Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improbable, Iconic Life of Brett Favre by Jeff Pearlman

Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improbable, Iconic Life of Brett Favre Reviews

• 
  Carol Storm

  The best football biography I've read in many, many years -- Jeff Pearlman writes about Brett Favre with unmistakable affection but he never, ever turns a blind eye to his mistakes. The interviews with the Favre family are incredibly candid and poignant. I'm only a casual fan of the game and I can't believe how much I learned, especially about the offensive side of the game and how quarterbacks and receivers work together under pressure. Now I want to read everything by Jeff Pearlman!
• 
  Nathaniel

  I really struggled with the rating. but 2.5 is about as generous as I get with this.
  
  Sports biographies are notoriously easy reads, and this is no different. I skipped 100+ pages about Brett's childhood and college, and skimmed about another fifteen percent. I don't read fast at all, and yet I read the book in roughly 24 hours. The issue with the book is I knew, or had heard about most of the racy bits about Favre's career. I remember hearing rumors about his womanizing, I remember hearing about his alcoholism and drug-addiction before the rehab stints. So Pearlman had an uphill climb with me., and the review reflects that more than a problem with Pearlman's narrative or information.
  
  The stuff Pearlman added to my brain about Favre, I probably didn't want to know. It was fun to romp down memory lane, and the tidbits added to the games I remember vividly or vaguely were very good. I appreciate the research and the interviews Pearlman put into this book, but ultimately I only sort of enjoyed myself.
  
  An aside: NFL Films have produced a Greatest Games DVD set for many NFL franchises. For reasons I'm not sure why, the Packers is 10 discs, primarily being a Brett Favre collection. Pearlman's book details at least five games on the Packers collection...Favre's first Packer game vs. Cincinnati; a game vs. the Bears; the NFC Championship Game vs. Carolina, the Super Bowl vs. Patriots, and Favre's incredible game after his father's death vs. Oakland. It's not the worst thing in the world to read Pearlman's book and then throw in one of those games.
• 
  Brian Eshleman

  Might be the best sports biography of a single figure I have ever read. It's a tough format into which to breathe life and can easily descend into a desiccated recitation of statistics. The reader really gets to know Brett Favre, to hear the laces ripping through the air on his throws and, between those, too since the beat of his flawed warrior's heart.
• 
  Preacher

  Spelling errors , I did learn a lot about a qb I grew up with and at times I hated him and at times I understood how he acted. I think his wife is an angel especially with all the shit he put her through. It's funny at times as well.
• 
  Deacon Tom F

  Great Book
  
  4 1/2 Stars
  I really enjoyed this book. I am a football fan but not a huge Packer supporter.
  
  This book is full of fact and is very well referencedbfor a sports book.
  
  
• 
  Corinne

  
  I would like to rate this 3 1/2 stars, but I'll just round it up to 4.
  

  
  

  
  As a lifelong fan of the Vikings, I was definitely interested in reading this book to learn more about the life of Brett Favre. This seems to be a pretty complete overview and not just limited to on-field situations. This is my first time reading a sports-related biography, so I was unsure of what to expect. I did like the human interest pieces a lot more than the play-by-play that was inserted throughout, but I did often remind myself about who makes up the intended audience and why the play-by-play was likely included so often.
  

  
  

  
  Content
  Although this was a sports biography, I was not expecting quite so much rehashing of past play in a detailed manner. I was more interested in the human side, and thought that less attention to the play-by-play aspect would have been just fine. I would have also liked to have seen a few more specific stories about his time as a Viking (again, Viking fan here). I would have liked to have seen more on what made Favre a great teammate in general (such as when he sang ‘Pants on the Ground’ for Percy Harvin following a Vikings victory, or gifting the team with Wranglers after the 2009 season). I also did not notice a mention of the fact that with Favre’s first win over the Packers, he became the first NFL quarterback to have a victory over all 32 teams.
  

  
  

  
  Style
  I often found myself having to re-read sentences in this book, as they seemed to have been written to be humorous. For whatever reason, I feel that many of those sentences would be great if read aloud – they just come across as odd in the written format.
  

  
  

  
  Summary
  Overall, this book is a good and enjoyable read. I learned some interesting tidbits, and my husband had to put up with me mentioning some of the better tidbits the entire time I read the book. I think this book would be enjoyable for anyone who likes NFL football or interesting people in general.
  
