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Caged: Memoirs of a Cage-Fighting Poet

by Cameron Conaway (Goodreads Author)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 50 ratings · 19 reviews

Accomplished MMA fighter and award-winning writer Cameron Conaway presents in Caged the true story of a young man who overcomes a family background and his own inner torment by learning to channel his frustrations into the physical world of mixed martial arts fighting and the cerebral world of poetry and writing. It teaches the value of personal reflection, how life's most...more

Paperback, 250 pages

Published September 1st 2011 by Threed Press

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Sep 05, 2011 Clifford rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction-memoir

Memoirs of a warrior poet, indeed; it makes me think about my own discipline, and also about my relationships with family. Interested in Poetry? Mixed Martial Arts? Strained Father-Son dynamics? This could be the book for you.

From my full review:

Cameron Conaway is a poet (a book and a chapbook forthcoming in 2012 from Salmon Poetry and Finishing Line Press) and was, for a time, a cage-fighting mixed-martial artist. He is also the sensitive son of an abusive father. And that triple-threat combin...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Robert Zimmermann rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: MMA fans/practitioners, poets/writers

Shelves: amazing-books-amazing-authors

This memoir of Cameron Conaway's life touched me in ways that other books haven't come close to. Setting aside how much of myself I saw in Conaway's life (mainly relationship with the father,) there are just positive things to say about it as a whole.

From the beginning of the book, all the way through to the end, the style of the writing was unique for me. It felt like Conaway wasn't writing an account of his life for others to read later. To me it felt like he was sitting in front of me having...more This memoir of Cameron Conaway's life touched me in ways that other books haven't come close to. Setting aside how much of myself I saw in Conaway's life (mainly relationship with the father,) there are just positive things to say about it as a whole.

From the beginning of the book, all the way through to the end, the style of the writing was unique for me. It felt like Conaway wasn't writing an account of his life for others to read later. To me it felt like he was sitting in front of me having a conversation, almost like an interview instead of a prose account. This is was refreshing and very welcoming to me as a reader when many memoirs, while still great in their own right, can merely put the story on paper but not actually touch too deeply.

Something else that aided in the conversational feeling I got was how honest the book felt. I didn't find a section in the book that felt embellished or distorted to make Cameron or anyone else into a "stronger" or "better" human being. When there was a need to show a negative aspect of himself, Conaway included it. When he accomplished something, it was in there, but the reader wasn't forced to praise him excessively in the way it was worded. The reader can read the book without having to feel out where there could be untruths.

I would also like to address the addition of poetry throughout the book. With Conaway being an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighter and poet, it was only fitting to show both aspects of himself. Along with the poetry there was a great overview of some history of various forms of MMA, such as a specialty of Conaway's, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

I went into this book knowing next to nothing about MMA and thinking I'd only relate with the book because of the poetry aspect. I was proven wrong in the end. The sport of fighting is shown in a different light from which it has normally been presented to me. There is a beauty and an art in the sport and its various components (training, conditioning, etc.)

If Cameron Conaway is to write another memoir as a continuation of this, I will be one of the first wanting to read it. This is the same for his poetry. I greatly enjoyed both in this book and would suggest everyone in need of a great read to pick up this book.(less)

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Sep 05, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-2012s, arc-stands-for-a-readers-xmas, did-not-finish-or-skimmed, first-reads

I was really excited to win this from the giveaways because I found the concept of a cage-fighting poet paradoxical and intriguing. Reading the book? Not so much. I hate being in the minority, I really do, but my reviews are absolutely worthless if I'm not honest and I just couldn't get into this book. It wasn't bad and it wasn't poorly-written- if anything, it was guilty of a teensy bit of pretentiousness- but I didn't like the style, or the types of poems it contained.

I had hoped that this wou...more I was really excited to win this from the giveaways because I found the concept of a cage-fighting poet paradoxical and intriguing. Reading the book? Not so much. I hate being in the minority, I really do, but my reviews are absolutely worthless if I'm not honest and I just couldn't get into this book. It wasn't bad and it wasn't poorly-written- if anything, it was guilty of a teensy bit of pretentiousness- but I didn't like the style, or the types of poems it contained.

I had hoped that this would be more about the author's personal experiences and what motivated him to turn to wrestling, and it was, kind of, but this was heavily interspersed with details about special diets, wrestling vocabulary, advice on how to write good poetry, and poetry about wrestling. My mother's an English teacher, so I already know more than I'd like about poetry, and I tend to like the old-timey-rhymey stuff like Dickinson, John Donne, and Robert Frost.

