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The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 22,034 ratings · 2,268 reviews

In theaters in time for Thanksgiving, The Blind Side is a feature movie based on Michael’s Lewis’s New York Times bestseller, produced by Alcon Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The Blind Side tells the inspirational story of Michael Oher, a homeless black teen taken under the wing of the Touhys, a wealthy white Memphis family. Oher’s size and speed o...more

ebook, 352 pages

Published October 12th 2009 by W. W. Norton & Company (first published September 17th 2006)

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Feb 01, 2010 Elisa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: football fans

This book has quite a few different stories going on:
1) the importance of and rise of the offensive lineman 2) the story of Michael Oher, 3)LT (as in Lawrence Taylor of the NY Giants)and Bill Walsh (football coach, 49er's) these are "supporting stories" amongst others

I heard of the movie and I like football books, so I thought I would enjoy this story about Michael Oher (and I did). I assumed it was just a story about Michael Oher, which it wasn't.

I read Lewis's book Moneyball awhile back and...more

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Dec 15, 2011 Jose Tagle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Blind Side is a book about a homeless teenager who gets adopted by a married couple who sees him on the side of the road and gives him a ride and a place to stay. While he is with them he grows fond of them he starts to attend a fancy mainly white Americans go there he only has a couple pairs of clothes.
He starts playing football but he does not have the best grades in the world, his major is protection. His adopted parents use that to an advantage and he become’s really good at the sport...more

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Jan 13, 2009 Mahlon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Football fans, educators, social workers

Recommended to Mahlon by: ESPN

The Blind Side features two story lines, one traces the evolution of offensive football since the early 1980's specifically the way it reacted to the way Hall of Fame revolutionized the Outside Linebacker position was played. Thanks to Taylor's prowess at rushing the Quarterback, the Left Tackle(who protects the QB's blind side) quickly became one of the most important, and highest-paid positions on the football field.

The second storyline focuses on Michael Oher, who has all the psyical gifts th...more

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 24, 2008 James rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: creative minds

This book already has 765 ratings, what can I add? :>

Michael Lewis is probably my favorite living author.

About 1980, Tracey Kidder wrote "THE SOUL OF A NEW MACHINE".

A book about how a bunch of employees at a computer company
designed a new computer against restraints of time and money.

I think this was probably the first book that took an
inside look at organizations and how they work to produce
something "new".

Michael Lewis has glommed on to this genre and has written
a series of great books....more

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Dec 21, 2007 Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: football fans

On the merits of the story alone, I enjoyed this book. Lewis is a very good writer, and he is able to tell a compelling story and educate the less knowledgeable without coming off as condescending, which is more difficult than it sounds. The story of Michael Oher is compelling (and ongoing), and it's hard not to root for him.

That said, I have my suspicions about the altruism at the heart of the story. There are too many questionable motivations floating about, although, to Lewis's credit, he doe...more

8 likes · like · see review

Oct 25, 2007 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, conrads, usa_canada, pop-nonfiction

3.5 stars.

A real shame that the second half is phoned in. The first half is brilliant; at once a wonderful, heartbreaking story about a real person, and a clean, clear look at the evolution of the passing game and the roles of pass rushers and left tackles. And I know what the West Coast offense is now!

In the end, I wanted more football. Without taking anything away from the story of Michael Oher, which was great, I wanted Lewis's crisp, clear style to explain the intricacies of this very compli...more

