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Undisputed Truth Hardcover – November 12, 2013

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 7,496 ratings

A bare-knuckled, tell-all memoir from Mike Tyson, the onetime heavyweight champion of the world—and a legend both in and out of the ring.
 
Philosopher, Broadway headliner, fighter, felon—Mike Tyson has defied stereotypes, expectations, and a lot of conventional wisdom during his three decades in the public eye. Bullied as a boy in the toughest, poorest neighborhood in Brooklyn, Tyson grew up to become one of the most thrilling and ferocious boxers of all time—and the youngest heavyweight champion ever. But his brilliance in the ring was often compromised by reckless behavior. Years of hard partying, violent fights, and criminal proceedings took their toll: by 2003, Tyson had hit rock bottom, a convicted felon, completely broke, the punch line to a thousand bad late-night jokes. Yet he fought his way back; the man who once admitted being addicted “to everything” regained his success, his dignity, and the love of his family. With a triumphant one-man stage show, his unforgettable performances in the
Hangover films, and his newfound happiness and stability as a father and husband, Tyson’s story is an inspiring American original.
Brutally honest, raw, and often hilarious, Tyson chronicles his tumultuous highs and lows in the same sincere, straightforward manner we have come to expect from this legendary athlete. A singular journey from Brooklyn’s ghettos to worldwide fame to notoriety, and, finally, to a tranquil wisdom,
Undisputed Truth is not only a great sports memoir but an autobiography for the ages.
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Sharing a title with Tyson’s limited-run one-man Broadway show (soon to air on HBO), this outspoken autobiography simultaneously confirms many of our preconceptions about the celebrity boxer and smashes some of them. Although he came out of poverty and family strife, and although he was following a criminal path at a very early age (he was robbing houses when he was still a preteen and sent to a state reformatory at age 12), and although schooling took a backseat to his fighting career (which also started when he was very young), Tyson does not come across as the semiliterate thug he’s so often represented to be. Most readers are familiar with his tumultuous life and career—the bizarre behavior in the ring, the sordid behavior out of it—but what’s most surprising about the book is the introspection and self-awareness displayed by this self-proclaimed “trailer park nigga.” Leaving aside the question of how much of the actual writing was done by coauthor Sloman—who’s collaborated on several other noteworthy books, including a couple with Howard Stern—it’s clear that the voice is Tyson’s: it’s raw and profane but also smart and witty. Different people have different opinions of Tyson, but he seems to know who he is, and he appears to be OK with that. A fascinating and frequently surprising autobiography. --David Pitt

Review

Praise for UNDISPUTED TRUTH

“A masterpiece … grimly tragic on one page, laugh-out-loud funny on the next, and unrelentingly vulgar and foul-mouthed. Reading Tyson's memoir is like watching a Charles Dickens street urchin grow up to join Hunter S. Thompson on a narcotics-filled road trip — with the ensuing antics captured on video by assorted paparazzi.” –Hector Tobar,
Los Angeles Times

Undisputed Truth is raw, powerful and disturbing—a head-spinning take on Mr. Tyson's life…Unlike other sports memoirists, he doesn't pull punches, offering up slashing comments on people who were once close to him. His narrative reminds us of just how far he has come from his rough beginnings, and, in a way, how close he remains to them. He had a punch like a thunderbolt from Zeus, but there have been a lot of big bangers in boxing; Mike Tyson's came with a pulsating story line like few others.” --Gordon Marino, Wall Street Journal

“Parts of [
Undisputed Truth] read like a real-life Tarantino movie. Parts read like a Tom Wolfe-ian tour of wildly divergent worlds: from the slums of Brooklyn to the high life in Las Vegas to the isolation of prison…. Mr. Tyson’s idiosyncratic voice comes through clearly on the page here — not just his mix of profane street talk and 12-step recovery language, cinematic descriptions of individual fights and philosophical musings, but also his biting humor and fondness for literary and historical references that run the gamut from Alexandre Dumas to Tolstoy to Lenin to Tennessee Williams…. A genuine effort by a troubled soul to gain some understanding of the long, strange journey that has been his life.” –Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

