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The Great Eight: How to Be Happy (Even When You Have Every Reason to be Miserable)
 
 
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The Great Eight: How to Be Happy (Even When You Have Every Reason to be Miserable) [Hardcover]

Scott Hamilton (Author), Ken Baker (Contributor)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (146 customer reviews)

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Book Description

January 6, 2009

Olympic Gold Medal figure skater Scott Hamilton shares his eight secrets to finding happiness in the face of a life filled with challenges, difficulties, and career-canceling odds.

With never-been-told, behind-the-scenes stories from the skating world, personal challenges including testicular cancer and a brain tumor, as well as divine miracles, Olympic Gold Medal figure skater Scott Hamilton shares the secrets to his lifelong journey to find the silver (and gold) lining in the clouds of life. His life principles, fashioned into eight secrets that begin with the rote of learning to skate the figure 8, are the keys. Scott says, "Skating taught me how to be happy. I have always kept these eight as my own private, personal secrets that I practiced daily with repetition, focus, and discipline. Now I want to share them with the world."

"For the past twenty seven years Scott Hamilton has been a mentor and good friend. I've seen first hand the struggles he has had to endure and how he has continued to persevere with a confident attitude. He lives his life as a champion. Everyone needs the positive message of this greatly inspiring book."
-- Kristi Yamaguchi
 Olympic Gold Medalist

"I know and love Scotty Hamilton. You will too after you read this book." 

--William Shatner

 "Scott Hamilton is a champion in more ways than one. In addition to being one the world's greatest ice skaters, he has mastered adversity and a multitude of challenges. The Great Eight is an inspiration to us all."

--Donald J. Trump

"Scott's outlook on life continues to influence me in a very positive way, encouraging me to look at challenges in a larger context.  Within the metaphors of his skating career, the wisdom in this book is not only very inspiring and easy to grasp, but surrounded by great story telling.  I'm so glad he recorded it for the rest of us."  

--Brad Paisley, Grammy Award-winning Artist

"It's like my bud Scott says…"you can't just skate through life and expect to be happy!" So anyone choosing not to buy this book is choosing not to be happy.  Shame on you."  

--Kevin Nealon
Actor, Comedian, Saturday Night Live Alum

 "A gold medal literary performance from a true Olympic star."

Richard D. Lamm, Governor of Colorado

"For twenty five years I have been a close friend and business advisor to Scott.  He is an inspiration to all who know him.  I cannot imagine anyone better suited to write on the topic of happiness than Scott Hamilton.  Through a lifetime of facing incredible odds he has learned the secrets to maintaining a positive attitude and can-do spirit.  Spend time in the pages of this book and you will walk away truly inspired."


Bob Kain
Former CEO, IMG
Current Vice Chairman, Cleveland Browns

"After a myriad of setbacks, Scott speaks eloquently about survival in the face of adversity. This book deserves a 'ten' and a 'Personal Best' too! Bravo!"

Dick Button, Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Emmy Award-winning skating analyst

"In each successive chapter and challenge in his remarkable life-as Olympic champion, as cancer and brain-tumor survivor, as devoted husband and father and man of faith-Scott Hamilton has forged ahead with unquenchable spirit and uncommon joy, always emerging wiser than before.  This warm and insightful book will allow its readers to experience the blessing I've been privileged to enjoy in person: a delightful, practical, bracingly-honest conversation with one of our national treasures."

 Ken Durham, Ph.D., Senior Minister, The University Church of Christ at Pepperdine University

 

 


Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with Frozen in Time: The Enduring Legacy of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team $11.96

The Great Eight: How to Be Happy (Even When You Have Every Reason to be Miserable) + Frozen in Time: The Enduring Legacy of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team
  • This item: The Great Eight: How to Be Happy (Even When You Have Every Reason to be Miserable)

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  • Frozen in Time: The Enduring Legacy of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team

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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 6, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0785228942
  • ISBN-13: 978-0785228943
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (146 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #111,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
A truly great read! January 9, 2009
Format:Hardcover
"The Great Eight" gave me a sense of hope and can-do-it like nothing I've read in a very long time. It's not just one of those "be happy" primers but is a realistic look at how to live a passionate and joy-filled life in the middle of tough circumstances. Scott Hamilton is an incredible real-life example. He has done it and makes me believe that I can too!
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Inspiring and Uplifting January 9, 2009
Format:Hardcover
I found this book right on the mark. To read about someone overcoming such odds with a positive attitude really helped me put my problems in perspective. I have always been a Scott Hamilton fan, so it was nice to be able to catch up with him and be inspired once again.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Inspirational Read January 11, 2009
Format:Hardcover
This is not a book about ice-skating, but it is about skating through life and how, even though you don't come out unscathed, you can have hope. Scott uses his life as an example to show that no matter what comes at you unexpected and unwarranted you can rise above with faith. Great read!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Scott Hamilton's first 50 years
Scott Hamilton has accumulated many awards and fans during his long figure skating career. I think that many ice skating fans will enjoy this book because Scott shared so much... Read more
Published 11 hours ago by pinkrose
Awesome & Inspirational
An awesome book for anyone to read. It is very inspirational and uplifting book for anyone to read. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Dawn E
so-so
Based on the description, I thought this book would be truly uplifting. Some chapters or parts of the chapters are, but it wasn't as inspirational as I would've hoped. Read more
Published 1 month ago by daniegrrrl
A Lesson We All Need to Learn!
The Great Eight, is a book meant to inspire the reader. As I made my way through the book, I was amazed by the adversity that Scott Hamilton has endured since he was a small child,... Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Southern
Promising idea turned into religious sales pitch
I really liked the description of the book when I was reading the cover copy in the bookstore. What I didn't know until later, when I checked it out of the library, was that it was... Read more
Published 3 months ago by J. Hitchin
Great 8
This book was very exciting. i was defiantly expecting it to be alot more powerful and motivating. It portrayed the story of Scott Hamilton's life and beliefs well but it was very... Read more
Published 6 months ago by joseph lyman
Hamilton presents 8 fundamental secrets that must be practiced.
Over a decade ago, I read Scott Hamilton's LANDING IT: MY LIFE ON AND OFF THE ICE . . . though not a big ice skating fan, I had always admired Hamilton--and recall enjoying that... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Blaine Greenfield
A Wonderful Story Teller
This book was certainly inspirational to us all. It kept me both laughing and crying through every chapter. Read more
Published 13 months ago by jill h
Uplifting Content by an Endearing Person
I've always found Scott Hamilton to be an likable and endearing person. He has all the qualities you would expect of an Olympic athlete, yet seems to possess a deeply enhanced... Read more
Published 18 months ago by C. Rogers
Bought extra copies
After reading my wife's copy of the book, I bought three copies for my adult children. There's lots of good stuff in the book. Everyone needs to read it.
Published 19 months ago by J. Hopkins
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Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
keep the ice clear, losses your wins, male skaters, triple lutz, skating career, cancer battle, fourth angel, other skaters
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Bowling Green, Ice Capades, Gold Medal, Don Laws, World Pros, Scott Cramer, Blades of Glory, National Championships, Los Angeles, Bob Kain, Scott Hamilton, Olympic Games, Colorado Springs, World Championships, New Jersey, Great Eight
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
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