Driven: An Autobiography

by Larry H. Miller, Doug Robinson

When he was sixteen years old, Larry Miller came home one summer night to find all his possessions sitting in three bags on the porch of his darkened house. The door was locked.

From those troubled and humble beginnings rose a man whose influence has touched, according to reliable pollsters, more than 99 percent of the population of Utah as well as myriads of people worldwide.

Seven months before Miller passed away, he began working with Doug Robinson on this biography. Written in first person, the book talks about the many facets of Larry's life and legacy and speaks candidly about the people and experiences that influenced him. It doesn't just tell Larry Miller's story, it shares lessons-painful as well as joyful lessons-he has learned from his experiences. This fascinating and inspiring biography includes:
* A moving foreword by Utah Jazz great John Stockton
* An epilogue written by Gail Miller, Larry's wife
* Numerous photographs
* A firsthand look at the incredible breadth of Larry Miller's work and contributions-in business, in sports, in the arts, in his support of the Joseph Smith Papers Project, as well as his personal humanitarian service
* A full section addressing the question Larry was most often asked: "How'd you do it?"

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Business, Autobiography, Book Club, Memoir, History

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a few of the stories in the book (his low high school GPA and retaking the U's entrance exam twice because they thought he cheated the first time) were ones I had grown up hearing about my mom's cousin Larry (Larry's mother and my maternal grandmother Shirley).

However, I think that the story of him being thrown out of the house at 16 surprised EVERYONE in my family (my mom and her 7 siblings, but both of my grandparents have passed away - ironically my grandfather passed away exactly 5 years to the date that Larry decided to stop the dialysis). I really think that had Grandpa Horne or my grandparents known of it, they would have taken Larry in. But by that point, even my grandmother had limited her interactions with Rill (Larry's mother) because of her toxic personality so they weren't having many family gatherings to even notice Larry wasn't there. Finishing his autobiography and the constant mention of Gail and "the Capitol Hill Gang" were his steady foundation after his parents left the Church and subsequently kicked him out of the house, I realize now that Larry was old enough and had a close enough relationship to Grandpa Horne he could have called him - but then he would have been uprooted from the last remaining thread of constancy he had in his life: Gail and "the Capitol Hill gang".

That part of his childhood certainly did define who he was an adult - he learned to value loyalty and that was a trait he carried with him throughout his entire life.

This is by far the FASTEST I have EVER read a nonfiction book. It surprised me how much I got into the book. I read the preface, the foreward and started reading the introduction on Wednesday night but didn't finish it. Last night, after putting the kids to bed I started reading it and had to pull myself away at 11:30 PM to go grocery shopping at (thank goodness for 24 hour grocery stores!). I got home just after midnight and put the groceries away and then thought "I'll just read a few more chapters while I eat a snack". I finally stopped at 2:30am to get ready for bed but then continued to read for another hour in the bathroom. Then I got up and finished this morning while the kids watched their PBS shows.

I'm sure part of the reason I dived into his life story is because of the family connection, but it was more then that. I connected to who he was and felt validated as a person. I struggle with my anger. I have analyzed for years why people didn't treat me as well as I thought they should have in past situations (although I have learned how to release that and not do it anymore this last year so that I don't continue to suffer wondering "why?"). I always have a million different ideas or thoughts floating around in my head like balloons and when I complete them they are gone (I LOVED that analogy).

I've always been told I look a lot like my mom's youngest sister. It was confirmed when Larry hosted his parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary at their newly completed house on the hill (it is VERY nice). I was a teenager at the time, so old enough to look even more like my aunt - whom had attended Jazz games with my grandparents when Larry and Gail invited them often enough that Larry knew her. He saw me and started to strike up a conversation with me as if I was my aunt. I told him who I really was (his other cousin's daughter) but that I knew I looked a lot like my aunt. It was fun that he sought me out because he thought I was my aunt. That was the last time I saw him since I never made it to the Horne reunion he hosted at the then Delta Center (I was on an exchange program in Germany at the time) and I was a full-time missionary for the LDS church when my grandfather passed away. Other then that, the only three other times I remember meeting Larry was when the Delta Center was dedicated (he invited ALL of his family so we came down from Idaho for the occasion and had pretty good seats - that was the only time I ever shook hands with President Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson), at his youngest son's wedding reception (which was in the Delta Center), and at my grandmother's funeral in 1994. I always bragged that Larry H. Miller was my mom's cousin (especially when the Jazz were in the finals!) and other kids asked if I ever got to go to games. Nope. Then I felt bad that we didn't really know Larry that well - come to realize now that if he wasn't making time for his own children he certainly wasn't making time for extended family so it never was that we weren't good enough (especially once I learned that he and Gail were SO not about putting on airs) - he just had this DRIVE in him to keep accomplishing as much as he could.

