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Title: J.C. Watts (Black Americans of Achievement) by Norma Jean Lutz ISBN: 0-7910-5338-5 Publisher: Chelsea House Pub (Library) Pub. Date: May, 2000 Format: Library Binding Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $22.95

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Average Customer Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)

Rating: 4
Summary: Well-organized biography for older kids and teens
Comment:

This is part of a series of short profiles of successful black Americans, intended to inspire success in young people of all backgrounds. Lutz chronicles J.C.'s childhood, poor in money but rich in love, with a Baptist minister dad and devoted mom who instilled in him solid family and civic values. He made mistakes, including fathering a child out of wedlock while in high school (a child adopted and lovingly raised by relatives), and as a teenager, valued sports above all else. After reaching the University of Oklahoma on a football scholarship, he was redshirted, taking the opportunity to become more devoted to his academic studies. Then he earned the starting quarterback position for two Big Eight champion Sooners teams before a stint in the Canadian Football League. Very intelligent with a natural talent for leadership and public speaking, he carried the values of teamwork, patience and delayed gratification learned in football into life after sports. Lutz details J.C.'s accomplishments as an ordained Baptist minister, Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner, U.S. Congressman, and most importantly, devoted husband and dad for his wife Frankie and their seven kids. The book tells of adulthood hardships which J.C. overcame too, such as near bankruptcy in the oil industry, the unexpected death of a beloved head minister and mentor at his church in Oklahoma City, and unfair, race-baiting political attacks against him by a Democrat in a campaign.

Watts is a strong, independent thinker, not anyone's tool or puppet; and that is very well portrayed in this biography. He became a Republican because of his strong sense of traditional family values and right versus wrong, inciting vitriol from Democrats who mindlessly take for granted the "birthright" that blacks join their party. In Congress, he pushed for more careful examination of alternatives to "affirmative action" before eliminating it altogether, angering (but ultimately winning respect from) many fellow Republicans.

This book is organized in a straightforward, chronological manner, and is written in a plain but pleasant style. As such, it is ideally suited for junior high and high school age readers; but adults wanting to learn more about J.C. will find this an interesting, fact-filled little summary of his life (through 1999). The volume is a great resource for book reports and biographical school assignments in either literature or political science classes. There are a few factual errors in the book, primarily related to football. For example, Lutz refers to the Florida State "Gators" (actually, Seminoles), who lost to J.C.'s OU teams in consecutive Orange Bowls in the early 1980s. That sort of sloppiness is not very common in this book, but will annoy readers who are sports fans. However, they don't detract from the overwhelming message of J.C.'s life as told through these pages: A poor black kid from Eufaula, Oklahoma, overcomes a harsh series of economic, racial, athletic and political obstacles to success, through his devotion to God, family, hard work and personal responsibility. It is an inspirational story of a winner in sports and life, one conveyed very clearly and fairly by the writer.

Rating: 5
Summary: An Excellent Role Model
Comment: I read this book first before giving it to my 9 year old son. He is an avid sports fanatic and I was worried he was idolizing too many sports starts with questionable morals and ethics. J.C. is a real American Hero. He came from a humble background in rural Oklahoma and went on to become a college football star. He is now a very respected congressman with a bright future in politics. He admits to some bad decisions as a teenager. But, I feel this subject was handled very well in the book. Even the best of role models are not without human errors. The book really made me realize how stressful the life of a "star" athlete can be. Now, I really believe that former athletes can become good politicians. They know what it's like to have a group of people depending on you and learn to deal with the great stress. Before reading the book I questioned the capability of athletes turned politicians.