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Oct 31, 2007 Aaron rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hoop Dreams detailed the machine built around taking poor black athletes from the inner city and sticking them into primarily white school systems that only cared about those athletes to the extent that they would help their sports teams win. The Blind Side concerns itself with a similar story, except Michael Lewis tends to pause breathlessly and exclaim isn't this great? He admits that the father, Sean, "had been born with a talent for seeing the court, taking in every angle and every other pla...more Hoop Dreams detailed the machine built around taking poor black athletes from the inner city and sticking them into primarily white school systems that only cared about those athletes to the extent that they would help their sports teams win. The Blind Side concerns itself with a similar story, except Michael Lewis tends to pause breathlessly and exclaim isn't this great? He admits that the father, Sean, "had been born with a talent for seeing the court, taking in every angle and every other player, and then attacking in the most efficient way possible. The talent translated beautifully from basketball into life." But Lewis never really weighs the possibility that maybe this chronic manipulater had some dubious intentions when, on essentially a whim, he ends up adopting a tremendous football talent, Michael, a year before Michael decides where he wants to play his college ball. When an NCAA investigator feels that this adoption (and the tens of thousands of dollars thrown towards Michael) might be some attempt to circumvent the rules and buy his favor, Lewis can't help but vilify her. "[The NCAA] didn't care how things were, only how they could be made to seem. A poor black football star inside the home of this rich white booster could be made to seem scandalous, and so here they were, bothering Michael. The lady said she was just trying to establish the facts of the case, but the facts didn't descibe the case... They had violated the letter of every NCAA rule ever written. They'd given Michael more than food, clothing, and shelter. They'd given him a life." And, desipte this ascribed nobility of Sean, his family, and the support system of tutors willing to get him passing grades by any means at hand, I never found myself buying into it fully. Yes, I find myself rooting for Michael Oher to make it in the NFL, but mainly because I feel that if he doesn't, the life that these people have given him will seep away, and he'll be back on the streets from which he was rescued.

I also was annoyed by which the degree Lewis writes from a perspective of "poor black" athletes and "rich white" heroes. He can't help himself from throwing these modifiers on any person where they might apply. But when talking of about a black investment banker, he isn't written as "a rich black banker", instead he is merely described as being from Washington, D.C. Michael is meant to stand in for so much of what is happening in this country in terms of race and economics, and, while large though he may be, he isn't big enough to tell this story unless Lewis cuts off these annoying details and nuances.

In the end, it rings with the empty ease of a cheer before a football game: "Whitey, go adopt a black kid that can run 4.3 40, on three!"(less)

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Feb 14, 2007 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Football fans and social critics

While this book bills itself as an analysis of the evolution of the game of football, it is actually a fascinating story of life and redemption in the ghettos of Memphis. The author spends some time talking about how the left tackle has transformed from a nameless interchangable position player to the second-most important person on the field - behind the quarterback, whose 'blind side' they are to protect.
But the bulk of the book focuses on the life of Michael Oher, and his unforgettable life...more

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Feb 18, 2010 Sherese rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mixed feelings about this one. I'm huge NFL fan and Ravens are one of my favorite teams (mostly because of Ray Lewis) but I didn't know the Michael Oher story until the movie was released.

I found the Left Tackle/NFL history of the book very interesting. But I can totally see why Michael himself had problems with how he was portrayed in the book. This is not just a poor black teenager being taken in by rich white upper class christian family stereotypical rags to riches taking the black child ou...more

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Oct 26, 2010 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-to-movies, contemporary, favorites, non-fiction, biography

Michael Oher, is a black kid from the rough side of Memphis. The book chronicles his journey to the NFL. What makes this different from the rags to sport-hero riches stories out there is that Michael's life was changed by love. He was adopted by Tuouhy family, a delightful cast of characters and powerful personalities. Lewis, also writes about how the game of football has changed in the last thirty years and how that has changed the attitudes towards the left tackle.

Why I started this book: I lo...more

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Mar 17, 2009 Christine Theberge Rafal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sports, teaching

My husband read this as a sports book, but as an educator I was very interested in the barriers poverty presents for getting through (or even "to") school. My father-in-law recently reminded me of the book when he recalled that Oher and his brother grew up in a section of Memphis where Census results showed not a single father in the entire zip code. Is anyone starting a Memphis Children's Zone?

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Feb 22, 2010 Amanda Redman added it · review of another edition