I really admire Larry. Not for his accomplishments as much as for his humility. Not many men of his wealth and community standing would publicly say in their published autobiography that they wished they had spent more time with their wife or children instead of working so many hours at the office. But it is true, on their death bed no one ever wishes they had spent more time working at the office.

[Brad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went back and forth with my feelings for this book. At times I thought it was nothing more than Larry Miller boasting about all his accomplishments and how much harder he worked than everyone else. I was also annoyed with the fact that he claimed he was a frugal man (and he was in many aspects of his life), but when someone accumulates 15 Shelby Cobras with price tags ranging from $250k to $4 million, I don't call that frugal.

I was also appalled to learn of how much debt Mr. Miller took on to buy the Utah Jazz, build portions of his enterprise and to finance many of his projects (the racetrack in Tooele County had a budget that started at $7 million and ballooned to over $100 million by project end).

Ultimately I felt sorry for Larry Miller since his extreme work ethic led to him missing all of his children's childhood as well as leading to his early demise. Gail Miller (Larry's wife) was a saint to put up with all that she did and to raise the family essentially on her own. Also, some of his mother's actions when he was younger were outrageous, e.g. throwing him out of the house when he was a young teenage for no real reason, having him arrested to spend the night in jail, etc.

I was impressed with all of Mr. Miller's philanthropy and continuous donations to many organizations throughout Utah. He did have a "heart of gold" in many ways and helped many, many people in need. He was a man that truly loved the state of Utah.

In the end, Larry Miller's story is a great case study for both the good (how to succeed in business) and bad (what happens when you ignore your family and physical health) examples he lead in his life.

Here's a link to a review that I thought summed up the book (and LHM himself) nicely:

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post...

[Nate Skousen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of this autobiography is certainly fitting. After having an epiphany, he decided that the only way to provide a good life for him and his family was to work harder than everyone else. And that he did. He was a classic workaholic. He worked so much and so hard that it drove him to his death bed while alienating his family. If anything, Larry is somewhat honest in this book. He realizes he could have been a better husband and father. He dedicated only a few pages addressing that and his family. The rest (which is probably more interesting if you're trying to sell a book) is about his businesses and successes. It is sad to think that he memorized the VIN numbers for each of his dozen or so Shelby Mustangs but doesn't know much about his kids lives growing up since he was working extreme hours.

What bugged me the most, however, was that his excuse for not being a good father was because, as he said, he didn't know how to be a father. Yet he didn't know how to run car dealerships or NBA franchises but he was able to figure that out.

Now, I know I can't criticize him too much. I am not a perfect father. Beside what he provided to this book, I don't know much else about his life. My take away from reading this book was to work a little harder and to find balance in life. There is danger in not working hard enough and in working too hard.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

When he was sixteen years old, Larry Miller came home one summer night to find all his
Number the Stars. – Read by Blaire Brown. 10 year old Annemarie Hansen and her best friend Ellen Rosan often think about the way life was before he was. If it now is at all like in Copenhagen filled with food storages and the Nazi solders marching in their town. Then Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission. Somehow she must find
the strength to do it.

Lois Lowry has written over seven young adult novels and has received remmunius awards, including the prestigious New Berry Medal for the giver.
When read by Blaire Brown. 10 year old Annemarie Hansen and her best friend Ellen Rosan often think about he way life was before the war. If it now is like in Copenhagen in filled with food storages and the Nazi solders marching in their town. Then Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission. Somehow she must find the strength do it.

Lois Lowry has written over seven young adult novels and has received remmunius awards, including the prestigious New Berry Medal for the giver.

