Against All Odds: My Story

by Chuck Norris, Ken Abraham

While millions of people know Chuck Norris is a movie and television star, he is also a sincere Christian--a man whose faith plays a role in everything he does and who gives full credit to God for helping him overcome obstacles such as poverty, an alcoholic father, and a broken marriage. 100,000 first printing.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Autobiography, Christian, Sports, Martial Arts

276 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.

Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.

Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

If you spell Chuck Norris wrong on Google it doesn't say, "Did you mean Chuck Norris?" It simply replies, "Run while you still have the chance."

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine my surprise when I started to read this book and discovered that Chuck Norris actually has a bodyguard! For some reason that took my mind right off the narrative. Distracted me. Messed with my mind. Got me to thinking how much pressure there must be on a guy who is protection for one of the toughest hombres ever to stuff his brass cojones into a pair of camo pants. Seriously, there is probably no situation that your employer couldn't handle better than you. Chuck Norris is so highly rated that there is a whole ammo can full of Chuck Norris facts. We've all heard them:

"Chuck Norris kills two stones with one bird";

"Chuck Norris doesn't wear a watch. He decides what time it is.";

"Chuck Norris knows Victoria's secret".

The "facts" and memes seem endless, attributing superhuman abilities to Norris, and not without some justification.

I'm not sure why I started the book; it was probably because my grandson started showing an interest in Norris' films. I've seen a few of them, and I guess I've probably seen Chuck kill a hundred bad guys on celluloid. I suppose I thought I would wow the lad with Chuck Norris facts next time we have a movie night. Anyway, I got started into it and it sort of grabbed me right off the bat. Norris is upfront about his troubled childhood, his bashfulness, his three year tour of service in a military police unit. Ever notice how many famous tough guys served in various service police units? You've got Chuck Norris, Mr. T, Carlos Hathcock, Grandpa Jones...I'm sure I could dig up more.

It was while serving in Korea that Norris took up martial arts, and this is my favourite part of the book. His drive and determination saw him putting in long hours after his regular shift. He learned through defeat (yes, he was defeated...a lot) and on being released from the military he went on to compete, ultimately winning the world middleweight karate title and holding it for six years. The descriptions of his fights are fascinating and his rise to fame through his karate schools and onward into movies is almost as engrossing.

Naturally, there were some issues with the book. Norris professes to be a devout Christian, and gets onto praying and talking to the Almighty an awful lot. I would have been content with his merely mentioning that he was a Christian without all of this kneeling and asking the one above what he should have for breakfast today. And I sure don't see how one justifies making a bunch of violent movies and siring a daughter on some chick he met in a bar while married to his first wife if he's so darn devout. He seems to gloss over a good deal of the detail here, but maybe it isn't pertinent to the story.

Another annoyance is that Chuck takes advantage (or seems to) of the reader in that he figures that, since he has you there reading his book, he'll take the opportunity to mention the Total Gym to you every chance he gets. Just like an infomercial, for crying out loud! In fact, I recently saw an infomercial for this contrivance on YouTube, and guess who was demonstrating it...

So if you can stomache a bit of salesmanship and don't mind some Bible thumping, what we have here is a lad who came into the world with none of the white privilege that everyone likes to talk about but which seems so hard to come by; a lad who went on to achieve great things through hard work and putting in many extra hours of gruelling and painful work. And he's a John Wayne fan to boot.

I hope his bodyguard writes a book.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Ideally martial arts training should help a person avoid physical altercations and other adverse confrontations.”

An entertaining and uplifting autobiography by the well-known martial arts champion and actor. Not well written, but sincere and open. The reader gets Norris, warts (and scars) and all. Victim of ambush journalism.

“Few people become successful overnight at any endeavor. Most successful people have learned to stick with whatever it is they wish to achieve and to work step by step until they reach their objective.”

Up front with the importance of faith and family in his life. Norris is not a well-known communicator, so the pedestrian quality of the narrative rests on Abraham, a professional collaborator.

“Most juvenile offenders are so obsessed with a “the world owes me” attitude that if they were forced to help the less fortunate, they would soon see that life has not really been that hard for them. Something of an infomercial for his business and charitable enterprises.”

(Didn’t know he’s a Christian or anything else about him. I’ve never seen a movie or television show of his, so I came into the book open minded.)

