Customer Reviews

First Things First: The Rules of Being a Warner

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great follow-up to Kurt's first book, All Things Possible. The timing of the release couldn't be better. So many high profile marriages have run into problems, here we have a kind hearted loving couple who set a good example to follow. Brenda gives the background info on how they met and it is clear that she is making a great career for herself while tending to the endless demands of her family. I have watched Kurt over the years and I have always had a lot of respect for him. Too often today sport celebrities get into trouble, make bad choices, get fined by the league, ect.. Kurt is a good role model for young fans and he is of high moral character. Vince Lombardi used to tell his players that you represent the team on and off the field. How many coaches are saying that to their players today? Kurt and Brenda together make great parents. I am confident that the long term outlook for their son Zack is highly favorable. I liked the photo section in the middle, each of their kids get their own page. There are trading cards in the back of the book and on them is Kurt's statement of faith. He really does bring Christ into his game plan! B.T.W. First Things First is also the name of the foundation they created. They share about the work they do and the purpose of the foundation. I was surprised to read Larry Fitzgerald's quote on marriage. Larry, if you think marriage is like eating spaghetti every night for the rest of your life then you obviously forgot to add Chianti to the sauce. He certainly is mischievous! For me, a signed copy of this book would be more valuable than all the gold in Ft. Knox. I have it on my bookshelf next to Quiet Strength by Tony Dungee and Fields of Honor, The Pat Tillman Story. (another highly respected player for the Cardinals) So how many Warners does it take to tackle Kurt? One look at the front cover should answer that question. The back cover photo is cool too. Now that I am done writing my review I must confess that I am only up to chapter 11. Don't tell anyone!

I was so looking forward to reading this book, because I have admired the Warner family for a long time. What I found was a very self serving portrait of a family caught up in fame. I don't really care to know how many times a week Brenda and Kurt have sex, or that he is always turned on, even when she says the message that she is not. That is not the kind of information I expected to learn, nor do I care. Brenda seems to rant on and on about fans asking for autographs. So sad she does not recognize that her lifestyle is a direct result of his fame. And with fame comes some inconveniences. Kurt seemed to have a more humble view of his life, and I hope he continues in his charity work. Sorry, but I could not recommend this book to anyone!

I read this book in three sittings -- it's THAT good!

Brenda and Kurt are delightful and I actually laughed out loud several times while reading this book.

Brenda has been through so much in her life already and I just admire her. I'm going through a rough time right now in my life and this couldn't have come at a better time for me.

I will be using many of the parenting techniques I learned in this book and I will also be on the lookout for any other books Brenda and or Kurt write.

Kurt is just as special as I thought. It's so nice to have a celebrity like him to look up to.

Love this book. I might just read it again for the heck of it.

You may have read Kurt's previous book, but please don't think you know the whole story. This book goes much deeper into the complex relationships that make up a blended family with a special-needs child and a Superbowl MVP dad. And lest you think the Warners have no resemblance to your family and are completely out-of-touch with reality, think again. This is a household built on conservative family values rooted in "the good stuff" that once made America great - hard work, love and respect for others, and an unwavering belief that Jesus is the answer to the world's problems. This book won't only entertain you as a great read, but it will also teach you how to instill these same values in your relationships and family.

I highly encourage everyone to read this book!

Kurt Warner released an autobiograply in 2001 after he had won the SuperBowl with the Rams in early 2000, and in that book he told his story about his humble beginnings in football, but also making clear his life in Christ had become a very important part of his being as a person. After that SuperBowl win, Kurt brought the Rams back to another SuperBowl (losing to the Patriots) and things went downwards from there in his football career, only to see it almost magically turn around with last year's incredible post-season run with the Arizona Cardinals (advancing them to the Cards' first SuperBowl ever, only to lose to the Steelers in the closing moments of the game). Now comes this sequel of sorts to his first book.

"First Things First" (302 pages) brings the updated story of Kurt Warner's personal life since his first book, and what a delight it is to read. First of all, this book is co-written with his wife Brenda, a person who has been quite polarizing for many people for some reason. The focus of this book is quite different from Kurt's first book. For one thing, the couple now have seven (yes, you read that right) kids, 2 from Brenda's first marriage, and 5 of their own. While the book does bring Kurt's perspective on the Cardinals' magic run to last year's SuperBowl, the book actually focuses primarily on they couple's values and how they translate that into daily life, with a major emphasis on their kids and how they manage their marriage as a high-profile couple. For example, the couple follows the "Billy Graham rule", meaning Kurt never puts himself in any possible situation with another female that could be miscontrued: "I wouldn't drive the babysitter home alone. Avoid even the appearance of wrongdoing".

