Friday, April 30, 2010

A Review of "Why I Fight: The Belt Is Just An Accessory" by BJ Penn with David Weintraub

BJ Penn's autobiography - titled "Why I Fight: The Belt is Just an Accessory", co-authored by David Weintraub and currently rocking the number 22 spot on the New York Times Best Seller List for hardcover nonfiction - is pretty decent. And I stress the word "decent". Though far better than what Matt Hughes put to paper, the prose won't exactly knock your socks off. However, if you're looking for insight on what Penn's life was like growing up, how he took to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the details surrounding each of his MMA bouts (the book covers everything up to and including his fight with Kenny Florian), then it's a worthwhile read. Also, if you want some snapshots of Dana White's interactions with the Hawaiian fighting legend - unfavorable snapshots - well, "Why I Fight" gives up the goods on all that sordid stuff. Ranking all the MMA books on the shelves, "Blood in the Cage" by L. Jon Wertheim still sits at number one, but Penn's book is a firm number two. Check it out. Or don't. I don't care.

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