I really liked reading this book, almost as I liked watcing the movie. I decided to read this book because when I watched the movie there was so much going on in it, that it kept my attention. It's amazing how a young boy named, Michael Oher can go from not having a stable home, to becoming one of the best players in NHL history. The whole story talks about how to run the offensive to defensive line in football. How no matter how great you are, you will always have a blind side. While reading th...more I really liked reading this book, almost as I liked watcing the movie. I decided to read this book because when I watched the movie there was so much going on in it, that it kept my attention. It's amazing how a young boy named, Michael Oher can go from not having a stable home, to becoming one of the best players in NHL history. The whole story talks about how to run the offensive to defensive line in football. How no matter how great you are, you will always have a blind side. While reading this book you get a feel of what Michael had to go thru living in the ghetto of Memphis.
Michael had a tough life from living in the ghetto in a bad apartment with a cracked out mother that always did drugs and drank. His father also left him at a young age, but for Michael to find out later in the book that his dad had passed away. Michael grew up knowing nothing about his past, not even when his birthday is. I could never imagine living like this, it would break me more and more everyday.
In the beginning of the book it brings you back to the 1980's, the main character they talk about it Lawerance Taylor. Taylor played for the New York Giants for his whole football career, he was a left tackle. He was just as big and tough as Michael Oher turned out to be. I feel that they put some of the best players into the story so that in the beginning of the book, you can get a feel for what is to come later.
When the Touhy family decided to raise Michael, Leigh Anne was the only one who would accept him. Michael didn't trust men that much after his father left, so him and Leigh Anne really clicked. He said that he would always have her back no matter what. They would raise him having him go to school at a private Catholic School with thier 2 children, Sean Jr. and Collins. Sean Jr. was the first one to ever connect with Michael in school. Everyone called Michael, Big Mike but only Leigh Ann knew that he didn't like to be called that. No one thought that this would be good for thier family, but only the Touhy family knew what they wanted. They first invited him for a night, they never thought he would be apart of thier family.
Michael had a hard time with school, he was in 9th grade and couldn't read or write very good. None of the teachers at the school believed in him, and it wasn't unitl he had one on one help that is where he started to make his big improvements. Michael would push himself after that and would work very hard to get himself through school. He first started playing football in the spring and didn't understand much. It wasn't until Leigh Anne tought him about protecting the quarterbacks blindside. With how big and tough he was he was able to take anyone down.
Mike had scouts coming to look at him at every practice and games, they would drive hours to see the real thing, because no one believed it on film. Michael wanted to attend college but first he had to get his grades to stay up all the time so they hired a toutor for him named, Miss Sue. Michael ended up going to the University of Mississippi, the college he wanted to go too. Even though Miss Sue tried to scare him away from it, it was still the college of his dream.
Soon after he finished college he was selected to play for the Baltimore Ravens after the first draft round pick in 2009. He is known for always protection his quaterbacks blind side.
There is so much in this book that caught my eye and if you enjoyed watching the movie i suggest you to read the book, it goes into more death and makes you imagine the story all over again. And always remember to not give up even when you think you can't achieve greatness.

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Feb 22, 2010 Taryn added it · review of another edition

