Paterno By Joe Posnanski

Sue

I'm going to start this review with some stories.

1. When I was learning how to drive, we drove out to an area of the Penn State campus that is far away from everything, but in walking distance to Beaver Stadium. It was a Sunday in late spring and no one was around. I went around a corner and slammed on the brakes. I almost hit Joe Paterno, who was out for a walk. He shook his fist at me angrily. My husband rolled down his window and apologized, telling Joe I was just learning to drive, and Joe laughed, saying, "Good luck with that." He shook his fist at me again, but this time he was laughing.

2. My family was at a Lady Lions game, and Joe was there. We often saw him at women's sporting events in the 90s. It was half time; he went to the concession stands, and he got mobbed with people wanting autographs. My son wanted one in the worst way, but my husband said no, you respect his right to go to a game and out in public. Joe finally tore himself away from the crowds and stopped at my son. "Give me your program," Joe said, and signed it.

3.In the summer of 2011, my husband was riding his bike home from work and came across Joe walking along the golf course bike path. My husband hopped off his bike and walked a bit with Joe, telling him that he looked good. The two of them had a good chat about being grandfathers. My husband saw Joe frequently at that time of the day, until the hip accident, and Joe always waved.

These are just a few Joe stories out of many we have. I read a lot of biographies. A LOT of biographies, but this is the first time I've ever had a personal connection to the subject. I knew the story of the author spending a year in State College; I read an essay Posnanski wrote as the whole Sandusky affair blew out of control. Let's just say this, I gave this book 5 stars. I rarely give books 5 stars. This is one of the best written biographies I have ever read. More importantly, Posnanski got it right. He got Joe right. He got Penn State right. He got State College right. (What he got wrong was his assessment that all Penn State fans were calling for Joe's head and thought he'd never turn things around in 2004. He wasn't with me, my son, and some friends watching that Indiana game in 2004. We knew we had a great defense, and the people in that room were not fans of Fran Ganter and were calling for his head, not Joe's. When we had that goal line stand, I turned to my son and our friends and said, "This is the turning point. We are going to be an amazing team. This is the break they needed." We whomped Michigan State the following week, and then came the 2005 season. And that damn cheat Lloyd Carr.)

I think the only thing that surprised me about this book was that Joe realized going to the Big Ten was a mistake. Most of the fans thought that in the early 1990s and virtually every Penn Stater I've spoken with since 2011 would be more than happy to bag out now. The Board of Trustees turning on Joe in favor of Graham surprised me, yet didn't surprise me because those people had a perverted love affair with Spanier. Reading this book made the night of November 9, 2011 make sense.

There were a few things that I think Posnanski skimmed over, for instance. I think he should have gone deeper into the Adam Taliafaro story. What was left out was how Joe kept Adam on scholarship. He made Sue Paterno a little too saintly -- and trust me, no one around here thinks of her that way. She is a generous lady, but she is the one with the iron fist and the "I am Queen of State College attitude."

I read a few reviews of this book where people were angry that Posnanski didn't get more details on the Sandusky story. I think this is the one point where the book failed because he focused too much on it. One review said that Posnanski didn't pry enough to get the answers she wanted. I made a comment to her, and I'll make it here -- can we accept that what we know is all there is to know? And Posnsnaski missed a key point from his own book as he talked about the emails that mention Coach. Posnanski wrote that Paterno insisted that his players and people around him call him Joe, not Coach. Sandusky was always called Coach. Tim Curley probably never called Paterno Coach in his life.

I'll say this again, this was one of the most honest biographies I've ever read. I nodded a lot while I read it. It refreshed my memory on some points. There were a couple of times, when I was getting to a certain point in the book, I paused to consider my own experiences, opinions, and reflections on a certain situation, and then read on to find that Posnanski confirmed my thoughts.

I will say the book wasn't perfect. The ending was rushed and weaker than the first half of the book, largely because Posnanski was rushed to finish it months before the original deadline. It felt that way. I suspect his editors insisted on the heavy-on-Sandusky ending, despite the fact that there is no way in hell that should dictate Paterno's legacy (although there are many who will only ever see that and think the man was a phony). The one time when Posnanski messed up, I thought, was at the very end of the book, when he said said that Joe should have done more because he was Joe Paterno. Posnanski got sucked into the Saint Joe media vortex. By that point, I would have thought he would have been past that, because he was the first writer to show Joe as a man, as a resident of State College, as a guy who made his career as a football coach.