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Norris, Chuck.  Against all Odds.  Broadman & Holman.As John Piper said, "Read Christian biography!"  He probably didn't mean this, though.  It's a fun read.  Chuck is very honest about his moral and spiritual failings, and when he talks of repentance, he speaks in concrete terms of sin and turning to Christ.  He also speaks about his more mundane failures and while we will never have his level of success, we can have success by simply not giving up on reasonable goals.

He was born into a poor family whose father was a wino.  He joined the Air Force and did time in Korea after the war.  It is there he learned Tang Soo Do (he had earlier broken his collarbone from judo).  He failed his first black belt test.  He came home with his Martial Arts background and began a successful karate career as an instructor and competitor.  Had he stayed there he would have been recognized as the second best martial artist in the world (Bruce Lee, of course, was the best).Bruce Lee got him into a few movies (remember that final fight scene in Return of the Dragon) and urged him to take acting more seriously.  Chuck then starred in minor roles while he kept hearing, especially after Lee's untimely death, that "karate movies" were over.And while Chuck didn't mention it, he sort of created a new market of movies.  He didn't give the old "chop saki" movie.  He created a "Lone Wolf" type of character who embodied "Merica" values while using martial arts.  He ultimately perfected this character with Walker, Texas Ranger.  This might explain why all of the "karate movies" in the 80s were flops, excepting perhaps Steven Seagal and Jean Claude Van Damme.  They didn't bring anything new to the game.  Chuck did.He's honest about his failures. 

His first marriage failed and he wasn't a good father and husband.  And while his second marriage was (is) successful, sin brings baggage.  Yet the book points out the baggage and how godly counseling can work through it.The other aspects of the book are probably well-known to most, including his KICK-START campaign: getting martial arts into public schools.  My take on it: it can work if the school district wants it to work.  My former instructor was involved in this. The problem is that you are retraining minds and breaking over a decade's worth of bad habits.  You are dealing with dysfunctional structures.  You're lucky if you can make progress in a year.  School boards, though, want results yesterday.  That's not how reality works and so the program is dropped.

This is a truly encouraging book and easy to read.  I read it in a few days.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

For some reason I was curious about Chuck Norris and wanted to know more about his Karate championships and what type of person would have the dedication to achieve so much. He seems like a good person in a hard environment.

I liked this overview of Chuck's life - there is no real detail here but it was interesting enough.

I would have liked more detail on training and day-t0-day commitments and a little less on his religious beliefs but that's just a matter of taste.

[Laurie DelaCruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

We watched Walker, Texas Ranger religiously back in the day, so I was very curious to see if his memoir measured up to my perception of him.

I'm happy to say it was even better than I expected! Despite a less-than-ideal childhood, Chuck Norris chose to keep and maintain a positive attitude throughout his life. He had a salvation experience as a young teenager, and throughout his life, chose to put God first, even in a career field surrounded by sin and debauchery. While he did make some mistakes, he chose to grow and learn from them.

All in all, a worthy role model!

[Toby Brennen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ordered "Against All Odds: My Story" on a whim and am I glad I did. I knew who Chuck Norris was and a little of his accomplishments as a martial artist so thought it would be a fun read. (I may have accidentally bumped into him a tournament a few years back, although not totally sure.)

"Against All Odds" is a relatively easy read and for the most part clearly lays out the life experiences that developed Mr. Norris' character. He shares many personal memories that are obviously important to him. Some of these stories may seem trifling but taken as a whole you can see the evolution of character and faith.

The book is liberally strewn with stories of Mr. Norris' personal interactions with many folks the rest of us have heard of - Bruce Lee, George Bush, Steve McQueen. Occasionally it feels like name dropping but from somebody whose entire professional life has been based on building relationships, it seems quite normal and acceptable.

He writes with clarity about martial arts competition, something that prior to reading the book I was concerned would be made overly complicated or drawn out. Discussing his faith in the early part of the book seems awkward, hesitant, and out of place. However, by the end, his beliefs are comfortably intertwined with his life experiences.

The essence of the book that I truly appreciated was its straight-forwardness. Some readers may consider it grandiose and bragging but when he achieved a major accomplishment he is not hesitant to claim quiet victory. And when he failed to meet a goal or reveals a character flaw, he does so with humility. Both time honored traits of a true martial artist and Christian.

