Iconic Life of Brett Favre - The Remarkable

Disappointed. Just another story of a jock drinking, partying and cheating. Some interesting locker room tidbits and a lot about the football culture, but in the end I just felt sorry for the guy. Was that the intent?

This book was amazing. I live in Virginia but have been a packer diehard my whole life. I also have a 20 month old son that is named after my sports idol. I really like how the book was more about Brett as a person and not the legend. I have a lot of other Favre books but this one is by far my favorite.

Purchased as a Christmas gift for my husband. It was a specific request on his Christmas list. He's a HUGE Brett Favre fan and has read the book a couple of times now. He loves it and has even shared it with friends.

An enjoyable read of Brett's life and career put together from countless interviews and set forth in an engaging and well-written manner. While there is nothing earth-shattering about the narrative, it provides a unique glimpse into the locker room, home, and life to Favre.

I learned thing about Brett I never knew. I did not about his infidelity or his addiction to pain killers. He is an amazing athlete. One who truly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. A great book about a truly amazing man

One of the best written books I have read in a long time. The author has interviewed over 500 people in order to deliver to us this great book. It really feels like you are hearing the story of one of the greatest players to play the game of football directly from the mouths of the people who were part of his incredible journey. Thank you

A completely brilliant book that is perfect in content and tone. Having interviewed over 500 people for the work, the depth is obvious and the author captures every nuance of this legendary quarterback that the reader could hope for. Personally, I loved the author's wry asides...breaking the "fourth wall" as it were...which in my mind was a great reminder that we were reading the bio of a sports figure, not some transcendent world leader.

Beyond capturing Favre ( and his preternatural case of arrested development ), the book also is a terrific portrayal of life in the NFL.

I am most decidedly NOT a GB Packer fan, and this was one of my favorite books of the year. Highly recommended for anyone into sports in general and football in particular.

It doesn't matter if you love or hate the NFL, Brett Favre, or the Green Bay Packers this book is an undeniably phenomenal. Gunslinger takes you through the life and career of an NFL legend from birth to post retirement.

Finally, a book that gives you the real Brett Favre, good and bad! It's an honest account of what fans thought happened off the field with Favre, but didn't know for sure. Well written, and a great read about an interesting football player.

I wont repeat the other positive comments about this book. I would note however, there were some substantive omissions:there was no analysis or discussion how Favre rebuilt the franchise and the Lambeau Field Stadium by his presence, there was no note of the NFL investigation into his texting and coming to a conclusion that the results were inconclusive, there was no mention of the settlement made with the PT who he allegedly propositioned while with the NY Jets, there was no investigation on how the NY Jets damning revelations came out two games before the Vikes were to play the Jets. Gosh could have that foot fetish coach Rex Ryan have anything to do about that?...seems to me no coincidence, there was no mention whatsoever of his and Deanna's charity foundation and the work it did for the Pack and the Vikes, there was no mention of Rodgers stepping forth to the Packer Nation and bringing Favre back for his rightful role in the Packer pantheon, there was no mention of him coming into that last season being out of shape, several surgeries were not documented, there was no mention or little mention of the night his name was added to the Packer Stadium Wall of Fame, there was no mention of his work with the locals as another hurricane hit the Gulf, there was no mention that the Pack considered to bring him back after his final retirement to spell for the absence of Rodgers during his injury, there was virtually no discussion of his on going physical development in the triathlon after his retirement, and little or no mention of his induction speech at the Hall of Fame ceremony.

Favre bashing at it’s best, and I am neither a Packers nor a Vikings Fan. No body’s perfect, and until today’s athletes develop a moral compass, Favres, Tiger Woods and others get a pass. True, Brett was successful, and until our society stops lionizing behavior by athletes, our young people will act that way.

This was a subpar biography that felt more like an extended magazine profile. The author's writing style is overly casual, his attempts at humor and his pop culture references come across as painfully forced, some of his similes are baffling, and he seems oddly preoccupied with the subject of flatulence. Nary a page goes by without some reference to the act of expelling intestinal gas. Pearlman also tends to leap to conclusions, with an undue sense of conviction, that go considerably beyond what the facts he reports actually support.