Reedy

So, this book, about Paterno's life, had some difficulties. It was mostly written before the Sandusky scandal broke and i could tell that the writer had to go back over the narrative and give it a belated treatment in consideration of the scandal. as such, the first half of the book felt a little awkward. the biography went in chronological order, as expected, but the author would cut into the story with asides that referred to the recent scandal. the back and forth felt a little uncomfortable, probably reflecting how the author felt about it. obviously, he wanted to make sure to address the scandal, but didn't necessarily know how best to go about it. the second half of the book took the sandusky scandal head-on. once the narrative caught up to the modern timeline, it went smoother. it still felt troubled, but was more appropriate. the treatment of paterno's last days and last thoughts had me bawling my eyes out.

the greatest strengths of this book were the reminders of paterno as a man with a full life. he was neither as perfect as the media portrayed him at his peak, nor as villainous as they would portray him in the end. just a man, flaws and all. it was good to be reminded of all the positive things paterno had done throughout his life. it was good to see that, toward the end, the media already had a bias against him because he had been pulling away from them for years. it's hard to remember that at the base of every newsstory is a person with their own prejudices, no matter how much they try to stay objective. joepa was never quite the man that the media said he was, for good or ill. it's important to understand that, especially now. he had good intentions and for the most part, he lived up to those intentions. i don't know the truth behind the scandal and joepa's role in it, but this book helped me to reconcile some of my feelings. what penn state needs is to remember the good, live up to the good, and begin to heal. for me, this book was a helpful reminder of what was good and that paterno's grand experiment wasn't a fraud, it wasn't a failure, and we can still hold its ideals in our hearts and minds. paterno, the grand experiment's engineer may have been flawed, but his idea wasn't and we can still hold it up as our standard. We are Penn State.

Kyle Tait

All too often we are drawn in by mob mentality. We believe everything the national media tells us, and in today's viral society one media member's thoughts become the thoughts of ten media members, a situation that feeds and fuels itself until it grows into an uncontrollable and unfathomable monster greater than any one individual or group. We are infiltrated and consumed so deeply by the saturation of Twitter and television news that we entirely lose sight of the once clear line between our own original thoughts and beliefs and the beliefs planted in us by outside influence.

Paterno's story illustrates this worldwide epidemic like no other. In 2011 we were so quickly carried away by the wave of disdain for Joe-Pa that we failed in the moment to see the great coach and man that he was before this scandal took him down. But finally a voice of reason calls out. Posnanski is able to accurately and grippingly depict the story from the other side, the side unaffected by the hordes of media who so disgracefully camped out in Paterno's front yard. This story fulfills its mission, the mission put forth by Paterno when he first agreed to have Posnanski write the book--"Write the truth."

Everyone can learn a great deal from this book, even those who have no appreciation for football or athletics. This is a must-read for all, end of story.

Book Shark

Paterno by Joe Posnanski

“Paterno” is the fascinating story of Joe Paterno’s life. It’s the truth of his life. “The only thing he ever asked of me was to write the truth as I found it.” Mission accomplished, talented author and sports journalist Joe Posnanski, takes the reader on a life’s journey, the life of Joe Paterno. With unlimited access to Joe Paterno’s personal files, family, friends and former players, Posnanski weaves a captivating life that impacted many: his childhood, war, college life at Brown University and his sixty-one years of coaching at Penn State. It includes the very sad ending and the scandal that galvanized the country. This mesmerizing 416-page book is composed of the following five acts: Act I: Before, Act II: Excellence, Act III: Success, Act IV: What Comes After and the Final Act.