“A hefty autobiography that might be the most soul baring book of its genre ever written … a fascinating look into a life that up until now had already been well chronicled … It’s raw and profane … but it is also quite funny.”—
Associated Press
 
Undisputed Truth, which is, without a doubt, one of the grittiest and most harrowing memoirs I’ve ever read.” –Flavorwire

“Most readers are familiar with [Tyson’s] tumultuous life and career—the bizarre behavior in the ring, the sordid behavior out of it—but what’s most surprising about the book is the introspection and self-awareness displayed … it’s raw and profane but also smart and witty … A fascinating and frequently surprising autobiography.”—
Booklist
 “
Undisputed Truth, is the American dream writ large in raw detail: think Citizen Kane scripted by the writing team of The Wire…. [it] has a great American novel feel to it… Tyson could easily be a Tom Wolfe or Norman Mailer creation.” –Austin Collings, New Statesman

“[A] lively mixture of a memoir.” –Joyce Carol Oates,
New York Review of Books

“Tyson was ever practised at delivering the early killer blow; and so it is with this gripping and indecently enthralling autobiography….Tyson always had a way with words – although much of the credit for this book must go to his ghostwriter Larry “Ratso” Sloman, who not only makes Tyson’s life read like an Elmore Leonard thriller, but gifts him with considerable self-awareness and a memorably pithy turn of phrase….recounted in gripping, punch-by-punch detail in prose pungent with the reek of blood, sweat and petroleum jelly.” –Mick Brown,
The Telegraph (UK)

“Thrilling…addictive…Sloman brings Tyson's voice springing off the page with its often hilarious combo of street and shrink, pimp profanity and the ‘prisony pseudo-intellectual modern mack rap’ of the autodidact.” –Geoff Dyer,
The Guardian (UK)

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Blue Rider Press; First Edition (November 12, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 592 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399161287
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399161285
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.75 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 7,496 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
7,496 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and honest. They appreciate the author's frank account of his life. The story is described as fascinating, strong, and heartwarming. Readers praise the writing quality as well-articulated and relaxed. They also mention that the humor is funny and entertaining.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

420 customers mention "Readability"408 positive12 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They describe it as an interesting memoir with heartfelt stories. The sentences are concise and descriptive, removing street talk. Overall, readers find the book memorable and insightful.

"...There are many shocking stories in the book, but the story that really touched me was Tyson talking about his accountant finding an IRA in his name..." Read more

"One of the best books I've read in years. Truthful and from the heart. Whi!e reading the book I kept on asking myself how is he still alive?..." Read more

"...The book has a lot of good stuff in it and is written with the reverence to the Higher, and it is amazing that one can be so open as to let the..." Read more

"...I found this portion of the book very interesting because I was very young at the start of his career so I don't remember a lot of the back story of..." Read more

230 customers mention "Honesty"226 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the author's honesty. They find the book informative and detailed, providing an introspective view of his life from childhood to retirement. Readers also mention it's one of the best sports-related biographies they have read.

"...during Amazon's Black Friday sale, and it may just be the best autobiography I have ever read. The book is very dark and r-rated...." Read more

"One of the best books I've read in years. Truthful and from the heart. Whi!e reading the book I kept on asking myself how is he still alive?..." Read more

"...I admire him for being so raw and real and truthful, and by doing this, and by seeing people respond positively, I hope brings him peace...." Read more

"I enjoyed reading this book as it was very informative on Mike Tyson‘s life." Read more

72 customers mention "Life story"72 positive0 negative

Customers find the life story fascinating and a great read. They describe it as an inspiring, uplifting tale of redemption and triumph. The book captures humanity at every level and shows that anyone can change.