"Gunslinger" suffers from some credibility issues, too. Aaron Rodgers has denounced as "completely, 100% false" a notable anecdote in the book in which Rodgers is quoted as greeting Favre with the impertinent line "Hello, grandpa!" upon meeting him for the first time. In a number of instances, Pearlman narrates Favre's thoughts with third-person omniscience, which is interesting considering Favre declined to cooperate for this unauthorized biography. Either the author is blessed with ESP or he is indulging in fiction.

Finally, Favre's legacy is never placed in proper context. Pearlman all but neglects Favre's illustrious statistics and never accounts for era, supporting cast, offensive system, climate, or any of the other variables that must be considered in assessing players. As such, the book's final judgment that Favre was an accomplished but flawed quarterback who was as likely to bring Packer fans to tears as euphoria and whose lasting legacy will be his can't-look-away recklessness sells him short as a player. Favre was more than just some break-even swashbuckler who hung around for a long time. At his peak from 1995 through 1997, he played the quarterback position as well as anyone ever has, and the three successive MVPs, the plethora of passing records he set over his long career, the Super Bowl victory, the 186-112 career record as a starting quarterback all attest that not only did the triumphs far, far, far outweigh the tribulations, but that Favre was a legendary quarterback with maybe a handful of genuine peers in the history of the sport.

As a voracious reader of hundreds upon hundreds of sports biographies over the years… one thing this “Fan-tastic” book on Brett Favre made me realize… is that Jeff Pearlman has become hands down my favorite current sports (and team) biographer. I have read and loved (that means more than enjoyed)… his book on Walter Payton… his book on the steroid-cheating Roger Clemens… the reign of the Showtime Lakers… and the domination and debauchery… of the 90’s Dallas Cowboys. And with the addition of this biography of the all too human… indestructible… cannon armed… Brett Favre… as I read the last few pages… and actually earlier than the last few pages… Jeff once again has me hoping and praying… that he’s already doing his leg work on his next epic biography.

One of his greatest talents… is the honesty he puts into his writing process. Pearlman truly holds nothing back in writing… THE GOOD… THE BAD… AND THE UGLY… of his subjects… and Brett Favre is another classic example of the author’s technique… AND… honesty. Most biographers either put a subject on a pedestal throughout the book… when they haven’t truly earned such an eternal resting place… other author’s… entire goal is to lambast… embarrass… and destroy… the subject. Pearlman… tells it like it is… and paints the characters as the true human beings they are. At times blessed… with the Lord’s natural gifts… and at times… putting a mirror up to the behavior that’s akin to them constantly flushing those gifts down life’s toilets. The author also does his work with an obvious goal of the truth… based on minute intricate details… honed… from exhaustive first hand interviews of people involved. In the case of this book… that entailed FIVE-HUNDRED-SEVENTY-THREE people.

Favre’s life is chronicled from before birth… to growing up in rural Kiln (The Kill), Mississippi… and the impact of his Father Irvin Favre. Interestingly enough… “Big Irv”… was a high school coach… that eventually coached Brett… and due to his old-school… run the ball at all costs philosophy… is the reason that Brett only got one last minute scholarship offer from Southern Mississippi. Irv had Brett do nothing but hand off the ball for ninety-five-per-cent of the offensive plays. No college scout truly knew what Brett’s magical cannon of an arm could do.

Any true football fan… having even a cursory knowledge of Favre’s career… know the addiction problems Brett had… but they might not know that Brett didn’t drink in high school… but he sure made up for lost time when he got to college. Early in his college career Brett became used to being a bench warming clipboard carrier… so one night before a game… he finished off his EIGHTEENTH BEER… FOUR-AND-A-HALF-HOURS-BEFORE-GAME-TIME. Pale white and vomiting… he got the surprise start.

The Favre legend was just getting started. Scouts and players… from here on out… from college to the pros… would rush just to see him warm up… and in practices and games… he literally… would break the fingers on his receiver’s hands with his scorching fast ball. There are innumerable anecdotes… from both players and coaches… that the first time they ever ***HEARD*** the unheard of sound… of a football whistling through the air… was the first time they heard AND saw Favre throw!