When he was sixteen years old, Larry Miller came home one summer night to find all his possessions sitting in three bags of the darkened house. The door was locked.

[Chad Loveland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting guy.

I guess we didn't know him.

[J B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book about the man behind the empire. He was a very intense individual - to a fault (and he admits it somewhat). To me the real hero in his story was his wife, who was essentially a single mother through most of their kids' childhood because of his workaholic attitude - 6 days a week early morning to late night for 20+ years. It turned out that his family suffered from it and it was one of Larry's big regrets in life, which he talked about a bit. The book itself read fairly well - it was co-written by Deseret News writer, Doug Robinson. I enjoyed the parts about the Jazz, and it was cool to get some insight into some aspects of the team and players like John Stockton and Karl Malone. Stockton himself even wrote a few pages of introduction for the book. The only quibble I had with the book was the boastful flavor of a bunch of it. I could tell he was trying to be humble in describing all of his good deeds and generosity, but it's a very hard thing to do when talking about owning many, many car dealerships, multi-million dollar profiting deals and his personal collection of 15 Shelby Cobras worth anywhere from .25 to 4 million dollars each. But overall, it was interesting to read.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this memoirs-style book for Christmas. It was very interesting to me, having grown up in Utah during Larry Miller's entreprenurial career. Doug Robinson, who helped him write it, is a columnist in the Deseret News. I like his writing. It is written subject by subject. I liked reading about what motivated him, and also the simply put business tips at the end. This is a man who used the gifts he was given, was careful not to let money change his core values, and who understood his stewardship as it related to sharing his successes with others.

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love autobiography's. Could hardly put this book down. He was an interesting man with a lot of drive and number sense. While he was very successful and did so much to help others, it was sad that he put his work above his family.

[Spencer Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun to learn about his impact on Utah. Lots of cool and inspiring stories about generosity and honesty. I especially loved the story about how he acquired the Jazz. I appreciate how he openly acknowledges his flaws and shortcomings. Just a tad repetitive. Solid read.

[David Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impressed by Larry, feel bad for his wife.

[Taylor Greenhalgh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. Maybe my favorite book read so far. Truly inspiring.

[Branden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Back in 2007/2008 I started listening to an AM radio show on my way home from work and every Thursday on this radio show, Larry Miller would have an hour where he and the host would just talk about anything and everything. Since it was a sports radio show, they talked a lot about sports and the Jazz but Larry would also talk politics, finances, business and pretty much anything else. It was always a great show to listen to because Larry was so honest and he had no reservations about anything. The best word to describe what I felt about him after listening to this program was "genuine". You could tell that he wasn't trying to be anyone else than Larry Miller. I gained a lot of respect for the man after that and I was deeply saddened to later hear, on the same program, about his death.

When his autobiography came out I was really excited to read it. It really was a great book and I recommend it to everyone. I only gave it three stars because I wished that he would've gone into more details about some of his business relationships. I was hoping to learn more about his falling out with Dave Checketts and more about his relationships with other Jazz team members. Besides all of that, it was still a great book and a great example of Larry being genuine, open and honest throughout the entire book. Larry Miller is a great example of what you can accomplish when you really work hard at something. I think the overall tone and message of the book was that of being able to accomplish anything if you really put in the necessary work. The book goes in to a lot of his regrets throughout his life, the main one being that he sacrificed his time with family to work. He's honest when he says that he didn't have a good relationship with his kids growing up because he hardly saw them and he asks the question "Was it worth it?" He could justify it later in life considering all the good that his businesses have been able to accomplish and the fact that when his kids became adults he eventually built up relationships with them. But I think you still have to ask yourself, "what am I sacrificing and is this sacrifice worth it?"

The layout of the book is nice in that each chapter, following Larry's words, ends with his wife's perspective or the perspective of a business associate, discussing their views or feelings about what Larry had just written. Gail's perspective is always the best because it really shows how certain things that Larry would do were affecting his family and their marriage and Gail is very honest in her feelings througout the book. The last chapter, with her thoughts, contains great advice for every married couple about supporting your spouse. She makes the comment at one time that they were lucky that neither of them wanted to get a divorce at the same time as the other. All in all, a great book about a great man that really helped to shape the state of Utah that we currently live in.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so torn on the rating one gives for an autobiography. Would people think my rating was about the author's life or the quality of the book? That in mind, I'll clarify my rating. I am giving this book 5 stars, not because the writing was excellent, or that Miller should be given sainthood, but because I think that keeping a record of one's life is very important. I think Miller deserves 5 stars for sharing his life and the lessons he learned.

