Customer Reviews

The Silent Gladiators

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Silent Gladiators studies the path of the American freestyle wrestlers to the 2004 Olympics in Athens. There is a lot to like, and unfortunately, to dislike about this book. It is full of interesting insights and information on the international wrestling scene. However, the book is very poorly edited, much too long, and replete with factual errors. One is willing to make some allowances, since this was a self publishing effort done on a shoe string, but the obvious errors call into question the accuracy of the less easily checked information.
The devoted wrestling fan will learn much about international wrestling by reading this book. But he will have to work far too hard. The book is not easy to read and much too repetitive concerning the difficulties and demands of wrestling. Anyone with the determination to plow through 350 pages of fine print already knows this and does not need to be told it countless times.
The reader will learn how three members of the 1995 California Junior National team - Stephen Abas, Eric Guerrero, and Jamill Kelly - became members of the 2004 Olympic freestyle team. Kelly's story is the most interesting, but it is flawed by errors about his collegiate career. Unfortunately, it is the errors that one remembers most about this book. For example, long-time coach Bill Weick's name is spelled differently in the same paragraph and in both cases incorrectly.
In a way, this book is a metaphor for the sport of wrestling. Reading it requires a great effort, but it is probably worth the sweat and struggle.

Nicholas Hopping's The Silent Gladiators provides real and powerful insight into the sacrifice required for an American to pursue the dream of becoming an Olympic wrestler. The author demonstrates how truly thankless this pursuit is for almost all who start down this path and also shows how truly different individuals with different approaches to the sport handle the demands of chasing Olympic gold. The one minor complaint I have with this book is that often there is very little detail provided for the key matches that are described in the book. Many of these bouts can be seen on-line via sites like Youtube and it was difficult at times to watch the videos and feel a strong connection with the narrative in the book. Other than that, I would recommend this book to anyone who has wrestled or has any interest in learning what wrestling is all about.

I loved Silent Gladiators. I admit that I am a wrestling fanatic and I think it would probably only interest those who love wrestling. There were a few editing mistakes, but since it was self published, I had no problem overlooking them. It really caught the vibe of what it's like to wrestle at a high level. I found myself putting the book down and looking for matches on youtube of the wrestlers highlighted in the book. I was extremely happy that someone finally took the time to research and write a book about olympic wrestling.

"BY FAR THE BEST WRESTLING BOOK I'VE EVER READ!"
-Ben Askren, U.S. Olympian and 2x NCAA Champion
"A MASTERPIECE!" -Jim Beezer, [...]

"BANNED AT FARGO, OUTLAWED BY USA WRESTLING, WITH NO PUBLISHER TO TRUST AND NO ALLY IN THE FIELD...THE SILENT GLADIATORS IS THE LONE WOLF OF WRESTLING BOOKS!" -Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

"AMATEUR WRESTLING'S FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!"
-Rocky Mountain News (Denver, Colorado.)

"THE SILENT GLADIATORS IS TO WRESTLING TO WHAT JON KRAKAEUR IS TO OUTDOOR ADVENTURE...THIS BOOK IS A CREDIT TO OUR GREAT SPORT!"
-Lonnis Nash, Buchanon H.S. Coach (Fresno, California)

"THE SILENT GLADIATORS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO READ!" -Mike Tyson, Professional Hitman

"I WRESTLED IOWA IN THE EARLY 80'S, THIS BOOK IS OUTSTANDING!... IT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF WRESTLING!"
-Pete Bush, Assumption H.S., (Davenport, Iowa)

"THE SILENT GLADIATORS MAKES WWF LOOK LIKE A BUNCH OF SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMERS WHO ENJOY WEARING SPANDEX...THIS BOOK IS UNTOUCHABLE!"
-Rowdy Rowdy Piper, WWF Legend

"ABSOLUTELY ADDICTING TO READ!"
-Steve Millward, Bald Eagle H.S. (Pennsylvania)

"THIS BOOK IS GREAT!"
-Bobby DeBerry, Sunnyside H.S. 13x Arizona State Champs

"I TRULY ENJOYED THE BOOK. YOU WERE ABLE TO SHOW THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ROLLAR COASTERS A WRESTLER GOES THROUGH WHEN COMPETING BETTER THAN ANY OTHER BOOK I HAVE READ. ANYONE THAT HAS WRESTLED WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WITH THIS BOOK...THERE ARE DEFINTELY PASSAGES FROM THE BOOK THAT I WILL SHARE WITH MY FUTURE WRESTLING TEAMS."
-Travis Young, Head Coach Valley High School, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265

"A GREAT READ...I REALLY ENJOYED IT AND WILL GET THE WORD OUT...THANKS FOR SENDING IT MY WAY."
-John Phillips, Irvine, Ca. High School Head Coach

Hopping was able to give us a glimpse into an unknown world of struggle and sacrifice that few of us can imagine. For anyone who has ever participated in any of the amatuer olymic sports should have an immense appriation for the athletes in this book. Hopping as an author does exactly what he needs to do as well. He provides that fly on the wall perspective do help us undrstand he incredible monotonous grind that these guys go through while bringing forward the drama of the Olympic process. I feel that anyone who loves sport, has an appreciation for sacrafice, or is simply interested into delving into a great slice of life story should read this book.

I have been involved in wrestling since age 8; wrestled at the the HS and collegiate level, coached all levels of wrestling and am currently a HS official and youth wrestling coach....I enjoyed this book very much. It was recommended to me from a former wrestler at the U of Minn who is a successful HS coach. I believe that the book was VERY easy to read. I am not a reader, I have read one other book in the last two years simly because most books can't keep my interest....The Silent Gladiators was a book I couldn't put down, from start to finish. I thought the basis of the book was excellent. I attended the same JUCO as Jamill Kelly, left one year prior to his arrival, and was very familiar to his story and the book told the same story....so its basis of fact was solid. Other post have said it needed more editing or its contraversial...maybe it did need more editing, but i didn't notice, nor do I care, I thought it was very interesting....and as for being contraversial....sometimes the truth needs to be told in order for people to change or look themselves in the mirror....The Silent Gladiators is a good start. I would and HAVE recommended this to ALL of my friends invovled in wrestling. Thank you Nicholas Hopping for your work and courage.....done only as a wrestler could do. Please read and pass on to your friends in wrestling.

Sensational book about the journeys that various members of the 2004 US Olympic Wrestling team took to make the team and reach their ultimate goal of winning a Gold medal.

I recommend this book to sports enthusiasts, from the youth trying out various sports, to junior and high school athletes in any sport- but certainly all wrestlers- as required reading. Mr. Hopping has been there, on many levels. Despite the glaring typos and grammatical errors- which could easily be cleaned up in a second printing- this book should be an instant classic and a must-have for the shelves of all wrestlers.

All wrestlers and coaches should read this book. The view inside the olympic training center is an insight most of us could only hope to have. I ordered from the author and a signed copy shipped out the next day. Easy seller to do business with.

I loved _The Silent Gladiators_. The story of the athletes, combined with the politics of the sport, made for a thoroughly entertaining read. Interestingly, there was no one in the story whom I rooted against. Triumph, defeat, heartbreak, frustration, exhaustion, and exhilaration are all feelings the reader will experience.

It is inspiring to read about athletes completely dedicating themselves in virtual anonymity. A wrestler's dedication is born from a drive that few understand and even fewer possess. They live, breathe, eat, and sleep wrestling for no other motivation than the slim chance they may stand atop the gold medal stand.

The best compliment I can give this book is that I was disappointed when I finished reading it.