Positives:
1. Posnanski captures the essence of Joe Paterno’s life. It is well-written, well-researched and the topic was treated with the utmost care and respect. Most importantly, it was truthful.
2. Having access to Joe Paterno and all the people that interacted with him was instrumental in being able to provide the public with a truthful account. The author makes it clear that he is not out to defend Joe Paterno but to provide a truthful account of his life and succeeds.
3. The book covers Paterno’s life: from his childhood, his many years as a coach to the sad end.
4. One of the joys of reading is discovering hidden gems and surprises. The author provides many interesting tidbits about Paterno.
5. As a football fan, I enjoyed the insight into coaching. The philosophy, the inner workings, the interaction with people, the impact to a community and ultimately a nation. How coaching changed over the years, the evolution of coaching.
6. Paterno’s philosophy in life. His passion for education.
7. This book is also about the people that Paterno influenced: his family, the players, students, his staff and his community. Many amusing stories.
8. Once again, if you are a college football fan and you are going to enjoy the inside scoop of big-time college sports. Many great anecdotes.
9. The rise of a college coach star. Sainthood. The arrival of Penn State. to prominence.
10. The issue of race and college football, fascinating.
11. Paterno and his relationship not just with his players and family but rival coaches.
12. The things Paterno enjoyed the most.
13. The cherished traditions of Penn State. Paterno’s idiosyncrasies.
14. Penn State College football…time to name drop, the football stars. The players, the games, the successes, the championship teams.
15. Paterno’s family and their relationship to football.
16. Paterno’s speeches. His motivational and inspirational tactics.
17. His relationship with Sandusky, as a coach and as a man. The author is very candid and forthright. Interesting.
18. The aging coach and dealing with adversities (bad seasons). Interesting.
19. The scandal. A very touchy and disturbing issue. The author handles it with an even-handed approach.
20. The sad end. The investigation, the illness and the end. The author does this section justice.
21. An excellent notes section that covers how the majority of the material for the book was obtained.

Negatives:
1. The biggest downfall of biographies is that many of the highlights of the book have been revealed to the public. That being said, the author includes so much more to Paterno’s life story.
2. If you are not a college football fan you will struggle through those sections that emphasize the game that I particularly enjoyed.
3. Those looking for a book about just the scandal will be disappointed, this book is about the life of Joe Paterno and all that it entailed including the scandal.

In summary, I really enjoyed this book. First of all, let me state for the record that I have no affiliation with Penn State. The purpose of my review is to provide a personal assessment of the quality of the book, not to defend Joe Paterno. The most important thing about a biography is how it corresponds to reality and to convey it in an entertaining and accessible manner to the public. It’s also about treating the subject with fairness and to handle sensitive issues with the proper tone and care. Posnanski succeeds on all fronts. It’s a book that covers the life of Joe Paterno accurately. I highly recommend this book!

Further recommendations: “Paterno: By the Book” by Joe Paterno, “Playing for Paterno: One Coach, Two Eras: a Father and Son's Personal Recollections of Playing for JoePa” by Charles and Tony Pittman.

Brian Katz

A great book. Starting with Joe in his early days in school, working up through the many years as coach at Penn State. It was great to re-live some of those years - I attended Penn State from 1979 to 1983, where the team was national champion - and to hear from those that knew him and that he coached. He worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others, with no hint of self recognition for his actions. He and his family gave millions to the University they loved in order to enhance their lives through eduction and opportunity. Joe had a significant positive impact on the lives of many of his players and the Penn State community and will be missed. Over the many years he clashed with the media and the board of trustees, so much so, that in the end, it was them that threw Joe under the bus without proper due process. Very sad.

As for the Sandusky matter, interesting to learn that Joe and Sandusky never liked each other. Sandusky for Joe as he believed that he should have succeeded Joe, and Joe for Sandusky because he believed that Sandusky was lazy and unorganized. Some believe that the reason the Penn State team's of the early 2000's did not do well is because Sandusky was no longer defensive coordinator.

The 1998 incident with Sandusky was properly handled by law enforcement. Joe should not be in the cross hairs for this.

The 2001 incident with Sandusky was reported by Joe to his superiors at the University. The book & Joe states in retrospect, "I should have done more." With 20-20 hind sight, we can all see this - it is as clear as the blue sky. Morally, Joe should have done more. During that time, however, I would argue that it was not so clear. Sandusky was a master mind at covering up his obsession. I am still of the view that we need to see the cases of Schultz and Curley litigated and the facts presented to better understand what happened during 2001 before judgement can be rendered. That includes (i) taking games way, (ii) fining the University; and (iii) punishing the existing students and players under the recent NCAA sanctions.