I really struggle reading non-fiction. It takes me back to all the textbooks I had to read in college. It's not that non-fiction can't be interesting or entertaining, but generally it doesn't appeal to me as much as most fiction does.

However; growing up in Utah, I'm definitely familiar with Larry H. Miller, and I decided to give his book a try so I could learn more about him.

I'm happy that I made it through, and in less than a month (this is huge for me), even though I had several fiction books calling my name.

Miller's life really was interesting. He grew up poor, with a mother who didn't seem to understand him (she even called the police on him a few times and he didn't know why). He didn't go to college, but he was driven from very early on to do the best he could with whatever he did. He married his high school sweetheart. She practically raised their five kids on her own while Miller was working hours and hours to provide for the family and become the best at his profession. He regrets that he didn't spend more time with his family.

His hard work paid off monetarily. He was the owner of many car dealerships and other businesses. He owned the Utah Jazz. He was generous with his money, and didn't want it to change him and his wife. They lived fairly simply, although he did "splurge" on a huge house for them in Salt Lake, and on cars (he especially liked Shelby Cobras).

He gave some great advice in the book about being on the same page as your spouse as far as money is concerned. He didn't hide that fact that he didn't take care of himself as he should have; which eventually lead to his early death.

Miller's life was inspiring, imperfections and all.

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I was pretty disappointed. While Miller's life was amazing, the story was poorly written. Yes, he passed away before the book got off the ground, which must count for something. But I doubt that the autobiography would have been much better if Miller and Robinson had completed it before LHM's tragic death, due to the randomness of Miller's topics, his disjointedness in the timeline, and his yo-yo treatment of certain topics. He skims over his childhood (which would have been very interesting to read about indepth) and gets way detailed only about his initial purchase of the Jazz (which, as the only detailed section, was very enjoyable).
What does Larry H. Miller teach me? If you go to work for 90 hours a week and have tons of ambition, you will make millions of dollars and own an NBA team...and regret missing your children's lives. And kill your body.

[Kristie Rodas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really a great book. Larry H Miller did so much for the state of Utah, but in the process kept his integrity and good reputation. He was very honest in his book not only about his many accomplishments, but also the ventures that didn't work out and the things he regretted (Like not spending enough time with his kids).

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It surprised me how much I really enjoyed this book. It is well written and you come away kind of a sense of awe of how much he really did in his life. (I want to avoid the word "accomplish" because of all that he missed out in his life because he was working.)

I would definitely recommend this book to others.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any Jazz fan

[Sheldon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing man.
I never really knew that he did so much for the state. It makes me wonder what Utah would be like if he never did what he did...

[Abhishek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miller is sort of guy who's the very embodiment of Americana: little formal education, ability to work himself to death chasing the dollar, never takes no for an answer, and almost always succeeds. Even more, he's a devoted member of that other very American religion, LDS. This capacity for work, I am not sure it can be taught, especially examining the lives of other high agency folks - Sam Zemurray or Les Schwab, neither of whom had much of a formal education. Clearly that's the differentiator, that and the accumulation of small advantages such as riding the Japanese manufacturing wave or ensuring the incentives of your employees align with what you want out of your business.

One thing that can be taught is to care about your work the way these guys do - know everything about it, from the meanest task to highest. Larry started from the bottom, getting hold of car parts. So did Sam Zemurray, picking cast off bananas from the dock a kid. This pattern keeps repeating in these hagiographies: to care about something more than the next person means eventually seeing things others don't. Larry’s network opened up because customers saw him as the person with answers and wanted to hire him. His reputation spread. Another compounding factor that eventually lead to banks opening up their purse strings from him when they wouldn’t have for anyone else.

