As soon as I received the book in the mail, I started reading it instantly. This book talks about his beginnings from a child, to the olympics in Athens. I felt I was with him at every step of the way to his stardom, while he describes his trials, feelings, innocence, growing up and messing up, learning through out his journey. I would definitely recommend this book for everyone.

Although this book leaves swim training to the coaches, this book offers the incredible journey of Michael Phelps from childhood swimming to the 2004 Olympics. As a college swimmer, it was a relief to read about his training and see similarities with my own.

He offers lessons for life that are necessary for any young athlete. Phelps had help writing the book, but his words and experiences are still there. This man has been through a great deal and it is incredible to read of his sacrifice in the name of achieving greatness.

It is written simply and easy to read. Inspirational and any athlete can relate. I love this book.

The book serves it's purpose- it details both the personal and professional life of one of Olympic swimming's most incredible athletes. Phelps is very open in detailing his life growing up in Maryland and progressing professionally.

Is it a work of art? No. Is it a must-have for Michael Phelps fans? Perhaps. It provides an invaluable inside look at his person. Although, if you are just browsing for a book on any Olympic swimmer's quest for glory, I'd recommend looking elsewhere. I can't see anyone but Phelps fans truly appreciating this book for what it offers and what it lacks. This is his autobiography, not a detailed account of his struggle for glory.

Age 19 seems too young for an athlete to present his autobiography, yet Michael Phelps and co-author Brian Cazeneuve correctly gauge that Phelps' current fame makes the project viable. The tone of the narrative captures youthful wonder and enthusiasm for swimming; had the book come later, Phelps might become too jaded or overly analytic.

The authors let the chapters read like recorded oral narratives, with tangents, informal diction, corny jokes. The effect is enjoyable, as if we are listening as Phelps gushes over the aspects of his career. The book has almost no surprising revelations, but Phelps' views of races and competitors enhance our understanding of him and his accomplshments. He remains admirably respectful toward rivals who needle him. His comments (embedded in Chapter 21) on why he sought out races against Ian Thorpe reflect the best values of athletic competition and could be part of locker room pep talks in any sport. Even though we know the results, the eager style makes the narrative of the Olympics become exciting reading.

The book is thus more about personal enthusiasm than athletic insight. We do not learn much about the theories behind training methods, nor about race strategies, nor about the special aspects of certain swimming events. (For this sort of depth analysis of Olympic swimming, readers should see "Gold in the Water" by P. H. Mullen [2001] and "Champions" by Daniel Chambliss [1988].) And Phelps downplays subjects that he may see differently when he is older. One is his easy dismissal as inconsequential of periods when he did not see his father. Another concerns his hyperactivity; he admits the problem (as he has in news profiles) but avoids the thorny issue of treatments.

The final page, appended after his November 2004 driving while impaired incident, is a model of crisis communication. For its candor and blunt acceptance of responsibility, it is an example that older and younger athletes should emulate when they get into trouble.