House of Nails: A Memoir of Life on the Edge - True Crime Biography & Addiction Recovery Story | Perfect for Book Clubs & Psychology Enthusiasts

I'm a little biased, because Lenny brought me so many baseball thrills, and I am personally invested, but this IS a great book by any standards! Well, the first half is amazing, the next quarter is good and the last quarter was a bit of a letdown for me.I hadn't had a true favorite player that I loved, since Tommie Agee, center-fielder for the Mets 1969 World Series Champions, over highly favored Baltimore, who I watched get beat by Toronto last night, much in the same way the Phillies got beat in 1993, which was the worst day in baseball history for me. Coincidentally, I read that chapter about 93, which I had been awaiting with such interest, before yesterday's game.Lenny and I were so in sync & went through many of the same thoughts & feelings over the years, especially his heroics with the Mets & the unfair & unwise treatment he suffered through from awful manager, Davey Johnson. Johnson benched Lenny against lefties, and I agonized with disappointment & anger, as he sat one of the most talented & exciting young stars in the game at the time, and then he green lighted perhaps the worst trade since Babe Ruth and gave Lenny to the Phillies for a song, and for the first and only time in any sport, I switched favorite teams. I am now a Yankee fan but was a Phillies fan when Lenny was there, and still like and root for them as my favorite National League team. It makes me sick to see any Met besides Lenny wear number 4, and I rooted against the Mets tonight, even versus the Giants, whom I have no great love for.I respect & understand what Lenny chose to do to stay in the show and bring his best game possible, for his family, team, fans & himself. The opioid stories surprised me, but I was fascinated by how he sought & received help and how he took in that experience, showing his vulnerable, sensitive & respectful side. I would have liked a better explanation about how and why our government tried to destroy the life of a good man and arguably an American hero. I just don't understand what he did that was criminal, how or if they proved it, anything about a trial, why no bail? Very disturbing & terrifying what big government can do to anyone, because they can. After reading some reviews, I'm going to try and research the circumstances further. It appears they forced him to take a plea, which many innocent people do to avoid potential longer prison sentences if falsely found guilty due to overzealous prosecutors looking to further their careers on the misfortune of others, even if innocent.Lenny seems a loyal friend to people who do right by him & is one of the greatest baseball players I have ever had the privilege to see play. It's a shame he didn't stay a Met, with a different manager, to have made some more ballet diving catches, hit more clutch post season home runs & win the 2 or 3 additional World Championships, that once in a generation Mets team could, should & would have won if handled correctly by a competent Manager. They may be the best team not to win multiple World Championships, and they were lucky to win that one!. Davey just sat in the dugout like a drunk bump on a log, after messing up what was a straightforward lineup card. The natural NY grass would also not have taken the toll on his body that the horrible Philadelphia turf did, and he likely would have been able to entertain us for a few extra exciting years.Some really funny stories about ordinary & extraordinary people, including fascinating anecdotes about celebrities, athletes, doctors & businessmen, including Donald Trump & Michael Jordan. A brilliant book, chock full of heroes, and some villains, the worst of which, should concern us all, our government gone crazy!Giants win 3-0 and it's off to Wrigley Field and the Division Series for them & a long off season for the Mets. Maybe next year, Metropolitans, but probably not. This isn't 1969 or 1986 & you don't have a Lenny Dykstra to help manufacture a miracle, through skill, hard work, a brilliant baseball mind and sheer power of will.My money is on Lenny, to make a comeback & do some other great things! Forget Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski, Lenny is the original DUDE, and THIS Dude surely does NOT abide, as his powerful story in this honest & entertaining book, shows. Highly recommend taking this wild ride! Enjoy.Those who know baseball, may find it amusing, that my favorite player after Lenny retired, was the truly amazing, 2009 World Series MVP and true gentleman on and off the field. Godzilla! I have no active favorite player at the moment, but am thrilled that Hideki Matsui is back with the greatest, most successful organization in sports!