When drafted by the Atlanta Falcons… Favre was not wanted by the coach Jerry Glanville… and rode the bench… so he stopped studying the playbook… and partied… partied… gained weight… and partied. And so the reputation was created. Then Ron Wolf (who helped build the Raider dynasty) became an executive for the Green Bay Packers and he traded for Favre. And a once proud moribund Packer franchise had the key piece in rebuilding the once proud franchise.

From there Pearlman does what Pearlman does best… takes you inside the subject’s heart and soul… and puts every angelic halo… and every human wart and frailty… on a table under extremely bright lights. From championships… to drug and alcohol abuse… from the carefree camaraderie… of a puppy like child… to caring about dying children… without the spotlight on. And perhaps… one of the things I like… and respect about the author’s work… is that inevitably… THE GOOD… THE BAD… AND THE UGLY… are surrounded by the actual names of the people that are making the statements about Brett Favre. There’s none of this… “the source didn’t want to be quoted” crap.

By the way… you’ll find out one of the main reason’s the all-time great Hall of Famer Reggie White… signed a free agent contract with Green Bay… was that he “couldn’t shake Brett Favre from his mind. The cockiness. The spunk. The toughness. Most quarterbacks took punishment and wilted. Not Favre. He bounced back up, patted opponents on the rear ends, whispered, “Nice hit” and “bring it harder, big boy”, White had separated Favre’s shoulder, and the quarterback returned on the field as if nothing had happened. Later on, White praised Favre as the fiercest quarterback he had ever seen.”

To me… the most unbelievable record that defines Brett Favre… is the record he set for most consecutive regular season starts TWO-HUNDRED-NINETY-SEVEN (321 counting playoffs)… and that’s for a guy who played the most vulnerable position on the field. After reading this book… you will know… what made the man… capable of such a feat!

The book is good, but I have trouble respecting the author after it being found out that the select excerpts previewed to promote the book were found out to be very embellished or downright false. Several parts of the book also seem to have an agenda against Aaron Rodgers for whatever reason. So several "inside stories" of the book have to be read with a grain of salt wondering if it's even true or not.

This biography has info from all of Favre's friends and family but the author did not interview Favre himself so it is essentially an unauthorized biography. Interesting but not sure how reliable the info is.

There's quite a few Brett Favre biographies out there. But Gunslinger has got to be the definitive biography on Favre. This book dug DEEP into Favre's life on and off the field. After you finish this book, you're either gonna love Favre all over again or have contempt and love for him all over again.

I enjoyed the entire book. But I really couldn't put this book down when his NFL career and his relationship with his wife Deanna were explained. I like how author Jeff Pearlman ran down EVERY year of Favre's NFL career from 1992 to 2010. He gave you stats, commentary from various teammates of Favre, and more as far as the quarterback's career was concerned.

As for Deanna, you're gonna have to read the book in order to help you understand why she stuck with Brett after all he put her through, which included all the way from his days at Southern Mississippi to near the end of his NFL career.

Pros of this book: The objectivity that Pearlman put on the pages of Gunslinger was what got me to really, really like this book. I HATE it when authors and sports journalists kiss sports stars' behinds in books and in articles. Pearlman made sure that he gave the reader an evenhanded look at Brett Favre's career on and off the field.

Cons of this book: What cons? Next question.

In conclusion, if you didn't like Gunslinger then you don't know Brett Favre at all, you must think people are perfect and without flaws, or you can't recognize good journalism when you see it.

The book is good, but I have trouble respecting the author after it being found out that the select excerpts previewed to promote the book were found out to be very embellished or downright false. Several parts of the book also seem to have an agenda against Aaron Rodgers for whatever reason. So several "inside stories" of the book have to be read with a grain of salt wondering if it's even true or not.

This biography has info from all of Favre's friends and family but the author did not interview Favre himself so it is essentially an unauthorized biography. Interesting but not sure how reliable the info is.

There's quite a few Brett Favre biographies out there. But Gunslinger has got to be the definitive biography on Favre. This book dug DEEP into Favre's life on and off the field. After you finish this book, you're either gonna love Favre all over again or have contempt and love for him all over again.

I enjoyed the entire book. But I really couldn't put this book down when his NFL career and his relationship with his wife Deanna were explained. I like how author Jeff Pearlman ran down EVERY year of Favre's NFL career from 1992 to 2010. He gave you stats, commentary from various teammates of Favre, and more as far as the quarterback's career was concerned.

