Shoe Dog Book Review
I bought this book on Amazon with my own money, and paid for Steven’s digital copy on iTunes.
Steven and I both took copies of Shoe Dog, a memoir by Nike creator Phil Knight, with us to Alaska to read while on the plane. Book club for two!
The book chapters are set up by year, from 1962 to 1980 – starting with when Knight left home in his early 20s to travel the world, including a trip to Japan to propose his idea to Onitsuka Tiger Shoes to sell them in the US – to the founding of Nike and some of the first issues they faced. The book is full of vivid descriptions of the places Knight visits, the people in his life, and especially, the business obstacles he faced, on his journey toward creating Nike.
I figured I’d like the book because of the running aspect of it, and since it’s a memoir – I really enjoy memoirs. And I figured Steven would like the book for the business aspects. And, yep – those are both the parts we liked best!
I did find myself feeling a bit impatient reading the book – “When is it going to become Nike already?!” The company was called Blue Ribbon Sports while Knight was importing and selling the Japanese shoes – before they had their own shoe made and called Nike. And then, when it got to the Nike part, I wanted more! Ha – I need memoir part II, after 1980.
But overall, I was shocked and enthralled by what I was reading. I didn’t understand the big picture of how Nike came about before reading this. Or know how rocky of a start Blue Ribbon Sports had (which really, is how it is for most businesses – it’s been fun to talk to Steven about the business part of the book and compare it to his business).
I loved reading how passionate Knight was about making sports shoes that performed well, and how he wanted more people to know the joy of running. I did know about Bill Bowerman using his wife’s waffle iron to make shoe soles, but I didn’t realize he was the main innovator, and reading about his and Knight’s relationship is very interesting.
It was strange to read about Nike’s struggle (at first) to get big name athletes to wear their shoes – since that is what A LOT of athletes wear now (shoes AND clothes), and since there has been some controversy about their shoes/clothes at track and field events. Again, it made me want to learn more about how the company grew so much after all the events in the book. There is a bit written in current times, but, I guess it wasn’t enough for me!
I also didn’t realize that the company Knight was selling in the US, Onitsuka Tiger, merged with two other companies in 1977 to form Asics (which is what I wear). Ha. The more you know, right?! Steven suggested I take a photo of the book with running shoes for this blog post, but I don’t own any Nike running shoes (I do have Nike sandals!) and it would be WRONG to put my Asics in a photo with this book (um, since they didn’t have the friendliest end to their business relationship)!
I can see myself reading this again – and I highly recommend it as a quick, interesting read! I’m looking forward to discussing it with Gina when I see her in a few weeks, because she’s read it as well! Book club for three!
Themocracy
ha! I remember when Nike’s first came out when I was in school. They were flat white, with a bold stripe, and were kind of pricey back in the day! My parents couldn’t buy them, so I had to switch shoes with a girlfriend so I could wear them to school some days lol I would trade her with my moon shoes…
What is the current controversy? I guess I missed it?
Ha! That is fun that you traded shoes!
Here is a link re: the Nike logo altering thing – http://www.runnersworld.com/newswire/usatf-reprimands-oiselle-for-altering-nike-logo-in-photo.
I hadn’t heard of this book before! I’ll have to check it out. It sounds interesting.
Interesting! I like learning about the background and history of running-related companies; amazing how far Nike has come up in the world. I have a pair of Nike Flyknit shoes that I LOVE for wearing when I’m not running, but I can’t wear their running shoes – they don’t mesh well with my feet. I make up for it with their running clothes, though (just in case you worried they were going to go out of business because I wasn’t supporting them, LOL for days).
It is totally amazing how they started so small and now it’s a name you’d be hard pressed to find people NOT familiar with it!!!!
I haven’t tried their running shoes! I know some who swear by them, but that is how people are when they find “their” brand! 🙂 (That’s Asics for me).
LOL! I LOVE one of their running tops from a year or so ago!
I don’t know much about Nike either, other than Bowerman and the waffle iron. I didn’t realize that it started under another name, selling Japanese shoes either. I like Onitsuka Tigers, but only for fashion, not for running. (I’m don’t think they even make running shoes.)
It’s interesting that you like memoirs; I was just telling Harrison that I don’t really like them because I am really picky about the level of self-aggrandizement that the author puts in. And I get really skeptical when the author puts in dialog of conversations that happened years ago–like, you can’t remember EXACTLY what you and someone said for an entire conversation, so why not just tell me the main points or use indirect quotations?
Seems we knew the same stuff! 🙂 Harrison was wearing Tigers when you guys visited, right?
I guess in order to read a memoir you have to get past the point of them thinking they are important enough that people want to read their stuff. I think I like them for the same reason I like (good) blogs – I like reading people’s stories! And some are much better at telling them than others.
Ha, funny you say that – I was wondering how the hell he remembered conversations! I can have a conversation and want to blog about it and mess it up, just typing it an hour or so later! I guess you have to just go for the concept or feel of the conversation… because I do still like the dialogue aspect of it 🙂
I remember how Nike was the “IN” thing back when I was in junior high I want to say…I’ll definitely have to check out this book since I love memoirs as well and also enjoy books that talk about business.
I want to read this book! However, the last three books I’ve read were all running related, so maybe I should read a good old fiction book before I do?
Ha, if you need a break! Were you reading technical running books? This book is much more business than running.
I bet I’d love this book. I haven’t worn Nikes in ages but the bright yellow waffle trainers were my first real running shoes back when I was maybe 16. I learned much of the Nike story while reading about Pre. As a high school freshman a guy I hung out with was a serious cross-country runner and he wore Tigers. That was the only time I heard of that brand.
I bet you would like it, too! 🙂 Knight was a huge Pre fan and talks about him a bit. They did an excerpt from the Pre parts in RW – I think that is where I first heard about the book.
Fascinating! I’m a faithful Asics wearer myself, and I was only vaguely aware they were Japanese…
My absolute favorite clothing store is Japanese, Uniqlo. We finally have one here in Belgium, woo hoo!
Oh cool! I don’t have anything from Uniqlo, but I shopped there once in NYC. LOL! Do you get all your clothes there?