Jim

I thought is was a very good book by someone who had amazing access to Joe and those who knew him best. I do believe firmly that this man who stood for integrity and academic scholarship coming before football did not know anymore than he said. I believe if the creep had been working for Joe, at the time of the incidents, he would have followed up more and I believe he regretted leaving that up to others. This man made millions at the end of his life but he walked away from countless more millions in the NFL on several occasions so that he could have a positive impact on young men. It is amazing that as a culture, we enjoy tearing down and destroying reputations,rather than believe in the actions that someone demonstrated over a lifetime. I am afraid that says a lot about who we have become as an American society.

Colleen

I'm a Penn State graduate and as most Penn Staters will attest to, Joe Paterno was a rock god. I'll never forget when he walked past me one day and cheerily said hello. I almost fell over--the legendary JoePa acknowledging me...a lowly student? We were proud of Joe. Unlike many, if not most college football coaches, he took education seriously. His players filled the library, studying and meeting with their tutors (one of my friends was a tutor--Joe wasn't just putting on a show). He was a character, with his Brooklyn accent, "Coke-bottle" glasses, floods, and white socks. Before I attended Penn State, I couldn't have cared less about football. I never lived anywhere long enough to develop an allegiance to any pro or college team. I was completely ignorant of Penn State's football team--"They have a football team? Oh." But Joe made a believer out of me, especially after experiencing the excitement of a National Championship in 1982. So you can imagine what it felt like when the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke. As more and more details emerged, we became more and more horrified. And when it was discovered that Joe was told about Sandusky's despicable behavior, and told the appropriate authorities, but never followed up any further, it was like a blow to the stomach. How could our Joe have done that? It couldn't be true. Sadly, it was. It became very difficult to be a Penn Stater for a while--just by virtue of being a student or an alum, you were somehow guilty too. On the top of a mountain in Slovenia, yes, Slovenia, I ran into a couple in their 70s who were Penn State alums. We had a sad conversation about the unimaginable situation there. Joe Posnanski had already started writing a biography of Joe Paterno, with his and his family's blessing, before this scandal broke. Posnanski must have been alternately delighted and petrified by this unexpected situation. But, I think he did an admirable job depicting JoePa as neither a saint nor a monster. Joe's history is covered, from childhood to college to football player to coach. Once he was bitten by the football bug, Joe was obsessed. He lived and breathed football to a fault--neglecting his family and reaching a point where he should have passed the reigns of Penn State's football program to someone else (thankfully, he never had any intention of passing it to Jerry Sandusky--in fact, long before the scandal broke, it was clear Joe did NOT like Sandusky), but didn't. This book helped you understand why. Yes, it may have been selfish, but like many men on the verge of retirement, he was terrified by the thought of "what next?" Football had been his entire life. What else would he do? Another thing Posnanski helped you to understand was why Joe did not follow up on the allegations against Sandusky. Let me make it clear that I'm not excusing Joe's behavior, but Sandusky's horrible crimes were so alien and abhorrent to him, he just couldn't cope with it. He did what he had to do and then, swept it under the rug. I can imagine many men his age doing the same thing. Haven't we all been guilty of not engaging with something or someone that made us uncomfortable (though certainly not to this degree)? Still, unquestionably, he didn't do enough. He'd had such a storied life, it was devastating to see him fall so terribly far. It killed him. His cancer was diagnosed in November, he was dead by February. We all just felt such sadness. He said, shortly before he died, that he hoped eventually people would put all the pieces together and give him credit for the good he did accomplish in his life. I feel like we're getting to that point. Joe was not perfect. WE put him up on that pedestal and I'm not sure he wanted to be there. But thanks to this book, we get a more rounded portrait of a very complex man.

