I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to The Blind Side and Beyond

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Michael Oher is an American football offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Mississippi for the Ole Miss Rebels. He is best known as the subject of Michael Lewis’s 2006 book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, and the even more popular 2009 film The Blind Side, in which Michael is portrayed by Quinton Aaron.

"The real Michael Oher just might be the first person with more sparkle and good looks than his movie counterpart...the book offers a harrowing first-person account from a child's point of view of the Dickensian conditions many American kids endure."

"With the release of his memoir...Oher finally takes ownership, filling the gaps in the familiar narrative and somehow managing to make his journey from the streets to stardom seem even more amazing and compelling...I Beat the Odds is thoughtful and heartfelt, a young man coming to grips with an amazing journey that required the distance of years and perspective to fully grasp."