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Daniel J. Patinkin

The Crippler: Cage Fighting and My Life on the Edge Hardcover – January 5, 2016

by Chris Leben (Author), Daniel J. Patinkin (Author)

115 ratings

4.1 on Goodreads

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It takes a certain kind of person to do whatever is necessary to make a living as a mixed martial arts fighter. And it takes another kind of person to stand out from all the rest as both a wild man and a rock star. Chris Leben, otherwise known as “The Crippler,” is that kind of person.

Leben’s reputation started when he appeared on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter, a reality show and competition where hopeful fighters live together and vie for a UFC contract and a path to greatness. He quickly made a name for himself with his controversial and abrasive behavior. During his subsequent ten-year career in ultimate fighting, Leben became one of the most recognized figures in the sport, enthralling audiences around the world with his wild, head-first style of fighting as he took on some of the world’s best fighters, including Anderson Silva, Yoshihiro Akiyama, and Wanderlei Silva.

But Leben’s success in the ring and international fame hid a troubled background. Abandoned by his father at a young age, Leben’s mother worked long hours to raise him and his two siblings, and Leben learned early he had to be tough to fend for himself. For most of his life, Leben struggled with alcohol and narcotics, and he was suspended by the UFC for nine months for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The Crippler is not just an exciting account of his rise to prominence within the UFC; it’s the incredible story of a renowned wild man dealing with his personal demons and learning that the toughest opponent is always yourself.

Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Arcade, Good Books, Sports Publishing, and Yucca imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Our list includes biographies on well-known historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Nelson Mandela, and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as villains from history, such as Heinrich Himmler, John Wayne Gacy, and O. J. Simpson. We have also published survivor stories of World War II, memoirs about overcoming adversity, first-hand tales of adventure, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Print length

288 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Skyhorse
Publication date

January 5, 2016
Dimensions

6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

9781634505666
ISBN-13

978-1634505666
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Instead of whitewashing those personal failures into a hero's journey, Leben's book reads as a mix of war stories and regrets, an unvarnished look at the life behind a name that helped put MMA over to the reality-TV-watching public, and a confession." —Vice

"This book is a true testament to the battles faced inside and outside of the cage that no one else will talk about." —Ed "Short Fuse" Herman, ten-year UFC veteran

"I had a crazy life as a mixed martial artist. People everywhere ask me to tell them my now infamous stories. But Chris Leben took 'infamous' to a whole different level! This book is hilarious, heartfelt, and powerful. I love it!" —Bas Rutten, former UFC heavyweight champion and King of Pancrase world champion

"Chris Leben is one of the most colorful and forthright characters the UFC has ever seen, and The Crippler—while not always pretty—is an incredible look behind the scenes at a legendary fighter who has admittedly battled his share of demons over the course of a very memorable career. Chris holds nothing back, and his brutal honesty makes it hard to put this book down." —John Morgan, award-winning MMA reporter for MMAJunkie.com and USA Today

“[The Crippler] indulges readers, whether a fan of MMA or not, in the life of an individual’s struggle to teeter on extremes and, in the end, find their way closer to the fulcrum. . . . This book is well deserving of all five possible stars.” —MMA Latest

"Patinkin does an excellent job of capturing Leben’s voice. In very short order, the reader will find themselves hearing Leben’s raspy voice in their head as they read. . . . Leben’s memoir is a good read. It’s Chris Leben, warts and all." —MMA Junkie

"The brutal honesty about [Leben's] shortcomings makes for a frustrating yet empathetic story. . . . Many readers, even those outside the MMA fanbase, will find this personal account of a flawed fighter meaningful." —Library Journal

About the Author

Chris Leben is a ten-year veteran of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. While growing up in Portland, Oregon, he became interested in mixed martial arts at an early age. After being a participant on first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Leben went on to put together a 22–12 record and become a fan favorite before retiring in January 2014. Leben currently lives and coaches MMA fighters in San Diego, California.

Daniel J. Patinkin is a Chicago-born writer and businessman. His unique career has spanned the real estate, finance, education, and entertainment industries. He earned a BA in English and history from Indiana University and an MFA in producing from the University of Southern California. The Crippler is his first book. He lives in New York City.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1634505662
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Skyhorse; American First edition (January 5, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781634505666
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1634505666
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.12 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,424,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #149 in Mixed Martial Arts
- #216 in Martial Artist Biographies
- #2,884 in Martial Arts (Books)

Customer Reviews:
115 ratings

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Daniel J. Patinkin

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Daniel J. Patinkin is a Chicago-based author and screenwriter. He has published two narrative nonfiction books: The Crippler: Cage Fighting and My Life on the Edge (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016) and The Trigger: Narratives of the American Shooter (Arcade Publishing, 2018). Patinkin's work has been featured and/or reviewed in the The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Salon, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Vice, Library Journal, and more. He possesses a B.A. from Indiana University and an M.F.A from the University of Southern California. More at www.danielpatinkin.com.

Customer reviews

5 star		82%
4 star		13%
3 star		4%
2 star		2%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Jeff

Great Book!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 31, 2020

Verified Purchase

Chris Leben's willingness to go toe to toe with anyone in the cage helped turn a nearly bankrupt U.F.C. into a billion-dollar business. Fight fans knew they were going to get what they paid for when "The Crippler" stepped into the cage. Leben engaged in legendary battles with Patrick Cote, Wanderlei Silva, Terry Martin, and Yoshihiro Akiyama. He fought Akiyama on two weeks' notice, which developed into one of the most memorable fights of all time. He displays the same fearless style when talking about his personal life, which makes him one of the polarizing figures in UFC history. The details revealed in this book are so polarizing I could easily see fight fans enjoying a movie about one of the craziest fighters of all time.