As for Deanna, you're gonna have to read the book in order to help you understand why she stuck with Brett after all he put her through, which included all the way from his days at Southern Mississippi to near the end of his NFL career.

Pros of this book: The objectivity that Pearlman put on the pages of Gunslinger was what got me to really, really like this book. I HATE it when authors and sports journalists kiss sports stars' behinds in books and in articles. Pearlman made sure that he gave the reader an evenhanded look at Brett Favre's career on and off the field.

Cons of this book: What cons? Next question.

In conclusion, if you didn't like Gunslinger then you don't know Brett Favre at all, you must think people are perfect and without flaws, or you can't recognize good journalism when you see it.

I don't especially care about Brett Farve at all - but I like Jeff Pearlman's skill at getting lots of facts, gossip, innuendo, snarkiness and respect and combining it all together like he's done several times before. So my interest in this book was for the writing, not the subject.

Pearlman delivered - it's a good account of a football legend. Farve comes across in all his backwoods glory, and I think it's an honest account of what it takes to be a superstar, flaws and all, and the compromises he made along the way. I know a few passages have gotten more press than others - a short exchange with Aaron Rodgers for example - but these are often a few sentences in a pretty in-depth book. And I don't care if every event is factually true, because I am certain they are all *believed* to be true and that's just as important.

Pearlman didn't talk to Farve himself, but had lots of access to close companions and I think this is a fairly balanced portrait - it's not a hack job, and it doesn't put him on a pedestal. I was most interested in the Jets/Minnesota chapters, where Farve extended his career a little too long.

I think if you're a Green Bay fan, you'll like the book. But I think any fan of sports journalism and male-oriented gossip of the "Real Housewives" variety is going to be entertained and impressed as well. I like sports gossip, backstabbing, salacious stories and the highs and lows, and Pearlman delivered again.

If you have read any of the Jeff Pearlman's books before, you know you are not getting an idol-worshiping hagiography of a team, event, or athlete. If there are any warts to be found, Pearlman (who first gained notoriety for the infamous John Rocker interview in 1999) will be sure to find them. When reading his earlier books about Roger Clemens, the 1986 Mets, or the 1990's Dallas Cowboys, it would be easy to to dismiss Pearlman's writing as sports tabloid journalism. But, it would be a mistake to do so. Pearlman digs deep and pulls at the scabs and bandages that many other writers won't. That methodology did not change in his biography of the iconic, and very flawed, Brett Favre.
"Gunslinger" goes deep into the Brett Favre 'experience', chronicling his upbringing under his stern, emotionless football coach father and the country-boy lifestyle that put in place for success, but also vulnerable to his various flaws. The known events of Favre's life are described: The car accident in college; the failed rookie season with Atlanta; the enormous success with Green Bay (and his public, and yet not public, battle with various addictions); and his inability to make up his mind about retirement in the last several years of his career. However, Pearlman also reveals much of the backstory on all of this. You learn more about Irving Favre beyond the gruff father stereotype. There much revealed about the influence of many of other family members, including his brother Scott (a die-hard partying buddy for years).
Rather than looking at "Gunslinger" as a hatchet job on Favre, I contend it is more accurate to look at it as an honest assessment of who Favre is, flaws and all. Pearlman doesn't really sit in judgment of Favre. He just tries to tell the full story of him, which includes the ugliness, as well. In the end it is very compelling read

I've been working my way through this very detailed book for a long time, actually many months. There are a LOT of football recollections, details of many famous, and not so famous, games from Farve's high school days up to his retirement. I confess that I skimmed through some of these as, being a woman, I've never played the game, and really wasn't interested in that depth of game detail. It was drawn together well by the author though and kept my interest, as learning more about his family, childhood, and home, his earlier career, and his messed up personal life helped me to better understand the path his life took.

I knew from watching him for many years that he was inconsistent a lot, though thankfully, he'd most times seem to come through in the end, especially at the height of his and the Packers reign. Of course, there would be the frustrating interceptions, which I now understand better due to his abuse of his body and drugs. His neglect and mistreatment of his wife and family seem excessive as well, but I have to think that there is more to this story that's untold. It certainly makes for a dramatic story and interesting reading.

