I May Be Wrong but I Doubt It

September 23, 2002
NBA star Barkley—still only the second basketball player in history, along with Wilt Chamberlain, to total more than 23,000 points, 12,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists—has refused to go quietly into the mists of sports legends. One of the most controversial professional athletes in any sport, Barkley has repositioned himself as an outspoken and provocative sports commentator for the TNT network, reaping a new and large viewing audience in the process. This sports memoir—Barkley's first—is a highly entertaining and remarkably thoughtful work that successfully continues his ongoing repositioning from on-court wild man to provocative analyst. "I'm trying to transition from sports into something broader, with wider social implications," he writes. In a book that often reads like an overlong Sports Illustrated
interview, Barkley explores a wide range of interests. Each chapter has a theme, and Barkley has no problem speaking his mind on any topic, whether it is politics ("Poor white people and poor black people just don't know how much they have in common. Rich people don't give a damn about either group") or lack of minority control in sports ("Black people ought to want other black people to be successful and work hard and accumulate some wealth and build a new damn reality"). In between these chapters are other sections that retell some of the great and not-so-great moments in his career, such as his involvement with Michael Jordan in the U.S. Olympic medal–winning "Dream Team." But transitions within and between chapters can often be jarring (in one chapter he suddenly launches into a criticism of abusive priests). Despite that, this is a very entertaining look at one of the most intelligent minds in pro sports, and like Barkley's career, it's bound to produce fierce arguments. (Oct.)Forecast:A major media push, along with Barkley's comfortable media presence, should make this a strong seller. And the book's forays into nonathletic commentary will assure a popularity beyond sports fans.

October 15, 2002
Barkley was named one of the top 50 players in NBA history and, since recently retiring, has served as a popular studio analyst for TNT's basketball coverage. This, however, is not a basketball book per se. Instead, in the guise of a memoir, it is a series of riffs and rants on a variety of topics by a man who sometimes talks about going into politics. At times, the subject matter is repetitive, and occasionally Barkley's arguments can be self-contradictory. More often, though, the observations are dead-on. For example, on the subject of the "keepin' it real" attitude of athletes who have struck it rich but continue self-consciously to keep the trappings of poverty, Barkely feels that nothing could be phonier or more self-destructive. Noted sports writer Wilbon edited the book, but the tone is clearly and happily all Sir Charles. The outspoken Barkley has always been an intelligent and provocative guy who can be entertaining while also having something worthwhile to say. His book is no different. Recommended for public libraries.-John Maxymuk, Rutgers Univ. Lib., Camden, NJ

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2002
Former NBA great Barkley was known for his candor and humor in the postgame locker room. Since his retirement, he's been a studio analyst for Turner Broadcasting's NBA coverage. The candor and humor have continued unabated along with Barkley asides on such topics as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) as he munched a hamburger onscreen, the New York Knicks (he opined that ratings were bad because the lackluster Knicks were always on), and politics (he is a strident Republican). Be forewarned; in his autobiography (" Outrageous," 1993), he insisted he was misquoted when asked about a particularly controversial statement. Topically he ranges far and wide here, touching on everything from growing up poor to Tiger Woods to the positives and negatives of celebrity to his own twisted sense of humor. And speaking of the latter, one of his standard lines at a party is to claim that nothing makes him more nervous than watching white people dance. This is fun reading peppered with common sense. When Barkley explains his Republican affiliation, part of his rationale is that black people in Mississippi (his home state) have been voting Democratic for generations yet are as far down the economic scale as ever. It's hard to argue with his logic. Barkley's celebrity commands interest, and rest assured there will be controversy associated with Barkley's opinions.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)