Get Your Free Audiobook
-
I Beat the Odds
- From Homelessness, to 'The Blind Side', and Beyond
- Narrated by: Michael Boatman
- Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Sports
Non-member price: $34.02
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Blind Side
- Evolution of a Game
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When we first meet the young man at the center of this extraordinary and moving story, he is one of 13 children by a mother addicted to crack; he does not know his real name, his father, his birthday, or any of the things a child might learn in school. And he has no serious experience playing organized football.
-
-
loved it.
- By Anonymous User on 25-04-2020
-
The Making of a Miracle
- The Untold Story of the Captain of the 1980 Gold Medal-Winning U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
- By: Mike Eruzione, Neal Boudette
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is the greatest American underdog sports story ever told: how a team of college kids and unsigned amateurs, under the tutelage of legendary coach - and legendary taskmaster - Herb Brooks, beat the elite Soviet hockey team on their way to winning the gold medal at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. No one believed the scrappy Americans had a real shot at winning. Despite being undefeated, the US - the youngest team in the competition - were facing off against the four-time defending gold medalist Russians.
-
Soul Surfer
- A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board
- By: Bethany Hamilton
- Narrated by: Eleni Pappageorge
- Length: 3 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
She lost her arm in a shark attack and nearly died, but she never lost her faith. Now a major motion picture, Soul Surfer is the moving story of Bethany Hamilton’s triumphant return to competitive surfing and has continued to be a beacon of inspiration to all who hear it. They say Bethany Hamilton has saltwater in her veins. How else could one explain the passion that drives her to surf? Or that nothing—not even the loss of her arm—could come between her and the waves?
-
-
What a champion!
- By Anonymous User on 31-08-2019
-
Moneyball
- The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Moneyball is a quest for something as elusive as the Holy Grail, something that money apparently can't buy: the secret of success in baseball. The logical places to look would be the giant offices of major league teams and the dugouts. But the real jackpot is a cache of numbers collected over the years by a strange brotherhood of amateur baseball enthusiasts: software engineers, statisticians, Wall Street analysts, lawyers, and physics professors.
-
-
Awesome if you have a basic understanding of BBall
- By Thomas K.K. Morison on 23-05-2020
-
Darkness to Light
- A Memoir
- By: Lamar Odom, Chris Palmer - contributor
- Narrated by: Chris Palmer
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The world knows Lamar Odom as a two-time NBA world champion who rocketed to uncharted heights of fame thanks to being a member of both the storied Los Angeles Lakers and the ubiquitous Kardashian empire. But who is Lamar, really? Fans have long praised his accessibility and genuine everyman quality - he is a blinding talent who has suffered a series of heartaches, setback, and loss.
-
-
unreal fantastic book
- By Anonymous User on 27-06-2019
-
Missoula
- Rape and the Justice System in a College Town
- By: Jon Krakauer
- Narrated by: Mozhan Marno, Scott Brick
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From best-selling author Jon Krakauer, a stark, powerful, meticulously reported narrative about a series of sexual assaults at the University of Montana - stories that illuminate the human drama behind the national plague of campus rape.
-
-
excellent. harrowing.
- By Anonymous User on 28-06-2020
-
The Blind Side
- Evolution of a Game
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When we first meet the young man at the center of this extraordinary and moving story, he is one of 13 children by a mother addicted to crack; he does not know his real name, his father, his birthday, or any of the things a child might learn in school. And he has no serious experience playing organized football.
-
-
loved it.
- By Anonymous User on 25-04-2020
-
The Making of a Miracle
- The Untold Story of the Captain of the 1980 Gold Medal-Winning U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
- By: Mike Eruzione, Neal Boudette
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is the greatest American underdog sports story ever told: how a team of college kids and unsigned amateurs, under the tutelage of legendary coach - and legendary taskmaster - Herb Brooks, beat the elite Soviet hockey team on their way to winning the gold medal at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. No one believed the scrappy Americans had a real shot at winning. Despite being undefeated, the US - the youngest team in the competition - were facing off against the four-time defending gold medalist Russians.
