Review of "Above the Noise"

There was a lot of pre-publication buzz about this book and after reading it, I believed it lived up to the hype.  Here is my review of "Above the Noise", the memoir of DeMar DeRozan. 

Title/Author:

“Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm” by DeMar DeRozan

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

When NBA star DeMar DeRozan made a simple tweet to state that he wasn’t okay, no one expected the outpouring of not only support but also the attention that it would lead to the mental health of athletes.  While that was probably the best part of his memoir, it is one of the better sports memoirs I have read and one that every basketball fan will want to add to their library.

The format of the book isn’t much different than any other sports memoir – stories about his childhood, who helped push him into the athlete he became, his successes and failures that he endured along the way to where he is now.  What made this one stand out from others to me was his refreshing humility.  He was raised in Compton and frequently mentions the hard day-to-day life in that section of Los Angeles. He never forgets his roots when he is now living a much different lifestyle and it’s clear from the writing that this isn’t just being told to sound good – he truly does care for that community.

DeRozan is also frank about his personal relationships, whether with teammates, coaches or his wife and children.  He is honest about the struggles in his marriage and while his commitment to stay together with her may come across as “staying together for the children,” it is clear that part of his process of dealing with his mental health matters includes ensuring his relationships are strong as well.

And yes, there is plenty of basketball in the book.  It was clear that despite changing teams twice (from Toronto to San Antonio to Chicago) when he did not want to leave either time, he was able to quickly adjust and not only be welcomed, but welcomed being in a new city with new teammates despite missing his family.  He talks about his all-star seasons in Toronto, his relationship with coach Greg Popovich with the Spurs and his new role with the Bulls in helping them regain some of the glory they had in the days of Michael Jordan.

It's the feeling of refreshing honesty that made this book a very good read and one that I completed fairly quickly.  Hopefully this book will not only be a good one for basketball fans, but also for anyone who is dealing with mental health issues.  Reading about DeMar’s story is something that hopefully will be able to help others dealing with similar issues.

I wish to thank Harmony Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. 

Link: Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm: DeRozan, DeMar, Zarum, Dave, Popovich, Gregg: 9780593581261: Amazon.com: Books