Most of the time I feel summer reading is a drag; teachers just assigning boring books to keep students busy over the summer. For me, The Blind Side was the exception. If you are a big football fan like myself, you probably know all about Michael Oher. What you probably haven’t heard is his inspirational life story. 

  In the biography, author Michael Lewis retells the inspiring true story of Michael Oher. The book takes you on a major emotional rollercoaster, as a result of author Lewis’ exceptional character development. Seeing Oher’s personal hardships from a first-hand perspective makes him a character you want to root for.

  Lewis tells of the unbearable discrimination and hardship Oher had to go through. The insight this book gives into the lives of those less fortunate really opened my eyes towards the things I often take for granted. It makes you want to be a more positive person; if a kid like Michael Oher, who has next to nothing, can keep a smile on his face even through the thickest of storms, it makes one want to do the same.

  This book also inspires determination. Michael Oher; a guy who never played a down of football in his life; worked his butt off to be the best player he could be. It’s the kind of book that makes you feel anything is possible, and makes you want to reach for the stars. If he can do it, why can’t I?

 A major factor towards my enjoyment of The Blind Side was the happiness it brought me. To know how hard Michael Oher worked to overcome his differences truly makes you feel happy.

  Another reason why I enjoyed this book is its football characteristics. The football element is there to entice sports fans, but never truly overshadows Michael’s personal journey. This balance really helped this book not become “just another sports book.”

  Overall, this book was well worth the read. Sure, I was forced to take the time to read it, but I’m very happy that I did. This book made me more grateful of the things I do have and think less about the things I sometimes desire. If you have the time, I strongly recommend reading The Blind Side.