• 
  Nick Penzenstadler

  I grew up idolizing Brett like every other 90s kid in the Fox Valley so this was fun. I didn't know a lot about the early days and year in Atlanta and this filled in the gaps. Glad Pearlman dug deep to fill in the dark details-- but I still felt the evidence and anecdotes to support his constant drumbeat of Favre as substance-abuser and womanizer ended up a little thin. That's not to say those aren't both true. Also wanted to hear more about Brett's recent dabbles into triathlon-- I'd love to get on a bike ride with him some day! This is required reading for any fan of the team from the 920.
• 
  Marc Gerstein

  I’ve often thought that mainstream sociologists miss the boat by failing to recognize how much of what goes on in and around pro sports, from the perspective of participants, chroniclers and fans, can be seen, appreciated and studied as archetypes for life in general. Such issues are very much present, albeit not necessarily appreciated (possibly not even by the author) in “Gunslinger.”
  
  Presumably, those who read this review (aside, perhaps, from Goodreads friends wondering what the heck I’m babbling about this time) knows Brett Favre is a famous Quarterback and although not necessarily the absolute greatest in any single category, was one of the most impressive and significant in the era in which he played (pretty much the 1990s-2000s). What’s most noteworthy about him was captured by the title; in the context of the way pro football is played in this generation, Favre was notorious (for better and/or worse) as just that, a gunslinger.
  
  Modern football is an incredibly disciplined regimented endeavor with the greatest success in the game being achieved by New England Patriots head coach and grand high exalted mystic poobah Bill Belichick and his well-known manta “Do your job.” As admirable as it may be to understand and see the big picture, what really counts with him is a player’s willingness and ability to consistently do exactly what he is told to do. If a wide receiver is supposed to run at a 45 degree angle to the line of scrimmage until he’s traveled 12 yard from the scrimmage, stop, turn and face the Quarterback, then that’s what he is supposed to do. If he does it consistently and holds onto the ball if its thrown to him, he can have a good career. If he sometimes runs 40 degrees, sometimes turns at 11 yards instead of 12, he’s not likely to last long. Even the process of improvisation is regimented, how and under what circumstances the quarterback can change the play at the scrimmage and the parameters of potential changes. Compare all this with how football is played among kids: “Everybody go deep. I’ll throw to whoever I can find who’re open.”
  
  Brett Favre excelled in the regimented world of pro football despite the fact that his in his heart, he always remained the kid who wanted to just tell team mates to go deep and that he’ll figure out how to get the ball to somebody. That he lasted at all at the pro level is somewhat amazing. So much, much, much, more so that he became a legend and a Hall of Famer, despite the fact that hos coaches often wanted to wring his neck for all the gunslinging he did.
  
  Maybe it’s just a matter of me empathizing with a guy like that because of my own gunslinging tendencies, where, when I worked at a mega-size corporation (Reuters) I often irritated people I wanted to talk to by walking up to them and asking if they could spare a minute rather than having gone on Outlook to reserve a conference room and schedule a meeting, or when I was asked regarding a new product I was trying to develop what revenues would be after five years and I answered “Damned if I know. Can I get back to you in five years?” (Not my fault; I went to work for a tiny dot-com that had pizza eating and hot dog eating contests but we were acquired, and then the company that bought us was acquired by Reuters.)
  
  There are Brett Favres everywhere in the world, some we love and some we hate, some who succeed and some who fail. Some are obscure. Others are famous and revered (Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett). Others are famous and reviled (Travis Kalanik, Donald Trump). Others make you scratch your head and go “WTF?” (see, e.g. baseball player Manuel Puig).
  
  I love reading biographies and books that focus on people like this. In today’s world with more information and procedures than we’ve ever had (I’m sure many a medieval monk would look at us today and say “Hey, can you guys just Chill!”), it’s important that we not lost sight of our gunslingers, who they are, how they get to be the way they are and what makes them tick. Favre is not the only gunslinger who has been written about and I’ve read (and reviewed on Goodreads others from other areas of life), but in terms of sports generally and pro football particularly, this book is a must read.
• 
  Jeff Carlson

  Now this is how you write a modern sports biography! The only thing that keeps this from being 5 stars is the fact the author did not speak to Favre himself for it. That's not Pearlman's fault - Favre had his personal reasons that he told Pearlman later why (not revealed in the book) he didn't speak on the record for it, but still it would have made the work complete. As it stands, it's still quite readable, and reveals how complicated Favre could be. He could be both an incorigible partier, goof, drinker, and adulterer (!), but also sensitive, generous, and willing to sacrifice himself countless times to give his team a chance. Seriously, Favre might be one of the toughest QBs of all time.
  
  (Pearlman did speak to much of his family for the book, which provided important details and background.)
  
