The Life You Imagine Signed, Autographed By Derek Jeter

by Derek Jeter

Great chance to own a piece of Baseball history.

Genres: Sports, Baseball, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Biography Memoir

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Deacon Tom F. (Recovering from a big heart attack) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, especially for youth. The guidelines he lays out are for everyone.

[Caden Bernardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was good. It explained how Derek Jeter really followed his dreams and started his passion at a young age. I think the main character strength that stood out to me was Purpose. Derek did everything in his life with a purpose, so he could one day accomplish his biggest goals. By working hard with purpose, he was able to be a star player in the MLB.

[Brian W · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Life You Imagine: Lessons for Achieving Your Dreams by Derek Jeter
Published by Broadway Books in New York in 2000.
Genre: Autobiography
Recommended Age: all ages

In this novel, Derek Jeter tells the readers how they can go out and accomplish their dreams. Derek Jeter writes about his life and all the hard work he put into achieving his dream of being a professional baseball player. He gives the readers simple steps he used to reach his goals that we can also use to reach our goals. The book tells the readers the people we should go to for help and support and what actions will further help us get closer to achieving our dreams. This book focuses on Derek Jeter’s life and what he did in certain situations to pursue his dreams. He then uses these situations as teaching points to help us learn for when we encounter these situations.
I really enjoyed this book for so many reasons. I have always been a huge Yankees fan and loved Derek Jeter, so it was fun learning more about him. Not only was it fun learning about Jeter’s life, but the book also inspires the readers to accomplish their dreams. Reading this book, you will learn all the simple steps you need to take to achieve your dreams. You will read about situations in Derek’s life that you can relate to and learn how to handle. This novel provides a lot of imagery the readers can use to see what Derek Jeter was actually doing and feeling at the time. The biggest strength of this book is it allows you to envision the dreams you have and what steps you will need to take in order to reach them. I loved reading this book and learning more about how to achieve my dreams like Jeter did, and I’m sure you will also love doing the same.
This novel was very interesting and inspiring. Derek Jeter really helps the readers learn how to accomplish their dreams and get further in life. The steps he provides are so simple and easy that anyone can use them to reach their goals as Derek Jeter did.

[Stephen McNett · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok book.
Definitely written for a younger audience. I felt that most chapters dragged on after the point.
Loved hearing about the work DJ put in to get where he was trying to go.

[Sean Gardocki · Rating 4 out of 5]

How far would you go to achieve excellence? How hard would you push yourself so that you are standing alone on top hovering over everyone knowing you earned your way here with all the hours you put into completing this goal.

Derek Jeter was just an ordinary boy who dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player one day like most kids would. But Derek wasn’t just dreaming this he strived for this, expected this. Derek was always a good baseball player his whole life. Always practicing to achieve his goal and become a dominant baseball player. As he got older he got better and better because of all the long hours of hard work he put into this game. Jack Curry who wrote this book really captured what Jeter was trying to say throughout his life. I think that he really summed up the message Derek Jeter is trying to show people in this book very well.

Derek Jeter may not be the world’s most famous ball player, or be the highest paid athlete but one thing is for sure, if you work as hard as this man you will achieve whatever you lay your eyes on . In my eyes Derek Jeter is one of the most influential athletes to look upon as your role model, on and off the field.

This book showed many themes in it. Some of these themes were hatred,joy,loss,respect,honesty,determination,regret, and most of all love. Derek showed respect most when he was talking or with his parents because he understood what they’ve done for him and he knows what he must do to respect them whether it is following the agreement they made or from going to them for help. Loss, Derek had some tough times in his life whether it was from leaving his family to go play baseball or from the passing of his very close, respected, and most of all loved grandfather. But Derek fought through the loss because he knew what his grandfather wanted him to do and that was to accomplish his
dreams.

Love is the one thing that kept him moving through his career in baseball. He loved four things in his life and that was God, family, friends, and baseball. These are what kept him from quitting or giving up hope. All the practice that he put in would not go to waste. His loved ones were with him everyday pushing him to the limit so that one day they can say that he accomplished what other people doubted and that was to play baseball for the Yankees. This is all significant to our day in age because everyone its trying to complete there goals whether its getting good grades, a good job, being a good person, or whatever it is the point is that you have to give it your all and have no regrets and hopefully be happy with the outcome.

