Well, the book's okay, but not actually what I was hoping for. I remember when this kid came up. What a hell of a rookie year he had (and his second year was basically as good if not more so). You want strike outs? Serious freaking heat! He went from a name to a recognized world sensation in a month! It wasn't long after that, with Daryl Strawberry supplying the lumber and former Expo catcher, Gary Carter, smacking a few out while providing clubhouse leadership, that they beat the Red Sox to win their first World Series in 25 universes...? Seemed that way.

I'm not a Mets fan, but this kid -- they were starting to call him "Doc" -- was a once in a life-timer. And then he seemed to just start to fade away. Eventually disappear. 15 minutes.

I guess I wanted to really hear about his coming up to the majors and his incredible rookie year, and on to the Series, instead of opening the book to him passed out in a drug den doped up and too screwed up to make it to the stadium for the big game. It's not that that's not important or what Gooden clearly wanted to do with his book. And it's his prerogative to do that, sure. But it's my prerogative too, as a consumer, to not care too much because that scene has been written about a thousand times in a thousand sports and entertainer's books, while few of them ever approached the level of success he had in his first two years. It's not that his focus isn't valid -- it is. It's just, been there, done that a million damn times with players not even worth 10% of him, and I just wanted to read about a rookie season for the ages. I'm actually kind of sick of all of these screwed up athletes ruining their careers and lives and then NOT writing about what made them interesting when they were able to play, but instead writing almost exclusively on how down the gutter they all fell and what it took for them to make it back. And again, I don't want to invalidate that. I've got my own stories too. But when reading a memoir of an athlete of this stature, I really just don't want another "Insert pages of last athlete's memoir, replace author/athlete names with current one, change book jacket, sell." They're redundant after awhile, so you almost start to not care anymore because you become so desensitized to it. Which is sad. I only wanted to read something fun for once, something decent, exciting, celebrating an amazing accomplishment instead of just another book on an athlete destroying their careers and lives. Hell, I predicted this exact outcome, but as I write this, former Steeler All Pros Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell just finished their first season after "escaping" evil cheap little Pittsburgh and neither of them really understood that they WEREN'T the damn straw the stirred the drink -- they were an overall part of the drink, every part of the drink is replaceable, and frankly, Brown's bitching about Ben really ticked me off because without Ben throwing him the ball -- and Ben had PLENTY of other high drafted, very talented people to throw to, many of whom went on to become 1,000 and/or Pro Bowl receivers, often with another team rather than staying with the Steelers for their entire career -- like respectable Hines Ward did, Stallworth, etc. The point is, Brown owes practically all of his stats to the 6th best QB in NFL history and possible the best offensive line for any one decade in NFL history, with three annual All Pros, two other decade-long starters, 2-3 going to the Hall of Fame one day? They thought they could spit in Pittsburgh's face for whatever greedy, elitist reasons and continue to duplicate their numbers nearly ANYWHERE else? They obviously don't have good agents or advisors because I would have bet my house that neither would do crap and that they just nuked their careers and their once probably HOF destinies due to total idiocy. See, we see a few Doc's every year. And it's not that they're story, especially if redemptive, isn't good, valid or interesting. I just wanted a good view into that incredible year for once rather than the downside of fame and riches. A different take. On something that I actually care about because I've seen and been around enough misery throughout my life around this planet to think there's too much special about the redemptive stories -- a ton of people could write the same thing -- but they are the only ones who can write about what it was that made them household names. Whatever, I guess it's just me. It's an okay book but I'm kind of over these types of celebrity autobiographies, so while I want to give this book two stars for ticking me off, that's subjective and probably not fair to the author, so I'll give it three, but know what you're getting before you get it so you don't make the same mistake I did... ( )

Dwight bares it all, addiction, trauma, baseball stardom, and more. Interesting tidbits - he definitely didn't experience an honest side of Darryl Strawberry, he had some major baseball pitching accomplishments, trauma work truly sparked his recovery work. The book unfortunately is written rather flat and dry. There are home-run moments, but they are separated with lots of strike outs as well. ( )