I feel that most readers that enjoy sports stories would like this book. It's well written, has a lot of personal and professional recollections about Brett and his football career, and certainly can keep the reader's attention, as it did for me.

I’ve enjoyed Jeff Pearlman’s Roger Clemens biography The Rock That Fell to Earth and his Walter Payton bio Sweetness. Pearlman has great control over his tone and subject and never gives us a fanboy’s one-sided hagiography. He gives us “warts and all.” Same is true of Gunslinger, the biography of Brett Favre.

Brett Favre is hard to pin down. He could be cruel one moment and caring the next. Living in a household with a tough father who used questionable types of discipline accompanied by enraged outbursts probably had something to do with Favre’s temperament.

One of the salient features of Favre that Pearlman captures in this book is Favre’s erratic behavior: “Favre was a different player from practice to practice and game to game. Hot, cold, high, low, precise, erratic.” His playing was analogous to his off-field behavior. As a result, to witness Favre’s life through the window of Pearlman’s expert writing lens is like watching a long, drawn-out car crash.

No myths of greatness here. Favre liked to party and his drinking compromised his early career, making him less appealing to the Atlanta Falcons, the first NFL team to draft him.

No myths of heroic character. Favre’s womanizing, his drinking, his drug addiction, his throwing the Packers under the bus and spiting them, his infamous graphic “texting,” are all caught here in lurid display.
But there is also a boyish, innocent appeal. He got along with everyone and didn’t like to brag. In contrast, his receiver Sterling Sharpe would stand bare in front of the locker mirror and invite everyone to admire his perfectly sculpted body.

Gunslinger is a book about contradictions and the hurly-burly ride this reckless soul gave Packers fans. It’s an expertly written book, but the darker, more sinister personality of Roger Clemens makes Pearlman’s The Rocket That Fell to Earth my favorite of the Pearlman sports biographies.

To be honest, I came to this book not as a Favre fan, or a packers fan, or even a fan of football in general. From April to November I'm all about baseball, but the gray, empty months in between are a sports dead zone for me. I snapped up a copy of this book because I'm a fan of the author, Jeff Pearlman, who's crafted many intense, exciting sports books. He's got a nuanced and poetic eye; he doesn't flinch, but sometimes gets around to the truth surreptitiously. Reading one of his books can be an experience.

This goes for GUNSLINGER. Obviously I know who Brett Favre is--I may not watch football, but I wasn't under a rock in the nineties and 2000's; plus, being from downstate Illinois, I know many a disgruntled Packers fan--but I didn't know any of the details. So I'm coming at this just as a normal reader. Pearlman chronicles Favre's career and life, including his off-field proclivities. There is no judgement; there is a certain reverence, as is due; Favre's on-field accomplishments are astounding. But Pearlman brings a detached eye to the other stuff--informed, entertaining, even funny at times, but not judgmental. Well, not too much so. Die-hard Favre fans may not like to see their hero laid bare, even though Pearlman is at all times respectful. But sports fans, or just fans of solid biographies, should devour GUNSLINGER.

Brett Favre is one of the most polarizing sports figures of the past quarter century. People either love or loathe him with very few not having an opinion one way or the other. He helped bring greatness back to Green Bay when ended an almost thirty year drought in title town but refused to leave when his skills were eroding and the team had a quarterback in waiting. Jeff Pearlman's new, in depth book Gunslinger tells the tale of a man whose professional career and adult life unfolded like a Shakespeare play. Mr. Pearlman made his name with his infamous John Rocker interview and he uses over 500 of them to go behind the curtain on this complex man's life. Favre's life is like his career for every triumph there is a defeat lurking right around the corner and Mr. Pearlman helps us get inside what makes Favre tick. The joy of overcoming a hard upbringing is tempered with addiction and personal loss, championships and on field success is tempered by isolation from his teammates, a career that should've ended with celebration is ended with regrets and bad feelings. Mr. Pearlman shows it all and it probably won't change your opinion of Mr. Favre but it does make for a really interesting read.