Michael Lewis’ novel The Blind Side is an inspirational story of a less fortunate African American who turns his life around and makes something of himself with the help of many others. Michael Jerome Williams otherwise known as Michael Oher was born to Denise and Michael Williams, his parents were never wed to one another. His father was in jail by the time he was born and his mother had thirteen other children with four different fathers. Unable to raise her children alone, Michael learned how...more Michael Lewis’ novel The Blind Side is an inspirational story of a less fortunate African American who turns his life around and makes something of himself with the help of many others. Michael Jerome Williams otherwise known as Michael Oher was born to Denise and Michael Williams, his parents were never wed to one another. His father was in jail by the time he was born and his mother had thirteen other children with four different fathers. Unable to raise her children alone, Michael learned how to provide ford and water for himself. As a child he found shelter wherever he could, sleeping at local homeless shelters in Memphis. Child Services was always on the look for Michael and his siblings to place them in foster care where they would receive better care. Michael always ran away from the foster homes he was placed in, he would run back and find his mother. It wasn’t until Big Tony Henderson spotted Michael to play on his local basketball and football teams that someone began to look out for hum and occasionally give him a place to sleep. Michael was no ordinary 15 year old, he was six foot five, three hundred and fifty pounds, and had quick feet and great agility, he was and exceptional athlete. Tony first introduced Michael to The Braircrest Christian School. When Michael enrolled at Briarcrest he was one of very few African Americans at the school and he started his sophomore year with a grade point average of 0.6. While at Briarcrest Michael participated on the varsity basketball football and track teams. Throughout his first few months at Briarcrest, Michael was still struggling to find places to sleep at night. I was one winter evening where Leigh Anne Touhy spotted Michael wondering around the streets and invited him into her home to stay the night. Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy had two children, Sean junior and Collins, the Touhy family grew attached to Michael’s company as he became a regular in their house. Soon enough, The Touhy’s had made Michael a permanent member of their family, giving him a bedroom of his own. At first everyone found it strange that this rather large African American boy was living with this rich white republic family in east Memphis, but after awhile people became used to the idea. While playing football for Briarcrest, Michael’s size and speed got him noticed by Division One head football coaches, everyone wanted a chance to see Michael Oher play left tackle. This was Michaels first season ever playing organized football and he already been ranked as a top recruit in the nation. Michael had come into contact with almost every top division one football school in the nation. After visiting schools and exploring all his options, Michael came to the conclusion that he wanted to be a member of the Ole Miss (University of Mississippi). Michael was now following in the footsteps of Sean, Leigh Anne, Miss. Sue, and Collins who all attended Ole Miss.
But to be eligible to play college football Michael needed to have a 2.525 GPA to meet NCAA standards. This would be one on Michael’s biggest obstacle, for he has no formal education and he had missed school just as much as he attended school. The Touhy’s hired Michael a tutor, Miss. Sue, who helped him reach NCAA regulations. That summer Michael moved to Oxford, Mississippi to begin his football career with the Ole Miss Rebels. Usually as a freshman on a Division One football team you redshirt your first year to prepare yourself and get to know the program. But Ole Miss Head coach, Coach O, felt Michael was ready to start and play on his offensive line, and that he did.
Within the novel, the author also explains the evolution of the game of football. How the NFL once played a running game and has now changed its ways to a passing game with the help of coaches like Bill Walsh and Bill Parcells. With this change, the position of left tackle became more important. The left tackles job is to protect the quarterbacks’ blind side from the other team’s linebackers. The offensive left tackle that was once never noticed is now the highest paid offensive position in the NFL. Michael Oher is a man built to play this position; he has the criteria to be the best the left tackle in the nation and an inspirational story of how he got there.
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Apr 02, 2009 James rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Michael Lewis writes really well. He's got the ear and words of an investigative journalist. His stories reach just behind the headlines to find interesting---almost fictional---characters because they are portrayed as protagonists in a bigger story. Starting with Wall Street in Liar's Poker, to baseball in Moneyball, to the internet in New New Thing, to high school football in this book. He cites figures, like how the left tackle is one of the highest paid positions in professional football. He...more

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Mar 16, 2009 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nf-favs, biography, sports, alex-award

Let me be clear: I am not a football fan. My motivation for reading this book is its consideration as mandatory summer reading this year. Set in Memphis, Tennessee, a city still racially polarized forty years after MLK’s assassination, The Blind Side works on multiple levels: as an explanation of the NFL’s growing reliance on QB passing as a game strategy and the need for the QB to be protected from injury(hence the development of offensive left guard) , an expose of college football recruiting...more

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Feb 05, 2009 Bookmarks Magazine added it · review of another edition

As in Moneyball (**** July/Aug 2003), which chronicled the strategies behind the Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane, Berkeley-based author Michael Lewis takes a personal look at a complicated game in his newest nonfiction extravaganza. Just as they embraced Moneyball, critics eagerly wrap their arms around The Blind Side. It's much more than a treatise on football; it's an exploration of the limits of conventional thinking and how strategic changes affect the value of quick-footed behemoths

...more

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Nov 29, 2008 Jonathan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Last week I finished reading Michael Lewis’ The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. From Wikipedia:

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game is a book by Michael Lewis released in 2006 about American football. It features two dominant storylines. The first is an examination of how offensive football strategy has evolved over the past three decades in large part due to Lawrence Taylor's arrival in the 1980s and how this evolution has placed an increased importance on the role of the left tackle. The secon...more

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May 09, 2013 Cj rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The nonfiction book I read for the fourth quarter was the "Blind Side" by Michael Lewis. The point of view of the story is third person. The purpose of this book is tell the story of Michael Oher, an African American teenage boy, who has had a troubled and sad childhood. Michael has little to no family to speak of and has never really had a place to call home.
The story develops as a classmate's parents takes an interest in Michael. They not only feeds him but also buys him clothes.
As the story...more

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May 08, 2013 Blake Bergmann added it · review of another edition