Brian Prosser

Disclaimer: I've followed Penn State football and Joe Pa since I was a young boy...grew up listening to the games on the radio. Had read a few other books on Paterno, but wanted to read this book because 1) I think Posnanski is one of the best sports writers in the country, and 2) he was living at State College researching this book when Paterno was fired; he shared conversations with Paterno in those few months between his firing and death. For those looking for a research project which definitively answers questions about Paterno's knowledge and involvement with the Sandusky affair, you'll be disappointed. This is a book about a man with a complex personality, a fiery disposition, and an insatiable desire to succeed. I credit Posnanski for not "boiler plating" Paterno; he appreciates the complexities and doesn't write to make our mind up. He instead provides history, facts, stories, etc. and allows the reader to come up with his own conclusions. That will be uncomfortable for some; interestingly enough, many of Posnanski's peers slammed him over this book for just that reason. A lot of new information in this book, at least for me. Great stories and reflections from many of Paterno's former players, although I expected more from coaches that had served with Joe. The book also provides an appreciation of how the media painted Paterno as "larger than life," which Joe was uncomfortable with but still used as a pulpit of sorts to share his vision of college sports; it also became an albatross and resulted in a fractured relationship with the media later in his career. Let's just say the media was more than willing to knock Paterno from the pulpit when he was fired. I give this book five stars; Posnanski did a great job providing a window into Joe Paterno's life. The most powerful moment in the book for me was the conversation between the author and Joe at his kitchen table after Paterno was fired. I think Posnanski spoke for many of us. I'll let you decide for yourselves.

Tracy Jenkins

I've been a fan of Penn State football since my birth in 1963. A pretty good time to follow a program and it's legendary coach. My parents both graduated from Penn State as did my grandmother, my aunt and uncle and other relatives. I never attended PSU, but have always felt like State College was a second home. Until now I'd never read a book about Paterno. I'd always had my own feelings about him based on his coaching techniques and his desire to focus on the larger parts of a student-athletes life.

This book confirmed what I always felt in my heart was true about Paterno. A stubborn idealistic man who never stopped coaching. Even long after players graduated. He must have been tough to live with, but I think any person who is so mission driven is hard to live with.

No one can question his heartfelt desire to actually want to change the lives of young men - to have them be successes in life, not on the football team. The media's recent portrayal of Paterno and the football team as being too powerful is just wrong. Paterno was one of the rare coaches who saw that he could use football to teach young men about life. He never did it for the money or the fame. Maybe this book will put a little bit of the recent attacks into perspective. The man was not perfect, but he he did great good and in one instance didn't do enough. But I disagree with all the blame falling on Paterno and the football program.

The book was clearly a rushed publication and I think another year would have created a fuller picture of the details good and bad of the scandal which ended Paterno's career. I look forward to Corley and Schulz's day in court as well as further facts being released.

Melissa

This book will not change your opinion on Paterno, so don't read it if you want to be swayed in either direction. The author pretty much states that: in one chapter, Joe goes to recruit a future Heisman trophy winner when he realizes the kid brother has leukemia. He abandons the football player and his parents; leaving his colleagues to do the recruiting. Instead, he spends the rest of the evening sitting with the brother. As the author states, "you can see the beauty or you can see the self-interest". Why did Joe do this - did he truly care about the boy or did he know it would get the papers signed?
I wanted to read this when I found out it was being published, well before the scandal as I am an alumni and PSU fan. It was an interesting read and if you're a fan of college football, you'll enjoy the strategies and the name-dropping. What disappointed me was that it seems like the Paternos were very open with the author yet he didn't pry for more information about the Sandusky scandal. Perhaps it's because JoePa was ill at the time, perhaps he didn't want to come across as another tabloid reporter, perhaps he was afraid of hearing something he wouldn't want to. Whatever the reason, I think he dropped the ball there.
While the book might not change your view of Joe Paterno (I'm keeping silent about mine), it will give you some insider knowledge of the Penn State football program. And it also gives a candid perspective of Sue Paterno, and I'll gladly give you my opinion of her - she's a stand by your man bad-ass and I puffy heart her!

Brenda Benedict

I read this book in an effort to understand how Joe Paterno could be such a polarizng figure. He was seen as a great coach and person by some and evil by others.

This book offered some insights into the man. But my questions weren't fully answered. The author paints the picture of Paterno's relationship with Sandusky as strained from the beginning. But some things didn't make sense. If he really disliked Sandusky, why did Paterno allow him on his staff for so many years? Why did he allow him such access to Penn State's facilities?

