SEMI-TOUGH

By Dan Jenkins

Semi Tough is hands down the funniest book I have ever read. Beware, though I can definitely say that this book is full of men’s humor and I can tell you this, if you’re a man and you don’t like this book, well then you probably don’t like strip joints, poker games, bathroom humor or the camaraderie of the locker room mentality either.

Dan Jenkins is a literary sports genius in my eyes because of his style of writing and the way he portrays his characters. Semi Tough is a story written through the eyes of Billy Clyde Puckett, a football player from the New York Giants in the 1970’s and his many adventures with his life long best friends Barbara Jane, whose father owns the team, and Shake Tiller, a fellow teammate. The three friends were roommates. Believe it or not, back in the 70’s this was very unusual, and causes some interesting predicaments. With the help of Barbara Jane, Billy Clyde is commissioned to write a book about the inside workings of a football team leading up to and after the Super Bowl. It is the NY Giants vs. the NY Jets in Los Angeles, CA during a time when everything wasn’t as politically correct as it is today. The racial and religious slurs come fast and furious and were a bit surprising at first. However, it is also part of what makes this book so real and honest. Billy Clyde decides to tape record all of his thoughts and experiences for the book. The most captivating part of the book is his description of the actual game itself. He describes in detail what was actually going on in the huddle. Each one of his characters is entertaining, and Jenkins’s really gets you into character just as if you too had known them all your life. I particularly enjoyed how he depicted every moment that Billy Clyde experienced and really got you too feel, see, and even smell at times the situation; from his teammates each and every fart, to his incredible hangover after the big pre-game party before the Super Bowl. (That’s right, before the game) He describes the ending of the game as if he were in a movie, but a silent movie, because even though there were 92,000 screaming fans there, he couldn’t hear a thing. He said he just went on instinct and the next thing he knew he was being carried off the field. This book had me focused the whole time with laughter and amusement. I have never been so interested in a book ever before that I did not want to put it down. Critics say Dan Jenkins is a “comical genius” and I agree totally.

This book takes you from when old Billy Clyde Puckett, wakes up in the morning to when he goes to bed at night, and let me tell you it’s a riot what these players go through from the whiskey, dope, football, and wild, wild girls. He takes you into the locker room, the bedroom and even the bathroom. If you ever wondered what a football player talks about, thinks about, and cares about, this is the book to read. It’s amazing how these football players lived. The book takes place 30 years ago and I’m not sure if they still live this way, but I doubt if players today are any different; players like Terrell Owens and others come to mind. What I enjoyed most about this book was the player’s dedication to their team. That seems to be something that has been lost in recent times. Every player is out for himself now and the concept of being on a team and being a team player is lost. To Billy Clyde Puckett being a Giant meant something. This book hits every spot there is in the human heart, heartbreak, love, happiness, hatred, and of course humor. It is a very intriguing book. I loved it and would recommend it to any body. Except maybe to a woman!