The book was ghost written. Larry died before it was finished. The last chapter is a conversation of the author with Larry’s wife Gail. She says something to this effect: “I am sad he is gone, be it’s not like he was there when he was alive.” Larry was not part of his children’s upbringing, except as a provider of food and shelter. He made sure that he would go to the church on Sundays, skipping important Jazz games, because he wanted to be seen by the world doing so. A role model, and good PR for the church. It worked, it got spoken about. I thought it was interesting that he didn’t apply the same lens to his parenting considering the best thing you could for children is modeling behavior you would like to see in them as adults.

[Mommywest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read his wife’s autobiographical life-lessons book, which mentions aspects of their life together, their children, and some of the struggles they faced, as well as their successes and philosophies; I wanted to know more about Larry H. Miller. I was immediately touched by his co-author’s introduction and the explanation of this book project that didn’t get finished before Mr. Miller passed away. Larry was a prolific writer himself—a record keeper—and one who liked to share with others what he learned in his life, both the successes and the failures. He asked Doug Robinson, a local legendary journalist, to help him to share the story of his life, his vast experience, what made him tick, and what he learned from it all, and the result is a wonderful book written mostly in Larry’s voice, with postscripts that fill in the rest of the story and offer perspective from loved ones, colleagues, and friends.

Larry Miller was a fascinating man with amazing intelligence, an incredible memory, and a unique ability to problem solve and make things happen in the face of “it can’t be done.” His humble childhood and the obstacles he had to overcome make his later successes all the more amazing. His vision, generosity, and drive, as well as his gifts of deep and personal relationships with others, blessed many lives and families within his businesses, the community, and beyond, and continue to do so today. However, as Larry freely shares, those things (in some ways, ironically) came at a price his family had to pay, although he also talks about some wonderful second chances he received later in his life. His health also suffered greatly and led to a death much earlier than he or anyone else would have liked. It was his hope that he could share his infectious thirst for making a difference and not giving up in the face of tremendous obstacles while also reminding his readers (as he has many business students at BYU) that family is the reason for all we do, and not to neglect those crucial relationships, as well as not neglecting caring for one’s self.

[Travis Standley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to this auto-biography that includes Larry’s take on his life along with perspective-giving postscripts of those that were very near to him in his endeavors. This is a catalog of a man who worked to accomplish his vision, a man who loved his community and felt the pressing responsibility to channel his wealth into things that would bless more than himself. He offered commendable public service.

This book is full of valuable perspective on so-called successes and an openness to failures in what matters most: home and family. A case of the “problem of success”.

What I appreciated are the towns of redemption that came along for Larry to make amends with his failed presence at home, with his kids, grandkids, and, of course, with Gail who took the brunt of the consequences of Larry’s other “success”.

Again, Larry’s service to his community, as an employer, and to his state and the Church is commendable. He was a good man and he served great causes. He was faced with the tests of wealth of large financial success and was able to channel that stewardship in the best directions without letting it canker him.

He’s human. He had a temper. He was open about his regrets. This is much better than playing victim and falling to the defeat of self-deception. The tribute by his wife, Gail in the epilogue is touching. She loved him and gave tribute to his spirit that remains with her. This reminded me that those we love are flawed but when we look on their hearts and souls we can truly love.

I benefited greatly from this book as it caused to me to reflect on what I want to be as a husband, a father, a provider, an employee, and as a person in a community. I’d like to do something more and any new venture should have with it the purpose of serving others and not just making money. We can learn a lot from these honest biographies.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I really miss the Larry Miller (and the Stockton/Malone/Hornacek) years. “Perhaps only Brigham Young has done more for Utah than Larry H. Miller.” I knew that as the owner of the Utah Jazz his reach was wide, but I had absolutely no idea just how far it extended. I especially loved discovering some of his philanthropic ventures in the state of Utah that to me have just always been there - I was too young to appreciate them at the time they were each unfolding.

His views about money not being an end but a tool to build with, and his special stewardship he felt he had to do good in the community, are leaving me with an even greater love for my Utah roots.

I also enjoyed his use of real numbers to paint a picture of where he started, how far he came, and just how much he leveraged to make things happen. Serious miracles occurred to make the Jazz deal and the arena go through - my mind is still reeling.

