Book #16 - The Blind Side by Michael Lewis

I am a sucker for "Awards Season" - the Golden Globes, the SAGs and the big show, the Academy Awards. I will sit and watch for hours as the celebrities arrive on the red carpet and make their acceptance speeches. I'd been wanting to see the movie The Blind Side since it hit theaters, but when Sandra Bullock started winning accolades for her portrayal of Leanne Tuhoy, it peaked my interest in the story of Michael Oher even more.

After finishing, I'm glad I didn't see the movie - as I'm sure you've learned from my blog, I'm a big believer that the book is always better, and therefore, it's always wiser to read it first. It took me a while to make it through this one, as the story was very rich and involved a lot of football history. I learned more about the game and the position of left tackle than I ever thought to know. But the background information Lewis provides is necessary in realizing why Michael Oher was such a hot commodity to college football.

What surprised me about the story is that it took place rather recently - Michael Oher graduated from high school in 2005 and he currently plays in the NFL after a successful college football career with the University of Mississippi. He was taken in by the Tuhoy family shortly after he started at Briarcrest Christian School, where their daughter, Collins, was in the same grade.

Michael had a terrible upbringing and childhood - no father, a drug-addict mother and was often sleeping on the streets and scavenging for food. He didn't go to school regularly, meaning he had a lot to catch up on in the classroom before even going to college could become a reality. This book follows Michael's personal struggles and growth more than his performance on the field.

The Tuhoy family's generosity and commitment to a complete stranger really gives me hope that there still are good-hearted people out there who will do what's right even when they know there is nothing to gain in return. The story of Michael Oher is inspiring to anyone - it demonstrates that with a lot of help and perseverance, anything can be possible.