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Finally Free: An Autobiography
by
Michael Vick
,
Tony Dungy
One of the most talented and polarizing athletes of our generation, Michael Vick’s stunning story has captured news headlines across the nation. From his poverty-stricken youth, to his success on the field in high school and college, to his rise to NFL stardom and his fall from grace, Finally Free shows how a gifted athlete's life spiraled out of control under the glare of
...more
Hardcover
,
304 pages
Published
September 4th 2012
by Worthy Publishing
(first published January 1st 2012)
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Community Reviews
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I'm soiling my Goodreads bookshelf with this book only to bring its rating down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWkzN...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWkzN...
I was wondering why this book was initially averaging a poor rating -- it turns out it was largely due to people who haven't bought the book but have decided Michael Vick should never be forgiven for what he did.
Frankly, that's their loss -- because in my opinion Michael Vick is one of the greatest redemption stories of our time, and I for one am thrilled to see the way God has turned his life around (and I supported his right to play again even before he signed with my Eagles!).
In this brutally ...more
Frankly, that's their loss -- because in my opinion Michael Vick is one of the greatest redemption stories of our time, and I for one am thrilled to see the way God has turned his life around (and I supported his right to play again even before he signed with my Eagles!).
In this brutally ...more
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Vick served his time and is moving in a positive direction. Athletes need to have this book under their pillows as a self help tool.
Apparently we're now not allowed to talk about the author even when the book is an autobiography .
http://www.goodreads.com/user_status/...
How does that work, exactly?
As a Virginian who loves both football and dogs, the Michael Vick story has fascinated me for the last 5 years. I wanted to read this book to see what the man himself had to say about the horrible things he had done. The book was written with two co-authors, and there is a lack of cohesiveness in style that gave me the impression that different people wrote different passages. Some of the sentences you just can't imagine Michael Vick actually saying. So overall the book is certainly not a litera
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I have to say I am indecisive about Michael Vick in general. I did not completely finish the book because I was terribly disappointed in the explanation for his actions upon those dogs and how I felt that he did not dedicate much time to a chunk of his life that has supposedly formed him into the man whom he is now. I felt that there was a lot of butt-kissing in this book and that Michael Vick mostly put this book out to kiss all the football world's butts. He should have spent time butt-kissing
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I gave this book a 4/5 rating, because its very in depth and interesting. What makes me so interested is Michael Vick, who I've always loved to watch. He tells his honest story about his life and his childhood. He tells some stuff that many people would be embarrassed to say, or not want to share at all. I cannot wait until I finish this great book!
The writing is atrocious, but it's a good story. I do believe he's trying to turn his life around.
Although Michael Vick is by no means a hero, and although I personally abhor dogfighting and animal cruelty, I do feel he has been crucified by society to a disproportionate level when compared to his fellow athlete rogues. We can forgive rape (Mike Tyson), adultery (Tiger Woods), sexual assault (Ben Roethlisberger, Kobe Bryant), and manslaughter (Ray Lewis), but dogfighting is apparently the most monstrous of all crimes in the pantheon.
So I was eager to hear Vick tell his story in his own words ...more
So I was eager to hear Vick tell his story in his own words ...more
This book is pathetic. As a football fan, I appreciate taking pride in your skills and ability. Michael Vick is an amazing and wonderfully talented quarterback. As an animal lover, I DON'T appreciate assigning blame for which you're responsible in terms of major animal cruelty and claiming to love an animal but then forcing them to kill or be killed and then murdering them no matter the outcome.
This book seemed like a good way to make excuses, roll guilt onto the backs of others and escape blam ...more
This book seemed like a good way to make excuses, roll guilt onto the backs of others and escape blam ...more
Finally Free, written by Michael Vick and Tony Dungy(forward), is about one of the most talented and electrifying athletes of our generation. With the first pick in the 2001 NFL draft the Atlanta Falcons selected Michael Vick. With great expectation and potential, Mike quickly earned his wings and earned his way to stardom in Atlanta. He also earned his way to becoming the the highest paid NFL player at 130 million dollars, shortly after being in the in the league. On top of the 130 million Mik
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I'm not a fan of Michael Vick for many many reasons but I was intrigued by how we would approach his many misgivings in the book. I was less than satisfied. I feel like he blamed a lot of the decisions he made in his life on other people.
I didn't see a whole lot of personal ownership and responsibility. I was especially appalled when he mentioned that he downsized his vehicle to a 90,000 car instead of 120,000 right before going to jail. Also his recounting of meeting a man who adopted one of th ...more
I didn't see a whole lot of personal ownership and responsibility. I was especially appalled when he mentioned that he downsized his vehicle to a 90,000 car instead of 120,000 right before going to jail. Also his recounting of meeting a man who adopted one of th ...more
Celebrities and athletes often get a second and third chance to do things over again. Micheal Vick appears to be taking full advantage of the second chance that he was given and I hope he continues to make the most of it.
While he was organizing dog fights, he was contributing time and money to the boys & girls club, helping a kid financially that needed a heart transplant, and doing many other helpful things for his city and community. It was as though he had two separate personalities.
Eve ...more
While he was organizing dog fights, he was contributing time and money to the boys & girls club, helping a kid financially that needed a heart transplant, and doing many other helpful things for his city and community. It was as though he had two separate personalities.