(Actually, those are my three all-time-favorite poets ever. Just sayin'.)

I'm sure he only meant to be helpful, but as it was he came off sounding a little condescending and full of himself. Like the pictures of his family and cage-fighting career, I think it might have been better if the poems were included in an index in the back instead of wherever he felt like placing them. Ditto instructional tips on writing.

The fighting descriptions were no less tedious. Speaking as a girl who knows next to nothing about sports and has all the hand-eye-coordination of a duck with two-left feet that's drunk off its feathery ass, I know I kind of glaze over when people talk about sports. Why? Because I just don't care about statistics or moves or anything like that. I find it incredibly boring, and I used to loathe football season back in high school because as a band geek, I was forced to attend all the home games for a grade (the horror!). If you are not a fan of sports, you should probably give this book a miss. Sports fans, however, might really enjoy Caged. Especially young men.

On that note, I'm actually giving this book to my mother for her classroom because I feel like it will be a great tool for her boys. She teaches a lot of athletes, and a lot of them aren't very verbal, or feel that writing is "girly" (especially poetry). This book is fantastic in the sense that it shows that, while the two areas of knowledge are distinct, they are not mutually exclusive. I really admire that message, and appreciate the author for taking the time to put that out there.

It's a real shame that I didn't like this book more, because Mr. Conaway seems to have had a pretty hard life. Quite frankly, it's amazing that he managed to compensate for the abuse and lack of opportunity he suffered as a child. Yay for outlets to redirect and focus aggression and frustration, and positive mentors who provide support and encouragement!

1- 1.5 stars! (From a girl who hates sports.)

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. This in no way biased or shaped my reading or opinion of the book. (less)

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Jan 09, 2013 Vikram rated it 1 of 5 stars

This was a terribly difficult memoir to slog through. Initially, I was excited that a writer would talk about his experience in Mixed Martial Arts, but after lumbering through a couple chapters, it was clear that the work lacked a sorely needed editorial eye. Parts of the book were in the past tense, other parts in the present tense and even some future tense. With prose mixed in with newspaper clippings cobbled up with terribly written poetry, I found it a burden to labor over trying to put it...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Jojo rated it 4 of 5 stars

A wonderful memoir of how Cameron Conaway became the man he is today. The book is both inspirational and deep; pace is slow and reminiscing. It's as if it was written while the author is thinking it out. Therefore, the book isn't really organized. We'd get anecdotal notes about his childhood then jump to present-day or when he's at work. This makes it a bit difficult for me to keep on track with what's happening.

One thing I liked was how, at the end of every chapter, he would give out tips on w...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Rick F. rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Dec 09, 2012 Charles Franklin rated it 5 of 5 stars

I came across Cameron Conaway by way of Twitter, so when I came across the book during a giveaway, I jumped at the chance. I knew that Cameron Conaway was a social justice editor of the GoodMen Project, a mixed martial artist, English instructor, and poet, but I didn't know a lot about how came to be all of those things. I expected this memoir to be like many others I have read in the past, a straightforward account of a fighter recalling his "rise to fame." What I got was something a little dif...more I came across Cameron Conaway by way of Twitter, so when I came across the book during a giveaway, I jumped at the chance. I knew that Cameron Conaway was a social justice editor of the GoodMen Project, a mixed martial artist, English instructor, and poet, but I didn't know a lot about how came to be all of those things. I expected this memoir to be like many others I have read in the past, a straightforward account of a fighter recalling his "rise to fame." What I got was something a little different and remarkably better, a memoir that captures the internal workings of a man seeking to define and redefine himself in almost every sense.

Caged: Memoirs of a Cage-Fighting Poet is an interesting, 250-page memoir to say the least. It starts off with a quote from Chinua Achebe and then flows into a mixture of verse and prose covering manhood, relationships, writing, childhood, work, teaching, mixed martial arts (of course), philosophy and strangely enough acting. As I mentioned before, Conaway's book does not flow in a straight linear pattern like most other books; rather it flows more like a poem that centers out the themes he feels are important strands in his life and life lessons for his readers. Along the way, you are treated to quite a ride where you might feel shocked, start laughing, or feel empathetic. For example, in Chapter 5 ("Watching Me"), Conaway discusses his philosophy on spirituality, you are taken on a discussion that uniquely combines the rapper Ja Rule, religion, mixed martial arts, and a workout log (not to mention a poem titled Varicella Zoster). In just about any other book, that could be a recipe for a disaster. Conaway, however, pulls it off using his own original style that readers should appreciate. This style is one of the strengths of the book.