If you love baseball, you'll know that Doc was a legendary pitcher for the NY Mets, but you might not know his struggle with hidden childhood trauma, addictions and celebrity rehab. The book is candid, kind of confessional and interesting. ( )

I’m a long time Mets fan so I had to read this story. It was a hard read. His struggle with drugs was horrible to learn. His writing style is very easy to engage with though and knowing he has recovered made it easier to get through. A great read for any baseball fan. ( )

I was pleasantly surprised by "Doc: A Memoir," by Dwight Gooden and Ellis Henican. Dwight Gooden was, of course, an ace pitcher on the New York Mets who racked up prodigious numbers of strikeouts and wins in the mid-1980s, won the Cy Young Award and helped lead the Mets to their World Series win in 1986. The book begins with an almost confessional account of Gooden's all-night bender the night after winning the World Series. He drank heavily, did lines of cocaine, indulged in women to the point that he nearly missed the victory parade the next day.

In the chapters that follow, Dwight "Doc" Gooden poignantly recounts his rise to the major leagues beginning from his childhood dreams of playing baseball growing up in Tampa, Florida. He describes the encouragement and mentoring he received from his father Dan and others who pushed him to practice, work hard and develop his skills as a pitcher. He also practiced and worked out with his nephew, who also went on to become a highly successful major league baseball player, Gary Sheffield.

Gooden also shares, painfully at times, the shortcomings of key people in his life, including his father's infidelities and the time his mother shot his father in the arm. His father also slipped into alcoholism and violent crime, ending up in prison for several years after a frightening altercation with police witnessed by Dwight and his siblings in which shots were fired.

Doc goes on to write about the exhilaration he felt when he was drafted fifth in the first round of the major league draft to the New York Mets in June of 1982. His father pressed him to negotiate for a higher offer. From there, Gooden played for AAA Tidewater under Davey Johnson then was finally called up to the big leagues in the spring of 1984 by a Mets team that had just suffered through a deeply disappointing season.

Doc's first outing was a respectable five-inning victory. Then in his second game he was shelled out in an 11-2 defeat- his first big challenge in the big leagues. He spent extra time practicing, refining his curve ball and working on the accuracy of his powerful fastball. That season he went on to become the youngest player in major league history, at just nineteen, to appear in an all-star game. When he stepped to the mound in the fifth inning, he struck out the side.

He finished his rookie season with a 17-9 record and an astonishing 276 strikeouts- the most ever recorded in a season by a rookie pitcher. He had reached the top of his game almost right out of the chute. He got more and more endorsement offers and popular acclaim in the media and across the country. That year he went on to win the Cy Young and baseball's triple crown for pitchers (most wins, most strikeouts, lowest ERA). It was also around that time, however, that his demons began to emerge as he began to drink, smoke marijuana, do cocaine, and party more and more heavily. He describes with almost rueful irony how he was even featured in a kids coloring book that season admonishing kids not to do drugs, and all the while he was frequently indulging in marijuana and cocaine.

The season after winning the World Series, he tested positive for cocaine and went to rehab. Gooden felt like his life was spiraling downward. At several points he contemplated suicide, and describes how he even had a gun in his hand at several points, pondering taking his own life but then thought of his family and reclaimed his will to live.

From there on, Gooden writes of his struggle through several rounds of rehab, including a stint on "Celebrity Rehab" struggling both to overcome his addictions and rehabilitate his damaged public image and self respect. He has been clean for several years now and is seeking to make a positive impact in the lives of others through his efforts in the community.

This book is a poignant and refreshing account from an iconic sports legend who describes his meteoric rise to baseball all-star from humble beginnings, to his struggle, fall and recovery. I highly recommend this inspiring memoir to any sports fan interested in reading a story of redemption of a fallen legend regaining his health, dignity and respect. Four stars. ( )