The only issue I had with the book that I sometimes got lost in the time line of where I was in his experiences. The detours weren't long and I was quickly back on track.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational. I purchased this book after reading it because I want my son to read this. This is the story of a man who fought for his opportunities and made the best of them, because his values and his priorities are in order. He's always been a hero of mine. Having read his life's story, he's my super-hero. In terms of the book itself, Chuck tells his story in simple, unassuming prose that is full of humor and humility. It's almost as if he's next to you narrating in person. The only disappointment I had with this book is, as a fellow martial artist, I would have enjoyed hearing more detailed stories about his time in Korea, his introduction to Tang Soo Do, and his experiences upon leaving the military--but what he did relate about those periods of his life was pure gold. I also enjoyed the fact that he is willing to speak openly about his Christianity. Great story about a great man.

[Grantreid · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors purpose of this book was to inform. Chuck Norris was telling the reader about his life, from beginning to end. He was telling this book from his eyes and he wanted to reader to know what it was like to be him. Although Chuck Norris knew that no one could see the world as clearly as he did, he did know that some people would get entertainment out of this book, but it was still a book to inform.
The theme of this book has a lot to do with believing. Chuck Norris believed in god for all of his life. He put faith in god and believed. This could also be translated to mean believing in yourself as well. He says "good faith" often in this book and it clearly has a double meaning. Chuck is a very religious man, so he thinks that believing is the best thing you can do to make things happen. Although he talks about believing, he knows that acting does a lot too, so nothing is lost in this theme.
This book was a narration. A narration of Chuck Norris's life throughout his long years. This book wasn't really in chronological order though. Norris seemed to skip around in some parts and it made the book quite confusing at places, but I will talk about that later.
This book was... well.... I liked it, but it annoyed me often. There were little things in the book that made it un-enjoyable at times. Honestly he did get a little preachy at times in the book, but when you read an autobiography about a religious man you can expect that. I talked earlier about how he skipped around a bit. He would be in the war at one point, then a karate champion the next. It seemed to confuse me as to what happened when, so my idea of his life became a bit muddled. But, overall this was a great book and I would read it again.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I'm just thrilled to read a book that I feel my grandma would appreciate. Chuck Norris has a story I'm quite confident my grandma as well as the majority of my family can appreciate: from hardship to success with a faithful mother who instills in her own son the belief that he can do anything and the belief that there is a God who loves him and has plans for him.

Aside from feeling like I was making my family proud - I really enjoyed learning about Chuck Norris as he desires to be portrayed vs. the numerous Chuck Norris jokes which were, for a time, quite commonplace. Having practiced the martial arts myself - I was a lot more interested in that aspect of his life than I had initially anticipated.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and think I'd quite enjoy getting to know Chuck Norris and his family in real life...perhaps I'll pretend to be a long lost cousin ;)

"Every technique I had learned was sharpened by constant, loudly shouted remarks. The Korean teaching method tends to focus on what a student is doing wrong rather than on what he or she is doing well." (location 727)

[Angela Blount · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chuck Norris, in his own words. The book takes you through the fascinating and unlikely life journey of a humble legend. Simply written, this is a great source of knowledge into his history, character, and shaping. For fans or those who are merely curious.

[Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wonderful, brutally honest account of a life of a shy poor kid who grew up to be the legend that is Chuck Norris. Very inspirational and honest.

[Adam T. Calvert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read about the life of Carlos ("Chuck") Norris and the very interesting and amazing things God brought him through even from the very beginning of his childhood. He's open about his faith in Christ throughout the book as well as his steps in growing in the faith. Good stuff.

[JelaneyTaters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love biographies about people I actually like. Chuck Norris is awesome and his story is fascinating.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 5 out of 5]

As wooden in his prose as he is in his characterless acting. Obviously, I loved it!

[Patrick O'Hannigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

One variation on the popular Internet meme about Chuck Norris and his toughness is that "You don't find Chuck Norris; Chuck Norris finds you." That might be said of this book, which I picked up at a used bookstore more than a year ago but finished reading recently, at a time when its "never give up" message has more resonance for me than it otherwise might.

This is part biography, part pep talk, and all written in a conversational style that Chuck's coauthor had the sense to leave alone. A proofreading error ("Marine Corp" without the trailing "s") bothered me, and the chronology of events described here sometimes doubles back on itself. For example, Gena Norris is first mentioned in the chapter about the TV series "Walker: Texas Ranger". Chuck and Gena were introduced to each other by a mutual friend at that time, but the "Walker" chapter precedes the "Soul Mate" chapter where Chuck describes meeting Gena, the woman who would become his second wife. Similarly, Norris makes its home in Dallas but owns several properties, and there are times where readers might suppose that something happened in Texas when it did not, because the narrative later mentions that Chuck was somewhere else at the time.

Parts of the book have probably been sanitized for the sake of increasing its audience. Nevertheless, Chuck Norris, despite his flaws, seems to be a man of integrity. He's also a Christian, so it's quite possible that he really did ask security guards to escort a homeless woman off a TV set by instructing them to "remove that dear lady."

I do not mean to imply that the book is seriously flawed, or that Chuck never steps out of his reputation as an actor and martial arts icon. In fact, Chuck is honest throughout. His fans would expect nothing less, and in this 2004 memoir, Chuck does not let us down. It would be harder to say the same about his coauthor and his editor, who may perhaps have been charmed by his earnestness. Even so, the book remains a good read, and in many ways, an inspiring one. I'm glad I read it.

[Jakob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a biography about the life of, obviously, Chuck Norris. I think that Chuck Norris wanted to write a story of his life because he wanted people to know what his life was really like. His life was actually pretty rough to start out with, instead of the presumed celebrity life where everything was handed to him on a silver platter. In this book, there seemed to be a theme of perseverance throughout. Not quite survival, but just persevering through the day and all the obstacles thrown at him. Other themes were probably love and family, as they were clearly spread throughout the book as well.
The style of this book was first person limited, as it is with most, if not all, biographies. The book was told from Chuck Norris’s perspective, starting with a look into the future with the risky birth of his two children, and then going back to his childhood and going in chronological order from there. I thought that this ‘flash-forward’, if you will, was a very effective way to tell the story. It was a captivating scene in Chuck Norris’s life that really pulled you in right away. Plus, it was something really, truly important to him, as opposed to something career related. This showed the audience a little more about what the book was about.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book. It was essentially a step by step guide of Chuck Norris’s life, which interests me anyway, since I’m a big Chuck Norris fan. It was well told, with lots of interesting language and communicating methods (interesting, not colorful, mind you). I actually didn’t find anything about this book that I didn’t like. It was a very good read!

[Susan B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chuck Norris tells the story of his life from birth to the present (2004). A "blue baby" at birth, he certainly had good reason to be blue, living with an abusive, alcoholic father until his mother finally walked away from the marriage when Chuck was fifteen. After her divorce, his mother met and married Chuck's stepfather, George, who became a positive, encouraging figure to her three boys.

Immediately after high school, Chuck enrolled in the military, and it wasn't long before he was serving in Korea. While on base, the men had three options for filling their spare time - drinking to excess, taking academic classes, or studying martial arts. Not being a drinker or academic, Chuck opted for the martial arts, and the rest - as they say - is history.

Norris talks about his martial arts schools; his fights; his friendships with the likes of Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, Arnold Schwarzzeneger, and George Bush; getting married too young and his divorce years later; his remarriage; life as a father; and his involvement with charitable organizations, including the one he founded - KICKSTART - to help youth in impoverished communities. A believer in Christ, he also talks about his journey of faith and how it has transformed him over the course of his life. He admits that he has been far from perfect, and points to God's grace and work of salvation.

I found this book really interesting and well-written. If you enjoy celebrity biographies and are looking for a change from the usual sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll, you will find it here.

[Hotavio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chuck Norris has assumed a mythological status. Having been exposed to his (often not so great movies) growing up, My father's respect for him was kind of passed off to me as a mix of admiration and curiosity. As an adult with my own political preferences, I was acutely aware of his conservative leanings and his political connections with the Bushes. Curiosity got the better of me and I ordered the book anyway.

First off...I will say that Norris can't write. At times, he comes off as disorganized and a simpleton. Still, his life trajectory is so fantastic that I still wanted to hear what he had to say. His fathering a child through an affair, his recollections of competition, his failings, and many life successes make pages turn. Faith is the glue holding the pages together. While my eyes rolled a few times, Norris never comes off as sanctimonious, but rather as a man who is hoping to share how religion helped him. Overall, Norris's biography is readable and fascinating and through his achievements alone, inspiring.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

AGAINST ALL ODDS is of course the autobiography of Chuck Norris, one of the most charismatic action stars of all time. But while this book does tell the story of Mr. Norris's entry into action cinema and his rise to movie stardom, much more material is devoted to his family life, legendary martial arts career, the development of his personal faith, and a never-ending optimism based on the idea that if you work hard and have a positive attitude, you can achieve your dreams, whatever they may be. Mr. Norris is a devout Christian, and as such never shies away from his personal testimony, which only makes his life story all the more inspirational and appealing. Particularly touching is Mr. Norris's account of learning of his brother's death in Vietnam, an experience which left him with an unyielding admiration for America's veterans, which of course shines through in one of his most famous films, MISSING IN ACTION. The life story of a great American who never stops dreaming and who urges his readers to do the same, AGAINST ALL ODDS is as engrossing as it is uplifting.