  I read this book soon after I had finished Kerry Eggers' Jailblazers book. Most of the issues I had with that book are nowhere to be found here. Highly recommended to anyone who's a fan of football. Or from Wisconsin.
• 
  Amy

  I read this because I heard "this is a book Brett Favre doesn't want you to read." I knew a lot about his philandering in college because I had friends from Green Bay who talked about seeing him in the bars and all the rumors that flew around. I LOVED Brett when he was a Packer, and I have so many good memories of watching the games and Super Bowl seasons when I was in college. He really became dead to me when he unretired, and especially when he went to the Vikings. This book really made me angry during the chapters he was there, and now that he's been caught stealing welfare funds to build stadiums at his alma mater, well. We'll miss you, Brent.
• 
  Scott Tappa

  Tough to read a lot of what’s written here about my boyhood idol, but still glad I did.
• 
  Daly O'Brien

  I really like this author. I also love Brett Favre, but boy was he a dick.
• 
  Teresa

  Remarkable is the perfect word to describe the life of Brett Favre. Improbable would be someone managing to survive a career of that length under the most pristine circumstances! Favre's approach and lifestyle choices were the opposite of pristine, nothing what you would expect from a top level athlete. But, what success he did have. Iconic. Hard to imagine being more successful than he was. But, what if he had not been in a car accident in college? Or not become a drug addict, nor slept with an abundance of women, or consumed the amount of beer that he did? What if he had rested and not stayed out all night partying? Brett Favre could have been even more successful! Mind blowing isn't it? We often forget that these athletes are real people. The author (Jeff Pearlman) does a great job pointing out the fact that athletes have flaws and struggles too. Although this book makes you long for football season, its quite an entertaining read. I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway (Thank You) and recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the sport of football.
• 
  C Baker

  Jeff Pearlman has written several books that peel the varnish off and gives us a glimpse at the real lives of sports stars. This book about the life of Brett Favre is no exception. It reveals the great, the good, the not so good, and the bad. It’s all here.
  
  This biography of Favre does a great job of filling in his childhood, high school, and college days which many people are not as aware of. Brett started out as a prankster and living life hard (or to its fullest) and he never really quit. The book details his rise in the National Football League and offers many anecdotes about his behavior, both good and bad, but also about his unbelievable play on the field.
  
  One of the most fascinating aspects of Brett Favre is his almost Jekyll and Hyde nature. He can be unbelievably kind to young fans and those in need, but unbelievably cruel to some family members and teammates. His practical jokes sometimes went a little too far bordering on meanness. He is a good family man but also a philanderer. He basically behaved, even as a superstar, like a juvenile with too many hormones and too little brains. He also became addicted to alcohol and painkillers while in the NFL.
  
  Another interesting aspect of the book is Farve’s father Irv and how he really latched onto Brett’s fame and fortune and started living out his own dreams through his son. He also was a philanderer and spent a lot of time around the team, in bars, and bragging about who his son was. I didn’t know much about Irv until this book.
  
  Finally the book of course talks about Favre’s incredible Hall of Fame football career. Despite the prankster attitude he took football seriously and clearly loved playing the game. He had one of the best arms in NFL history but his biggest downfall, as the title of the book suggests, was he was a gunslinger. He often took chances he shouldn’t have so in addition to the many passing records he holds, he also holds the record for most interceptions in a career. I would argue that Green Bay would have won more than one Super Bowl had Favre not had a tendency to throw interceptions in the playoffs.
  
  The details about his move to the New York Jets and then the Minnesota Vikings after Green Bay Packers got fed up with the uncertainty of whether Brett really would retire or not is well told here. There was a lot of drama in Green Bay around Brett’s departure and he didn’t help matters by playing into the drama with his coy indecisiveness for a few years.
  
  The only fault I have with the book overall is there really isn’t much that is new here except some of the interviews conducted during the book. But a lot of what is chronicled here is mostly already known. The book does a nice job of pulling it all together go and weaving together the narrative of Brett’s life on and off the field.
  
  
  
• 
  Dumb Guy Book Club

  This book is more than just a look at the iconic life of Wisconsin's favorite pill popping philanderer it's also an indictment of the weak ass players of today. One hell of a good time. Check out our full review at:
  https://soundcloud.com/dumbguybookclu...
• 
  Patrick

  A very informative read. I grew up watching Favre play, and to hear some of the things that went on off the field, was a bit shocking to me. Of course, he's no saint, never thought he was. This book I think does a fair job of telling his story. You get the good with the bad. Pretty much all the major events are covered (that I'm aware of). If you are a fan of Favre's or your just looking to read an interesting sports Biography, this is a good choice. Very well written and doesn't pull punches..
• 
  Saul

  Enjoyed reading this a lot. I had a few issues that would've given this a little less than a four star if I could but Pearlman did do a great job. Excellent journalist. Amazing job finding and presenting the facts.
• 
  David

  I don't understand football, but a very little brother wrote a very good book. I didn't know Favre played until he was over 40. It was very engrossing.
• 
  Jeff Mauch

