Dan Nitro Clark

There seems to be a plethora of steroid books coming out on the market and still more being pitched. bpinvsm3kw  I’m not sure how I feel about the new book about A-Rod coming out: “A-Rod – The Many Lives of Alex Rodriquez.”  I’ll probably get it because I’m curious — but these unauthorized biographies are always to get a handle on how much is actually true.  Since A-Rod didn’t contribute at all — I’m always a little bit skeptical.  The bigger question is…  does anyone actually care?  I care.  A little.  I’ve purchased the book on Amazon.  

When I read a book it’s always about the “take-away” experience.  Meaning – what useful information can I learn by reading the book.  It doesn’t have to be about making me a better person — it’s often a reflection or a clue to who I am — or sometimes it’s just a great freakin’ ride that’s exhilarating and makes your heart pump.  Other times books take me into a new world, show me things I didn’t  know before.   There’s so many reasons to read. 

I believe m y book Gladiator: A True Story of ‘Roids, Rage and Redemption fulfills many of the criteria above.   Yes, it’s an honest look at steroids, both the great and the horrific.  But most of all it’s…   Well, I tell you why my friend thinks people should read the book:

Because it is, at its heart, a coming-of-age story.  It is an honest and compelling look at what it means to be a man learning how to be a father when his own father let him down.

Because it is a story about survival—emotional survival and physical survival and spiritual survival.  It is a journey of self-discovery that’s filtered through the prism of celebrity. 

Because it is a riveting read that has a conscience at its core—a call to arms that should galvanize parents and alert them to the dangers of steroids, even at the high school level of sports. 

Because it is a “triumph of the human spirit” story, a real life saga—as the title suggests—of ‘roids, rage and redemption.  It’s about forgiveness and hope and the will to change when life is not working.

And finally, because it is a book that captures emotion in the raw—a book that will make you cry and a book that will make you laugh.  But more than anything, it is a book that will make you feel.

And yep, you got it.  She’s a female.  I ecstatic that women are loving and getting this book as much as the males are.  It’s been the most surprising and unexpected thing about the entire book!

    Amazon.com is the 800 pound guerilla. GRRR!  Hear them roar! I just had a few people email me letting me know they’ve already received their books!  A couple things I find that are absolutely amazing about this.  Firstly, how in the hell does Amazon get their books so early???  WTF!  GLADIATOR isn’t available in stores until Feb 9th.  Secondly, I had a couple people hit my up on my MySpace and Facebook page and told me the devoured the entire book in one night.  That just blows me away!  It’s been such a long journey.  It’s hard to believe that I’ve gone from Nitro and spandex to author.  It’s still really hasn’t settled in.

I’m finding hands down favorite chapter for the guys:  ”Playboy Bunnies, Porn Strippers and Strippers.”  I thought that just as a matter of course… all men kinda went through this phase and experienced this.  I guess not. 

Favorite chapter for the women?  That’s a tough one.  So far astonishingly they seem to LOVE the ENTIRE BOOK (well maybe except for the men’s favorite chapter).  They love the rawness, candidness, the emotionality, and the unflinchingly honest peek behind the veil into a man’s mind and heart.  They love how unabashedly personal the book is.  And, that my friends, pretty much encapsulates the differences between the sexes.  And of course, this is just a generality.  There’s plenty of dude out there (including me) who can roll a tear. 

Above all else — the early readers are telling me that’s it so much more than a book about Gladiators.  It’s a book about a human life that Gladiators and steroids were a part of.  Ugh!  It really feels like I’m selling here.  But I’m not.  I’m just relaying what folks are saying to me.  Hell, after you read, chime in here and let me know what you think.  And once again, here is an excerpt from the book to get you started, so you can see what the hell I’m talking about!

Click here to read an excerpt.

Also (nearly forgot) here’s a little mention in: TIME Magazine.  Click here to see how it actually appeared in the print version.