“The Blind Side” is a very inspirational book written by Michael Lewis. This book is about a kid named Michael Oher. He struggle in life and grew up in the worst part of town, but now he is a very well known name on the 2012 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Michael Lewis wrote this biography is to try to inspire the audience who reads this book.
The author’s purpose is to entertain the reader and share Mr. Oher’s life story. The theme is to never give up. It shows how you can be a “nobody”...more “The Blind Side” is a very inspirational book written by Michael Lewis. This book is about a kid named Michael Oher. He struggle in life and grew up in the worst part of town, but now he is a very well known name on the 2012 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Michael Lewis wrote this biography is to try to inspire the audience who reads this book.
The author’s purpose is to entertain the reader and share Mr. Oher’s life story. The theme is to never give up. It shows how you can be a “nobody” and have nothing, but hard work and passion for what you do can make you the best at that task.
The style of this book is narrative. It is telling about someone’s life. That person just happens to be Michael Oher. At first it is talking about how important the offensive tackle is. Lewis does this by talking about the play that ended Joe Theisman’s career. Then it talks about Oher’s life before he became a professional football player. They talk about how he grew up in the bad part of town. His mom was a drug addict. He had no dad because he was in prison. Oher was trying to leave that life and become great at what he is good at, which is football. Unlike the movie, Michael Oher always knew how to play football. Michael was a fan of most sports and excelled at all of them. He then was taking in by a family, the Tuohy’s. They let him grow up and finish high school there. Later on he became a great football star.
I liked the book because it told a very great and inspirational story of a man who started from the bottom but is now on top of the world. I liked that this book told the actually story of his life and not a made up one. I like the movie, but this book was way better because everything was true. I wouldn’t change a thing. Michael Lewis is a great writer and explained the life of Michael Oher so well. I actually have read books similar to it, like “Arnie and Jack” and “Yogi Berra.” Over all this book was very well put together and a book that you cannot put down.
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May 06, 2013 Brenan Oglesby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The Blind Side features two story lines, one traces the evolution of offensive football since the early 1980's specifically the way it reacted to the way Hall of Fame revolutionized the Outside Linebacker position was played. Thanks to Taylor's prowess at rushing the Quarterback, the Left Tackle(who protects the QB's blind side) quickly became one of the most important, and highest-paid positions on the football field.

The second storyline focuses on Michael Oher, who has all the psyical gifts t...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Jacqueline added it · review of another edition

