Title/Author:
“Doc: A Memoir” by Dwight
Gooden and Ellis Henican, narrated by J.D. Jackson
Tags:
Baseball, professional,
autobiography, Mets, Yankees, drugs, audiobook
Publish date:
June 4, 2013
Length:
304 pages
Rating:
5 of 5 stars (outstanding)
Review:
By all accounts, Dwight
“Doc” Gooden should have been riding atop the world of baseball in late October
1986. He was one of the most dominant pitchers in the game and he was the ace
of the pitching staff for the New York Mets, who had just won the World Series
in a tense seven game series. But instead of getting ready for a parade to
celebrate the championship, he was in the low-income housing area getting high
on drugs.
That is the beginning
of this brutally honest memoir in which Gooden opens himself up about all of
his substance abuse problems and how they affected his personal and
professional life. This is not a happy book to read or listen to – at times it
is very painful to hear what these substances have done to the man. The text and the narration bring this all to
life for the reader or listener and it is easy to get mad at Gooden for living
this type of life.
While the book
concentrates more on Gooden’s battle with addiction, there is a good deal of
baseball stories as well. They are not as deep or humorous as many other
memoirs and biographies of baseball players. Indeed, there seems to be a
condition attached to each teammate remembered. Gooden got along great with
Keith Hernandez – but they would often have beers together. Darryl Strawberry was always linked with Doc –
but that friendship turned out to be anything but cordial. Those are just two
of the many people who Doc believes either hurt him or he hurt with his battle
against addiction.
The road to recovery
for Gooden is long, takes many turns including appearing on the reality show “Celebrity
Rehab” and is painful. This is reflected in both the words and the narration
and that is why this particular memoir was moving. Instead of reflecting on his baseball success
and failure, Gooden realizes at this point in his life what he needs to do to
not only stay clean but to be a good father for his seven children and be the
man that he believes he can be.
Mets and Yankee fans
who remember Gooden’s pitching and subsequent substance abuse problems will
enjoy this book to see the recovery process Gooden had succeeded with to that
point when the book was written. Others who wish to read about success after
substance abuse will also want to read this excellent memoir.
Book Format Read
Audiobook
Buying links:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/doc-dwight-gooden/1112318721?ean=9780544027022
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