Gunslinger reads like a suspenseful novel that I could not put down. Although, I though I new much about Brett Favre and have been a Packers fan since he arrived, I learned more than I could have imagined about Favre and the NFL. Pearlman has done a boatload of research and interviews regarding his subject, and he narrates an in-depth story of Favre's life. As the author explains, this is not an "ode to Brett Favre." This is an account of his life and an attempt to discover and convey how Favre became Brett Favre. Pearlman shares the good and the bad in an attempt to explain Favre's life.

Pearlman begins with Favre's parents and his childhood in Mississippi and follows him up until the his present day retirement from football. Readers will hear about the extent of Favre's greatness and deficiencies on and off the football field. Like watching any of his games is for his fans, reading this book is a roller-coaster ride...you can barely watch as you go around the next bend but you are hopeful it works out for the best.

Jeff Pearlman's Gunslinger is a very interesting biography of Brett Favre. The book is well-written and moves right along. Mr. Pearlman has clearly done a lot of research, and the book is packed with good stories. Favre was an outstanding quarterback with the Green Bay Packers who guided the team to two Super Bowls and one championship. He had a reputation as a kind of a cowboy with a great arm and a reputation for doing whatever he wanted to do. He clearly was an excellent quarterback, and his talent more than made up for any mistakes he made along the way both on and off the field. The book covers his whole life. You can learn a lot about Brett Favre.

Gunslinger is a fun book to read, especially for an NFL fan.

This is the rare sports biography written without direct input from the subject, working mostly from the vast array of existing media quotes and stories on legendary quarterback Brett Favre’s life, as well as interviews with various figures, many of whom seem rather tangentially involved in Favre’s life.

It’s a fairly standard bio, that starts with Favre’s early years — going into some detail about his high school playing career, before settling in to focus on Favre’s long, successful stint with the Green Bay Packers.

There’s also a fairly substantial chunk on Favre’s less flattering later years, and lots of discussion about whether he stayed too long in the game.

The on-the-field accounts are buttressed with rather gossipy info about Favre’s seemingly rather messy personal life … Probably why this biography is of the unauthorized variety.

All in all it’s a mostly entertaining, if often over-the-top, portrayal of a great quarterback who, like many adored and powerful figures, lived a not-so-golden life off the field.

Gunslinger tells the life of Brett Favre starting from birth all the way to the ending of his football career. If you're a Favre fan this book is full of facts about him, tons and tons of interviews of people who knew him and interacted with him, details about his career as a player, details on his relationships with those in his life, and the kind of person Favre is.

The writing flows and the structure of the book is well done. There are some swear words throughout it. Also it was told very honestly and seems like Pearlman stayed neutral as far as telling the information. He certainly tried to give as much facts and information as he could, interviewing over 570 people for the book. The only thing that could have been different was to have interviews with Favre. He has no interviews in the book so he doesn't confirm or deny anything that is said about him. There are so many other reviews that go much more into depth about the book so not wanting to repeat what others have said, I would say that if your a Favre fan you'd probably still learn something new about him from reading this book.

I am a non football fan living for the past 29 years in Wisconsin. It is hard to explain how important the Packers are here. Even as a devoted non sports fan, I was expected to know who was playing when, how Favre or Rodgers were doing and who Lindy Infante was. Pack dissection is prime time fare here. I've had jobs where I would be sent home if I showed up for work without green and gold apparel. Pack knowledge is self preservation here.

So I read this book with an open mind. I always kind of liked Favre and had no animosity re: playing for Minnesota. I loved this book. It was investigative without being dry, a page turner without being hopelessly fan boy. I love that it is to the minute current. It throws out the contradictions to the reader without trying to make them all fit. Great book for biography lovers or Pack fans. Or me!

To many sports fans, Brett Favre is an icon - a hero of mythic proportions. But beneath that carefully sculpted public persona is a very different - and much less heroic - man whose story is laid bare in Gunslinger by Jeff Pearlman.
Pearlman is one of the best sports journalists of today and his portrait of Favre is compelling reading, exposing the good, the bad and the ugly of one of the most dominant athletes to have played in the NFL.
Pearlman is neither fan nor foe here - he simply delivers a riveting story of a gifted athlete who reached the pinnacle of success on the field but sadly in his treatment of others, including his wife, has come up short in the game of life.
Gunslinger is great writing and will appeal to sports fans as well as Green Bay/Favre fans....