"AMAZING LIFE STORY. CANT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. LOVE YOU MIKE TYSON!!!" Read more

"...However if you put that aside the story is a great read. You definitely get your money's worth which I really appreciate...." Read more

"...Amazing rags to Riches to rags story of the one and only Iron Mike Tyson...." Read more

"...Why? Because his story is so compelling and fascinating...." Read more

54 customers mention "Heartwarming"50 positive4 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming and emotional. They describe it as inspiring, heartbreaking, and painfully honest. Readers can feel Mike Tyson's emotions and ups and downs. The story is described as endearing and gut-wrenching at times.

"...The whole book is riveting, but the epilogue is especially sad -- Mike lamenting that his entire life has been a waste; all he has done with his..." Read more

"...He has a sweetness and innocence and even a naiveté about him...." Read more

"...This is a spellbinding memoir, one of the most frank and heartfelt of our times...." Read more

"...It's totally unfiltered and will shock you...." Read more

53 customers mention "Writing quality"41 positive12 negative

Customers find the writing quality engaging and well-articulated. They appreciate the author's honesty, raw language, and vivid details that provide a realistic look at Tyson's life. The book is described as thoughtful and open with good quotes from various people that shaped him.

"...The book has a lot of good stuff in it and is written with the reverence to the Higher, and it is amazing that one can be so open as to let the..." Read more

"...went by, and I would see him do interviews, I could not believe how articulate and philosophical he was, and to my absolute SHOCK, interesting!..." Read more

"...that one could charitably describe as "mercurial" and yet he speaks softly, almost effeminately, with a lisp...." Read more

"A good book written in Tyson's own voice. A sad story of a powerful boy boxer, who through little fault of his own took a very long time to grow up...." Read more

47 customers mention "Humor"47 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining and humorous. They enjoy the Don King stories and Mike Tyson's story. The book reveals the life of boxing champions in an engaging way.

"...fan, the anecdotes and recollections of his boxing great were wildly entertaining...." Read more

"...The language is light, humorous and 'streety' at times which makes it light reading for such a colorful life story." Read more

"...Tyson does have a sense of humor . I don’t think he was open about everything , like his relationship with Don King...." Read more

"...Mike is open, revealing, straight-to-the-point, and actually quite funny...." Read more

28 customers mention "Boxing champion"28 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging. They describe the boxer as a warrior and fantastic fighter. The book offers an honest look at the life of one of boxing's greatest and least understood heavyweight champs.

"...At his "base", he is a good person and it makes me care about him and root HARD for him...." Read more

"A good book written in Tyson's own voice. A sad story of a powerful boy boxer, who through little fault of his own took a very long time to grow up...." Read more

"...Mike Tyson mastered the art of boxing, but life seems to have mastered him for some time...." Read more

"...but he certainly will go down as the most memorable and interesting fighter (second only the Muhammad Ali) to ever step into the ring. Why?..." Read more

60 customers mention "Pacing"19 positive41 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's pacing. Some find it fast-paced and engaging, getting right to the action. Others feel it drags towards the end and can be repetitive at times.

"...This was a painful book to read." Read more

"...Parts of the book are simply salacious, and I didn’t think they added to the narrative or gave a great sense of Tyson’s character...." Read more

"...I've never read 600 pages so fast. Most books start off slow, gradually build, etc... This book grabbed me from the opening page and never let go...." Read more

"...However, towards the end when dealing with addictions, it was less interesting for me...." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2014
    I was a child of the 1980s and grew up during Tyson's tenure as a phenomenon larger than his sport. Anyone who did not live through that era simply cannot imagine how unbeatable Tyson was thought to be, and the total shock of him losing to Buster Douglas. I picked up Mike's autobiography during Amazon's Black Friday sale, and it may just be the best autobiography I have ever read.

