Trace Adkins

I love Trace Adkins so naturally when his book came out I wanted to learn more about him. This book was very enlightening. I had no idea what his life was like and was very surprised at some of the stories.

I did not realize how many times he had been married or that his first wife shot him, haha. I also was unaware that he really was a roughneck, just thought it was a way to describe himself on the cover to get us interested. I also admired his hard work to get where he is today. The road to his success was not paved with gold. He worked really hard to get where he is and it took a long time.

I like that he doesn't make excuses for his past misbehavior. He takes full responsibility for the mistakes and wrongdoings in his life. He also is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. I may not agree with all his opinions but this book just made me respect him so much more. If you are a fan I definitely recommend that you read this book.… (meer)

I can't say I agree with everything Adkins writes, but that's a big part of the beauty of this book. This really is a straight-up outlining of commentary--editorial style I suppose--from his point of view. However, what brings it is that he explains every opinion he has, and he does it with intelligence. He may state quite a few times that he doesn't care what you think of him, but it's obvious at the very least that he wants you to understand why he's saying it. I so often run into people who have one reason for something they believe, and they can do little more than repeat that one (usually superficial) idea if pulled into a conversation. I run into others who simply don't care to explain, or couldn't explain if they had to. As a result, this was refreshing.

Adkins discusses everything from country music to the Iraq war, drilling in Alaska (and elsewhere) to poverty, and 9/11 to raising children. There's enough of his own personal life here to take a break from the more serious topics as well, and you really do get a glimpse into another life and individual in America, one who is neither worried about putting on airs nor stepping on toes.

On the whole, this wasn't fancy writing or an extreme page-turner. However, it was interesting and thought-provoking. I imagine that everyone reading it will find something to nod their head at, and something to disagree with (for me, the environment and education...), but they'll also get a glimpse into the other side of thought. I wouldn't be surprised if this read didn't teach quite a few readers a thing or too also--I certainly learned a bit about the Civil War and off-shore drilling; the randomness of those topics should give you a hint on how unpredictable this read is, and how refreshing the honesty as well.… (meer)