[Andrew Marotta · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Book The Life You Imagine By Derek Jeter a biography, a story of a Young man with a big dream is told. Derek Jeter the author and main character of the book talks about life in general and gives many helpful tips on how to get through it and be more successful. Derek talks about how his life was hard in the beginning and how he fought through to get what he wanted. Derek had a dream of playing Professional Baseball and he tells us his story on how he is going to do it.
Derek Jeter walked into his parent’s bedroom at eight years old and proudly announced that he was going to play Major league Baseball for the New York Yankees. Derek’s parents told him what any parent would, and that was you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. From this day on Derek tells us about how he went from a little kid to possibly stepping on a major league diamond. Derek was the best player on his high school team and after his successful high school career he graduated and went straight from Kalamazoo to a minor league baseball team up in New York. Derek told us things about setting your goals high and dealing with growing pains and even things about listening to everything you are told. Derek goes on throughout his story telling us helpful things on how to be successful. Derek got a call one day after one of his minor league games from someone really important and special that Derek has been waiting to talk to his whole life. This man’s words are going to change Derek’s life forever.
I loved this book about Derek Jeter, he is one of the people in the world that I look up to, and also he is my favorite baseball player. I loved how many tips Derek gave in this book and I loved his whole story on how he worked hard and never gave up. I enjoyed reading this book and learning things from Derek Jeter. I plan on trying to be just as successful as him.

[Payton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Derek Jeter, I believe the way he carried himself on and off the field was commendable. I am a bigger fan of him after reading this book. however, with this being said I gave this book only three stars. his was for a couple reasons. I personally felt that the book was written at a lower level than what I read at, so if I had read it earlier in my life I might have enjoyed it more. My second reason for giving the book three stars was because I found it extremely repetitive. I believe this was due to the fact that he was trying to make his points more memorable but it was a little much for me. With that being said I did enjoy certain parts of the book and did learn from reading the book.

[Brit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the Yankees so i figured i would read about some of the players. It was an okay book but it seemed to drag at points. It was very detailed but it seemed to drag at some points. the pictures in the book were really cute. this book really shows how dedicated Derek Jeter is to the Yankees, and his love for the game of baseball.

[Michael Basile · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and idea, but wasn't into the writing. I felt bored at times and seemed like chapters were dragged out. Basically it wasn't a book where I found myself not being able to wait and turn the page.

[This is V! · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book it’s quite old , now DJ is married with two kids and almost 50 , at the time of the writing his life was different . I felt that this was an ok book because it has quite a big of good approaches on life but it got quite ripetitive at times .

[Tony Tescadero · Rating 2 out of 5]

So far he writes like an all american boy scout. Now I think I can imagine what a Clark Kent scoop reads like...

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but written for a younger audience.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a juvenile level book, written for kids. I checked it out before buying it for my nephew. It would be great for a kid who needed a little focus and motivation.

[Caden Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Characters and people
This book is a biography about Derek Jeter. All the people in the book are believable and they all have a reason for being mentioned in the book. The only person that is really talked about the whole book is Derek Jeter, but he is a very complete person. Derek Jeter has a very interesting background. His will and determination is part of the reason he was so successful in the major leagues and he is successful in life. Throughout his life he was a little bit of an underdog. When he was younger he told his parents that he was going to be a pro baseball player for the New York Yankees. The interactions between Derek and other people in the book are normally very positive and outgoing. In the biography Jeter is a very outgoing and happy guy. Derek Jeter never let anything get in the way of him achieving his dream.
Theme or Message
This book talks about many themes and life lessons. The first lesson the character learns is to never give up. Throughout his whole life Derek has had to deal with adversity. People and scouts would say “your too small” or “not a power hitter.” It didn't matter what people said to him, Derek kept going and pursuing his dream to play in the Mlb. Another lesson Jeter learned is that family is the most important thing in life. No matter what he went through Derek's family was always there for him. When he told his parents that he wanted to be a pro baseball player, they encouraged it. Instead of telling him he couldn't do it they told him he could. Derek's family is one of the main reasons that he is where he is in life. The last lesson that was in the book is you always have to work hard. Derek didn't have the physical tools or advantages that some did, but he worked extremely hard to overcome that. A Lot of people have talent, but are not willing to put in the work to get better. Derek Jeter never stopped working hard and is now one of the best pro baseball players ever.
. Derek Jeter got to where he is today through hardwork and determination.Overall this was a really good read. I recommend this book to anyone who likes sports and autobiographies.