  This is a very in depth look at a talented, but flawed individual. Growing up watching Favre weekend after weekend here in Wisconsin, you couldn't help but see him on a pedestal, particularly after the Super Bowl win. The truth is that Favre was extremely selfish and cared about only one thing, being a starting quarterback in the NFL. On the surface, this is somewhat expected of a diva quarterback, but the exploits of Favre, the womanizing, drinking, partying, were hidden by a local small town/state press that protected its sacred football player. While we all know about the publicized addiction to pain pills, that really only one incident among many. Favre had women in many other football cities and was a womanizer for much of his career and his wife knew it and gave him chance after chance. Some see the Jets texting incident as a weird stand alone thing, but really it was just another incident among many. Reading of his treatment of Rodgers via interviews with many other players on the team paints the picture of an extremely insecure asshole. It's not surprising he didn't embrace Rodgers, but the cruelty of his treatment is eye opening. Lastly the drama of his final years, particularly the will he/won't he retirement stuff and his eventual move from the Packers to the Jets is very interesting. Again, a lot of the picture painted by the media is a glossed over caricature of what actually happened behind closed doors. This is one of the most interesting biography's I've ever read and if you watched Favre and follow his career at all, its a must read.
• 
  Matthew Robinson

  There's quite a few Brett Favre biographies out there. But Gunslinger has got to be the definitive biography on Favre. This book dug DEEP into Favre's life on and off the field. After you finish this book, you're either gonna love Favre all over again or have contempt and love for him all over again.
  
  I enjoyed the entire book. But I really couldn't put this book down when his NFL career and his relationship with his wife Deanna were explained. I like how author Jeff Pearlman ran down EVERY year of Favre's NFL career from 1992 to 2010. He gave you stats, commentary from various teammates of Favre, and more as far as the quarterback's career was concerned.
  
  As for Deanna, you're gonna have to read the book in order to help you understand why she stuck with Brett after all he put her through, which included all the way from his days at Southern Mississippi to near the end of his NFL career.
  
  Pros of this book: The objectivity that Pearlman put on the pages of Gunslinger was what got me to really, really like this book. I HATE it when authors and sports journalists kiss sports stars' behinds in books and in articles. Pearlman made sure that he gave the reader an evenhanded look at Brett Favre's career on and off the field.
  
  Cons of this book: What cons?
  
  In conclusion, if you didn't like Gunslinger then you don't know Brett Favre at all. You must think people are perfect and without flaws, or you can't recognize good journalism when you see it.
• 
  Luke Koran

  From the perspective of a lifelong Minnesota Viking fan, author Jeff Pearlman hit nearly all-the-right notes in his in-depth portrayal of the charming and enigmatic #4 in “Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improbable, Iconic Life of Brett Favre.” Favre’s collegiate and professional football career dominates this biography, though his personal endeavors still make themselves known, both the ultimate teammate image as well as the serial womanizer and partier. It was refreshing to see a sports hero laid completely bare in book form, as well as offering some new context as to how heroes are made and protected, especially in particular markets like Green Bay, Wisconsin. I wish Pearlman had commented on Favre's impact on the record book in relation to his career passing yards, touchdowns, and heck, even his interception record! Even without the featured subject’s personal involvement in this project, the reader still gets a complete picture of who Brett Favre is and his impact on the world.
  
• 
  Dominic DiCenzo

  I am a life long Green Bay Packer fan that lives in Connecticut. I have always appreciated Brett Favre the athlete and his abilities on the football field. However, I do not put him on any pedestal as the greatest of all time (there's another guy playing right now, #12, that might be the one). I picked this book up expecting to have an enjoyable read about the life of Brett Favre. I've read several other books on Favre and enjoyed them (some of which Mr. Pearlman refers to in negative light at times).
  
  Having said all that, I don't really enjoy reading this book. I think it sucks. But I am plowing through it, but just don't dig the way it is written or the amount of copy written for certain periods of his life.
  
  I will finish the book, but honestly, the ONLY good thing about this book is the cover photo with the title GUNSLINGER! That would make a great poster.
• 
  Carianne Carleo-Evangelist

  Can you be uninspired by a well written book? That's how I feel about this and why it took me nearly a month to read. There wasn't anything earth shatteringly new in here, and I was kind of disappointed to read the author needing to rehash every only Favre story. The man was no saint, we got that, but this book made him seem like the devil incarnate. When I got to the afterword and realized Brett didn't talk to him, I wondered if maybe that was why.
  
  It was nice to have some of the holes filled in around Brett's college play and especially his recruitment to Southern Miss, but this just seemed like an author with an interesting in reviving old ghosts on the occasion of Favre's selection to the Hall of Fame. If you're interested in the Favre story, you'll learn a lot and Pearlman does a lot to counter the official NFL myths, but not sure that's always a good thing