    The book is very dark and r-rated. Tyson tells some some happy stories from his life, but he also goes into great detail about the brutality, depression and self-hatred that overshadow everything else in his life. I couldn't put the book down and finished the 580 pages in a little over a week. The whole book is riveting, but the epilogue is especially sad -- Mike lamenting that his entire life has been a waste; all he has done with his life is fight, ****, get high and make babies.

    Tyson does not try to sugar-coat who he was, or who he remains, at all. He writes several times that he was an "arrogant *****" during his time as heavyweight champion. The book extensively recounts Mike's violent crimes, his addictions to everything from sex and drugs to spending money. I had no idea that Tyson's drug habit was so bad that he washed out of rehab many, many times and he ballooned to 380 pounds shortly before his appearance in "The Hangover."

    There are many shocking stories in the book, but the story that really touched me was Tyson talking about his accountant finding an IRA in his name worth $250,000 that Cus D'Amato has set up for him at the very start of Mike's career. Even with all the terrible things Tyson has done in his life, it is hard not to feel at least some sympathy for him when writes that he sits and cries to this day when he thinks about that IRA because Cus was the only person in boxing who cared about anything other than how much money Mike could make for him.

    It's hard not to imagine how different Tyson's career would have turned out if D'Amato woud have been 10 years younger.and Don King never got involved. The stories Tyson told about living with Cus in Catskill, N.Y., are just fascinating. Who knew that D'Amato was a hardcore socialist who shouted "Liar, Liar, Liar" every time Ronald Reagan would appear on a television screen and that Cus declared bankruptcy because he refused to pay taxes to a right-wing administration? Who knew a guy raised in the "sewage" and violence of Brownsville, Brooklyn, as Mike often writes, was also the same guy who visited Cus' grave after winning the WBA title from Trevor Berbick to "show" the title to Cus and pour a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne on D'Amato's grave?

    Tyson also details how over the top the stealing by Don King was. King stole tens of millions of dollars from Tyson, but two small examples really seem to stand out, IMO. King charged Tyson a yearly salary for King's daughter to oversee a Mike Tyson Fan Club that never met and did not even reply to fan letters. King also billed Tyson a title sanctioning fee for a bout against Razor Ruddock that was not even a title bout.

    The many, many stories about sex and drug use in the book do tend to blur together after a while. Tyson does not try to make himself out to be a "good guy" and graphically details many horrible things he has done in his life. But it is hard not to feel a bit sad to read Tyson writing that when he dies, perhaps his grave will simply have a marker with the phrase "Now, I'm at Peace" and that perhaps fight fans of future generations will seek out his grave just like he did with his heroes.

    I wasn't much expecting much when I saw that Tyson was going to be releasing an autobiography. But for anyone who remembers how huge Tyson was in the 1980s, this book is a must read. You won't find many autobiographies as brutally revealing as this one.
    23 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2025
    One of the best books I've read in years. Truthful and from the heart. Whi!e reading the book I kept on asking myself how is he still alive? I highly recommended it.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2015
    In this autobiography Mike Tyson takes the reader on the grand tour of his life. The book is a good read, and I think I got lucky with it, since this is my 1st boxer's autobiography. I was choosing between Mike's and Jack Johnson's biography and chose Mike's because his name resonates in my own lifetime. There was time that there wasn't a boxer more feared and more glorious than this guy. However, it seems like his own glory and success took a toll on him, and as a result he couldn't cope with the intensity of all that came together with glory.

    I was happy to find out things about Mike's early life, that it was hard, sometimes grotesquely hard, as there wasn't any food on the table, and no one except Mike himself to get it.