I really ended up with more questions than I had before I read the book.

I felt the author tried to be impartial but that was almost impossible for someone to do.

The most important line from the book was from page 342-344:
"As I was writing this book, the line between the Time Before and the Time After became clear: Before November 5, 2011, it was very difficult to find anyone willing to say a truly bad word about Joe Paterno. After NOvember 5, iti was far more difficult to find anyone willing to say a good word."

Kerry

I don't read a lot of biographies, but this one was close to me. It may not be as compelling if you are just wanting to accept the current media interpretations (and I am including the Freeh report here because it is just a very skewed interpretation). This helped me to understand Joe Paterno much better than I had before. He was not a god, but a man that wanted to do his best for his university, his kids, and his family. He was not perfect and not a demon either. This book made me laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time. Excellent.

Colin Cerniglia

I read this book as soon as it was released, less than a year after the Sandusky scandal broke, and several months after the death of Joe Paterno.

Joe Posnanski was (and still is) my favorite writer. Before the Sandusky scandal became public, and there was knowledge of this book being written, I was thrilled. As a Penn Stater, Posnanski was a terrific writer to tell the Paterno story.

After reading the book, I feel strongly that this book holds up as one of Posnanski's bests.

Yes, of course, he writes about the scandal. And he was there at the Paterno household as the fallout happened. So you get a very raw and real-time analysis of that. Maybe Posnanski feels differently now regarding his conculsion than he did then, but I'll leave that to him to write a column on his Substack.

Anyway, the book does a great job covering Paterno's entire life. I am still particularly struck by how much he sacrificed family time for his career. Those of you who have chosen career aspirations over family life can relate, but it was unexpected to read about.

It was cool to read about when Paterno actually had a relationship with the media (something that may have helped him in the final months of his life). It's interesting to see the hardening (almost jaded) of Paterno the person and coach over the years, as the pressure of big-time college football grows.

So those were some of the surprises. We know the good stuff. The way he positively impacted student-athletes over the course of 409 wins. The endless donations he and his family made to Penn State. The way he built a community that embodied "Success with Honor."

The story of Joe Paterno is like that of many of us: imperfect but interesting. Thrilling and frustrating. Happy and sad.

Overall, I feel Posnanski tells an accurate story. Tells a fair story. And tells an engaging story.

Ken Heard

A telling point in Joe Posnanski's book is near the end when Joe Paterno asks his family about some of the descriptions of sexual assault that defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was charged with. Paterno didn't even understand them, perhaps an indication of his totally sheltered life in football and a reason why he didn't react more when he heard of the offenses.

It's a moving scene and one only Posnanski could have gotten with his access to Paterno in the days of his firing and subsequent death.

The book was written before the scandal broke and Posnanski scrambled to include it in his manuscript. There are some obvious inclusions and transitions throughout the book, almost in foreshadowing of Paterno's termination. Still, because Posnanski is so good, the book works well.

Much of it is Paterno's career and how he got into football. Posnanski dispels some rumors that Paterno "fell into" coaching and instead would have been a lawyer. I wasn't aware that Paterno was also a candidate for pro coaching jobs early on as well.

This is an unbiased and fair look at Paterno's career and how it all fell apart, whether to Paterno's need to cover it up or his ignorance of the act.

Joe

This is a hard book to write about. Posnanski, who is a superb writer and one of my favorites, was doing the career-encapsulating biography of Paterno... when the whole Jerry Sandusky thing broke and the subject promptly went off and died. This would be every writer's nightmare, and Posnanski soldiers on, delivering a book which is by turns typical of his thoughtful, careful approach to his subjects and uncomfortable hero worship. Yes, Posnanski goes too far in his dancing around Paterno's failure to do more to stop Sandusky from molesting young children. Yes, Paterno was still a unique and interesting coach and man.

A different writer could have cranked out a smear biography of Paterno. This one, on the other hand, sits a bit too deeply in his corner to provide the balanced view that a complicated life demands. In its best moments, the book is fascinating and worthy of its author. In its more cloying moments, it's almost stomach-turning. It's worth reading, but I'd start with Joe's Buck O'Neill book, which is one of my all-time favorites. That book won't require anywhere near as much of a critical eye.