Helpful

JK-Foslom,CA

Set your expectations correctly on this one.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 27, 2016

Verified Purchase

After reading all the reviews, hearing about this on the MMA hour and then reading the introduction, I had pretty high expectations for this book. Supposedly I was going to read this book and then be able to reflect on my life. That somehow this book was going to bring up thoughts that I'd never had before. That didn't happen or even really come close to happening. Most thought provoking portion of the book was his comments on PEDs as his thoughts (as a PED user) are different than most folks and I did see his point. This book is about a guy with massive athletic capability who compromised that capability severely by doing a ton of drugs and booze. And then of course doing drugs and booze screws up other things in your life also. Nothing really new about this book in terms of stories about athletes and nothing really to stop and ponder about life. I gave three stars since it was still a fun read and I probably would have given 4 stars if the introduction didn't set the bar so high. I'll be cheering for Chris if/when he makes a comeback to the UFC and I'll be hoping he's "clean", but given the past I won't be holding my breath. Good luck Chris.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

rustybeans

What a great book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 17, 2016

Verified Purchase

Wow. This book was honest, revelatory, fun and impossible to put down. I learned a lot not just about Chris Leben and MMA but about the internal life of someone from incredibly adverse circumstances. I have the feeling that people will see more of themselves in Chris's story than they'd care to admit, though in Chris's case the demons are born of things that would derail most people before they got started. So many of the themes of the book are universal - trying to transcend one's past to build relationships, external competition vs. internal demons, the individual vs. the corporation, how the professional and the personal are intertwined. It's rare that a book is so unflinching in its look at a person's real life. It's like a window into someone's soul. Keep fighting Chris Leben.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

CMor

Great no b.s. look at a legend

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 24, 2016

Verified Purchase

Chris Leben's career was amazing and at times heart wrenching to follow. He is one of a kind and this book lays it all out there. I hope he finds peace and solid footing, and a way to literally capitalize on the love his fans and the sport have for him. The book was good for how honest Chris was throughout, I just struggled with the over-writing. I wanted to hear at least a few passages in Chris's own words, not the words of a well-educated professional writer. Otherwise a great book.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

John H

Worth reading. Better than most movies. Lesson to be learned is to avoid Leben's footsteps.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 11, 2016

Verified Purchase

Entertaining book to read. I read the book in one night. The author/editor of the book is an accomplished writer and spent the time to articulate with robust words. I went back the next day to reread the chapters I enjoyed the most. Great book if you want to hear about funny and crazy stories. Also a great book if you want a mood enhancer. If you want to read an entertaining book with less profanity and more self-help advice then read Urijah Faber's book. Both books are better than Chael's Sonnen's book which is not filled with as many funny stories and is not a self-help book either.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Don Herakovich

another dull expose'.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 9, 2016

Verified Purchase

What a surprise!!! Heard about this book while eavesdropping in the gym..there was a lot of buzz about "The Crippler ". I went to Amazon and
read about it and promptly ordered one for myself. I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. I expected it to be about MMA as blood sport, i.e. another dull expose'....NO, it was more about the humanity (and sometimes the endured inhumanity) of this fighter's life--his struggles, his addictions, his triumphs, his hard-to-believe-but-true life experiences--it is about more than just a jaw-breaking uppercut or a kick-to- the-head
(although there are many of those), its a great read. Prepare to be "knocked out" by this AWESOME book.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Steadman

A terrific read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 9, 2017

Verified Purchase

I bought this book on an impulse. I love MMA but not too keen on Chris Leben, or should I was I use not to be keen. Read cover to cover in 2 days as I could not put down. Chris is honest in his writings and holds nothing back. I grew up in an alcoholic family and understood a lot of what he went through. Chris has a very strong back bone and has a f..k them all attitude which appealed to me.
The book looks at MMA from a completely different angle.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Willie R

I strongly recommend reading The Crippler - even if you're not an ...

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 29, 2016

Verified Purchase

This book was well written and fascinating. If you want a driver side view of someone who truly lives on the very edge - then this book will certainly take you there. The book takes the reader through the ups and downs of the insane and hilarious MMA fighter Chris Leben - I literally couldn't put it down. I strongly recommend reading The Crippler - even if you're not an MMA fan..

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

K. G. A. Alavi

Life of a fighter

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

Great book. For any book the job is to put the writers point across. I usually also judge the book if I am a bigger fan of the person than when I started the book. This book does both. It is honest to a fault, warts and all. If you the proof of this can just be found in the introduction page of this book. Lebanon freely admits that Daniel J Patinkin wrote 100% of this book. Though Leben supplied all the material, and got final say on everything. He could have very easily, left this out and let Daniel become just another celebrity ghostwriter, however that is not Chris Lebens way. Both of them have done a great job on this "authorised biography". If have followed Chris' career and seen his interviews you will definitely hear his voice ringing out in this book.

Chris Leben is old school mma/brawler fighter. If you were looking for the stereotypical fight you would look no further that Chris Leben. He is from a poor, broken home background and live the rock star/fighter lifestyle of fighting hard and partying hard. The book deal covers all of Chris' issues from validation, to drinking, drug addiction as well as Depression.

Though I do not agree with many of Chris' views, the book like his fighting style is very must see/read. He holds nothing back. That talks about the key times and fights of his life be they in or out of the octogen. The book is gripping, challenging and most of all hard hitting. I loved every bit of it and would highly recommend it.

2 people found this helpful