This book is so uplifting and inspirational on so many levels. The way the couple deals with Brenda's oldest son Zack (adopted by Kurt) who is legally blind and has many special needs just makes you want to be a better person yourself. Surprisingly, the couple also openly talk about sex and their sex life, wow, who would've thought? The book is spiced with "Warner rules" for getting along in daily life, and they are hard to argue with. In all, I've been a big fan of Kurt Warner, and reading this book just made me think of him and his family so much higher. Highly recommended!

If your looking for a book all about Kurt Warner's football career don't buy this book. If you want to read a inspiring book on how to come together as a family be sure to read this book ! Brenda and Kurt tell of there lives together and how they raise their family. They have some great ideas and seem like a great family. I was pleasently surprised with their story and recommend it to all.

Before the reader starts this book get yourself a whole box of Kleenex. You are in for some big surprises. Most people look at a Super Bowl Champion MVP Quarter Back and his beautiful blonde wife and envy him. When they learn the couple has seven children one of them a special needs son, they are surprised. They may think this doesn't fit into the rich sport's hero image. It also doesn't fit the fantasy image of a true sports hero. Why the general public doesn't realize sports heroes and their families are not perfect is a mystery considering how many pro-sports stars are in the news for doing bad things and/or being in trouble with the law?
This is a joint book by Kurt Warner and his wife Brenda. Of the two alternating stories in each chapter, the reader will again be surprised to discover that Brenda, who was/is a United States Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine), has the more courageous story to tell. Life was not easy for her and she never dreamed she'd find a good man to marry her and love her two children (one of which is legally blind) from an unfortunate first marriage.
This book is how the two people overcame tremendous obstacles including religious differences and eventually married and had five more children (so far) and how they manage to raise them as normal kids in a world that worships celebrities of any kind.
The book is filled with stories, anecdotes and "the rules for being a Warner...what works, what doesn't and what really matters to them." The writing is clever and entertaining as well as helpful. One intriguing chapter title in the book was called "Make out or argue about Jesus?" The book includes a foreword by their high school aged daughter Jesse Warner, who is exactly the kind of person who should be writing about this family and its values. She knows it better than any outsider.
There is some interesting football discussed in this volume, but it's minor to the overall theme of the book about how to raise a family successfully. It's got more than a few suggestions about husband and wives communicating with each other. They argue a lot too. Football isn't a big deal with Kurt's children. He and his wife claim "none of the Warner kids really wanted to go see their dad (and his middle-aged friends) play in Super Bowl XLII." When they did go to one of the Super Bowls they were upset that their dad's team lost and they wouldn't be receiving a promised puppy if the team had won. Even when they did attend and take their first row seats, some of the kids were hiding in their hooded jackets playing video games and the girls were mostly interested in being seen on television. They are typical kids in other words. However, the family isn't at all like the television series "Jon and Kate Plus Eight."
Besides discovering that weekly pro-football practices included "Bible Studies" the reader will learn the truth about trying to raise 7 kids without the help of a nanny or household staff. The reader will see how the couple speak to each other in such a frank and honest manner that neither one looses touch with what is really important in their world. Kurt has cleaned up more poop in the house that he likes to talk about, but with seven kids there was certainly an almost unlimited supply of it. Ditto for vomit ruining their first car's interior and leaving an odor that still remained when they eventually sold the auto.
This book hammers home the problems the "Octamom" is going to experience on a much more difficult level. They of course don't mention her, but the reader will be reminded of that family disaster story in the making. This is a very enlightening and inspiring story that provides hope that the American Family still has hope. It took me much longer to read than I expected because my eyes kept tearing up and I had to stop reading for regular rests even thought the book is a page turner and I could hardly wait to get back to it and see what would occur next. This is a great read for any family or couple getting ready to tie the knot and settle down. I look forward to Brenda's own memoir that she promises to write when she has the time. This couple also manages to find time to do volunteer work in various charities including one they have created. They are not super human parents, but they do put "First Things First."

