From Publishers Weekly
In this autobiography, Norris and Abraham catalogue in a mostly chronological fashion the major events of Norris's Horatio Alger–like life. After a tumultuous and impoverished childhood marred by an alcoholic father, Norris turned his life around by joining the military and learning a martial art, tang soo do, while stationed in Korea. Having achieved a black belt, he returned to the United States and built a career as a karate instructor, winning six world championships. Norris counted many celebrities among his students, including Steve McQueen, who, along with Bruce Lee, encouraged Norris to pursue a film and television career. Even though Norris and Abraham employ a bland style of reportage, often bereft of smooth transitions and replete with empty phrases such as "I've always had a special place in my heart for children," the facts of Norris's life make this book compelling. Not only has he succeeded in martial arts and acting, but he has a long, eclectic list of additional achievements and experiences, such as breaking a world record in boat racing and being a close friend of the Bush family. While this book is being promoted as a Christian autobiography, Norris did not fully embrace a Christian lifestyle until the mid-1990s. Despite its limited spiritual content, this memoir will please those who admire Norris's achievements and conservative activism. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
Millions of people around the world know Chuck Norris as the star of more than 20 motion pictures, including "Delta Force," "Missing in Action," and "Return of the Dragon." Millions more know him as a martial arts expert, the only man in the Western Hemisphere to hold an 8th degree Black Belt Grand Master in Tae Kwon Do. And then there are others who know him from his eight seasons on CBS’s longest running series, "Walker, Texas Ranger." What many don't know is that Chuck Norris is a sincere Christian—a man whose faith plays a role in everything he does. Against All Odds is an inspirational story of how Norris overcame abject poverty from childhood, the effects of his father’s alcoholism and desertion of the family, and his own shyness and lack of strength and ability early in his life. Norris writes candidly about how he was able to overcome such obstacles in his life—giving full credit to God.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Millions of people around the world know Chuck Norris as the star of more than 20 motion pictures, including ￯﾿ﾽDelta Force,￯﾿ﾽ ￯﾿ﾽMissing in Action,￯﾿ﾽ and ￯﾿ﾽReturn of the Dragon.￯﾿ﾽ Millions more know him as a martial arts expert, the only man in the Western Hemisphere to hold an 8th degree Black Belt Grand Master in Tae Kwon Do. And then there are others who know him from his eight seasons on CBS￯﾿ﾽs longest running series, ￯﾿ﾽWalker, Texas Ranger.￯﾿ﾽ What many don't know is that Chuck Norris is a sincere Christian￯﾿ﾽa man whose faith plays a role in everything he does. Against All Odds is an inspirational story of how Norris overcame abject poverty from childhood, the effects of his father￯﾿ﾽs alcoholism and desertion of the family, and his own shyness and lack of strength and ability early in his life. Norris writes candidly about how he was able to overcome such obstacles in his life￯﾿ﾽgiving full credit to God.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In this autobiography, Norris and Abraham catalogue in a mostly chronological fashion the major events of Norris's Horatio Alger-like life. After a tumultuous and impoverished childhood marred by an alcoholic father, Norris turned his life around by joining the military and learning a martial art, tang soo do, while stationed in Korea. Having achieved a black belt, he returned to the United States and built a career as a karate instructor, winning six world championships. Norris counted many celebrities among his students, including Steve McQueen, who, along with Bruce Lee, encouraged Norris to pursue a film and television career. Even though Norris and Abraham employ a bland style of reportage, often bereft of smooth transitions and replete with empty phrases such as "I've always had a special place in my heart for children," the facts of Norris's life make this book compelling. Not only has he succeeded in martial arts and acting, but he has a long, eclectic list of additional achievements and experiences, such as breaking a world record in boat racing and being a close friend of the Bush family. While this book is being promoted as a Christian autobiography, Norris did not fully embrace a Christian lifestyle until the mid-1990s. Despite its limited spiritual content, this memoir will please those who admire Norris's achievements and conservative activism. (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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