Book Review: Role of a Lifetime by James Brown

James Brown, the host of CBS Sports' The NFL Today, combined with coauthor Nathan Whitaker to offer this sketch of his life.

Growing up in Washington, DC to a working class family, Brown played high school basketball at famed basketball powerhouse DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland under the tutelage of hall of fame basketball coach Morgan Wootten. He then attended Harvard University, graduating in 1973, as a three-time All-Ivy League basketball player. Drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, he was the final cut in training camp. Brown admits to not giving all-out effort to improve his game while in college.

While holding a lucrative corporate sales position at IBM, Brown began moonlighting as a sports broadcaster, working local college games and serving as a replacement sports anchor at a local television station. Before long, he chose to pursue sportscasting full-time. Having served as the host of Fox NFL Sunday and now at CBS, Brown is at the top of his profession.

Role of a Lifetime is experiential in nature, not a true historical account. Few dates are given. But what Brown does make clear is his love for his mother and the example she set in raising him; his desire to maximize the gifts God has given him; his desire to treat everyone, whether an executive or a hotel bellhop with courtesy and respect; and his love for his wife Dorothy. He finds it very important that he maintain a clear testimony to well represent his faith in Jesus Christ.

The book rambles at times but is a short read. Confirming the persona Brown presents on television, Role of a Lifetime shows Brown as the very likable individual we see every Sunday of the NFL football season.