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Dabo's World: The Life and Career of Coach Swinney and the Rise of Clemson Football
How Dabo Swinney used his energy, faith, and determination to turn the Clemson Tigers into a football powerhouse.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2021
17 people are currently reading
1018 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 18, 2023
Pretty poorly written in my opinion but has some great stories in it for any Clemson football fans or Dabo Swinney fans.
December 4, 2022
Interesting story, great pictures
October 18, 2022
I enjoyed reading about Dabo’s life, and getting to see the makings of a great leader. Good job by the author of balancing his own narrative with the stories he grabbed from other sources. Wish there was a little more in the way of personal interviews/tidbits from spending time with Dabo. Would’ve enjoyed hearing more on his personal life and discipleship in the workplace today.
November 8, 2021
Dabo's World by Lars Anderson is the story of Dabo Swinney, football coach of the Clemson Tigers.
Anderson writes of Swinney's childhood growing up in Pelham, AL - his struggles as a young man with his father's alcoholism - his time as a student and a football walk-on at the University of Alabama - and his evolution as a football coach to eventual National Champion. This book is full of stories that football fans love to hear.
I was drawn to this because of several connections. Coach Swinney was a student at the University of Alabama several years after I was there - his hometown is very close to mine - my daughter is a Clemson grad and her husband played for Coach Swinney.
Whether you like football or not, you should enjoy this book about Coach Swinney's take on faith, life, football and leading young men.
Anderson writes of Swinney's childhood growing up in Pelham, AL - his struggles as a young man with his father's alcoholism - his time as a student and a football walk-on at the University of Alabama - and his evolution as a football coach to eventual National Champion. This book is full of stories that football fans love to hear.
I was drawn to this because of several connections. Coach Swinney was a student at the University of Alabama several years after I was there - his hometown is very close to mine - my daughter is a Clemson grad and her husband played for Coach Swinney.
Whether you like football or not, you should enjoy this book about Coach Swinney's take on faith, life, football and leading young men.
December 31, 2021
This books was really cool. Seeing Dabo though the years as a football player to now one of the most well know and prestigious college football coaches was really cool. The graphics, the interview responses, it was truly amazing. My respect for Dabo Sweeney has definitely grown a lot more. A great read and I can’t to let me friend read this book.
November 29, 2021
A Goodreads reviewer called this book "Breezy," and that's a perfect description for "Dabo's World." It's entertaining, informative and, well, super breezy. It's an easy read that offers anecdotes about Swinney's life, but it doesn't get in too deeply.
This ain't a John Bacon look at college football. His stuff dissects the Big 10 and is amazing.
However, Lars Andersen's work on Dabo is good. He even provides info on how he got the unique name of "Dabo."
Because Clemson was a good football team, I assumed they, like most successful football teams, had to cheat to get there. But, according to Anderson, Swinney is an honest, good coach. I liked how he showed Swinney's dedication to the player, not just the winning of games. Swinney truly cares and that's a breath of fresh air in the college football world. I wasn't a Clemson fan before, but now, after reading "Dabo's World," I am rooting for him to do well ... even if he does go to Alabama eventually.
This ain't a John Bacon look at college football. His stuff dissects the Big 10 and is amazing.
However, Lars Andersen's work on Dabo is good. He even provides info on how he got the unique name of "Dabo."
Because Clemson was a good football team, I assumed they, like most successful football teams, had to cheat to get there. But, according to Anderson, Swinney is an honest, good coach. I liked how he showed Swinney's dedication to the player, not just the winning of games. Swinney truly cares and that's a breath of fresh air in the college football world. I wasn't a Clemson fan before, but now, after reading "Dabo's World," I am rooting for him to do well ... even if he does go to Alabama eventually.
June 9, 2023
Full disclosure; I'm no Clemson fan, but the legacy of Coach Swinney is hard not to respect. Documenting his early life & career, Dabo's World manages to capture Dabo's love of football in a personal and passionate story. From a tragic upbringing to the hurdles he had to jump just for getting his foot in the door, this story is crafted around Dabo's love of the sport and the lengths needed to achieve his ultimate goal within it.
I thought this was a very good introductory biography into the life of Dabo. Dabo's World is a very brief read with some obvious omissions, but given its target audience is college football fans, it's very easy for the uninitiated to pick it up and learn about it. It does a good job of giving you the important history without delving too far into smaller details, so anybody who enjoyed this book can do some more research at their leisure without having to worry about its length.
If you're a Clemson fan, there might not be very much entirely new in these pages, though someone who doesn't keep up with the sport or follow this team could learn a lot. However, even as a fan who roots against the Tigers, I knew there were a decent amount of omissions, and this realization was solidified towards the end. Specifically, while the author touches on the infamous Donald Trump "celebration" in which Clemson was invited to the White House to feast on a pile of no-doubt gourmet McDonald's burgers following their championship victory, there's no mention of the players who refused to be hosted by Trump and declined to show up. There isn't even so much as Dabo's perspective on the matter in this book, which is disappointing. However, getting into the COVID-19 pandemic, a point is made to address a controversy surrounding statements he made about vaccines. To be fair, this was recent enough not to be included at all and excused from the end of the book, but it was acknowledged and appreciated that it was thrown in regardless.
Overall, this book is very informative to those who don't have much knowledge of Dabo Swinney, and there is much more to be researched if the reader so desires, but this is a solid introductory. I would have liked to see more sit-down interviews or a deeper dive, as Dabo's direct input feels sparce, but there is enough information contained in here to keep you interested in Dabo's really very fascinating career.
Whether you root for or against Clemson, or don't follow CFB at all, this is a good story about an interesting man whose career is well-respected within the league. Despite his victory over my team in the end, I had to acknowledge it kept me entertained throughout.
Thanks to Lars Anderson and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy of this work in exchange for an honest review, it was very much appreciated.
I thought this was a very good introductory biography into the life of Dabo. Dabo's World is a very brief read with some obvious omissions, but given its target audience is college football fans, it's very easy for the uninitiated to pick it up and learn about it. It does a good job of giving you the important history without delving too far into smaller details, so anybody who enjoyed this book can do some more research at their leisure without having to worry about its length.
If you're a Clemson fan, there might not be very much entirely new in these pages, though someone who doesn't keep up with the sport or follow this team could learn a lot. However, even as a fan who roots against the Tigers, I knew there were a decent amount of omissions, and this realization was solidified towards the end. Specifically, while the author touches on the infamous Donald Trump "celebration" in which Clemson was invited to the White House to feast on a pile of no-doubt gourmet McDonald's burgers following their championship victory, there's no mention of the players who refused to be hosted by Trump and declined to show up. There isn't even so much as Dabo's perspective on the matter in this book, which is disappointing. However, getting into the COVID-19 pandemic, a point is made to address a controversy surrounding statements he made about vaccines. To be fair, this was recent enough not to be included at all and excused from the end of the book, but it was acknowledged and appreciated that it was thrown in regardless.
Overall, this book is very informative to those who don't have much knowledge of Dabo Swinney, and there is much more to be researched if the reader so desires, but this is a solid introductory. I would have liked to see more sit-down interviews or a deeper dive, as Dabo's direct input feels sparce, but there is enough information contained in here to keep you interested in Dabo's really very fascinating career.
Whether you root for or against Clemson, or don't follow CFB at all, this is a good story about an interesting man whose career is well-respected within the league. Despite his victory over my team in the end, I had to acknowledge it kept me entertained throughout.
Thanks to Lars Anderson and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy of this work in exchange for an honest review, it was very much appreciated.
November 8, 2021
Dabo's World by Lars Anderson is the story of Dabo Swinney, football coach of the Clemson Tigers.
Anderson writes of Swinney's childhood growing up in Pelham, AL - his struggles as a young man with his father's alcoholism - his time as a student and a football walk-on at the University of Alabama - and his evolution as a football coach to eventual National Champion. This book is full of stories that football fans love to hear.
I was drawn to this because of several connections. Coach Swinney was a student at the University of Alabama several years after I was there - his hometown is very close to mine - my daughter is a Clemson grad and her husband played for Coach Swinney.
Whether you like football or not, you should enjoy this book about Coach Swinney's take on faith, life, football and leading young men.
Anderson writes of Swinney's childhood growing up in Pelham, AL - his struggles as a young man with his father's alcoholism - his time as a student and a football walk-on at the University of Alabama - and his evolution as a football coach to eventual National Champion. This book is full of stories that football fans love to hear.
I was drawn to this because of several connections. Coach Swinney was a student at the University of Alabama several years after I was there - his hometown is very close to mine - my daughter is a Clemson grad and her husband played for Coach Swinney.
Whether you like football or not, you should enjoy this book about Coach Swinney's take on faith, life, football and leading young men.
August 15, 2025
Decided to finally pick this one up before college football season starts, and it was a quick and entertaining read. I feel like I knew quite a bit of this as a Clemson grad who started school towards the beginning of Dabo’s rise to national relevance, and any game that was outlined from 2012-2017 was especially easy for me to remember because I was there. But still, I liked this one and it’s definitely worth the read as a college football fan.
July 29, 2021
Dabo Swinney is a fascinating character and his life is a reflection of his passion for football and his faith. Anderson has revealed the character and the man in this new biography and it is a great read for any football fan regardless of loyalty.
October 30, 2021
Easy, breezy, not very balanced bio of Swinney that focuses less in his football program than his character and character-building. Clemson fans will probably not find anything new, but this book provides a good introduction.
October 10, 2023
Enthralling & Motivating!
Thoroughly enjoyed this book & could not put it down! Have always enjoyed watching Dabo coach or talk about his players, since he coaches much like I did for 24 years!! The picture painted by the author throughout is both enthralling & motivating!!!
Thoroughly enjoyed this book & could not put it down! Have always enjoyed watching Dabo coach or talk about his players, since he coaches much like I did for 24 years!! The picture painted by the author throughout is both enthralling & motivating!!!
October 25, 2021
Enjoyed learning about the rise of Dabo and Clemson football. Easy to read and entertaining.
January 5, 2024
An insightful and thorough look into Clemson's head football coach. Dabo has led an interesting life, particularly how he got to be there, his vision and how he brought success to CU.
August 20, 2025
An excellent biography of a great college football coach!
January 5, 2022
As a two-time Clemson grad & major football fan in general, but especially of my Tigers, I knew I had to listen to this one when @hachetteaudio offered it to me. So so good, y’all.
Anderson does a great job of covering Dabo’s life from beginning to present, detailing all of his struggles and triumphs alike. His research was 💯.
I’m very familiar with Dabo & his background, so I didn’t learn a ton of new information, but it was a nice reminder of how lucky we are to have this man leading the Tigers. It was also incredibly nice to relive some of the fun memories I’ve experienced as a Clemson fan during Dabo’s tenure.
If you’re not familiar with the Clemson head coach or his story, it’s truly inspirational and one of a kind. I really think any college football fan or anyone looking for a good underdog story would enjoy the read!
The audio was well done & I enjoyed the book in that format. I found it to be a quick listen and was honestly sad when it was over.
Reviews and more on IG by following @hannah_reads_
Anderson does a great job of covering Dabo’s life from beginning to present, detailing all of his struggles and triumphs alike. His research was 💯.
I’m very familiar with Dabo & his background, so I didn’t learn a ton of new information, but it was a nice reminder of how lucky we are to have this man leading the Tigers. It was also incredibly nice to relive some of the fun memories I’ve experienced as a Clemson fan during Dabo’s tenure.
If you’re not familiar with the Clemson head coach or his story, it’s truly inspirational and one of a kind. I really think any college football fan or anyone looking for a good underdog story would enjoy the read!
The audio was well done & I enjoyed the book in that format. I found it to be a quick listen and was honestly sad when it was over.
Reviews and more on IG by following @hannah_reads_
August 4, 2024
One of the better football books I've ever read, and easily the most in depth into the process that is recruiting and the efforts it takes to do so well. Couldn't recommend more.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews