Beyond Belief, Finding the Strength to Bounce Back

Beyond Belief, Finding The Strength to Come Back by Josh Hamilton with Time Keown; 2008; Faith Works, New York, NY; 256 pages; 978-1-59995-161-4; 2/18/09-2/20/09

This is one of the best autobiographies I have read in awhile. I would put in my top three autobiographies, Charlton Heston, Roddy Piper and Josh Hamilton. These are books that are like sitting down with the authors and sharing stories with them over a cup of coffee. Josh Hamilton was a pheom at age 6, being advanced to a higher age league cause he was so good. He was playing with 11 and 12 year old at 6. He was the BMOC on campus in high school being stopped between classes his senior year to sign autographs. He was drafted first by the Tampa Bay Rays and signed for a $4 million bonus. He was a close knit family who always took care of one another, his parents even lived with him when he started his minor league career. After awhile they moved home and Josh started hanging out in some strange places, getting multiple tattoos. He had never even had a drink before this but now began drinking, then moved on to cocaine, and finally to crack. He was an addict who did not want to acknowledge his addiction even when confronted with positive tests. He was confronted with his addiction and turned to Jesus Christ and through his relationship with him he was able to make a comeback, first as a man, husband, father, son, friend and finally as a ballplayer. The Reds claimed him in the Rule 5 draft and then after a season traded him to the Rangers to bolster there pitching. Then he put on a hitting performance at last years’ Home Run Derby. This is a great book that I have learned a lot from. RRRR