-
Soul Surfer
- A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board
- By: Bethany Hamilton
- Narrated by: Eleni Pappageorge
- Length: 3 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
She lost her arm in a shark attack and nearly died, but she never lost her faith. Now a major motion picture, Soul Surfer is the moving story of Bethany Hamilton’s triumphant return to competitive surfing and has continued to be a beacon of inspiration to all who hear it. They say Bethany Hamilton has saltwater in her veins. How else could one explain the passion that drives her to surf? Or that nothing—not even the loss of her arm—could come between her and the waves?
-
-
What a champion!
- By Anonymous User on 31-08-2019
-
Moneyball
- The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
- By: Michael Lewis
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Moneyball is a quest for something as elusive as the Holy Grail, something that money apparently can't buy: the secret of success in baseball. The logical places to look would be the giant offices of major league teams and the dugouts. But the real jackpot is a cache of numbers collected over the years by a strange brotherhood of amateur baseball enthusiasts: software engineers, statisticians, Wall Street analysts, lawyers, and physics professors.
-
-
Awesome if you have a basic understanding of BBall
- By Thomas K.K. Morison on 23-05-2020
-
Darkness to Light
- A Memoir
- By: Lamar Odom, Chris Palmer - contributor
- Narrated by: Chris Palmer
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The world knows Lamar Odom as a two-time NBA world champion who rocketed to uncharted heights of fame thanks to being a member of both the storied Los Angeles Lakers and the ubiquitous Kardashian empire. But who is Lamar, really? Fans have long praised his accessibility and genuine everyman quality - he is a blinding talent who has suffered a series of heartaches, setback, and loss.
-
-
unreal fantastic book
- By Anonymous User on 27-06-2019
-
Missoula
- Rape and the Justice System in a College Town
- By: Jon Krakauer
- Narrated by: Mozhan Marno, Scott Brick
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From best-selling author Jon Krakauer, a stark, powerful, meticulously reported narrative about a series of sexual assaults at the University of Montana - stories that illuminate the human drama behind the national plague of campus rape.
-
-
excellent. harrowing.
- By Anonymous User on 28-06-2020
Publisher's Summary
The football star made famous in the hit film The Blind Side reflects on how far he has come from the circumstances of his youth.
Michael Oher is the young man at the center of the true story depicted in The Blind Side movie (and book) that swept up awards and accolades. Though the odds were heavily stacked against him, Michael had a burning desire deep within his soul to break out of the Memphis inner-city ghetto and into a world of opportunity. While many people are now familiar with Oher's amazing journey, this is the first time he has shared his account of his story in his own words, revealing his thoughts and feelings with details that only he knows, and offering his point of view on how anyone can achieve a better life.
Looking back on how he went from being a homeless child in Memphis to playing in the NFL, Michael talks about the goals he had for himself in order to break out of the cycle of poverty, addiction, and hopelessness that trapped his family for so long. He recounts poignant stories of growing up in the projects and running from child services and foster care over and over again in search of some familiarity. Eventually, he grasped onto football as his ticket out of the madness and worked hard to make his dream into a reality. But Oher also knew he would not be successful alone. With his adoptive family, the Touhys, and other influential people in mind, he describes the absolute necessity of seeking out positive role models and good friends who share the same values to achieve one's dreams.
Sharing untold stories of heartache, determination, courage, and love, I Beat the Odds is an incredibly rousing tale of one young man's quest to achieve the American dream.
More from the same
What listeners say about I Beat the Odds
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall

- Susan
- 19-02-2011
Must-read for anyone who works with kids
Let's start by recognizing that this is not great literature, nor is it a "football book". It IS a personal account of a young man determined to succeed in spite of his circumstances, and how he went about acheiving his goals. Without being in any way exploitative, Michael Oher does not pull punches in describing life with his birth family and in the foster care system. Throughout, he balances the negative experiences with stories of love, family loyalty, and people who went out of their way to help. He shows us that love and caring transcend race and socio-economic status.