The book “The Blind Side” by Michael Lewis was about a teenage boy who was found in the streets in badly conditions, by the name of Michael Oher who didn’t know much about himself or family. Michael was luckily found roaming around the streets by a caring family. Leigh Anne and her husband take the homeless teenager with the charge of giving him a new lifestyle with new people, and opportunities. They make the best out of him. Together they help him get good grades in school, overcome new things...more The book “The Blind Side” by Michael Lewis was about a teenage boy who was found in the streets in badly conditions, by the name of Michael Oher who didn’t know much about himself or family. Michael was luckily found roaming around the streets by a caring family. Leigh Anne and her husband take the homeless teenager with the charge of giving him a new lifestyle with new people, and opportunities. They make the best out of him. Together they help him get good grades in school, overcome new things and with Michael’s support and practices he qualified for an athletic scholarship. Michael Oher became an educated African-American football player. As a football player and student in school, Michael worked hard not to let the Touhys’ family down or his coches.
The Blind Side was a touching book to read, how Michael changed with his new family that were strangers to him at once but realized how much he loved and cared for them with all the sacrifice they did. They had nothing to lose by adopting someone who they had to raise and make him someone important in life because they proudly accomplished it. Leigh Anne was my favorite character in the movie, also known as Sandra Bullock because her personality touched me, with her amazing heart, and everything she did for Michael Oher to be successful. Knowing that The Blind Side was based on a true story makes me happy because Michael turned out to be very talented and also an intelligent young boy.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read nonfiction stories because its an outstanding story that everyone will enjoy to read just like i enjoyed reading it. Its very sentimental and amazing with the big hearts of the Touhys’ family. Sandra Bullock did a great job adapting the young homeless boy whom became the greatest quarterback that was his blind side. It’s an extraordinary amouress masterpiece filled with people with completely strong emotions and sympathy.
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Apr 05, 2013 Misael Castro rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was very interesting. it tells a story about Michael Oher who was not your ordinary boy. He grew up in a bad neighborhood without having his parents there by his side. he grew to be a very big guy. He didn't have the education or discipline he needed but he surely have other good qualities. His size was a very good quality and he also liked to play sports.
What i think made this book very sentimental was that Michael's whole train of though and life was changed by love. He was soon a...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Zac P. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the novel, The Blindside by Michael Lewis, a young African American boy is born in a large family and is one of thirteen kids barely raised by a crack and alcohol addicted mother and no father to be found anywhere in sight. The young man is one day taken in by one of his friend’s families but the mother eventually grows to hate the idea of always having him around and kicks him out of the house. Then he began going to a catholic school on a scholarship from the football head coach after seei...more In the novel, The Blindside by Michael Lewis, a young African American boy is born in a large family and is one of thirteen kids barely raised by a crack and alcohol addicted mother and no father to be found anywhere in sight. The young man is one day taken in by one of his friend’s families but the mother eventually grows to hate the idea of always having him around and kicks him out of the house. Then he began going to a catholic school on a scholarship from the football head coach after seeing his outstanding athletic ability for a man of his size and at first he really struggles in school considering that he’s never been to a school before. One day an all white Republican family sees Michael Oher walking home in the rain and they offer him to stay with him for the rest of the night which eventually turns into them adopting him. Michael grows up to be successful in school and as an athlete and ended up going to Ole Miss University for football as the blindside offensive tackle and then was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens to be there starting tackle in the NFL.
One character that I felt very strongly about was Michael himself. I felt very positive about Michael because we are both very athletic people and like to be involved in things. Also, Michael and I have very similar attitudes towards everything. Michael’s role in this story was the main character or the protagonist. As I said earlier I felt like I connected with Michael in our attitudes very much because we are tough, caring, loving, friendly, and we each have extremely hard work ethics and we always expect the best out of ourselves and always work 110% no matter what happens. Also, Michael is very courageous and brave and this really shows because he raised himself all through the first part of this story and just never gave up on anything and just lived with it. He never got jealous of how everyone else was living, he was just a young humble kid that was born into a screwed up or non healthy family in a hood like atmosphere that really wasn’t a hood kid at all and just wanted to leave the hood and be the nice kid like he knew he was in other places. Another way that I felt Michael and I connected was that we would always be friendly to others no matter what and if we see others being made fun of we would stick up for them whether wed be looked at differently or not because we both just know that it’s the right thing to do. Finally, I do believe that my reaction to Michael was just a personal response to the character and I don’t think that the author tried to make it easy for people to connect to Michael; it was just that you either connected to him or you didn’t.
I absolutely loved this book and I give extreme credit to Michael Lewis for finding this story about Michael and then getting permission to publish it in a novel. The author just went out and found a really good story to right about and he really nailed it, there wasn’t one thing in this book that I didn’t like and it was just an amazing novel that I could read and actually be interested in and connect to. I would recommend this book to anyone around the world whether you read a lot or only a little. It is worth the time that it takes to read and once you pick it up and start reading it’s very hard to put down. Any athlete would probably like this book more than the average person, especially football players, but it really is a book to read for all types of people around the world.
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Mar 13, 2013 Trevor Mack rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Trevor by: My Friends