Eve ...more
I believe that this book has many strengths. One being the message. That if you receive a second chance take full advantage of it. The second being the quality of the detail and the information of the book. The third and last being the change from the beginning of the book to the end and how Michael Vick matured through the years. I would recommend this book to other people. I believe that this book is a good book and is very informative. Overall this is a good book and I recommend to others to
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An interesting read. Only read it because there was nothing else to do out on the floor during my shift with the Nipr down. I still find it hard to believe what he has to say about the situation surrounding the dog fighting. sure he now admits to doing it but his whole I knew it was bad and I was going to stop schtick seems kinda heavy handed and force fed. He lied so much about everything in his life is he really giving us the truth behind a lot of stuff in this autobiography...Who knows.
From The top to rock bottom and back to the top. Michael speaks candidly about his life leading up to NFL stardom, The road leading to prison through dog fighting and the road back to stardom.
At the very end of the book he gives the following seven principles that have helped him with his second chance, he calls them the seven keys to a better life.
1) develop a relationship with God and put him first in your life
2) honor and respect your family by making them a priority above other things and ...more
At the very end of the book he gives the following seven principles that have helped him with his second chance, he calls them the seven keys to a better life.
1) develop a relationship with God and put him first in your life
2) honor and respect your family by making them a priority above other things and ...more
“I went from the ground – a foundation of faith and family that positioned me for success…to the air – a dangerous and selfish rise that took me higher and higher in flight…to a crash – a wounding yet deserved fall that took me lower and lower …to the cage – a humbling and desolate state that helped me return to the ground, rediscover my foundation, long for redemption, and ignite a strong desire to change. To change and rise again…” Throughout the book Vick talks about his how his attitude was
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Dec 15, 2012
Pierre A Renaud
marked it as shit-canned
Deserves "Michael Vick's tortured fighting dogs dead and finally free" stickers next time I see his book in a bookstore.
http://skepchick.org/2012/10/ai-the-m...
Its not pretty but its quite real.. He made bad choices, hit rock bottom, but made himself believe in God again and work his way back to the top.
Not particularly well-written, but an inspiring story. Would make a great book study for a youth group maybe? Glad I read it.
Excellent story of second chance and redemption. Michael Vick's story is honest and inspiring.
Garbage. Doesn't bring anything to the table. On the football side, there are no insights. When the Eagles lost to the Packers in the playoffs, or when they won the big game against the Giants, there was nothing revealed as to what was actually going on. "We came back to win 24-20. I passed for 260 yards and a touchdown, and I ran for 71 yards and another touchdown. It felt good." Nothing goes beyond that type of level on the football side. The book could easily have been written by an author wh
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I couldn't help but buy the book because I am a Vick Fan and my boyfriend at the time was an Eagles fan. It was a present to him, but of course I had to read before wrapping. I enjoy it. There are moments in the book that I felt had nothing to do with what was being said, but I loved how he told story of how he came to be and the mistakes he made. I believe in the power to forgive. Good, quick read... if your a Vick fan.
The constant foreshadowing is a bit much considering he is alluding to largely the same thing, but otherwise he delicately finesses a horrible crime.
As an Eagles fan and firm believer in only being punished once, Vick does a decent job trying to atone for the past. But he lays it on a bit too thick for it to be fully believable. I'm glad a relationship with God brought the author a comfort, but it seems to be used heavily in the prison discussion where are I was looking more for adjustment info ...more
As an Eagles fan and firm believer in only being punished once, Vick does a decent job trying to atone for the past. But he lays it on a bit too thick for it to be fully believable. I'm glad a relationship with God brought the author a comfort, but it seems to be used heavily in the prison discussion where are I was looking more for adjustment info ...more
Shouldn't have figured that because somebody's luster and fall were Shakespearean in proportion, that a no better than average educated athlete would be Shakespearean in conveying it. Choosing language for precise impact seems new to Vick, and the words he chooses in the formal registry don't flow with the rest of his pedestrian prose.
Vick comes across as a sincere motivation speaker, which works from stage but not as well in a book. Descriptive details of what it was like to be atop the footbal ...more
Vick comes across as a sincere motivation speaker, which works from stage but not as well in a book. Descriptive details of what it was like to be atop the footbal ...more
I enjoyed this book and have become a fan of Michael Vick. The book encouraged me in my faith with Jesus Christ and the power behind redemption and a second chance. God is a God of second chances. I also see the power of being a mentor. I thank my mentors in life and people like Tony Dungy, who is by far one of my favorite people I have never met.
Good outline and journey with through Vick's life. I would've like to read more incidents that he may have been involved in during his years with Falcons and prison. Very good read nonetheless.
This book was the first book I have read in a while and it was pleasant and easy to read. I loved how he told us every phase of his life. From his poverty stricken childhood to his dog fighting operation days, to his NFL superstar status to his jail days, and to today... Building towards a better future not just for himself but to people of all ages all across America by working hand in hand with the Humane Society of America and several other organizations. Michael Vick might have done wrong an
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I read this book because I wanted to hear "his side" of all the controversy that is Michael Vick. I was first intrigued to read this book when I found out he went with a Christian publisher, because I did not realize he professes to be a Christian. The theme of the book is pretty simple: despite human error, one can rise above it all with the help of God and good mentors. He doesn't go into many details over the nefarious dog fighting case, but he does fully admit to living a lie in the midst of
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Michael Vick is the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. The 2010 season was the most prolific of his career, earning him a start in the Pro Bowl and cementing his comeback in football. Prior to joining the the Eagles, Michael played for the Atlanta Falcons (from 2001-2006), the team that originally chose him first overall in the 2001 NFL draft.
More about Michael Vick...
