This novel captures the essence of baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez’s life in the form of a critical biography. We know from the media that A-Rod is the highest paid major league baseball player of all time and on track to be a Hall of Famer. As a rookie, he was one of the most sought after prospects and through the years has put up numbers that far exceed that of the average major league player. His steroid scandal in 2009 added a different dimension to this miraculous career in the eyes of the media and left the average viewer of professional sports in shock. He was the man in professional baseball that the camera had been on for a long time and he was now being looked at as a cheater. This book takes readers through the story of Alex Rodriguez as a person and finds a way to show us that even through the professional part of his career he was a man of many lives. What Selena Roberts is trying to prove in this biography is that Alex Rodriguez is not the man you think he is. She portrays him as a tragic figure that was easily influenced by his own arrogance. At the same time, Roberts describes the man Rodriguez truly is as one lacking self confidence. We are shown an interesting contrast, an ego affecting how his teammates, friends and family view him, and a lack of self confidence which affects his ability to perform and live up to expectations. Rodriguez’s lack of confidence is made clear in his use of steroids to enhance his performance. Alex must not believe that his raw talent gives him the ability to hit an MVP worthy batting average for consecutive seasons. The author’s portrayal of Rodriquez as a tragic figure effectively convinces the reader to view Rodriguez in a certain light. It persuades even the biggest Alex Rodriguez fan to lose some respect for the player, and more importantly the man behind the player. This can be seen as an important book in literature in that it shows how greed can even lead a legend to his downfall. Also of importance, this novel tells the chronicle of Alex Rodriguez’s life, and the tragic story of how an idolized sports icon was overcome by temptations and greed. Ultimately, Rodriguez is not the champion he could have been if he had played clean.
This novel captures the essence of baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez’s life in the form of a critical biography. We know from the media that A-Rod is the highest paid major league baseball player of all time and on track to be a Hall of Famer. As a rookie, he was one of the most sought after prospects and through the years has put up numbers that far exceed that of the average major league player. His steroid scandal in 2009 added a different dimension to this miraculous career in the eyes of the media and left the average viewer of professional sports in shock. He was the man in professional baseball that the camera had been on for a long time and he was now being looked at as a cheater. This book takes readers through the story of Alex Rodriguez as a person and finds a way to show us that even through the professional part of his career he was a man of many lives.
ReplyDeleteWhat Selena Roberts is trying to prove in this biography is that Alex Rodriguez is not the man you think he is. She portrays him as a tragic figure that was easily influenced by his own arrogance. At the same time, Roberts describes the man Rodriguez truly is as one lacking self confidence. We are shown an interesting contrast, an ego affecting how his teammates, friends and family view him, and a lack of self confidence which affects his ability to perform and live up to expectations. Rodriguez’s lack of confidence is made clear in his use of steroids to enhance his performance. Alex must not believe that his raw talent gives him the ability to hit an MVP worthy batting average for consecutive seasons.
The author’s portrayal of Rodriquez as a tragic figure effectively convinces the reader to view Rodriguez in a certain light. It persuades even the biggest Alex Rodriguez fan to lose some respect for the player, and more importantly the man behind the player. This can be seen as an important book in literature in that it shows how greed can even lead a legend to his downfall. Also of importance, this novel tells the chronicle of Alex Rodriguez’s life, and the tragic story of how an idolized sports icon was overcome by temptations and greed. Ultimately, Rodriguez is not the champion he could have been if he had played clean.