Book Description
In this timely, contentious and supremely readable follow-up to his NYT #1 bestseller Juiced, Jose Canseco blows the lid off the steroids scandal in baseball -- revealing its biggest players and naming its never-before-implicated names -- and reflects on the future integrity of America's most celebrated pastime. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Touted as a Ball Four for the new millennium, Jose Canseco's Juiced promises to expose not only the rampant use of performance-enhancing substances in baseball (with steroids replacing the amphetamines of Bouton's day), but the painfully human flaws of its heroes as well. A steroid devotee since the age of 20, Canseco goes beyond admitting his own usage to claim that with the tacit approval of the league's powers-that-be he acted as baseball's ambassador of steroids and is therefore indirectly responsible for "saving" the game.

Chief among his claims is that he introduced Mark McGwire to steroids in 1988 and that he often injected McGwire while they were teammates. According to Canseco, steroids and human growth hormones gave McGwire and Sammy Sosa (whose own usage was "so obvious, it was a joke") the strength, stamina, regenerative ability, and confidence they needed for a record-setting home run duel often credited with restoring baseball's popularity after the 1994 strike. Although he devotes a lot of ink to McGwire, Canseco envisions himself as a kind of Johnny Steroidseed, spreading the gospel of performance enhancement, naming a number of players that he either personally introduced to steroids or is relatively certain he can identify as fellow users. Because Canseco plays fast and loose with some of the facts of his own career he provides fodder for those looking to damage his credibility, but in many ways questions of public and personal perception are what raise the book beyond mere vitriolic tell-all. Those willing to heed his request and truly listen to what he has to say will find Juiced to be an occasionally insightful meditation on the workings of public perception and a consistently interesting character study. --Shane FarmerBook Description
When Jose Canseco burst into the Major Leagues in the 1980s, he changed the sport -- in more ways than one. No player before him possessed his mixture of speed and power, which allowed him to become the first man in history to belt more than forty home runs and swipe more than forty bases in the same season. He won Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and a World Series ring.Canseco shattered the mold of the out-of-shape baseball player and ushered in a new era of superathletes who looked like bodybuilders, made outrageous salaries, and enjoyed rock-star lifestyles. And the ticket for this ride? Steroids. Behind the gaudy stats and the glamour of his public life, Canseco cultivated a secret just about everyone in MLB knew about, one that would alter the game of baseball and the way we view our heroes forever. Canseco made himself a guinea pig of the performance-enhancing drugs that were only just beginning to infiltrate the American underground. Anabolic steroids, human growth hormones -- Canseco mixed, matched, and experimented to such a degree that he became known throughout the league as "The Chemist." He passed his knowledge on to trainers and fellow players, and before long, performance-enhancing drugs were running rampant throughout Major League Baseball. Sluggers scooping up pitches at their ankles and blasting them out of the park, pitchers cranking fastballs inning after inning -- Canseco showed the players how to customize their doses to sculpt the bodies they wanted, and baseball as we know it was the result. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (157)

I borrowed this book...
Boy am I glad I checked this out of the library, instead of purchasing it!It shows the steroids not only super-inflated Canseco's body, but his ego as well.I wouldn't know, so I wonder if he was always this cocky and arrogant?Aren't there any humble jocks out there?

Juicy Juice....
After reading this book I am compelled to jump on the Canseco band wagon.I was not only impressed with his honesty, but what I was more impressed with was his determination/openess.I mean lets not fool ourselves it's Jose Canseco the guy has nothing to lose, in fact he without a doubt lost every ounce of dignity through fans, media, and loved ones throughout his baseball career.Canseco without question after reading this book is the "godfather of steroids", the catalyst of the steroid era if you will.We (the general public) need to shove aside our preconcieved/biased notions of "Jose Canseco" the athlete, and take what he addresses in this book at face value.

