telling of the Oher story was flogging a dead horse, but personally, I feel like there's a need for Oher's own opus."
-Yahoo Sports

"In a development I actually think is really great, Michael Oher will be publishing his own memoir now that his parents' story, The Blind Side, has been so thoroughly covered. It's long been my position that some of the uncomfortable things about the way that story gets covered are the simple result of the fact that he hasn't chosen to talk very much -- as this article points out, he contributed little in the way of interviews to either the book or the movie -- and I'll be happy to hear what the guy's got to say."
-Linda Holmes, NPR blogger.