Got To Give The People What They Want: True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court

Published: October 6th 2015 By: Crown Archetype Author: Jalen Rose

Genres: Memoir, Autobiography, Non-Fiction, Sports & Games, Family

Format: Hardcover Source: Publisher My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble

Jalen Rose has never been quiet.  Not as a kid growing up in Detroit in the 70’s and 80’s.  Not as the brash, trash-talking leader of the legendary “Fab Five” at the University of Michigan.  Not as the player under the stewardship of Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas and others throughout his 13-year NBA career.  And certainly not as a commentator and analyst on ABC/ESPN and Grantland.

In Got to Give the People What They Want, no topic is off limits.

Honest, unfiltered, unbiased.  Raw, refreshing, real.  This colorful collection of stories and opinions about basketball and life gives people the kind of insight and understanding they don’t get anywhere else in the sports world.

 

---

 

REVIEW

When this book showed up in my mailbox, the first thing I said to myself was, long ass title. Then, I thought about my crazy crush on Rose when I was a teen; yeah it was crazy because I despised basketball, despite my tomboyish behavior during my preteen years. I can’t remember the first time I saw Jalen on television, but I remember swooning to death when I saw him. To this day, I still swoon when I see him. So, yeah, reading his book was a must for me. 

This book isn’t just basketball. In fact, it’s more life lessons, funny stories, family, love, and hardships. You can’t appreciate the good in life, until you have experienced the bad. Jalen didn’t leave anything out. There are parts that will make you cringe, and you will disagree with topics of discussion. If so, the man did his job. What I love about Jalen’s life and everything that he went through, is that he never let it hold him back. He turned lemons into lemonade. Made the doubtful, speechless. 

I love the photos that are added to this memoir. From his philanthropy and family, to his friendships with fellow players and his coaches; I love them all. This book couldn’t have come at a perfect time. I’m gifting my brother a copy for Christmas, since he loves all things sports. You don’t have to like basketball to read this. There is more to Jalen than that ball, so if you are having doubts about reading it, go for it. He talks about everything, and some of it is funny. Then, there are life changing moments for him, and you can feel the emotions coming off the pages. I’ll even spoil one for you, so that you will pick up this book. Did you know that he almost drowned as a kid, and that his uncle saved him? See, you want to read it now, don’t you?

You will not agree with everything he says, and there will definitely be a lot of people who can’t relate to the way that he grew up. I love how each story he tells, jumps into another one with ease. Everything connects, and it’s like reading an anthology with lots of little stories that make one big story. Which is true, because this memoir makes up Jalen Rose. Point blank period. I have more respect for him than I did before. And yes, I am still swooning over him. I definitely recommend reading this book. You want some good stories and topics of discussion, this book gives it to you.