I first discovered the story of Michael Oher when a couple of my buddies mentioned they had seen a movie about his life. I was also aware of him because he plays on my favorite NFL team, the Baltimore Ravens. The Blind Side is well recognized American success story, first as a book than as a movie. Like many, I watched the movie first, which made me even more curious about the book and learning Michael’s story in greater detail. Michael Lewis is a very popular contemporary author. While The Blin...more I first discovered the story of Michael Oher when a couple of my buddies mentioned they had seen a movie about his life. I was also aware of him because he plays on my favorite NFL team, the Baltimore Ravens. The Blind Side is well recognized American success story, first as a book than as a movie. Like many, I watched the movie first, which made me even more curious about the book and learning Michael’s story in greater detail. Michael Lewis is a very popular contemporary author. While The Blind Side is one of his most popular works, he also penned Money Ball, Liars Poker, and The Big Short. His stories seem to follow an interesting theme; take a popular subject such as football, baseball, or business, and look at it from a unique angle. In the case of The Blind Side, Lewis tells a football story that is also a very personal journey. I found Michael’s story to be both heartbreaking and motivating. Even though football is a central aspect of the book, it’s the story of Michael’s life and obstacles he overcame which I found most compelling.
Michael’s journey begins in the housing projects of Memphis, Tennessee. He doesn’t know his natural father and his mother is a drug addict. In short, his life consists of extreme poverty and day-to-day inconsistency. Everything changes when Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy take Michael under their wing. Michael soon becomes part of the family and starts to turn his life around. He begins to play football and is an incredible natural talent. In addition, his grades improve. Much of this personal turnaround can be attributed to the environment his new “family” provides. Once success and notoriety enter the picture, old “friends” from the project seek out Michael and want to re-enter his life. On top of this reporters start to believe the only reason the family accepted Michael was because they knew he would make it big in sports. This makes him revaluate everything. Where does the story go from here? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
The Blind Side is many things: it’s one part biography, focusing on the underdog who makes good, all wrapped-up in the world of football. A story of this nature has very broad appeal. Even if the reader is not a football fan, Michael’s story transcends the sport. The arc his life takes and where it will go is the true story being conveyed. Certainly football is key component of the book, but I consider this a biography and human interest story first.
As a biography, it’s an exceptional piece of work. It’s not the typical rehash of a person’s life which can often be dry or overly factual. Lewis describes Michael’s life as an interesting story. He goes into subtle detail which helps the reader “feel” the depth of Michael’s impoverished upbringing, the love between himself and the Tuohy’s, and his uncertainty once he achieves athletic success. If the story had been written as a strictly factual account of Michael’s life it would not have been as compelling to read. Lewis is to be commended for developing the book in a story driven fashion. The Blind Side reads like a good fiction book, but it’s a non-fiction story.
The vast majority of books we have read this year have been works of fiction. Most have been very good. However, I feel that the quality of The Blind Side rivals any work of fiction. For those that enjoy a story of achievement and beating the odds, I highly recommend this book. From a narrative standpoint, universal themes such as love, despair, hope, success, and trust are incorporated throughout. Ultimately, it’s an inspiring story geared to a wide audience. Overall an outstanding read.
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Mar 13, 2013 Pamela Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Admittedly, I read the book after seeing the movie because I had no idea Michael Lewis had already written about it. I'm obsessed with football, and loved the film, so it seemed like a great fit. I was certainly not disappointed, Michael Lewis is an amazing writer that goes to great detail in painting a clear picture in your head. Within the first few pages, I felt the pandamonium in the stadium, the beads of sweat down my face, and the intrepidation in my blood.

I was pleasantly surprised to dis...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Bayush Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Bayush Smith
EnglishIII
Mr.James
3/2/2013
The Blind side by Michael Lewis is about a young man named Michael Oher. Michaels father left home when Michael was too young to notice who he was. His mom was not taking good care of him since she was addicted to drugs. The state took Michael away from his mother, so he grew up as an orphan.
Tony, one of the workers at Briarcrest Christian School, introduced Michael to the principal of that school. Tony told the principal and teachers how Michael is poor and...more Bayush Smith
EnglishIII
Mr.James
3/2/2013
The Blind side by Michael Lewis is about a young man named Michael Oher. Michaels father left home when Michael was too young to notice who he was. His mom was not taking good care of him since she was addicted to drugs. The state took Michael away from his mother, so he grew up as an orphan.
Tony, one of the workers at Briarcrest Christian School, introduced Michael to the principal of that school. Tony told the principal and teachers how Michael is poor and, how he grew up without his father and how he was taken away from his mother. Tony also told them how Michael was behind in school and how his grades were bad. Tony told the coach that Michael was a very good basketball player and how he could help the school out on the court.
As a result of Tonys conversations, the six foot five inch, 344-pound young man started school and was getting help from the teachers. He had to keep up with his work and learn how to solve problems by himself. Michael played basketball and competed in track events for the school. When Michael saw the strategies the athletes used, he was unsure about them at first, but later, he started to learn them quickly. He started making friends, especially with the Tuohy family, with whom he was staying.
The football coach saw how Michael was as an athlete and wanted him to play for him also. Michael was not sure how to play football but he learned as he went. He had some hard times but Michael was mostly positive. Michael started football by being a defensive tackle because of his speed. Michael practiced very hard and listened to his coachs’ advice. Michael's team started winning games and made the game fun to watch.
Michael went from having no father to having a family that cared for him very much. He also changed from not knowing how to play football to many colleges wanting him to play for them. He became part of the Tuohy family and his life is now full of hope and happiness. Michael got a scholarship to play football for “Ole Miss” which is the family’s favorite college. Michael did great in everything he did, but one of his weakest sides was studying, which later he also became very good at. Michael did survive hard times and now is playing for the Baltimore Ravens.
I like his story because it teaches one never to give up on life and to keep fighting the troubles you face. I learned a lot from this story; not to judge people because of where they came from, or because how their life used to be. Michaels story keeps me going, letting me know that hard work counts. It will feel great to accomplish something and to say that I did not do it by myself but with God’s help. Don’t ever give up: look at life in a positive way instead of looking at it in a negative way.
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Feb 27, 2013 Brant Bolling rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