Another strength of Conaway's book is his frank and open discussion about himself and his life. With an honesty and detail that I have seen in few other memoirs, Conaway details the good (winning matches as an MMA fighter, getting accepted in grad school) and the bad (verbal abuse from his father or his parent's divorce, for example). As Cameron states later in his book, he's gotten to the point where he no longer needs to justify or prove himself. This freedom which he expresses in fight and in word, in my opinion, are the author's ultimate lessons for the martial artists who are sure to read his book as well as anyone else who will be drawn to his tale of overcoming the odds.

The only thing I would caution prospective (and current readers) to do is to suspend judgment about the book until the complete book is finished. To get the whole picture, you want to read all of Caged: Memoirs of a Fighting Poet; otherwise you will only get a glimpse of the insight that can be gained from this book. After I read the whole book, I was able to see what Conaway intended for you to see when you he wrote about his father, or working in the grocery store, or receiving a paper cut.

So, if you are looking for a book that combines the philosophy of Bruce Lee, the literary style and feel of Fight Club, mixed with a little of the language and swagger of Got Fight by Forrest Griffin, this book will be a great book to read.

Pros
Unique writing style for a memoir-The book is a workout and fight log, journal of reflection and poetry that delves into the
mind of a fighter instead of just talking about it.

Honest & frank language that makes it accessible to all readers dealing with the issue he covers-Conaway details scenes that shaped his life in a way that is both graphic, yet highly insightful and riveting all at the same time.

Insightful work that builds in complexity as one reads the book

Cons
Writing style may be a little peculiar to readers not familiar with Cameron Conaway's background- The plot skips around to different points in his life, mixture of poems & prose and Conaway provides really detailed description of mixed arts moves.

"Sailor's language" and some shocking scenes-For those not used to Conaway, his use of four-letter words in some intense moments may be a little shocking. Conaway's honesty leads to claims that I never heard mentioned in other memoirs.(less)

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Apr 07, 2012 William Scott Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars

Simply put this is a terrific book. Conaway's style is heartfelt, livid. The fight scenes are pulse-pounding. The complexity of the father-son relationship is deftly-handled. This is an amazing book about fighting and writing. But when all is said and done, this is a book about courage and fear, about knowing yourself and about knowing your limits. This is a book about living your life "all the way up," about cutting though all the BS you have been told (and perhaps have believed) all of your li...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Randi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I recieved this book as a giveaway on Goodreads first reads.

I was excited about recieving this book. I am a huge fan of MMA and was looking forward to reading a book written by a former fighter.

There were parts of this book that had me completely interested and other parts where I asked myself why certain things seemed to keep repeating. I guess I expected something completely different than what it was.

The way he jumped from present to past threw me off everytime. I felt like I couldn't really...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Stacey marked it as future-reads

I won this book on Good Reads. I cannot WAIT to recieve and read it!! It looks so good!

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Jul 26, 2012 David Karpel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kafka wrote that "a book must be an ice axe to break the sea frozen inside us." Cameron Conaway's book fulfills that description with raw to the bone prose -- and some poetry -- about his own development as a man, a good man, a man who considers experience -- every experience whether positive or negative -- as an opportunity for personal growth. From the opening, heart wrenching scene describing abuse, neglect, and actual horror from the perspective of an 8 year old, to the passages near the end...more Kafka wrote that "a book must be an ice axe to break the sea frozen inside us." Cameron Conaway's book fulfills that description with raw to the bone prose -- and some poetry -- about his own development as a man, a good man, a man who considers experience -- every experience whether positive or negative -- as an opportunity for personal growth. From the opening, heart wrenching scene describing abuse, neglect, and actual horror from the perspective of an 8 year old, to the passages near the end, describing a period when, as a teacher of writing, Conaway has a transcendent spiritual experience with a red-tailed falcon, "Caged" is the epitome of one heart reaching out to share with many.

