Only the Strong Survive: The Odyssey of Allen Iverson

by Larry Platt

Book Overview

Part sports star, part antihero, part hip-hop icon, Allen Iverson has managed to cross over into the mainstream of American culture -- without compromise. Defiantly tattooed, with his hair in cornrows, the six-foot Philadelphia 76ers point guard is one of the most recognizable and controversial stars of the sports world. His meteoric rise from a troubled childhood in the ghetto to NBA superstardom has been marked by five straight playoff appearances,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060097744
• ISBN13: 9780060097745
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: It Books
• Length: 262 Pages
• Weight: 0.98 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

He shoots........he scores...........

Only the Strong Survive: The Odyssey of Allen Iverson by Larry Platt Allen Iverson grew up a poor child in the streets of Hampton and Newport News, Virginia. Although this was a place of many hardships for him, it was also the place where his talent that would eventually make him rich started. The young Iverson loved to play football, often going against much bigger kids as if it was nothing. He possessed a great toughness that allowed him to be hit over and over again and still come back as if nothing had happened. However, one day coming back from playing football, Allen's mother told him to get ready for basketball practice. He seemed outraged; "Basketball is for sissy's" he told Ann, but she forced him to go anyway. Allen cried the whole way to practice; little did he know it was the greatest thing that could have ever happened to him. Allen Iverson was a great athlete as a kid and still is today. His talent in sports is definitely his claim to fame. Without it he might still be on poor on the streets now like he was as a kid. His life changed completely the day after he decided to enter the NBA Draft and leave Georgetown University behind. Taken as the first pick of the 76ers in 1996, Iverson instantly became one of the top players in the league. However, even though he was one of the most respected players on the court, he was the least off it. Many people disapproved of his gangster looks and the way he carried himself outside the gym. Nevertheless, fans of the NBA eventually fell in love with not only Iverson's play, but also the person himself. Although he is an incredible player, Iverson has yet to win a championship; his closest chance came in the NBA Finals of 2001 when the 76ers lost to the Lakers in 5 games of a best-of-7 series. He's still playing strong in the NBA today and living a wealthy and happy life. This book was very elaborate. The author used a lot of memories as examples from Iverson's life as if they were his own. He also used various statistics from Iverson sports career to describe the way he played, telling you that he really did his research. In addition, the book was very dramatic seeing as Iverson had a very dramatic life story. The only thing that brought down the overall enjoyment of reading the book was the author repeatedly playing the race card. It seemed like almost every time Iverson had some sort of problem Platt would write something like, "they were against him because of the color of his skin", or something similar. Nonetheless, Only the Strong Survive should still be an interesting read for anyone of any race, especially basketball fans. I'd recommend it to anyone who hasn't had the chance to pick it up yet. There can never be a great biography without great amounts of detail and it's easy to say that this was a great one. The author used a lot of Allen's major life occurrences in order to let the reader truly get to know his background. For example, the author wrote about the time wh

Behold Iverson, the human being.

As a young Caucasian man, I would never claim to understand Allen Iverson's meteoric rise from a dilapidated home in Newport News to the sparkling arenas of the NBA. Surely Iverson, his unique talent notwithstanding, has faced and cleared obstacles I cannot even fathom, obstacles to which so many have succumb. No, it is only those dominated by arrogance and pride who write off Allen Iverson as a thug, a threat, a disaster, a "them." Having read this book, though, I am content to trade whatever pride and arrogance I have for a new vision of Allen Iverson that transcends the "worst days" his critics are so quick to cite.This book is looking for Iverson's core, digging deeper than Sportscenter highlight reels and police blotters. A careful reading reveals that there is more to Allen Iverson than cornrows, tattoos, snarls, and jumpers, even while each of these points to the man behind them. Indeed, if one wants to know anything of Allen Iverson, this book leaves you with one thought: no one loves like this man.Iverson loves the game others claim he is destroying. Only love could score 20 points with a broken hand. More than that, Iverson loves his friends and family. So many have denigrated his "posse" as a distraction or a poor influence. This book, though, tells of a shared concern and loyalty between Iverson and his friends that existed long before the NBA millions and will surely survive his withdrawal from the spotlight. The importance of this love to Iverson's life cannot be overstated, but that's not the story you'll read in any newspaper.You will find that passion in the pages of Larry Platt's book, and it is a passion with which everyone can sympathize. I do not know Allen Iverson. I know only what I could pull out of this book. Still, I know enough to declare that there are shades of Iverson we all could do well to find within ourselves. Far from painting Iverson as a model citizen, Platt's book does the next best thing: it paints him as a human being. For that reason, it is a worthy read.

A Book About Inspiration

Here I was walking up and down the aisle in the book store looking for an interesting book to read and then my eyes fell on this Allen Iverson book. Since I'm a fan of Allen I decided to get it knowing I wasnt gonna to read it cause I believed I knew everything there was to know about him. So that night I was bored, grabbed the book, and started to read. And I was amazed at what I read.This book is not just about Allen Iverson and his trials and tribulations its about inspiration. If you only believe you can achieve. Not only is Allen an amazing athlete he is an amazing person at that. This book is about believing in yourself and to never give up for when you fall just pick yourself up, dust your self off, and try again. This book is not just about Allen Iverson and his trials and tribulastions its about inspiration.

Awesome

I have been a fan of Allen Iverson for sometime. This book gave me a great insight of Allen's past and his present. I found out many different details of allen iverson that i was unaware of. I look at allen iverson in a whole different way beacause of reading this book.

BEST PLAYER EVER

This book is a really great book on "the answer". It has alot of history of how he grew up,and has been through so many obstacles in his life.Even if you don't like him read this book and your whole perspective will change about the guy.Just for putting his heart and alot of dedication into not becoming another statistic of a young black man trying to make it out of the hood.He also has alot of respect for his family and friends and kept it real with them throughout.All i can say is read this book it's just that good.CRU THICK FOREVER!