Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 2,061 ratings

Price: 16.4

Last update: 04-16-2025


About this item

AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINEE

America’s most popular sports media figure tells it like it is in this “raw, deeply authentic, and immensely entertaining” (Bob Iger, #1 New York Times bestselling author and CEO of The Walt Disney Company) book, not only dishing out his signature, uninhibited opinions but also revealing the challenges he overcame in childhood as well as at ESPN.

Stephen A. Smith has never been handed anything, nor was he an overnight success. Growing up poor in Queens, the son of Caribbean immigrants and the youngest of six children, he was a sports-obsessed kid who faced struggles, from undiagnosed dyslexia to getting enough cereal to fill his bowl. As a basketball player at Winston-Salem State University, he got a glimmer of his true calling when he wrote a newspaper column arguing for the retirement of his own Hall of Fame coach, Clarence Gaines.

Smith hustled and rose up from a reporter on the high school beat at Daily News (New York) to a general sports columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer before getting his own show at ESPN in 2005. After he was unceremoniously fired from the network in 2009, he became even more determined to fight for success. He got himself rehired two years later and, with his razor-sharp intelligence and fearless debate style, found the show he was destined to star in: First Take, the network’s flagship morning program.

In Straight Shooter, Smith writes about the greatest highs and deepest lows of his life and career. He gives his thoughts on Skip Bayless, Ray Rice, Colin Kaepernick, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Cowboys, and former President Donald Trump. But he also pulls back the curtain and talks about life beyond the set, sharing authentic stories about his negligent father, his loving mother, being a father himself, his battle with life-threatening COVID-19, and what he really thinks about politics and social issues. He does it all with the same intelligence, humor, and charm that has made him a household name.

A provocative and moving “blueprint of tenacity” (Fat Joe), this book is the perfect gift for lovers of sports, television, and anyone who likes their stories delivered straight to the heart.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good for young men
    Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2025
    I got this book as a gift for my youngest son in his early 20s. He's close to his father but sometimes hearing from other men with experiences often helps with life choices. He read the book a couple of times and said he appreciated me getting the book and enjoyed reading it.
  • Sandy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read - Even for Someone Not Totally Into Sports!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2023
    This book by Stephen A. is very good. It is a biography of his personal and professional life.

    The story starts with an account of his growing up in difficulty, and having a loving, faithful mother and great siblings. His young life through young adulthood was particularly interesting for me to read.

    I am not a sports fan, except for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I don’t watch First Take (ESPN) but I did see Stephen A. on Hannity (Fox News) and he peaked my interest in this book.

    I appreciate that he is a loving and caring dad. Spoiler alert: In my opinion, he waits far too long in the book to thank the women who gave him his daughters.

    As he admits, he is fearful of commitment and based on his youth, it is easy to understand, but it is unfortunate because commitment to a permanent mate definitely is a blessing but also develops character! Not having this type of relationship as a means of avoidance is selfish. (That said, I don’t advocate staying with an abusive mate.)

    I didn’t always agree with Stephen A. and how he went about things, but he has my respect for perservering, reflecting, being contrite when needed, and being thankful.

    His success in his professional life has reached into the stratosphere. I am happy for him. It seems like he has worked tirelessly to “arrive.”

    He is real, albeit a tiny bit spoiled. Celebrities have so much! He mentions by name many of the people who played a significant role in the various times of his life. Not being up on sports and entertainment, many of them were not familiar names to me - no matter, the appreciation and thankfulness came through!

    Even though I have pros and cons listed, I would still highly recommend this book. It was a very interesting read. Good job, Stephen A!
  • MKG
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024
    "Straight Shooter" by Stephen A. Smith offers readers a candid and compelling insight into the life and career of one of sports media's most prominent figures. Through his trademark honesty and charisma, Smith shares personal anecdotes, professional insights, and valuable lessons learned along his journey to success. From his humble beginnings to his rise to prominence in the sports journalism industry, Smith's narrative is both inspiring and entertaining. Whether you're a fan of his fiery commentary or simply intrigued by his story, "Straight Shooter" is a captivating read that offers valuable perspectives on perseverance, passion, and the pursuit of excellence. I have always loved his passion for basketball and love watching his show and it is a great life story!
  • J. Warden
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed the book
    Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2024
    Had always saw him but never paid attention to him. But the book is good.
  • Maddie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing! I read the whole thing in his voice lol
    Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2023
    Stephen A. I hope your assistant gets this message to you... This book is phenomenal! It is inspirational, heart breaking, hilarious (at times), and educational. I am a 26 year old woman, this is for your demographic analytics okay. I have been watching first take daily since 2020 peeping clips online all since I was a teen in highschool. I played sports and adore them all. Covid caused my job to let us work from home which gave me the freedom to watch the show at 10, and if I have a meeting I'll make sure to watch it on demand on the app. Why? Because something about your delivery, command, audacious takes felt so genuine and familiar. To me you seemed so much like the metaphor of the glass onion. Appearing one way, with your suits and self confidence, quick remarks, animated faces etc but all along the center is plain in sight. You're the dream! You made it. As a black women I could see that, but man I don't think anyone could know the true extent of your journey without reading this book. Molly said on the show a couple days ago that people will respect you more after this and I couldnt agree more! I'm a millennial and im typing this on my Kindle and im getting tired of that so I conclude with this, thank you for sharing your story! I am currently in a place where a lot of big opportunities are happening for me and it seems daunting. But you have inspired me! People don't really get there flowers til they are gone. One-day the world will recognize the historical contribution you have made for media, journalism, entertainment etc. So two things: the cowboys haven't won anything since I've been alive and keep your faith on TLaw cuz Duval coming for the AFC babbyyyyy! God bless.
  • 4fam
    5.0 out of 5 stars great book
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2023
    This was a really good read. I am a huge fan of First Take and other sports shows. I didn't know a lot about Stephen A Smith except seeing him on ESPN daily. Stephen A Smith did a really good job telling his story, the challenges as a child, ups and downs trying to succeed academically, with his career, and in life. I couldn't put the book down. He was so honest and real. I've watched him from the beginning on TV, and I didn't know he had two daughters. He seems very honest. I appreciate how he expressed his mistakes and how he learned from them. He puts up with a lot and has been judged a lot by others. I was impressed with how he handles his relationships and interactions with others. I've watched First Take for so long and enjoyed reading about how he got to where he's at now in his career. I feel like what you see on TV is how he is in real life....funny, to the point, real, and always wanting to learn more. I really hope he writes another book. I'd love to hear more about all the different people he's met so far in his career.

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