[Dante · Rating 4 out of 5]

when your younger your always told that if you work hard you will get to where you want to be. In this book The Life You Imagine , Derek Jeter shows to kids how his dreams came true. This book is about a autobiography of the New York Yankees short stop and how he got there. Throughout his life his parents were always rough on him with school and his grades, although Derek was an A student. When he was younger him and his parents developed a program that was to help him achieve his goals in life. I believe that Derek and his fellow co writer did a very good job of keeping the reader engaged in this story. The way they made this a page turner really kept you on the edge of your seat just waiting for something to happen. A well written story but I wouldn't call it beautiful, This isn't about a cite seer talking a tour on Hawaii, This is about a kid trying to form his life with baseball just from a small town( Kalamazoo, Michigan). I think the lesson in this book is if you stay on top of things you will achieve your goals, although there will be some bumps in the road you will get through it if you keep grinding. I believe the strangeness in this book was really good science setting, Almost feels like it forces you to keep reading. The weakness in this book are the similes. They don't have that rich description of everything. This book reminds me of my parents because Derek and mine , are both a like in ways where they want me to work really hard an they believe in me to achieve my goals. I would recommen this book to Miles Bergman and any other people that want to learn more about The Captain of the New York Yankees.

[Grant Hidalgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grant Hidalgo
Mrs. Perez
English 10
3/6/18
The Life You Imagine
I decided to read the book because Derek Jeter is my favorite player ever, and I wanted to learn more about his life growing up. It lived up to my expectations for sure. I did have a connection with this book, because it really shows how much Derek loved the game, which I do too.
If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else believe in you? We can be our own best friends or our own worst enemies. I have always vowed to be my own best friend by exhibiting a positive attitude.”( 76 Curry)

How do we form and shape our identities?
This quote shows that we form and shape our identities in one way. The best way to form our identity is by having confidence in yourself. If you don’t have any confidence in yourself, then you won’t be able to do anything in life. By having confidence, your identity changes and makes you a more positive person.

I recommend this book to any sports fan. Anyone who loves to hear how a legend grew up, would love this book. It just shows the life Derek had before he was a pro and legend. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who loves to hear a great story from starting as a kid who loved to play a game, to an adult who still plays the game the same way he did as he was little.

[James Hanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Life You Imagine: Life Lessons for Achieving Your Dreams, by Derek Jeter and Jack Curry, is a mix of a biography, and an interview. I would recommend to anybody that likes baseball, or any sport for that matter, because these lessons apply for a lot of things. When you hear the first few chapters of the book, you hear how hard his life was, he couldn’t walk on the same side of the street as his dad, because his dad was black. His lessons teach you that you can overcome any obstacle. His most important lesson is that you can be anything or anyone you want, as long as you work hard, and try your best in everything you do. This is a great book, because lots of kids can relate, the only difference is that he overcame them and became a multimillionaire. His head never got swollen, and to prove it he set up a charity. I would recommend this book, because it teaches a lot.

[Mike]

The book The Life You Imagine Derek Jeter, is a great read. Our class had to choose a book to read. This book was a great choice and I recommend it. It is about Derek Jeter's life. It touches on his childhood a lot, and it has a lot of details that most people did not know. It talks about his parents and the rules they had in their household and how he had to achieve.
It also includes the struggles he had in baseball at a young age. With him not playing for his team because his coach didn't like him, because he treated his sons spot on the team. So it talks about how much extra work Derek had to do to just play on his youth team, and how he could not lay his favorite position.
Then it talks about how he got drafted to the MLB and his success in the league. Everyone knows that he is one of the best shortstops and players in general.

[Johnnysbookreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derek Jeter. I am a Red Sox fan, but I can't imagine a better shortstop than Derek Jeter. He homered on his 3,000th hit. A rare feat that some greats haven't even done. He won 5 World Series Rings. He won three in a row. He played for one team for 20+ years. This book only covers the surface. He discusses the first four years he played for New York from 1996 to 2000. I want to know what else he would say in a new book if he wrote one this year. His big theme is to always imagine someone watching you all the time. For someone famous like Derek, he does. However, for me and you, it is good to get in the mindset someone is watching you. It keeps you accountable and makes you certain to reach your goals when no one is watching when it counts. Your actions speak more than words, and I will always remember this. Great book.

[Leslie Tabarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how inspirational and motivational the book is. I agree with everything Jeter says and love how he was able to always say and do the right things in public. The ONLY negative I felt was a sense of sadness that his fame and fortune (and this book was written before he became The Captain and achieved so many other fabulous things) have made him unwilling (perhaps this word is not the best) to trust the there are people out there who simply admire him because of the whole shebang, and who would love to meet him, talk to him, pick his brain, shower him and his family with well-thought out gifts, etc., who are NOT looking to take advantage of him. I think the world of him, and am a die-hard Yankee fan as well.

[Sam Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the first books that I read as a young adult and taught me a lot more than just about sports. First of all, Derek Jeter is my idol so I may be a little biased talking about this book. The book does a great job of talking about his life, not only about his sports career but his personal life. One aspect I love about this book is that Derek Jeter wrote it so everything is credible and factual. As with most athletes, he goes over the immense amount of pressure he faced being drafted out of high school. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs help dealing with pressure and adversity in life because he has a way of really getting to people.

[Amare Horsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for baseball lovers and autobiography readers. In the life you imagine the book takes you through the upbringing of yankees legend derek jeter, it takes you through jeter's ups and down from little league to the big league. Another key part of the book is the quotes that can be beneficial in not only baseball and sports and general, but in life also. One of Jeter's key quotes in the book is you can never stop getting better at something in life You can always be better than you are now. All in all this book is very empowering and will motivate you to become a better person in life.

[T. Hampton · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there is one word to define Derek Jeter, it would be passionate. From this book I gathered that he is (or was, I suppose, since he's now retired) an extremely hard-working and dedicated baseball player. He is passionate about what he does, and in this book endeavored to share that with others with the hope of inspiring others to pursue their own dreams. He makes some very good points and illustrates them well with anecdotes from his own personal experience. The writing style, however, is a bit rambling and repetitive. Overall, an enjoyable read.

[JoAnn M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Derek Jeter was an exceptional baseball player....but more than that he was an incredible man. The book shows what amazing parents he had who took an active interest into raising him to be the person he is today. They should be very proud of him and he should be proud of himself. There were never any issues with him as a sports star the way there sometimes is when the stars become full of themselves. If I had a little boy or girl, I would encourage them to look up to this man as an idol because he truly is one.

[Gilbert G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding book by an outstanding man. Derek Jeter share his philosophy about becoming successful in whatever field a young person enters.
He literally wrote a road map as to how he achieved his lifetime goal. No bragging, no “look at me”, simply the steps he took to reach the pinnacle of professional athletics.
This man is “Mr Class “ in my opinion and someone I would personally become a friend of his.
No matter the age of the reader they can glean tremendous ideas from this book. Read in Friends!

[Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was good. It explained how Derek Jeter really followed his dreams and started his passion at a young age. I think the main character strength that stood out to me was his personality and how he handled certain things. Derek did everything in his life with a purpose, so he could one day accomplish his biggest goals. By working hard he was able to be a star player in Major League Baseball.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that the book was very good because it tells the story of one of the greatest baseball players of all time. It is good because it covered the ups and downs of his career, and it shows that not everything is going to be great in life. I would recommend it to baseball fans because it’s Jeter

[Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome. It lets you grow up with Derek Jeter and shows you what it was like in his house. It also shows the morals his family lived by and why he became the person he is today. Great read.

[Jessica Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derek has been my hero since I was knee high to a grass hopper. I received this book in my younger years and cannot count the times I've read this book. A raw, inside look into becoming who Derek Jeter is.

[Andrew Brockley · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is a great book for baseball fans with dreams and for yankee fans it shows the amazing road of derek and how he got to the majors by his goals.