I have read everything about Namath for years... this new book is different, better than all of the ones before it in a sense. All the Way: My Life in Four Quarters is told in Namath’s words. And those words are powerful and instructive ... You can feel his pain.
Namath discusses, with unexpected candor, the world he grew up in—a world that shaped not only his athletic ability but also his approach to good times and bad times, to women, wealth and celebrity. And for all the X’s-and-O’s football nerds among us, he gives a vivid, first-person, play-by-play account of that iconic 1969 Super Bowl victory ... Mr. Namath is brutally honest about many aspects of his life, but he barely mentions his marriage and children ... So here we have it: a reflective football icon—76 years old, incredibly—and an elder statesman. He doesn’t tell all, but he tells a good yarn, guaranteed.
... make no mistake: the gifted athlete is not a natural author ... But let it go. Joe has stories to tell, and with the aid of Sean Mortimer and Don Yaeger, he does better than a passable job. His (their?) prose has a certain appeal ... The book deals cursorily with such substantive issues, leaving the reader hanging at times ... The reviewer, however, doth protest too much. Even casual sports fans will find this an enthralling read. For all his flaws – and the author does not hide them – Namath is a likable and lively raconteur. What’s more, his is a remarkable life.
Both all-out star and team player, Namath has much to say on the inspirational front about trying, getting smacked down and dusting yourself off, and the usual sports stuff. He also discusses the N-word, divorce, booze, adultery, and other off-field violations of decor, taste, and ethics, and he has a very long memory for past injuries and insults as well as triumphs ... Though he professes to hate writing, calling himself a 'reluctant author' who’d much rather be outside playing, he’s got a handle on the storytelling racket. If it’s not especially literary, it’s good fun, with Burt Reynolds, Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley, and other assorted luminaries joining in ... A pleasure for fans who remember way back to Namath’s glory days—and an entertainment for those who are new to the gridiron hero.
... riveting, earnest ... Namath is refreshingly candid throughout, taking readers through his decision to even write the book (Mortimer and Yaeger expertly bring out Namath’s intimate, conversational tone), and emphasizing his desire to not overlook the darker parts of his life ... Football fans will delight in Namath’s play calling throughout ... Namath’s razor-sharp recollections bring a bygone era of football to vivid life in this illuminating volume.