Louis

Joe Posnanski was working on this book with the full cooperation of his subject when the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke in 2011. That investigation (and the massive damage it did to Joe Paterno's reputation) threw off the bio Posnanski was writing and it shows. The story of a coach who once stood for academic excellence was lost and the attempts to tie in the end of JoePa's career and life feel another story was grafted onto the original. At his best Posnanski is one of the best sportswriters alive. I finished the book feeling sorry for him. I also wish he had dealt a little more with the problems with an octogenarian football coach who won't retire but that was lightly brushed over. Maybe after a few more years to reflect and digest the whole of the Paterno story Posnanski can circle back and write a better book.

Charles

I really enjoyed this book! I have followed his career at Penn State throughout the years, and have been both a Penn State and Paterno fan. It was interesting to learn of his early life, and his coaching life. I never realized how hard he was on his players and the other coaches. He also never compromised on his players keeping up their grades, which, at the time he started coaching, was a rarity among college coaches. The book comes full circle to the Sandusky scandal. Joe reported what he knew to college officials, but, at the end, realized that perhaps he should have done more, since the college officials did not. It is sad to have everything you worked for all your life fall away in your last days. I am still a Penn State fan, and while Joe had his faults, overall, he tried to be a positive influence.

Steve Wilson

Reviewing a book of this nature presents a challenge--commenting on the merits of the book without opining on the subject. To that point, Mr. Posnanski's bio of Joe Paterno is adequately researched and well written. The pacing is extraordinary given the amount of time covered. As for the controversy that ended Mr. Paterno's career and ultimately, his life, Mr. Posnanski covers the topic in depth. While the author's opinion of Mr. Paterno is positive, he does not whitewash the record. I was aware of the Sandusky situation, but once the news networks set up shop in State College, I tuned out. The microphones and cameras are today's torches and pitchforks, and it was clear how this was going to end. I had an opinion when I started the book based what I thought I new. After reading, my opinion was only calcified.

Doug Sullivan

Posnanski's treatment of Paterno is fair, pulling no punches but giving no favors. I have admired Posnanski's writing since his days in KC covering the Chiefs and Royals. Having such unique access to Paterno and his family in those tragic last days that marked in then of JoPa's career and life was astounding and the author could have been influenced by the sentiment of a man's need to be remembered more for his coaching success than a scandal that harmed so many. But he was committed to the truth, as per Paterno's desire, and this is felt throughout the book.

Jon Moeller

After waiting for the lynch mob to quiet, I just read this book. It was a great read and provided insight to how JoePa was. Still does not provide the reasons why he never followed up with the horrid allegations. This book showed his way of coaching, his way of conducting himself and how he ran his program. It provided the hope and conclusion-- that there was no cover up by JoePa, but he was derelict, when he needed to step up. It is a shame that he never followed through and he could have stood up for what was right, as he had for so many years.

Michael Vincent

Easy to read and enough behind the scenes insights to keep it interesting. This seemed to be a fair treatment of Paterno's life, football career, and the tragic scandal that ended his career. You can always learn when reading about leaders, even if you disagree with some of their tactics and don't like their weaknesses. I never like it, though, when foul language is quoted, as in a few cases in this book. Might have given it a five star rating without this.

David Grove

When Joe Paterno was confronted with clear and convincing evidence of Jerry Sandusky's horrific crimes, Paterno responded by doing the bare minimum that was required by law, which may not be a crime but is nonetheless morally reprehensible. What's truly shocking, and most indefensible, is the fact that Sandusky was still welcome around the Penn State campus and the football team for many years afterward. Beyond wins and losses, Paterno failed in every way imaginable.

Cathy Crouch

Another great book by Joe Posnanski.

Mickey Ferrence

I just wish more people would be willing to open their minds and read this book.

Title	:	Paterno
Author	:	Joe Posnanski
Rating	:
ISBN	:	1451657498
ISBN-10	:	9781451657494
Language	:	English
Format Type	:	Hardcover
Number of Pages	:	402
Publication	:	First published August 21, 2012

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