Man in the Middle

Author:  John Amaechi

Publisher:  ESPN, 2007

Edition:  Print


Where I got the book:  Strathcona High School Library


Publisher's Summary:

Man in the Middle chronicles John Amaechi's extraordinary journey from awkward, overweight English lad to jet-setting NBA star.  Along the way, Amaechi encountered endless obstacles to achieving his hoop dreams - his father's abandonment, being cut from his first college team, a life-threatening injury, abusive coaches, the death of his mother - all the while protecting a vital secret that would end his career.  John Amaechi was gay.

Now, in this poignant and intimate memoir, Amaechi takes us deep inside the often hypermasculine world of professional sports to the very center of his soul.  As tender as it is brutally frank, Man in the Middle traces Amaechi's story from the streets of Manchester (where he was raised by a single mother) to Penn State University (where he first achieved basketball stardom and his sexuality awakened) to the cities (Orlando, Houston, Salt lake City) and countries (Greece, France) in which he played.  Despite the fear of being outed, Amaechi lived an active and activist life throughout his career, mentoring children and adopting two of his own.

A powerful story of adversity and diversity, Man in the Middle is a testament to the power of one man's highly personal conviction and the universal desire to make the world a better place.