I recently read the book The Blind Side; I thought it was one of the best nonfiction books I read. It was not only a great sports story; it was a great story about a great comeback. Michel Oher was one of thirteen kids. He was raise by his drunken mother. One day Michel was walking down the sidewalk with no place to go and a rich generous family brought him home. When Michel arrived at the Tuohny household he slept on the couch with very few words. When Michael went to school he tried out for th...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Matt Endres rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Blind side is a biography on Michael Oher a young black homeless male living on the streets of Memphis, Tennessee and his journey on the way to becoming a pro football player.It is written by Michael Lewis. I was first attracted to the book because I also play football and am going to play in college so it seemed like something I could relate to when reading it. When i started I didn't think I would finish because that's what happens when I read most books, but as I read more and more I just...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Jared kunz marked it as to-read · review of another edition

This book helped me understand that school is important and family is important, Michael Oher has gone through a lot as a child and student, His mother was a drug addict and he was homeless and missed out on a lot of school. Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy took him and helped him with his education and found out the Michael wants to play football and Leigh Anne did everything possible to help him, she got him enrolled into a private school with her two children and got Michael a private tutor to help...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Kevin Perry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Michael Lewis purpose in writing his book, The Blind Side, is to let his audience know that no matter what you going through in life you still can accomplish to become successful. The Blind Side a book offers its readers inspiration and encouragement. It teachers us when times get hard, never give up. The Blind Side is inspirational. The different types of encouragement shown in the book will hold a lasting value in the world of literature.

The Blind side is outstandingly well written. This stor...more Michael Lewis purpose in writing his book, The Blind Side, is to let his audience know that no matter what you going through in life you still can accomplish to become successful. The Blind Side a book offers its readers inspiration and encouragement. It teachers us when times get hard, never give up. The Blind Side is inspirational. The different types of encouragement shown in the book will hold a lasting value in the world of literature.

The Blind side is outstandingly well written. This story is easy to understand because I can relate to similar situations in the book. This book has wide-range of vocabulary which to learn from. The author also provides understanding advice that can be appeal to any audience in a clear and exceptional way. For example, Lemming was a person who can relate to Michael going through a struggle and wanted to help him “Lemming tried to reach the kid by phone “(Lewis 41). Lewis has a way of getting his ideas across in relatable way.

This book was amazingly captivating. The astonishing story told in the book is different from any other story ever written or told in literature to date. The reader will feel where the author is coming from; understanding the pain and joy in the story. The book interferes with the reader’s heart and emotion. It forces the reader to reflect on his /her life in only a momentary period of time. The book “The Blind Side “is full of disturbance but happiness. This book fulfills necessary mixture to form an incredible, inspiring story.

The greatest strengths of the book, The Blind Side, are that it is told in an indescribable way. Yes it’s interesting and good to read books like the Next Man Up: A Year behind the Lines in Today’s NFL and Fridays Night Lights: A Town, a Team, a Dream, but neither of these books realistically relates to people emotions like The Blind Side. This is exemplified when the main character explains what he went through with his family saying, “Michael Oher had been enrolled in eleven different institutions , and that included a hole of eighteen months , around the age of ten , when he apparently did not attend school at all”( Lewis 52). The greatest weakness of the book is the beginning of the book; it’s so sad and hard to believe. I would really recommend this book to men and women of all ages. It has helped me look at life at a whole another perspective; positively and gave me inspiration. I know it will have the same effect on other readers.

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About Michael Lewis

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Michael Lewis attended Princeton University where he received a BA in art history in 1982. He also received a masters degree in economics from the London School of Economics in 1985.

He went on to work with New York art dealer Wildenstein, and then became a bond salesman at...more

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“He was ignorant, but a lot of people mistook ignorance for stupidity, and knowingness for intelligence.” — 5 people liked it

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