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Captain for Life: My Story as a Hall of Fame Linebacker
A unique and powerful personal tale about the great joy and devastating price of playing professional football, by a legendary former NFL linebacker One of the greatest linebackers to ever play professional football, Harry Carson built a reputation during his 13 years in the NFL as a fearsome, physical and passionate player who would give everything he had to win. Whether violently tackling running backs, engaging blockers with reckless abandon or ferociously attacking the line of scrimmage, Carson will always be remembered as having played the game the way it's meant to be played--all out.For the first time ever, this legendary athlete takes readers on an unlikely journey to the NFL that began in the small town of Florence, South Carolina to his days at little known South Carolina State University--and then the bright lights of professional football in New York, playing for the Giants. Carson's story of his life as a football player and after his retirement is more powerful and eye-opening than any that's come before.Within these pages, Carson reveals the startling truth behind the sacrifices these great warriors make for our entertainment, the thrill of stepping onto a field with 80,000 fans screaming your name, and the debilitating physical and mental toll this violent and uncompromising game takes. With insight into some of the game's biggest stars, from Lawrence Taylor to Bill Parcells to Phil Simms this book is a must for any NFL fan.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 2, 2021
At the end of the day, Captain for Life was a candid look at Harry Carson's life on and off the football field from 1953 to 2011.
If you picked up this book and wanted to get a year by year discussion of his 13-year career as a member of the New York Giants, then you will be disappointed. But then again, Carson had more on his mind than playing football which you will clearly see when you read this book.
I think if any teenager or 20-something wants to consider a career in football or they merely want to play the game for a few years, then they need to read this book. Because football isn't for everybody. You have to be mentally and physically tough to play football even on the Pop Warner level, or you won't last long in the game.
Pros of this book: Carson was really candid and straight forward about his life on and off the gridiron; which included him really gong in on the NFL administration as far as how they handle retired and current NFL players. And much of the stuff he said on that subject needed to be put in print.
Cons of this book: Carson had a Hall of Fame 13-year career for the Giants, but he wasn't really interested in discussing that career in length in this book. He talked more about Lawrence Taylor and his other Giants teammates than he did his own career it seemed.
In conclusion, Captain for Life was a good book on a man who knew there was more to life than football. But playing football was his calling, so he answered that call all the way up until 1988.
If you picked up this book and wanted to get a year by year discussion of his 13-year career as a member of the New York Giants, then you will be disappointed. But then again, Carson had more on his mind than playing football which you will clearly see when you read this book.
I think if any teenager or 20-something wants to consider a career in football or they merely want to play the game for a few years, then they need to read this book. Because football isn't for everybody. You have to be mentally and physically tough to play football even on the Pop Warner level, or you won't last long in the game.
Pros of this book: Carson was really candid and straight forward about his life on and off the gridiron; which included him really gong in on the NFL administration as far as how they handle retired and current NFL players. And much of the stuff he said on that subject needed to be put in print.
Cons of this book: Carson had a Hall of Fame 13-year career for the Giants, but he wasn't really interested in discussing that career in length in this book. He talked more about Lawrence Taylor and his other Giants teammates than he did his own career it seemed.
In conclusion, Captain for Life was a good book on a man who knew there was more to life than football. But playing football was his calling, so he answered that call all the way up until 1988.
January 7, 2018
Picked this book up from a curbside library. never got around to reading it.
February 4, 2018
Great bio. Great insight into brain injury side of the game.
October 10, 2023
This was an honest and very eye-opening look into his life and the struggles of playing football at different levels.
August 15, 2013
As I was born in the early 80's, my memories of Carson's playing career are hazy at best. Still, as a lifelong Giants fan, I felt compelled to read this book. Carson is forever linked with the Giants and is something of an icon for their "glory years" in the mid-to-late eighties.
The book is a compelling look at Carson's life (as told by Carson) focusing on the theme of leadership. Carson points out how, t nearly every stage of his life, he tended to step forth and lead (often by example) whether he intended to or not. Never one to shy away from a tough choice, Carson's commitment to living as well as he could and to do as well as he could shine through the narrative of his life.
I will say I felt the final two chapters were very disjointed. In them, Carson discusses his trials and tribulations with Hall of Fame candidacy, his involvement with traumatic brain injury causes, and his overall perspective on life and the lessons it has taught him. Despite what I imagine are his better intentions, Carson is unable to integrate these concepts into a larger narrative without flaw. At times he subjugates one subject in favor of another, sidetracking his own story. The end result is jumbled and a bit "preachy." I would liken it to hearing a graduation speech from a political figure only to have the speech end with some active campaigning.
Discounting the inconsistencies of the final two chapters, I would consider this book a good read for a Giants fan, a Harry Carson fan, a football fan, or anyone interested in a unique autobiography.
The book is a compelling look at Carson's life (as told by Carson) focusing on the theme of leadership. Carson points out how, t nearly every stage of his life, he tended to step forth and lead (often by example) whether he intended to or not. Never one to shy away from a tough choice, Carson's commitment to living as well as he could and to do as well as he could shine through the narrative of his life.
I will say I felt the final two chapters were very disjointed. In them, Carson discusses his trials and tribulations with Hall of Fame candidacy, his involvement with traumatic brain injury causes, and his overall perspective on life and the lessons it has taught him. Despite what I imagine are his better intentions, Carson is unable to integrate these concepts into a larger narrative without flaw. At times he subjugates one subject in favor of another, sidetracking his own story. The end result is jumbled and a bit "preachy." I would liken it to hearing a graduation speech from a political figure only to have the speech end with some active campaigning.
Discounting the inconsistencies of the final two chapters, I would consider this book a good read for a Giants fan, a Harry Carson fan, a football fan, or anyone interested in a unique autobiography.
March 16, 2016
Carson's story is an important one given what all we're learning about repetitive head injuries, even mild ones. For someone who's played rugby for years and not necessarily paid a great deal of attention to the NFL, I still found the story fascinating and enjoyed getting to know Carson a little bit better through both what he portrayed on the field and off.
October 1, 2012
I know Harry personally and couldn't wait to read his book. Very interesting to get some inside on what it takes to be a pro football player and the price you pay. Opens your eyes to all the hidden dangers playing this American favorite past time game.
June 28, 2014
Decent book
Good book. He didn't talk a whole lot about his personal life. A lot of talk about football but, seems like he zoomed through the seasons.
Good book. He didn't talk a whole lot about his personal life. A lot of talk about football but, seems like he zoomed through the seasons.
November 10, 2016
It was very interesting. I was a little surprised on how the Giants treated Harry at the end of his career.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews