Gimp

by Mark Zupan

College soccer star Mark Zupan had been out drinking one night and had passed out in the back of his best friend's pickup truck when his friend got in the driver's seat, decided to take the truck for a spin, and accidentally crashed it. Thrown into a canal and stuck in frigid water for fourteen hours, Mark was finally rescued and learned soon after that he'd broken his neck. He'd most likely be a quadriplegic and spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, doctors told him. At first Mark's only goal was to walk again. When that proved impossible, he fell into the depths of anger and despair, retreating from the world and the people closest to him. But love, friendship, and a new sport, quad rugby (a.k.a. "murderball"), helped Mark create a new existence that's truly exceptional.

"Gimp," the no-holds-barred memoir of a Paralympic athlete and the star of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Murderball," is an inspiring, defiant, and revealing celebration of spirit and will that confounds readers' prejudices by offering proof that a guy in a chair can still do amazing things: have sex with his girlfriend, party with his friends . . . even crowd-surf at Pearl Jam shows.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Disability, Sports, The United States Of America, Biography Memoir, Autobiography

288 pages, ebook

First published October 1, 2006

About the author

Mark Zupan (born May 20, 1975) is a wheelchair rugby player and the captain of the United States wheelchair rugby team which competed in the Paralympic Games in 2004. He is best known for his appearance in the 2005 film Murderball. Zupan was also a part of the 2008 United States gold winning team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

See Spinalpedia for more details

and Washington Post for a Q&A with Mark.

Reviews

[Blake Charlton · Rating 2 out of 5]

the most praise worth aspect of this book is the author's unflinching honesty.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Zupan has become the face of those with physical disabilities for two reasons: 1.) His role in the documentary "Murder Ball" and, 2.) The fact that most of those with disabilites fall into his demographic: young males who made poor decisions or were affected by someone else who did.
Just as it's no accident that Mark takes over the big screen with his coarse and aggressive personality, it's not surprising that this book hits on a lot of levels.
On the surface a dude with "tats", a long goatee and a strong vocabulary of 4-letter words would seem to be the type of guy who would tell a macho and cold tale. On the contrary, "Zupe" shows an incredible range of emotions and is brutally honest. His personality, when all is taken into account, is refreshingly genuine.
And so is his book - the refreshing part enters when Mark shows you how, without the wheelchair, his life would've been much less than it is. "I am lucky..." he says more than once, "Because this chair has allowed me more opportunities than I would have had walking."
He is a world-class athlete (para-Olympian and former DI soccer player, an interesting voice, and he created a great read that intertwines his story with the guilt-ridden saga of the best friend whose negligence put Mark in the wheelchair.
Shy away only if language and brutal honesty pierces your thin skin. And while the writing is much less than perfect (even barely publish-able at times), the story overcomes its shortcomings.

[Kristal Stidham · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed the documentary "Murderball" so I expected to like this memoir by the movie's star: Mark Zupan. Unfortunately, it's just really poorly delivered in every way -- his co-author must be a near-novice because the writing style is simply elementary and Zupan's clearly not an actor or orator because his narration of the audiobook sounds completely unnatural. Worst of all, I think the book is -supposed- to be about heroically overcoming obstacles, but I came away with exactly the opposite feeling about Mark and his experiences. He too often says things like "I'm pathetic" and "Who would want to be with a guy in a wheelchair?" which I'm sure every paraplegic -thinks- at some point, but probably doesn't say out loud, especially if they're trying to be a role-model. Worst of all, he idolizes his mother, putting her on a pedestal for giving him so much attention and care in the time immediately after his accident. I can't be the only one who sees that SHE'S THE REASON HE'S IN A WHEELCHAIR!! His overly-permissive parents let him and his teen friends drink in their home which VERY DIRECTLY contributed to the behaviors that put his best friend behind the wheel of a pickup and Mark in a freezing Florida canal. I have no pity for people who abuse substances and/or encourage others to do so, and I certainly can't put any of them on a pedestal.

[Elaine D · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was one that I had to read for a Freshman college class I taught in 2010. I was eager to read it because I love memoirs and thought that this would be a very interesting one. After reading the first half of the book, I had very mixed feelings. Mostly I thought that while Mark was a funny guy, he was also a womanizer. I'm glad that the story from his perspective wasn't sugar-coated, but at the same time I think it might be hard for some women to read this book without feeling very defensive toward him.

Also, I like how they didn't edit his language in the book. I watched the companion documentary, Murderball, and how the book was written is exactly how he would speak in real life. That being said, I could tell the parts that he wrote exclusively, and the parts that were collaborative efforts between him and his editor.

The book really does give a fantastic outlook on permanent injuries, and his perseverance is unmatched! I think that the book was very inspiring in ways, albeit slightly controversial. I'm glad that I read this and it made for interesting discussion in my class. I just don't think it was my cup of tea.

[HeavyReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book through BookMooch. Thanks BookMooch giver!

I picked this book up, thinking I would just get started reading it, and the next thing I knew, I was halfway done and it was the middle of the night. The same thing happened the next night. I thought I would just read a chapter or maybe two, but I couldn't put it down until I finished it.

Mark Zupan writes like he's talking, which makes this book exciting and easy to read. I really enjoyed reading his honest telling of his accident and recovery.

There was a lot of detail of how he did basic things like eliminate waste and have sex during his recovery, but less detail about how he does such things in his current day to day life. Am I weird to want to know that stuff?

I thought there would be more details of the love story between him and his girlfriend (how they met, how they got together, how their sex life works out), but instead, the reader gets more details about his romance with quad rugby.

All in all, this is a great addition to both the genres of memoir and disability literature.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tried really hard not to like this book. Required reading sucks and I put if off as long as humanly possible. And I'd probably give this a 3.5 if I could. But I can't. So I rounded up for good writing style.

I know this book was supposed to inspire me, but it didn't. I felt sorry for him, yeah, but it's one of those "cautionary tales" as he put it. I'm not going to get so drunk I'm passed out in the bed of my friend's truck. I know the consequences of drinking, so I felt this was sort of wasted on me.

Actually, I felt more sympathy for his friend Igoe than I did him. Igoe was the one who caused the accident and had to live with himself after that. No one wanted to talk to him about his feelings. Everyone whispered behind his back. Who cared about poor Igoe? His crippled his best friend. But the dude had so much to deal with, I couldn't not feel bad for him.

Anyway, glad that's over. I'm planning on reading whatever I want from now on. Until the next required assignment.

[Kynthos-the-Archer (Kyn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this today. It's one hell of a satisfying reads ever. Didn't know biographies could so interesting. This book almost converted me into a sports junkie. From now on, I have new respect for athletes and I am pretty sure to be watching out for quad rugby, football and soccer. Zupan's passion on sports and athleticism is most infectious!

I salute Zupan's no-holds-barred and poignant approach in the retelling of his story. He tell it as it is without sugar-coating anything or censorship. I really felt like I am reading someone's diary. Very intimate.

Although Zupan's somewhat a jock but he is certainly one with substance. Just like Shapiro puts it in the "afterword" section, "he seemed like little more than a one-note jock". I totally agree with him. Zupan is a very competitive guy, loving especially towards those he cares about, pretty smart and totally a go-getter. Plus, I am pleasantly surprise as to the countless times I find his words to be deeply profound. He can be quite a funny guy too. As he loves to inject funny quips throughout his book.

[Antoinette · Rating 1 out of 5]

Zupan was my hero during that brief month I was obsessed with "Murderball." I work with people with disabilities, and I show it often as a source of inspiration. But, reading this made me think less of him. I am not a fan of life stories written by two people... There were times when I definitely doubted the source of the wording. Also, he came off a bit...fratish. Pearl Jam obsessed, hot chick gettin', star high school athlete. The end was redeeming enough, I guess. There was not enough about the things I truly wondered about during the movie. Information about his girlfriend, how the team got along, where they all came from, his college professor's reaction to his injury. None of it was there. The whole book left me feeling like much of his charm came from Dana Shapiro's graceful editing. Meh.

[William Stacks · Rating 3 out of 5]

My wife got hurt with a spinal cord injury a little more than a year ago. I started reading all the books I could to learn from others what the capabilities and possibilities are for her. Mark shows in his book how he proceeds forward even though life is give him a hard process to push through.
We moved out of our state to South Florida to attend the Center for Neuro Recovery in North Palm Beach. We found out that this is one of the best centers in the country for exercise, recovery and independence. My wife has been here a little more than seven months and is at her strongest ever and is able to take steps once again. It's amazing to see her perseverance and dedication. It's people like my wife, mark and others that make all the positive examples for people with spinal cord injuries. I wish everyone the best in their personal journey

http://www.centerforneurorecovery.com/

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honest, gritty, in your face writing from the star of the Academy award nominated documentary Murderball. The book isn't a pity party and Zupan isn't portayed as a "courageous person with a disability." Don't read the book if details about sex, bodily functions, and the shenanigans of college jocks make you squeamish. I was grossed out a few times, laughed a few times, and whether he wanted me to be or not, I was definitely inspired. Its a fairly concise book, good readability, with nice-size print. I recommend this book.

By the way, I was able to meet Mr. Zupan at a conference last year (April of 2009). He was really nice, and I told him how much I enjoyed his book.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

For everyone who hasn't seen Murderball, I would first like to say that you should go see Murderball. Zupan is one of the main "stars" of the movie, for good reason - he has an incredibly compelling story to tell, and isn't shy about telling it. His autobiography gets into a lot of details that couldn't possibly be covered in a 90-minute documentary - more highs, personal lows, relationship successes and failures, laugh-out-loud anecdotes involving pre- and post-injury shenanigans, and chapters named after Nirvana and Pearl Jam songs. Two thumbs up.

[K.z. Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't looking for an inspiring story, nor did I see "Murderball." I'm glad because I think if I did, I wouldn't have been able to see what was right in front of me. I liked how the authors didn't pull punches, didn't pretty things up, and made no excuses. Because I knew this was non-fiction, I didn't judge it as I would a piece of fiction. No tale of redemption, no one wins the girl, and no Death Stars are blown up in this book. But I came away feeling like I've learned a lot, and I appreciate the courage it took to write this, knowing that people will be judging it for good or ill.

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Mark Zupan, one of the stars of the documentary Murderball. I loved the movie and this book told a lot of Mark's story. In the extra scenes of the movie, they talk about meeting with Iraqi war veterans and say that their message is not that everyone in a wheelchair has to be a quad rugby Paralympian, but that life doesn't end after injury. The book echoes this message and really shows how someone can grow through adversity.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book. Zupan is honest, funny and outspoken about what it's like to live with permanent spinal cord injury. I appreciated his way of showing how insight grew over time which seems to be the way many of my patients recover and cope with major loss and change after illness or injury. He is also able to give clear insight to the non-disabled reader about how much we take for granted and how often people who use wheelchairs get ignored.

[Kerry Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book!

I loved this book. Read it in two days. It hit me in so many ways. Life can be a struggle and this is just what I needed to read. I cried a few times. I was thoroughly entertained. Thank you for writing this wonderful book about your life. I can't wait to see Murderball!

[Tender Branson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the movie Murderball so I decided to read this book by one of the people detailed in that movie. It was interesting to read about what he went through and how he dug himself out of despair to find something that he enjoyed.

[Paul Jensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a little better than OK, but not the inspiring tale I have been led to believe it would be. I don't understand why every new quad gets a copy of this book in some of the rehab hospitals I have worked with. So far, just a lot of depression and anger.

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another one of my favorite books lol. I loved the straight-forwardness of this book. Mark told it how it was and didn't hold anything back. After seeing the Murderball movie this was a must read and did not disappoint.

[Heather Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very inspirational story. I'm a big fan of the documentary "Murderball" which stars Mark Zupan so I was very excited when I saw that he wrote a book based on his experiences. I highly recommend this one.

[Astrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked the documentary Murder Ball, this book gives you alot more background on one of the atheletes shown in the film. Written in a way that seems to have captured Mark Zupan's personality and spirit from what I can tell from teh film and the language, it makes for engaging read.

[Michelle Dakin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dont like it :C So far it's been really difficult to read and just get into it, I or someone else has to tell me to sit down and read for a while, eh; forced reading. Ive never sat down and watched a full documentary, it's just not my thing.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Zupan offers a blunt, often funny, and honest account of his life before, during, and after an accident that changed his life. This is a great follow-up for any fans of the documentary "Murderball."

[Linds · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always disliked jock culture, which Mark Zupan thrived on and mourned after a paralyzing accident. But I liked the message that when a devastating set back happens, the only way you can have peace is to embrace what you can do instead of lamenting what you can't.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The positive outlook under such bleak circumstances was compelling to read through. I will check out Murderball now, I was inspired with Mark Zupans strength and determination to keep living and moving forward.

[Elisha Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love how he pulled himself together after a shocking turnaround of just one incident. Love that he is still himself after the accident, taking life at its most precious. Feel his suffering and learn from it. Life to short to do everything...

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living on your own terms

I'd heard of Mark Zupan and Murderball, but did not know the entire story. An incredible journey and a 'never quit' attitude that everyone talks about but Mark actually lives by. Worth a read for sure.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book after Mark Zupan was a speaker during my college freshman orientation. Wow. The story is just incredible - definitely makes you stop, think, and appreciate the life that you have. Great for anyone who has kids going to college or even starting to drive.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing and inspiring story. Autobiography of a tremendous individual. Very strong character, not the best writer but you can really hear his voice.

[Alexa Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually hilarious. I was reading a book list that mentioned this book and I remembered how much I liked it, how honest and not absurd Mark Zupan's book managed to be.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book about living life defiantly with a spinal cord injury.