Like everyone, he had weaknesses, imperfections and regrets. I appreciated his willingness and humility to publicly mention those places where he felt like he got things wrong, specifically with his fatherhood.

His work ethic was astounding - for better or worse. He did incredible things in his lifetime, yet literally worked himself to death. The whole book I wanted to know more about his wife, Gail, and how she handled their life together. She has several moments of candor in this book, but I still can’t wait to read her own biography. It’s amazing how they made things work as a couple and how they accomplished so much together while having very different roles. Utah would not be what it is today without them.

[Lizzie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really well done. Fascinating to read about a man who has had such an impact on the Salt Lake Valley, and on Utah as a whole. Driving around Salt Lake, I see plenty of evidence that Larry H. Miller lived and left a great legacy. I like that the book was honest. It covered his many, many accomplishments and triumphs, but didn't shy away from addressing his regrets and weaknesses. It gives a real view of this good man. I was moved by how emphatic he was that he should have been more involved in his children's lives when they were young and I was impressed with how he talked about his temper. The genuine feeling after putting the book down, though, was one of appreciation and genuine tenderness. Larry Miller defied many, many odds and ultimately did so much good for so many people. There were several stories about his desire to look out of the little guy and ensure that people were taken care of. I loved the stories about his skill with numbers and memory. He really was a gifted man and a gifted businessman. I also loved that one of the main themes of the book is that he was a man of his word, and that his word was absolutely trustworthy. I love to read about people like this. Gail Miller's additions were especially fun to read, and I obviously loved the chapters about the church leaders Larry Miller had contact with, and the parts about his close friendship with John Stockton and Karl Malone.

Overall, a really good biography about a pretty fascinating guy.

[Abe Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Truman's biography, I was looking for an easy read. My father all but insisted I read this book and let me borrow his copy. So glad he did.
I like a lot of things about Utah but don't consider myself a Utah guy, and Larry Miller seemed like the epitome of everything Utah. And the whole Utah Jazz thing... I was happy to see them do well back in the day when they went to the NBA Finals and wished they could've beat Michael Jordan and the Bulls, but I've never considered myself a fan. So why would I want to read a book about Miller?
Well, I must say, after reading this book, I'm a big Larry Miller fan! Writing and finishing this book was very important to him, even as he was dying. He tells it as it really was. He (as well as his wife who also contributed) was very honest about even the most personal aspects of his life, which really pushed the book into 5 star territory for me. So many takeaways.
At the end of the book, his wife Gail is shockingly honest about her feelings and their marriage, but describes Larry with a variety of descriptions including "uncomplicated" and "without guile".
Each chapter was a great read and an easy recommend for me to make.

[Kole · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Driven: An Autobiography” by Larry H. Miller is a moving story about his moving forward through life. Miller lived and grew up in the state of Utah. He lived an unfortunate childhood, his parents were abusive, his grades were poor and he didn’t finish High School or College. Miller’s book is a wonderful story of defying and going above expectations.
In his autobiography, Larry H. Miller uses the metaphor “river” quite often. The path of a river is always changing, no bounds define where it’s supposed to be. Miller’s metaphor could be used in a similar way. Regarding the idea that no one can define who you are, who are meant to be. Another way he could use the term could be to explain the flow of life. You can’t choose where life takes you, sometimes you just have to learn to move with it and adapt. Either way, there are multiple powerful messages in Miller’s autobiography.
This book was recommended to me by my older sister. It’s a wonderful story and I would recommend it to almost anyone. I particularly am not very fond of the non-fiction genre. This book, however, was really moving. Larry H. Miller lead such an inspirational and interesting life.

[Seth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a Utahan, and had never really heard of Larry J. Miller until the incident with Denver Nuggets fans in the 1994 playoffs, which is referenced in the book. So he seemed like a hothead jerk. But later on I heard other stories that made me reconsider my opinion and eventually led me to purchase this book, which sat on my bookshelf for 13 years until I finally decided to read it.

It’s a good book, well written and easy to read. Perhaps it benefits from Miller’s health decline as the author was conducting interviews, so he had no other choice but to stick to the main points. He doesn’t get bogged down in details, but if that’s what you’re looking for there are several pages at the end cataloging events in Miller’s business and personal life.

I enjoyed learning about his rise from a somewhat aimless young person to one of the most prominent figures in Utah. He took a number of risks along the way, such as going all in to buy Jazz and keep them in Utah even though he had no particular interest in owning NBA team. Yet the Jazz not only survived but thrived under his leadership. The key to long-term success in pro sports is good owner, committed to the city and its fans, and there’s no question Miller deserves a lot of credit for making the Jazz championship contenders. He forged close relationships with John Stockton, Karl Malone and Jerry Sloan who all enjoyed long and successful careers in Utah.

There’s a lot here for discussion and/or contemplating. Larry H. Miller sacrificed considerably for his success. He was able to help a lot of people and make Utah a better place, but in the process missed the childhoods of his children and had his life cut short, thus also missing out on seeing grandchildren grow up. Was that worth it? In the end that was his choice so only he can say for sure. It’s a good lesson on sacrifice, risk-taking, and balance. Not everyone is going to make the same choice, and it doesn’t necessarily mean one person is right and another is wrong. We get to make our own choices, but it’s hard to be successful in a career without making sacrifices, taking risks, and feeling out of balance much of the time.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!! Excellent!! Excellent!!

It's sometimes strange to think we know someone by what we hear on the news and elsewhere. I grew up in South Salt Lake City, Utah and had heard about Larry Miller for most of my life and figured he was just another car salesman. When he bought the Utah Jazz and then built the arena they played at, that's when I started to pay attention to Larry Miller.

Larry has told his story in such a way that I kept wanting to keep reading. I loved how he talked openly about so many of his public and personal trials with great detail. His honesty in admitting mistakes throughout his life, how intelligent he really was, why he made decisions the way he did, what he regretted, and more, endeared me to him and his family. Triumphant and humble! I wish I had known him when he was alive.

For anyone who enjoys learning about someone's life and history, this is the book to read. I recommend it to the world!

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

On Larry Miller's tombstone it reads: "a man who loved Utah" -for that I love him. I love Utah and, boy, has he done a lot for Utah.

I think there's a lot to learn from Miller- good and bad. I appreciated that Mr. Miller could be upfront about his flaws. I think it's hard to see yourself clearly but both Miller and his wife were honest about his temper, lack of time at home, and that he didn't take care of himself. When people are honest like this it makes believing their "self-proclaimed" good traits and successes easier.

I remember discussing Larry's amputations with my mom (who works in a diabetes management clinic) at the time it happened and her saying, "that's what happens when you don't take care of yourself". At the time it seemed cold... but after reading this book, she was right! Work came before everything for the man.

It read a little long to me. He accomplished so much so no wonder it was lengthy. I'm impressed by Mr. Miller.... and go Jazz!

[Jen Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew Larry Miller from his car dealerships, movie franchises, and as the owner of the Utah Jazz, but he contributed a lot more to Utah than I realized.
Someone recommended this book and through it I learned how challenging it had been for Larry to buy the Jazz and keep them here in Utah. He also was the reason we have the Salt Lake Bees team. He donated millions to build Salt Lake community college and was the impetus for the Delta Center/Vivint Arena. He built the motor raceway and funded many projects for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, like the Joseph Smith papers. He also funded The Work and the Glory movies.

As a youth he’d had challenges with his family. He was dedicated to practice even then and became an expert in marbles and pitching. His 90 hour work weeks put a strain on his family, but his wife Gail was dedicated him from teens throughout their lives. 4 stars!

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very interesting. The only thing I knew about Larry H. Miller was he owned car dealerships and the Jazz. I think my husband knew a bit more because he is a big Jazz fan. But it was interesting to learn about his life. I was upset about the way he treated his family. But I don’t think the other good he did should be discounted because of character flaws. I really appreciated he was honest about it. I haven learned about someone who was a genius or really successful that didn’t have a compensatory negative in some other area of their life. It all balances out. I am grateful for everything he did for the State of Utah. I think it would be interesting for anyone who lives in Utah to learn more about a very prolific man in Utah.

I was going to give this a 3 star. But then I remembered I am rating the book and my experience reading it not a man’s life so I bummed it up to 4.

*Listened with my husband in a car trip to and from Texas for summer vacation 202.