    It was very interesting to find out more about Cus D'Amato and the kind of influence that he exerted on Mike's early training carrier. He compares his mentor to an Ancient Roman, someone like Julius Caesar or Pompeus perhaps someone with an unbending will for victory, and boundlessly wise, but also very paranoid to the point where he is ready to jump anyone coming into close contact with him. For good or for bad, but it is possible that Mike have copied some of these traits and made them his own He was born at a wrong time, where completely overwhelming your adversary for the virtue of glory is considered to say the least "unethical". But they were times, when it was a preferred thing for a gentleman to do, and practice as a life style. The philosophy of overwhelming your opponent on all fronts is synonymous to the all out warfare of the "Art of War" of Sun Tzu, and Miyamoto Musashi's "Five Rings". We also hear the echos of A.V. Suvorov, the greatest of the Russian military commanders. I see Cus (may he rest in peace) as a Condottieri of sort. A general who is all about strategy and all about taking trophies in any form. No trophies - no point to fight.

    Mike has had a lot of money in his carrier. He speaks of millions like it is a normal thing, which is hard to understand for many of us who never had even one. He could spend 10's if not 100's of millions like pocket change, just because he had them. Nevertheless, I have to say that he handled a slide into a middle class, and even borderline poverty pretty well, notwithstanding the fact that he was battling his own demons consistently during all of that time, and sometimes the demons were winning...

    His relationship with women is full of drama, and according to his own opinion, "I am not a pimp, but a trick", which I think means that he is an open guy and someone who genuinely needs care, but who wanted to play a pimp, like it is his stage persona, as this was the thing to do. Mike is creating an image of a Casanova type who has had dozens upon dozens of women from all walks of life, though he makes a point of not being a good communicator and emphasizing the fact that many women, including his first wife were attracted not to him, but to his accomplishments in the art of boxing, and on stage, perhaps even the amount of money that he possessed at the time and his spending power.

    He spent a lot of time in rehabs for his drug addictions, but thankfully to his guardian spirits that he has some really good friends, and some close knit family who stood by him in those very tough times, and helped him to recuperate and go on with his life.

    Mr. Tyson's transformation is amazing. I don't watch TV, but I have seen some of his interviews on the Youtube, and it is truly amazing how one can change as a result of his life's experiences plus faith. I salute him, and say "namaste" to the divinity in him.

    Other than that, Mike is a Brooklyn guy to the marrow, and places value on the personal conduct and how it relates to his "street" values which include directness, certain brutal honesty about other people's negative traits as well as respect for things material and their accumulation. He is very open-minded about any nationality and any religious affiliation, and has some good things to say about any with which he came into contact during his tumultuous carrier. He is a practicing Muslim, but has close friends who are Catholic, Southern Baptist and Jewish. I was happy that he relates so well to the Eastern Europeans of who I am one. I thought it was funny when he said that "Russia doesn't have the word for balance, it is all about extremes"...It's true.

    The book has a lot of good stuff in it and is written with the reverence to the Higher, and it is amazing that one can be so open as to let the others into that complicated world of the Self, a labyrinth that we ALL enter, but far from many of us reach and kill the Minotaur with the help of the Ariadne's thread. But if such a well known public figure can do it, I am sure that we the readers can, too.
    8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in Canada on September 14, 2024
    Good read. The end drags out a bit with debauchery stories but the first half is excellent
  • SDM NITIN KUMAR
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book of Great Boxer
    Reviewed in India on July 26, 2024
    The book is good.
  • JSR
    5.0 out of 5 stars INCREÍBLE LIBRO
    Reviewed in Spain on December 20, 2023
    Me ha encantado.
    Una autobiografía muy interesante. Una vez comienzas, no puedes dejar de leer.
    Lo recomiendo mucho la verdad.
  • Green900
    5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal eye-opening autobiography
    Reviewed in the United Arab Emirates on August 5, 2023
    A fantastic biography that truly captures the raw part of his life - incredible to see his journey and how he views his life. Really goes to show you cannot make judgements about someone as you have no idea what the other person is going through. A book that can be enjoyed by anyone - even if you have not followed his career and life.
  • Paulie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, as described and super fast delivery!
    Reviewed in Australia on February 29, 2024
    Great product, as described and super fast delivery!