On the field Brett Favre was a star. Off the field he left much to be desired as a husband and father and didn't exactly struggle with his demons. And his growing-up years were hardly the stuff of dreams. As for the dark side of the QB"s life the author just lays the facts out and let history do the talking. But if you swallowed the cultivated legend of what a good ol' boy Favre is be prepared to have your eyes opened. We researched, well sourced and well written.

Brett Favre triggers many different emotions in football fans. This book does a good job of fairly exploring all of them. The highs and lows are all here. Who can forget that game after his father died? Or when he was battling drug addiction? Or the rubber bands he wore for good luck – his daughter gave it to him. Or the end of his career when he went to (gasp!) the Vikings? Highs & lows and everything in between.

Gunslinger is a good title. As a Packer fan, you can remember all those crazy good & bad throws he made – deadly accurate & at a times, brave, erratic & risky. But he always gave the fans a thrill. And that arm is legendary. I enjoyed this book very much.

Oh dear, night after night of not getting any sleep because I can't put this book down. Jeff Pearlman had me at hello. It takes me forever to read books like this because I read the funny parts, and there's so, so many, over and over again for maximum laughs. After I finally turned the light out at 2:45am this morning, I'd lie there in bed reading the book over in my head and giggling. And giggling. Brett Favre's life would make a fantastic movie and of course Jeff Pearlman would write the script/screenplay. Whether you like pro ball or not, whether you like the Packers or not, whatever, I guarantee you'll have a great time reading this book. Just do it. Thank me later.

This was a fantastic, well researched, and thought out book about Brett Favre. Over 500 people were interviewed and you get a ton of quotes and behind the scenes stories. It was amazing to learn just how humble his beginnings really were and how much of a longshot he really was. You get to learn about Brett's locker room antics and pranks through the stories of old teammates. This book humanizes him while at the same time pointing his great triumphs. This not the traditional boring sports athlete love fest of a book. Pearlman takes care and remains very neutral on Favre and tells his story. He includes Favre's flaws and we get to see different sides of his family. The sports action stories telling blew me away and made me feel like I was there at those games even if I already remembered the results.

Can you be uninspired by a well written book? That's how I feel about this and why it took me nearly a month to read. There wasn't anything earth shatteringly new in here, and I was kind of disappointed to read the author needing to rehash every only Favre story. The man was no saint, we got that, but this book made him seem like the devil incarnate. When I got to the afterword and realized Brett didn't talk to him, I wondered if maybe that was why.

It was nice to have some of the holes filled in around Brett's college play and especially his recruitment to Southern Miss, but this just seemed like an author with an interesting in reviving old ghosts on the occasion of Favre's selection to the Hall of Fame. If you're interested in the Favre story, you'll learn a lot and Pearlman does a lot to counter the official NFL myths, but not sure that's always a good thing

Brett Favre is certainly one of the memorable player of recent times. Love him or hate him, he hadhis moment in the sun. this book details his life, from its humble beginnings to the pinnacle of success to a return to the real world. There are no interviews with Favre. Itis based on interviews with those who knew him. I found his early days interesting. It is in many ways a sad tale. Athletes have a limited time to shine and many thought Favre overstayed his welcome. His life devolves into too much partying, wine women and song. Definitely a tribute to his persistence and a cautionary tale as well.

I have been a long time Green Bay Packers fan and Brett has been my favorite player of all time. So when I had a chance to get this book and read it I did.
Brett did not take part in writing this book and to me that's a good thing. I would think it would be a little hard to be unbiased about yourself in writing a book anyway. So this is what others think about him and what he has done in his life.
It is an interesting read and one that I highly recommend for those that are his fans.
Based on over 500 interviews so a lot of perspectives are reflected here....

I always liked Bret Favre. I found him to be an intriguing athlete. As a Jet fan, I was thrilled when he signed with the Jets at the end of his career. It's the only time I ever purchased a team shirt with a players name on it.

I really enjoyed learning about Favre's history. There's lots of things many people, including diehard Packer fans wouldn't know. It was a page turner, and I got through it quickly. It really kept my interest and it was a worthwhile read. Kudos to Jeff Pearlman for a very will written book.