[Mackenzie Dare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this inspirational story. It shows how even those with the worst starts can overcome, and not only make something og their lives but become famous. I like the way that it was written, as if Mr. Norris was telling someone his story. I appreciated the way this book was written cleaning and encouraged good morals. I liked how he talked openly about his Christianity. He told many engaging stories about his life. They were comical, inspiring, engaging, and right-living encouraging. I liked hearing of his encounters with other celebrities, how he viewed the events of his life, and all the many interesting things he was able to do. This didn't take me long to finish. It was fun to read!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most celebrity stories are disappointing. They rarely live up to the tv personality they portrayed but Chuck Norris focuses on living a life true to the God-fearing, good guy he most often played. In a business (& world) that so blatantly pushes a life of immorality, Norris' faith-based lifestyle is refreshing. He is a role model I greatly appreciate, however I would warn readers that not all of his convictions are scriptural and encourage them to read the gospel for themselves to find the truth.

[Lindsey Gandhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am probably a little biased because Chuck Norris is one of my idols. But his life story is an interesting one. Nothing comes easy in this world, and it surely didn't for him. He had to work hard to become a champion in the karate world, work hard to get his karate schools and work hard to get his first movie made. He puts a different perspective of what Hollywood celebrities are. He truly is someone kids can look up to and respect. And to read that he wants to go into missionary work just makes me respect him even more.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone who wants to read an inspirational book. Chuck Norris is a Christ driven man who had a hard life and over came the odds. He accredits his place in life to Christ yet understands that we all make mistakes and he's not afraid to write about his mistakes and how he learned from them. It's nice to read a book that you can actually see how Christ has work in his life. To me it was a very inspirational book.

[Nathaniel Burnham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I began reading, I found I could not stop. Norris's story is so incredible! He relates his background and the details of his life in a way that captivates i=his audience. I especially liked seeing how, even the best of the best is human. His success despite trials and failures is a great example to us of perseverence against the odds. I would definitely recommend this book to those searching for an inspirational read.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walker Texas Ranger and then some!

This was a very quick read. I have even more respect for Chuck now that I've read about his challenging childhood and his deep faith. This is an inspirational and entertaining book.

[Kristen Cline kreutzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational

I really enjoyed this book. My favorite part was his childhood and his positive attitude. He really loves the Bush family and that was kind of annoying. He is a great man. I wish he would write a kids book!!!!

[Tom Schulte · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chuck Norris' autobiography is so tough, I have to keep it alone on a shelf. Any other book I put there ends up torn and scattered on the floor.

[Jacques Hollands · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprised me. I wasn't expecting much, but really enjoyed the audiobook.

[Jon]

3.5 stars

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best autobiographies I have read. Chuck provides an overview of his life that may conflict with what people think from the image he has from his films, TV show and martial arts career. Born in Oklahoma, you discover that Chuck is a real down-to-earth guy that has had hardships and challenges throughout his entire life.

It’s also very clear that family and faith is very important to him and these are woven throughout his life story from an early age. (He is a conservative Christian.) He has had personal failures in his life and he doesn’t hide them in the book… he deals with them, calls himself out, and moves forward to correct them.

He also clearly has a calling to reach and help children who are underprivileged and at-risk, because he personally knows the difficulties he experienced as a young man.

This autobiography was produced around 2004, so it doesn’t include the events of the last 20 years. I hope that one day the book is updated to include the later years, which are the circumstances around how Chuck gave up his acting career to nurse his wife back to health. He sat by her bedside for months as his wife was on the verge of death. This would not surprise you about Chuck after you read this book. This is the kind of guy Chuck is… not the film image or what all the “Chuck Norris” jokes lead you to believe.

I found Chuck’s story to be inspiring and I kept going back frequently to finish it. I’ll be reading this one again.