Customer Reviews

Wide Open: A Life in Supercross

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Other than magizines, I don't normally read books. But my hats off to Jeremy. This is a great book about family values, frinedships, sacrifices, facts and his living history of the Motocross industry. There are many insights into what happens behind the races that will open your eyes. It's not just about racing - Jeremy goes into preparation, both physical and mental and politics amongst the race teams. I read this book in three days and it won't take you long either. I learned allot about how individuals in the grueling sport of Motocross. I strongly recommend this book - young and old. A must for someone in the sport.

I just finished reading "Wide Open". It is an excellent book and should have been written a long time ago as MX riders have been terribly exploited over the years. Many were forced out of this demanding sport by injuries that would alter the rest of their lives physically, emotionally and financially.

Jeremy McGrath wrote an engaging and moving testament to the sport that will help riders, sponsors, and promoters better understand what is exactly at stake when a rider goes to the line.

Thanks, Jeremy, you have helped to make motocross a better experience for everyone.

By far, the most in depth look at the life of a factory racer. By "in depth" I dont mean all contracts and training. The book chronicles Jeremys perepective year by year as he rises up the ranks of amature racing thru his pro career. Included are halarious stories of, as Jeremy puts it, "What I do when no one is looking." Buy, borrow, or if you have to, steal this book. You wont be disappointed.

This book is awsome, the minuite I read the excript of his book in RacerX I knew I had to buy it. It's very well written and has a nice flow to it. It gave me a new respect for the greatest Supercoss Rider of all time. Even if you don't like Jeremy you'll love his book, it's smart, funny, and suprising.

I saw this book on Amazon and I decided to go to my local library and check it out. After about 3 pages I couldn't stop reading! During the book it gives you tips and starters on how to be a better motocross rider. It even gives you maintenance tips! Jeremy McGrath tells it how it is, from day 1 to the end of his career. I was surprised by how long it took for him to get a sponsor, and how he started out with old beaters instead of finely tuned factory rides. There is plenty of little pictures to go with it, too. I never was bored once when reading this book, and I didn't want it to end.

I would have to say this book deserves 6 stars instead of 5, but 5 was the highest you could put...

Jeremy McGrath has been my favorite rider for a long time, and I was pretty excited to find out that he had put out an autobiography.

I thought the narration and sequencing of the book were solid. They covered all the major events of Jeremy's life and career. It is a very simple book, seemingly targeted for a young audience.

I had issues with the placement of some of the pictures, as well as a couple of typos. For example, a picture of McGrath with the caption identifying it from 2001, while the chapter the picture is located in talks about the 1999 season. Seems like the could have made room for that picture somewhere in the chapter that talks about 2001.

One picture was identified as Jeremy after winning the 1993 championship, when it was actually a picture from the 1998 championship, which was described on that page.

I really enjoyed the writing style and the pace of the book. I read it cover to cover in about 4 hours. I didn't really find any of it boring. The way the book is written makes it feel very down to earth and easy to relate to.

The book seems to be geared towards a younger audience, which is why I found it curious that there were a few swear words included. Not alot, maybe 4-5 in the entire book, but when I read those parts, the wording seemed very unnecessary.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I didn't find McGrath to be bitter or morally bankrupt. He worked hard for what he has achieved.

Seeing as how the book came out at the beginning of 2004, only shortly after his retirement from competition, it would have been rather difficult to include things that he has done since retiring.

One thing I know he did after retirement was to write a book... and it was a pretty good read. At least for somebody who has followed Jeremy relatively closely for his entire career...

Genre: Biograph
Three sentece sumary : The king of super cross tells the story of how he started as a privater with nothing; and endend up as a legend.
What i liked most about this book: the book told the story of a profesinall supercross racer.
What i didnt like and why:The book didnt say much about what happend after his mx carrer ended.
My fariot charecter and why: Well jeremy mcgrath of coarse.
My favriot line or scene: when MC was battiling for fist with RC.
What would i say about this book to some one else: Its a great book to see how mc followed his dream and became a legend.
One question i have after reading this book: What did he do after he retiered.
My strongest resone for rerading this book : Its about the king of super cross and how he started out with nothing and got every thing.

Anyone who is a fan of motocross/supercross will love this book. From the beginning, borrowing other people's bikes to race, through the glory years with Honda, this book provides a great insight into the racer's life. Particularly interesting to me were the details of factory-team politics and the stories behind Jeremy's move from Kawasaki to Honda, briefly to Suzuki and then to Yamaha and finally KTM.
I really couldn't put this book down. The style of the writing is fun and honest enough that you can really imagine MC telling you his story.

Trever Arnason
Wide Open: A Life in Supercross
Jeremy McGrath
HarperCollins
© 2004
Pages 320


Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a professional motocross rider, or what it feels like? This book is an autobiography about Jeremy McGrath's life. It starts off when he is young and is first racing BMX bikes. He races in the local races in California, but these become too easy. As he gets older he gets better at racing and moves on to riding motocross. As the book goes on it goes through his adult life as a motocross racer.
My favorite part of this book was when he was telling about the parties that he would have at his lake house. The house would be crammed full of people and outside would be more people. He wouldn't even know half the people because they would just show up on their boats and get off at his house. His parties sounded like a lot of fun. The theme of this book was to not give up. McGrath had many struggles, which made it hard for him to go pro. Such as people telling him that he wasn't good enough, and not being able to get sponsors. But he never gave up and he was very successful.
I think that this book was really good. It had a lot of interesting stuff about the industry. Even though it was an autobiography and I thought that it would be boring, I really liked this book.

I love MX and sense I ride, I'm now shooting for the stars....... pro!Great book!!!