This book provides a compelling insider's account of how Nike became the world's largest sports and fitness company.It includes a dedicated mailing and e-mail campaign to targeted sports interest media & organisations.How does a young boy from a small Oregon town get swept up in the politics of his chosen sport and become an integral part of possibly the most influential sports company of all time - Nike.Nike began with a handshake and a few hundred dollars passed between Phil Knight and legendary track coach Bill Bowerman more than 35 years ago - and since then it has grown into the world's largest sports and fitness company."Out of Nowhere" provides an unrivalled glimpse into the first 33 years of Nike - from its humble beginnings to its modern guise as a global giant - and takes readers on a rollercoaster ride through all of the company's successes and failures.
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About the Author
Geoff Hollister worked for the Nike company for 33 years, before his retirement in 2001, where he not only designed a number of products but also became one of the company's most respected historians.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The context for my perspective: I share a first name not only with the author but also with his friend and colleague, Jeff Johnson (Phil Knight's first hire who came up with the name NIKE), from whom I used to buy Tigers, mail-order, in the mid-'60s; and with another of his friends, running guru Jeff Galloway whose first summer running camp, Tahoe Trails, I attended in 1975 ($10/day, all-inclusive - Jeff cooked the meals); and I attended all three Olympic Trials held in Eugene 1972-'80. With that background, "Out of Nowhere" was inevitably fascinating to me. I think that will hold true for others who were - or still are - hard core distance runners. Besides, the vintage photos alone are worth the full cover price.
While I found Hollister's insider stories and his obvious total dedication to NIKE informative and absorbing, a few things puzzled me. Early in the book Hollister details at some length his relationship with his old coach Bill Bowerman, the legendary Oregon mentor and co-founder of NIKE. Hollister has enormous admiration for Bowerman yet the most vivid anecdotes he tells - of Bowerman peeing on his leg in the showers (others have reported experiencing this peculiar rite), of his not running Hollister at NCAAs despite his consistent top 5 finishes until brought low in the last meet pre-nationals by Bowerman-made shoes, and of Bowerman's calling Hollister to his office then ignoring him for a long period until he'd finished reading the newspaper - all appear to show Bowerman's most bizarre and controlling attributes.
Also Hollister's publisher should fire whoever edited this book. The numerous writing errors (e.g.shifting tenses at mid-sentence) should be corrected if there is a second printing.
The foregoing are minor quibbles. I came away with genuine admiration for Geoff Hollister. His dedication to building NIKE through working endlessly to build close relationships with athletes clearly was a labor of love for him - and also played a big part in swaying many from the "clutches" of Adidas and others. The personal stories are wonderful insights for amyone who loves this sport and its history.
Geoff Hollister had a story he wanted to tell and he told it well. And he told it despite having to focus much of his energy in recent years on his battle with rectal cancer. That burden would have been excuse enough to fail to complete this endeavor. But such failure would not have been true to the values he took from Bill Bowerman and the other men of Oregon - values he clearly wishes to pass on to others.
While I found Hollister's insider stories and his obvious total dedication to NIKE informative and absorbing, a few things puzzled me. Early in the book Hollister details at some length his relationship with his old coach Bill Bowerman, the legendary Oregon mentor and co-founder of NIKE. Hollister has enormous admiration for Bowerman yet the most vivid anecdotes he tells - of Bowerman peeing on his leg in the showers (others have reported experiencing this peculiar rite), of his not running Hollister at NCAAs despite his consistent top 5 finishes until brought low in the last meet pre-nationals by Bowerman-made shoes, and of Bowerman's calling Hollister to his office then ignoring him for a long period until he'd finished reading the newspaper - all appear to show Bowerman's most bizarre and controlling attributes.
Also Hollister's publisher should fire whoever edited this book. The numerous writing errors (e.g.shifting tenses at mid-sentence) should be corrected if there is a second printing.
The foregoing are minor quibbles. I came away with genuine admiration for Geoff Hollister. His dedication to building NIKE through working endlessly to build close relationships with athletes clearly was a labor of love for him - and also played a big part in swaying many from the "clutches" of Adidas and others. The personal stories are wonderful insights for amyone who loves this sport and its history.
Geoff Hollister had a story he wanted to tell and he told it well. And he told it despite having to focus much of his energy in recent years on his battle with rectal cancer. That burden would have been excuse enough to fail to complete this endeavor. But such failure would not have been true to the values he took from Bill Bowerman and the other men of Oregon - values he clearly wishes to pass on to others.
By R. Isitt
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed reading the inside story of NIKE as my former roommate is mentioned several times in the book. This account is complete in the area of how this company had it's up's and down's in just getting started and Hollister recruited athletes to NIKE and away from Adidas and other companies. Fascinating. I do have a signed copy by Geoff of this book that I'm willing to sell (couldn't sell it on Amazon because you have to get special permission). If interested just reply to this review.
By Brooklyn Joe
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book was fair at best. I felt that it was way too dragged out and didn't really focus on the core history of Nike. Instead it was dragged out in a very boring way.
I recommned someone simply skimming this book quickly.
I recommned someone simply skimming this book quickly.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
fascinating read
If you have any interest in the history of Nike, and modern sports in general, you'll love this book. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Goin' Goin' Zon
4.0 out of 5 stars
excellent reading from someone who was there
Hollister's account of NIKE's origins, trials and tribulations, successes and failures make terrific reading for anyone who favors and enjoys knowing the 'inside' story of a... Read more
Published on July 8, 2008 by Swoosh Flower
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Story to the Nike mystique...
This was a great book about what made Nike, NIKE! The perspective that comes through and is shown through Mr. Hollisters account are spectacular. Read more
Published on July 5, 2008 by Swoosh Pre
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