The Voice of Reason: A V.I.P. Pass to Enlightenment [Hardcover]

Chael Sonnen (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 15, 2012

The book that you are considering buying is nothing short of a VIP Pass to Enlightenment, written by the UFC's most infamous and feared destroyer of men—Chael P. Sonnen.

Backwoodsmen and unlearned folk call him the Walking Thesaurus. His contemporaries have bestowed upon him the title Sir Sonnen. And those dwelling in the forgotten, forlorn jungles south of the equator reverently refer to him as filho da puta, a term Sonnen personally deciphered using his mastery of linguistics. It means, simply, "the Great and Humble Bearer of Knowledge."

In the coming pages, Sonnen's commentary and tales of heroic adventure will initiate you into the world of superhuman greatness. Allow him to carry you like a frail damsel through the world of professional mixed martial arts as he cuts weight, deals with moronic cornermen, expresses his disdain for focus mitts and punching in general, gets his face rearranged, and finds support and encouragement from fans. Permit him to cleanse your mind's palate and teach you the truth about history, politics, endangered species, cinema, terrorists, music, particle accelerators, and his plans for creating a Chaelocracy, which translates as "a Better Earth." Shower him with praise as he takes you into his manly mitts like a lump of clay and reshapes you in his own likeness.

Like all men of myth and legend, Sonnen strives for the betterment of the human race. Prometheus brought us fire; Dana White brought us the modern-day gladiator; and Chael P. Sonnen now brings us the step-by-step guide to being a great human being and patriot.

Purchase this book; learn how the world really works from the perspective of a man who has been face-to-face with presidents, wardens, dignitaries, judges, kings and queens, and athletic commissions; and find out if you have what it takes to awaken from your progressive nightmare.

There is no better day to stop being you and start trying to be Chael P. Sonnen. The time has come for The Voice of Reason.

Chael Sonnen is the best trash-talker in all of sports.

—Jim Rome

Host of The Jim Rome Show

I've never seen anything like it. He's the best thing since Muhammad Ali

—Dana White

UFC President

Editorial Reviews

Review

Chael Sonnen is the best trash-talker in all of sports.

—Jim Rome

Host of The Jim Rome Show

I've never seen anything like it. He's the best thing since Muhammad Ali

—Dana White

UFC President

"Over the course of the last few years Chael Sonnen has become one of the most divisive figures in mixed martial arts. The outspoken middleweight is beloved by some and reviled by others, to find an MMA fan without an opinion on Sonnen is virtually impossible…For those that are already fans of Sonnen this book will be a must read. For those that, shall we say, are less than enamored by Mr. Sonnen, this book will provide a glimpse below the surface, exposing the reader to a man that is much more than the one he presents when he is standing in front of a camera with a microphone in his hand."—BleacherReport.com

About the Author

CHAEL SONNEN is a mixed martial arts superstar, a compassionate Republican, a volunteer coach, and a former politician. He's a sociology graduate from the University of Oregon, where his relentless fighting style earned him numerous wrestling awards. Sonnen's brilliant, incisive, and unique viewpoints have made him a favorite of fans, fellow athletes, and lazy journalists. In his spare time, Sonnen tinkers with the particle accelerator he built in his basement.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Victory Belt Publishing; Hardcover with Jacket edition (May 15, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1936608545
• ISBN-13: 978-1936608546
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (99 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Mixed Martial Arts
  • #42 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Martial Arts

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

392 of 475 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Shael, Plese Kept Riting Books May 16, 2012

By Anderson Silva

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

5 Starrs fore this book. Shael shuld knot fighte anymor. Shael shuld keepe beeing awthor. Grate book that my friends Nog, Seagal, and Soares luved. Seagal read it to us befour he tuck us in. That booke dosen't half enof pectures though. Shael keep righting and no fighteing. Leaf Spyder Silva a loan. Let he kept his belte pleeze.

33 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest, insightful, hilarious...truly dives into the mind of a fighter May 15, 2012

By Muay Thai Student

Format:Hardcover

This book begins and ends better than any MMA book I've read, and I've read most of them. Don't get me wrong, there is a ton of very interesting and hilarious material in the center of this book, such as Chael dealing with athletic commissions, federal agents, and other personal stories, but the first 10,000 words and the last 10,000 words really take you into the life of a professional fighter. It shows you the ups, the downs, and the personal battles a fighter has to go through. Even more so, it shows you what it takes to be a fighter. They force you to dive into the mind of a very experienced fighter, and while parts are extremely funny, it shows you something that you never see on TV or hear in interviews. It shows you the crazy, almost maddening battle they go through on a day by day basis. After reading this book, I realize that only a very select portion of people have what it takes to be a fighter. Sure, there is the fame and the thrill of stepping into the cage in front of millions of people, but I now realize there is so much more to being a `professional' than what you see on highlight reels. In an almost poetic style, Chael presents the fear, the doubt, the absolute terror guys like him go through every time they step into the cage, and he shows how they (or at least him) deals with those emotions. At many points in these chapters I actually got the chills.