The assumption is that the reader/listener has seen the movie The Blind Side, and I was glad to have already listened to the Tuohys' book, In a Heartbeat. This book doesn't criticize either, but it corrects some things from the first and fills in some gaps from the second. The focus is on convincing young people that they have options, that they can "make it", and encouraging them to make good choices to take advantage of the opportunities that are out there.
The final section, with excerpts from letters to Michael and a list of some resources available to help at-risk kids, is better suited to print than audio; still, it gives the listener a start on ways to get involved in helping other kids beat the odds.
14 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- AB
- 23-04-2012
Not the Blind Side
I loved The Blind Side book, this wasn't it. I was so intrigued by his story, but at times I felt he seemed arrogant and such a sense of entitlement. My favorite parts were the stories of his brothers and sisters, the loved they share is amazing and would love to hear more.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- juliet
- 08-03-2012
Even better than "The Blind Side"
What did you love best about I Beat the Odds?
I recommend this to anyone who works with kids/teens, especially those straying off the right path. A good intro may be to show the Blind Side in class (or your organization) and assign this as a reading or audio assignment. Very powerful, I predict Michael Oher will even go beyond the fame of professional football. He's quite introspective and articulate, he knows firsthand the challenges faced by many youth who don't have many positive role models. The first 3/4 of the book leads up to where the Blind Side story picks up. Enjoy and be motivated.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- THoward
- 29-10-2012
I love Michael Oher.
Any additional comments?
I love Michael. His life is proof that when opportunity knocks, it is up to us to answer the door.
Most of us have some type of awful event in our lives, from our genes to our relationships, but we must overcome the pressures to remain in the continuous cycle. I love good role models in sports, they just don't get as much press as the bad boys/girls, so finding someone like Michael is my chance to cheer.
Michael is a great role model. I think everyone can learn something from this book. The small part to learn is how Hollywood rewrites "true" stories, the big part to learn is how to make a difference in life.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jae Williams
- 12-07-2015
Must Read!
Any additional comments?
Just a really good, interesting book. Explains so much about the movie, his journey, his ambitions and inside the foster care system, the good, the bad and the ugly.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Walt
- 16-06-2015
Michael proves he is a well educated professional
This is a well written story of Michael Oher's life. You can tell he truly wants to reach those kids out there who need inspiration and guidance. He proves he's not a typical high maintenance athlete who is chasing the money but a well educated professional who wants to give back.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- BGN8
- 05-03-2012
"Blind Side" The real story!
Would you listen to I Beat the Odds again? Why?
Yes,
Compelling, honest, compassionate and inspiring.
What does Michael Boatman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
It feels like Michael Oher is actually telling you his story.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
I beat the odds . . . from zero to hero!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Russell
- 02-11-2020
Behind The Blindside
great book to learn about things not mentioned in the movie. michael oher is great!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- WENDY
- 06-06-2020
Worth Reading - The Real Story
I’m so glad I read this book! I loved the movie but had heard there were some inaccuracies that bothered Michael Oher. I enjoyed learning the real story and especially learning more about the real Michael Oher. His work ethic, determination, and grit were inspiring and his message is so important! This book is a must read!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Deb
- 20-12-2019
another awesome read
This angle of the book is more inspiring than the movie; will definitely start volunteering
20 Best Fantasy Audiobooks
This genre is so full of talent, it can be difficult to know what to listen to next — so look no further than this list to get you started.



20 Best Nonfiction Audiobooks
From the entire history of humanity to astrophysics, to our gut and mental health, dig into this list and learn something new.



Best Australian Podcasts on Audible
Audible Original Podcasts are free for Audible members. Check out this list of home-grown content, from binge-worthy true crime to self-help.


