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The extraordinary personal journey of a man who, against all odds, rose to become one of America’s most surprising and promising new political figures
Scott Brown's greatest win did not occur on a cold January election night in 2010 when he came from behind to capture the U.S. Senate seat held by Ted Kennedy for nearly fifty years. It began when he survived a savage beating at the drunken, dirty-fingernail hands of a stepfather when he was barely six years old, while trying to protect his mother.
In this gripping memoir of resilience and redemption, Brown tells the story of his difficult, often nomadic childhood, shunted from house to apartment, and town to town, seventeen times over his first eighteen years. He somehow thrived despite a largely absent father, who married four separate times. So did his mother, in relationships frequently stained with alcohol, anger, and even violence. For nearly two decades' growing up, Brown endured innumerable hardships and challenges, even stealing food to eat. He was periodically sent off to live with relatives, his possessions wrapped in a few old blankets. Saved by basketball, he was the boy who shoveled snow from the public courts to shoot hoops alone in the frozen cold.
With clear-eyed conviction and unflinching can-dor, Brown tells the story of his own bad-boy days, of the coaches who mentored him, and of how he found a way out of familial chaos through the swish of a ball in the net, winning a starting slot on the Tufts varsity basketball team as a freshman player and becoming the tenth-highest scorer to graduate in the school's history. His rise from there was even more improbable: a first-year law student and member of the Massachusetts National Guard, he was picked as Cosmopolitan magazine's "America's Sexiest Man" and was vaulted into the glamorous world of New York modeling at the height of the 1980s. But the man who was once ushered into the backrooms of Studio 54 returned to Massachusetts to continue with his military and legal training, settle down, raise a family, and soon found an unlikely path that would lead him to national political stardom. Here, too,
are the secrets from the unprecedented Senate race that captured the country's imagination and how Scott Brown won his remarkable victory.
Poignant, heartfelt, humorous, and profound, this is the story of one man's dream and his determination to fight for a better future.
U.S. Senator Scott Brown was elected by the people of Massachusetts on January 19, 2010, to fill the term of the late senator Ted Kennedy. He lives in Wrentham, Massachusetts, with his wife, Gail, and they have two daughters, Ayla and Arianna.
Prologue 1
1 Busted 5
2 Dan Sullivan's Hands 23
3 Where They Take You In 43
4 Malden 62
5 Cousins 78
6 Albion to Broadway to Salem 99
7 Judy, Brad, and the Judge 120
8 Basketball 143
9 Larry 166
10 Escape 189
11 The Cosmo Guy 215
12 Jumping Out of Planes 242
13 Gail and Mr. Mom 269
14 Running 302
15 "You'll Never Win" 339
16 "It's the People's Seat" 368
17 Mr. Brown Goes to Washington 405
18 Spider's Web 438
Acknowledgments 455
Rover2
Posted February 22, 2011
If they gave out medals for overcoming difficulties in youth..Scott Brown would win the gold! A lesson for all who accept less, when they could do MORE! I don't vote in Massachusetts. I wish I did. Mr. Brown's candidness speaks volumes to his personal integrity and that in itself is an inspiration. Read this book and discover a sense that politicians CAN be real people too.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I am giving this book a five star rating because the Nookbook comes intact with plenty of photos. Harper Collins can be commended for producing an eBook that is pleasant to read without typographical errors or punctuation marks where they don't belong. I completed reading this book today (in just one day). Scott Brown had two deplorable, wretched stepdads -- Dan Sullivan and Larry McShane. Both stepdads beat his mother in front of the child and then they both beat on the boy (Scott Brown). Then, Scott was the victim of two child molestations. The first child molestation was by a 13 year old boy and the second molestation took place at a religious Summer Camp whereby a Counselor touched him and told him to reciprocate whereby Scott refused and broke away but the Counselor told him that he would silence him if he ever told anyone. Scott could not stand the abuse he was suffering from his tyrannical stepdads and would run away from home and he would play with matches as a way to lash out at his anger. Scott confesses he also shoplifted a couple of times but was caught stealing records and was given a second chance by a judge, Samuel Zoll. Scott became infatuated with basketball and decided to become devoted to the sport. I have to admit that the book does dote on basketball too much but the sport built a constructive character with the lad. Scott later joined the National Guard and went to Law School at Boston College. He was determined to make lemonade from the lemons thrown at him during his turbulent childhood. Scott married Gail who was a TV journalist and they had two daughters, Ayla and Arianna. Ayla was a contestant on "American Idol." Scott Brown had high hopes to gain the vacated Senate seat left by the late Ted Kennedy. The Democrat challenger, Martha Coakley, was deemed unbeatable in the Democrat State of Massachusetts, however, Scott never gave up his determination to win. He campaigned in his trademark truck and shook hands with plenty of citizens. His hard work paid off because he beat Martha Coakley and won the U.S. Senate Seat. Scott says his truck currently has 213,000 miles on it.
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 21, 2011
I read Sen. Brown's book and was deeply moved by his candor and how he shared his life experiences with us. I plan to give this to my kids. Many valuable lessons for everyone. Bravo
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.DAM-JG
Posted March 22, 2011
I enjoyed reading about Mr. Brown and his life trials and tribulations. He is one exceptional man, and deserves the best that his future brings. Being from Maine, and a Republican, I followed his election, and was thrilled when he took seat. Go Scott Brown!! Good Read for all...
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Reality-Man
Posted March 3, 2011
In the past five years I have read in the area of three hundred books, just about all being non-fiction. I would rank this book #1. It is as revealing a book as I have ever read. I am from the area where Scott grew up and am familiar with a number of towns and names he mentions. If he ever has the motivation to run for POTUS he will get my vote, and I am sure just about all those who take the time to read this book. If every so-called politician were half as honest as he has been this country would be so much better off. I don't care if he is a Democrat, Republican or whatever he showed me more in this book than any politician I have ever read about. My wife reads two to three books a week, just about all fiction. She loved this book as much as she has ever read. It should be required reading for every politician or anyone considering entering politics. Simply said this book is sensational.
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Overview
Scott Brown's greatest win did not occur on a cold January election night in 2010 when he came from behind to capture the U.S. Senate seat held by Ted Kennedy for nearly fifty years. It began when he survived a savage beating at the drunken, dirty-fingernail hands of a stepfather when he was barely six years old, while trying to protect his mother.
In ...