Introduction
The book Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight was published in 2016. In it, the author describes personal experiences and feelings at the beginning of his life path. The first important topic the author describes is his feelings for his home, the city. The author’s love for Oregon is mixed with the sadness of this place’s sad fate. The action takes place in 1962 during a foggy morning. Describing the features of Oregon and home, the author emphasizes how place and people shape the person.
The second theme Knight emphasizes in his book is the difficulty of growing up. His feelings did not match his age and were confusing. According to Knight (2016), “my resume said I was a learned, accomplished soldier, a twenty-four-year-old man in full… So why I wonder, why do I still feel like a kid?” (p. 5). The author asks himself reflective questions about his life and tries to find out why he is what he is.
Ideas
One of Knight’s main ideas in the book is the opposition of a good man to a great man. As Knight (2016) states, “sadly, fate had made me good, not great. At twenty-four, I was finally resigned to that fact” (p. 6). The author concludes that by the age of 24, his actions aimed to create the image of a good man, but not a great man, who will be different from others.
Another idea that the author raises is to treat work as a game. Knight describes the importance of the game as a relationship to life. Drawing a parallel with the athlete who runs the race, the author concludes that the finish of the marathon is like a dream in life that you should strive to fulfill. The anxiety of Knight stems from his reluctance to stay on the sidelines of the race due to his refusal to accept that life is a marathon, a game.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in the review of Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, it will be essential to emphasize how important it was for Phil Knight to follow his own path. In this memoir about his feelings and experiences, the reader can recognize himself. The fear and anxiety of being on the sidelines became the engine for Phil to move on.
Reference
Knight, P. (2016). Shoe dog: A memoir by the creator of Nike. Simon and Schuster.