LANDON

American soccer legend Donovan delves into trauma and triumph in a thoughtful memoir.

The author is widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players the United States has ever produced, and although he addresses his athletic career at length, he also looks deeply into his difficult childhood. His parents split up when he was young, and he and his twin sister were raised primarily by their mother, who struggled to support the family on a special-education teacher’s salary. He speaks highly of her self-sacrifice in some of the book’s most touching passages: “When you’re a kid, you can’t possibly know how long a day your mom puts in.” A major theme of the book is forgiveness, most evident in his account of how he reconciled with his largely absent father. Donovan speaks highly of therapy, which helped him deal with the stresses of early life. A breakthrough came at the 2002 World Cup, during which he guided the United States to the quarterfinals. He also openly discusses his struggles with depression, with the first bout coinciding with the 2006 World Cup; he discusses the trauma of his own divorce, and how he found love later in life. Overall, Donovan’s memoir is poignant and compelling, and it’s a must-read for any American soccer enthusiast; the author examines the ups and downs of soccer in the United States over the past quarter-century through a unique lens. Reflecting on his time in Major League Soccer, Donovan describes his initially tense relationship with legendary player David Beckham. The pair played for the L.A. Galaxy between 2007 and 2012, but the author questioned how committed Beckham was to the team, as his celebrity status often caused distractions. Eventually, though, the two became friends through shared effort on the soccer pitch, leading the team to back-to-back MLS Cup championships. The author also expresses frustration with U.S. soccer coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who chose to leave Donovan off the national team during its ultimately unsuccessful 2014 World Cup run. Overall, Donovan is widely seen as one of the sport’s great ambassadors, a status that he solidifies further through this thoughtful presentation of his life and work.

A cleareyed take on a soccer star’s life, both on and off the field.