Very inspiring story and well written, very simple and meaningful lessons taught. Enjoyed their story and seeing what life is like in the spotlight and how they handle fame and fortune yet teaching children what's important. Being in the same community as this family, I see how they help others by donating their time, money and energy. Would definitely recommend anyone reading this book.

Not being one who believes in an all-knowing supreme being who decides the fate of each of us, I was prepared to dismiss First Things First as some sort of evangelical, autobiographical "how to live your life" guidebook. To do so would be to sell it short.

You'll want to read this book if -

- You want to know more about what a Cardinal quarterback and his wife are like.

- You're inspired by rags to riches stories.

- You want to know what it's like for a football family outside of football.

- You enjoy eavesdropping on a big, ol' messy, sprawling family.

- You're looking for additional parenting tips.

- You'd like to find better ways to deal with success as well as disappointment.

- You seek ways to make Christianity a more important force in your life.

While First Things First is chock full of "rules for living" and the importance of religion to the Warners, both Kurt and Brenda are quick to point out that neither is by any means a "perfect" human being and that the rules they establish as standards are occasionally broken (& sometime for good reason).

What I found most unique about Kurt, Brenda and their book, however, was that unlike many religiously devout people, they've kept their priorities straight - placing "doing the right thing" and "service to others" above straight-laced behavior, rigid ideology or suppression of "things you're not supposed to think about." (i.e. it's OK to talk about sex or kid one another about bodily functions. And what clothes you decide to wear are less important than how you treat people).

The Warners are a creative couple. You see it in the way the book is written (Check out how they set up the reader for a surprise in Kurt's Introduction and Kurtis the Stock Boy and Brenda the Checkout Girl. More important, you see it in the way they lead their lives - from buying meals for strangers at restaurants to who chooses meals during road trips or going around the table at dinnertime to recap the best thing that happened to each family-member during the day. You can see part of that creativity translated into what might be best described as "Making Lemonade" - not only seeing opportunity in the direst situations but also looking for ways to seize on good fortune to to make it even better.

The most obvious (yet ironically the easiest to overlook) quality of Kurt and Brenda is their genuine and intense commitment to raising good kids, being good parents, good Christians and good people. (This is one of those few special families who walk the walk). They may insist this isn't intended to mainly be a "how to" book, but by example, it really is, and that's OK.

If there was one minor negative to nitpick about, it would be the tendency of Kurt and Brenda to beat a couple of dead horses; specifically: overzealous autograph-seekers and giving or loaning money to friends and family. (While important topics - obviously to the Warner family - they began to get a bit repetitious after awhile)..

Other than that, I found First Things First a good read - a very casual, quite readable often funny glimpse of family life (its high-points, low-points and foibles) in the big, ol' sprawling Warner family.

I think the reviewer from St. Louis is too harsh on Brenda Warner and takes some examples out of context. (The point about Hannibal, Missouri, for instance, was not that it is a second-rate town but that Kurt mistakenly took someone else's advice on how to prepare a surprise for Brenda's 35th birthday; the part about their daughter's note to her dad was already covered by the media when it happened.) Anyway, I was lent this book by a friend, and I was prepared for a cringingly trite, preachy picture of a perfect marriage, but I was pleasantly surprised by the candor that accompanies the sincerity. In the chapter on Kurt and Brenda's years of dating, it seems fairly obvious that they are using the phrase "making out" as a vague cover for what seems like a pretty passionate sex life, and initially I was put off by this seeming coyness in two very public, conservative evangelicals--until a later chapter admitted their premarital relations and discussed very frankly their beliefs and practices on that matter. The whole book is pretty forthright, even to Brenda's complaints about George W. Bush's unruly ear hair. A person can agree or disagree with the Warners' outlook and beliefs, but it's hard to accuse them of air-brushing the picture of themselves (it emerges that Kurt is so prim he refers to the Fox sports broadcast as "The Best DARN Sports Show"). To me, Kurt comes off as more easy going and more immediately likable than Brenda, but as the book progresses, the reader comes to see Brenda's complexities, which leads, I think, to understanding and acceptance. I really wish they had not used a ghostwriter, though. Each chapter is made up of a section supposedly written by each person, but you don't get any sense of their individual voices or of their personalities coming across in their language--the text is all done in that vanilla, depersonalized style of homogenized best-sellers. But, all in all, worth reading.