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Joe Barry Carroll does not believe in the good old days, yet he has been successful at creating good new days. As the tenth of thirteen children Joe seemed “to not be enough of any one particular thing to be the right thing.” His father died leaving nine-year-old Joe a single inheritance—an old hand sewn quilt. After witnessing his mother’s defeat, as one after another dream died, young Joe resolved to make it all better one day. And he did.
This is the true and evocative story of seven-foot-tall Joe Barry Carroll, Purdue All-American, overall first round NBA draft pick, wealth advisor, painter, author, and philanthropist. Carroll’s southern-comfort prose and impressionistic paintings lend a reminiscent and familiar quality to a uniquely individual story.
Reviews
In this memoir in paintings and narration, former NBA star Carroll lets readers into an intimate view of his family and his experiences, set against paintings he has created. Carroll was born 1958, the 10th of 13 children, and grew up poor in Pine Bluff, Ark. His mother worked hard to put food on the table and support all of her children. Joe grew taller and taller, finally reaching seven feet and becoming a basketball player. As he went to Purdue University and joined the NBA in 1980, playing for the Golden State Warriors, he carefully kept his attention on the important things in life: family and perspective. After his retirement, he went into wealth management and painting. Readers familiar only with Carroll’s basketball career will be surprised to see his artistic side and introspective aspects. While some of the stories and maxims get repetitive, Carroll is thoughtful and earnest, showing sincere gratitude for the life he has. This is a careful retrospective of a whole man, not just an athlete. (BookLife)