A hard handed, hard drinking, steroid raging father who shares his first name shapes Conaway's youth. He spends his teenage years and his twenties growing out of that shape into one of his own through athletics, notably mma, and through writing, especially poetry. The writing on his mma training and fighting is specific and detail oriented, sprinkled with colorful advice in the form of journal entries. The simple things he notices become enlarged just by the noticing, as when he points out how fights in the octagon often start and end with handshakes (and often with hugs).

The poetry is one of the more fascinating aspects of the book. The early poems arise from the particular time period he's describing in the prose. These poems aren't horrible, but they aren't very good either. Conaway is supposed to be the "warrior poet," though. He's accomplished, with a few chap books under his belt, and a new book about to be published -- and he's working on another. Continue reading and what happens is that the poems get better as the years progress, culminating with a show stopper, "Eva One," near the conclusion. Conaway opens himself up to the reader in such a way that he's willing to show us even this: everyone starts as a white belt. And there's nothing to be ashamed about that.

Throughout the book, Conaway shares thoughts and lessons learned in training, dieting, and fighting. The writing is straightforward, the language concrete and simple, but the connections Conaway makes, relating gym and fighting life to his social life to his love life to his writing life, brings this memoir to the level described by Master Kafka.

Cameron Conaway gives us a brief memoir that shares his becoming a man in the modern world of extremes. At times difficult to read, the book is always poignant and very often gifts the reader with sentences to treasure. I'm looking forward to reading more of what he has to say, about the world he's experiencing, about his perspectives, and about his continuing development as a good man.

"Ultimate vulnerability," he says. "That's manly." (less)

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Jan 28, 2012 Crystalee rated it 5 of 5 stars

This fabulous memoir by Cameron Conaway reads as fluidly as poetry. One minute Conaway brings to life his childhood in a small town, the next he discusses poetry as a form of expression, and the next he provides the reader with detailed accounts of MMA fights with the wisdom of a philosopher. This memoir takes bold "leaps" much like Conaway's poetry; he is not afraid to share his truths, whether it be witnessing his father throw his sister against the garage or his childhood obsession with fitne...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Jack rated it 5 of 5 stars

Having read the excerpt to this, I cannot wait for its' release. An engaging and honest look at what makes the man...See the excerpt here: http://goodmenproject.com/featured-co...

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Jun 05, 2012 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

i found this book to be really good i really enjoyed reading about cameron's life. my favorite parts were when their would be poems among the rest of the text reflecting on something that had happened in his life.

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Dec 27, 2011 Leanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I know the town (was born and raised) and I know the author (we have mutual friends)... It made this book nearly 'touchable' to me. I was addicted to the thoughtfully chosen sections where Cameron stressed the juxtaposition of combat and prose. The paras where he slipped back into a training-journal-style made me want to tap (too simple in word choice, it felt more Men's Health compared to the thoughtful sections). I also read this in one sitting so occasionally, I felt repetition, but this adde...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Heidi Rothert rated it 1 of 5 stars

I didn't even make it through the first page before the f-bomb and an orgy was mentioned. No thanks.

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Mar 31, 2012 Maikel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, memoirs, read-off-2012-i

Highly enjoyable. This book tells the story of Cameron Conway, a writer with a past in MMA fighting (BJJ to be more precise). Apart from an interesting story, the book is well-written, combining narrative with poetry.

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Apr 29, 2012 Spencer rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you were to sit down and design a memoir from scratch, calculated for me to love, it would probably look an awful lot like Caged by Cameron Conaway. A cagefighting poet, an MMA fighter with an MFA in creative writing, in essence, he had me at “hello.” Proceed accordingly.

(for the rest of my review, check out my book blog post at-)

http://dunceacademy.com/2828/caged/

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Mar 20, 2012 Bobby Veliz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have to say this book was great. So much struggle and anguish to keep you hooked and cheering for the author to make it through. A great story of triumph and making no matter what. I definitely recommend this book to all.

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About Cameron Conaway

Cameron Conaway is the Social Justice Editor at The Good Men Project. He is a former MMA fighter and currently teaches Shakespeare for Ottawa University. His debut book, Caged: Memoirs of a Cage-Fighting Poet, was awarded the 2012 Reader Views Award for Best Book in the Mid-Atlantic and the 2012 IPPY Bronze Medal for Best Regional Nonfiction. His future books include Until You Make the Shore, Chit ...more

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“I didn’t want anybody seeing my fire until I burned them with it.” — 27 people liked it

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