Filling out the Silhouette

West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life
By Jerry West and Jonathan Coleman - 2011 Little, Brown & Company

Soon after I saw the advertisement for this book, I asked an author and family friend what he thought about it. He shrugged his shoulders and very simply said that he didn't want to know.   Jerry West was such an iconic figure to him (even though he's from Boston) that he wasn't interested in a "tell all" autobiography.

Although this is a fair route to consider, there are other things to take into account when deciding on this book.   I think that a book like this demands a high level of literary skills to make it compelling and dynamic, something which this book is not. Also, it would have been better written as a biography.   Ironically, the more interesting parts of the book are when Jerry West is not talking about himself but his honest opinion of other players, coaches, and associates.   Transitions are almost non-existent, making the outline of the book a little difficult to follow.  Additionally, there are a lot of added thoughts and "last lines" that come across as unnecessary and superfluous.

This book seems like an exciting prospect at first but slowly fizzles into what Earvin Johnson is quoted as referring to "good therapy."   To be fair, Jerry West clearly states in his introduction that this book is meant to be a memoir - Jerry West is a man with memories to share - and that must be remembered to appreciate this book.  Besides, some people like good therapy.