It's quotes like these that dive deep:

An old wrestling coach of mine once told me something brilliant, and it applies to every fight I've won and, sadly, every fight that I've lost: "Chael, you can tell when a guy breaks." And you can, even (nay, especially) when it's you.

----

You're never ready. You prepare. You train. You plan, plot, scheme, connive, accommodate, gather intelligence, float falsehoods to throw your opponent off the trail and identify moles in your own camp, encourage and nurture unholy alliances, sweet-talk sponsors, infuriate your family and friends, grind yourself into a fine powder day in and day out, then reconstitute yourself in the morning with water and hope, like instant mashed potatoes served in the soup kitchen of your mind.

You tell yourself you're ready.

You know you've done the work, but it's not the Angel of Knowledge you need right now; it's another, much more elusive angel in the canon whose intercession you urgently need. The angel we call Belief.

You're never ready.

But, eventually, inevitably, immutably, you're...

Next.

----

Then it's off to the showers, where I begin to experience the inevitable adrenaline dump. It starts as a sense of quiet satisfaction, a kind of counterfit serenity. I use the word "counterfeit" after much reflection and consideration, since I know the few moments of the dump are simply chemically-induced respite from the relentlessness, anxiety, and dissatisfaction that define most of my life, and which defines the lives of fighters in general. The whole Peaceful Warrior/I Consider This a Sport/I Have No Anger act is a complete fraud, a construct; it is as artificial as a Mardi Gras parade float, and just as fragile.

Peaceful people do peaceful work.

Peaceful people dig wells in third-world villages.

Peaceful people become Doctors Without Borders.

Fighters fight for a reason.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Y'know that whole "Don't judge a book by it's cover" thing?? Yeah... May 15, 2012

By A. Barton

Format:Hardcover

So.. wow.

I'll be quite frank, right off the bat. As someone that is more than well aware of Chael and his day-to-day "persona", I figured I might have some misgivings about him writing a book. As luck would have it, I found myself on the receiving end of it irregardless, and was pleased that I took the time to sit down and read it.. in under two days.

You read that right - "in under two days". I'm an admitted bookworm from time to time, but rarely do I plow through a book quite like that... which is to say: This, believe it or not, is a page turner. Where you might expect to be picking up another about-and-sort-of-written-in-the-voice-of-the-athlete book is where you'll end up being wrong. YES, there is Promotional Chael in this book. But above and beyond anything you might expect, there is also reminiscent Chael, sociologist Chael, social media Chael, politician Chael, coach Chael, student Chael, fighter Chael, and most pointedly: Human Chael. But if it's not a "biography", then what is it? I'll not throw around the "manifesto" description, as it's already heavily in rotation, but will simply point out that it is essentially a collection of essays. Thought-out observations, if you will. A look inside the mind of a man that normally spends his time showing a caricature of himself rather than his inner monologue? Yes, absolutely.

Sparing an extensive chapter-by-chapter review here (you should probably just buy the book, eh?), I'll say this: MMA fans will certainly enjoy their time spent reading this book. Non-MMA fans will enjoy it just as much (and maybe even more than?) the diehard fans. At the end of the day, "Voice of Reason" is a hilariously fun and interesting read that (surprisingly) has something for everyone. Of note: If you ARE looking for a book SOLELY about the man himself, you won't find it here. While there are many Chael-based insights, stories, memories, and a little history, the bulk of the book is in the light of social/political/musical commentary from the man himself. Also of note: Every bit of said commentary is well thought out, well written, entertainingly presented, and worth the read.

All of this to say: I'll recommend this book to anyone (and after reading a chapter and a half of it out loud to my father visiting from out of town - over dinner, at that - I'll admit that it was so much more than I expected it to be) looking for a good read, as well as to EVERYONE involved or interested in the MMA community.

Oh, and Aerosmith & Metallica being two of not only the most played-out, but most fraudulent bands of all time? Turns out, I do agree with Mr. Chael P. every now and again. ;)