I have read Sweetness and Showtime. Jeff Pearlman is a very good writer. I follow him on Twitter and would see his thoughts and insights about this book on a daily basis. So with all that I eagerly anticipated this book and when it came out, Gunslinger did not disappoint. I could not put it down. Jeff Pearlman researched this thoroughly and the result was a well written portrait of a legendary football player. While I wasn't a fan of the Packers, I always dropped what I was doing when #4 and the Packers were on TV. Sure we all know about Brett Favre's on the field adventures but this book also deals with his off the field ones as well. He struggled with addiction, infidelity and could be a total jerk at times. I was drawn to the bitter break up between the Packers and Favre. All I remember is what I heard on ESPN during this but the book goes into detail about the relationship between Favre and his replacement Aaron Rodgers and his bitterness and hatred for GM Ted Thompson. I didn't know it was that brutal.

Bottom line. Pick this book up. It's a great read.

Jeff Pearlman is my go-to for sports biographies. He has a way of telling a persons story with rich detail you never knew you needed, each chapter feeling new and not like you're reading bullet point to bullet point, making you feel like you're beside the person as it unfolds. The same is true for Gunslinger, each phase of Farves life uncovered with all the feelings and personal anecdotes we've come to expect. Read easily, couldn't put the book down for the most part. However, remember Favres magical comeback season with the Vikings? That got a whopping two sentences. It goes into tremendous detail about Bretts misdeeds and even more with his fathers. It's revealed Brett did not speak with Pearlman to help with the story and it reads that way. A vengeful account that portrays him in a negative light, as it should, but then merely glosses over his good deeds. Was a bit disappointed but still very much worth the read

This is pretty much what you'd expect..just about every football fan knows about all the demons Favre faced during his playing days.
What I walked away with is realizing that as mean as Favre was to his siblings, his father was an even meaner person.
Football fans will most likely enjoying reading GUNSLINGER, but for me it just didn't hit home. Plus way too much profanity for my taste.

This is a very detailed book about Brett Farve. Really great and detailed information. Really, they only think I disliked about the book was the use of language. 6 uses of the f bomb before you even hit page one. A good biography, but definitely has some bad language.

Gunslinger was the first book by Jeff Pearlman that I read and it was fantastic. As a Packers fan, I loved the in depth look at a man’s life not just in football but outside of it as well. Jeff does such a great job on this book I just recently purchase “Football For a Buck” and can’t wait to dive into that as well. Need Jeff to write an Aaron Rodgers biography when he retires!

To many sports fans, Brett Favre is an icon - a hero of mythic proportions. But beneath that carefully sculpted public persona is a very different - and much less heroic - man whose story is laid bare in Gunslinger by Jeff Pearlman.
Pearlman is one of the best sports journalists of today and his portrait of Favre is compelling reading, exposing the good, the bad and the ugly of one of the most dominant athletes to have played in the NFL.
Pearlman is neither fan nor foe here - he simply delivers a riveting story of a gifted athlete who reached the pinnacle of success on the field but sadly in his treatment of others, including his wife, has come up short in the game of life.
Gunslinger is great writing and will appeal to sports fans as well as Green Bay/Favre fans....

Gunslinger tells the life of Brett Favre starting from birth all the way to the ending of his football career. If you're a Favre fan this book is full of facts about him, tons and tons of interviews of people who knew him and interacted with him, details about his career as a player, details on his relationships with those in his life, and the kind of person Favre is.

The writing flows and the structure of the book is well done. There are some swear words throughout it. Also it was told very honestly and seems like Pearlman stayed neutral as far as telling the information. He certainly tried to give as much facts and information as he could, interviewing over 570 people for the book. The only thing that could have been different was to have interviews with Favre. He has no interviews in the book so he doesn't confirm or deny anything that is said about him. There are so many other reviews that go much more into depth about the book so not wanting to repeat what others have said, I would say that if your a Favre fan you'd probably still learn something new about him from reading this book.

On the field Brett Favre was a star. Off the field he left much to be desired as a husband and father and didn't exactly struggle with his demons. And his growing-up years were hardly the stuff of dreams. As for the dark side of the QB"s life the author just lays the facts out and let history do the talking. But if you swallowed the cultivated legend of what a good ol' boy Favre is be prepared to have your eyes opened. We researched, well sourced and well written.