The trials/tribulations of his rise and fall in the big leagues gives the reader the opportunity to understand and witness what happened on/off the field surrounding steroid use.Most of the players he implicated in his story come to no surprise to me but that is because major news outlets leaked the juicy details in this book.Nonetheless I wouldn't deter anyone from going out and purchasing this book because it actually has some insightful information on steroids.In fact the remaining couple chapters of the book get to the finger-pointing aspect of athletes using steroids under his guidance.

As an author Canseco shoves aside the steroid rhetoric and takes time to defend his character and I don't blame him for doing so.Half of the shenanigans he unfolds in the book I was totally unaware of growing up being a fan of Jose Canseco, perhaps my parents did a good job keeping me away from such tv programs as "A CURRENT AFFAIR and "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT" in the mid to late eighties.Canseco also touches up on his personal life growing up with a demanding father, losing his mother before he made it in the big leagues, a loving daugther, two divorcees, depression, suicide attempt, charity work, etc.The guy is human and as humans we all have problems, unfortunately when you make lots of money, drive fast/fancy cars, hit up nightclubs, cheat on your wife among other things you're going to have problems.

The only reservation I had of this book was with Canseco persuading readers to understand the importance and optimism steroid impact can have on humanity.Is he lobbying for a pharmaceutical company for pete sake?It's one thing to tell me stories about parading around town with Madonna, but it's another when you're lobbying steroids as being the answer to the progression of human life expectancy.Canseco might want to take off the white doctor jacket and stethoscope and put on his disheveled #33 Oakland A's Jersey and pick up the old dilapidated baseball bat instead.haha.In all the book provided insight, laughs, ambivalence, sorrow, and among other things TRUTH.

Entertaining, but not earth shattering.
I read this book in a few days and it was hard to put down. Canseco certainly isn't humble in this book, but still sometimes you feel sorry for him too. He does mention a few notable steroid users, but it is kind of like he says, you can usually tell who is using. So most of the names aren't a huge surprise especially with all the talk these last few years.

The subject matter kind of jumps around and sometimes you don't know where Canseco is going with it, but all in all I thought it was an entertaining book. In the end it kind of is an autobiography and a steroid endorsement read in which Canseco tries to explain how steroids can be used safely to benefit health. He does seem to know what he is talking about but I think I will stay away from steroids anyway :)

Juvenile Prose/Horrid POV Make for Wretched Read
If the ghostwriter who penned this wretched excuse for a book ever gets another job, I hope the book comes with a warning label.The disjointed prose, wretched sentence structure, and equally horrifying opinions of Jose Canseco combine to make this one of the most 'highway accident-like' sports books ever penned.The book is so bad it's hard to not read just one more page to see if it can get any worse.

I read the book, but only to see if it ever got better.It didn't.Shame on the publishers.

Juiced: Truth, Justice & The American Way!
"Juiced" is the story of Jose Canseco's no holds barred account of his years in MLB.Told in a conversational and informative way he weaves an accurate and telling account of his personal use of steroids, his experiences as an émigré from Castro's Cuba and how a promise to his Mother on her deathbed led a young Jose to become one of the most controversial and exciting figures in America's favorite pastime, Major League Baseball!

I hadn't expected this type of book from Jose Canseco!I thought I'd be reading about the Jose the media choked us with for so many years. The egotistical bad boy that everyone loved to hate but had to watch in spite of it all. What interested me was the scoop on steroids but I wasn't certain I could get through a book which had Senor Rooster preening himself in every other sentence!What a shock I had as I began to turn the pages.

This is no ordinary jock who is cocky and self-assured.This is a man who knew exactly what he was doing every moment he was doing it and with tremendous results.He was far from self-assured as he was growing up and throughout his years in the game. He educated himself about the different types of steroids and HGH, how they interacted with one another, how the body & liver processes these dangerous chemicals and came up with a regimen that suited his body and its functions to the proverbial "T" and more.He shared his knowledge with other players allowing them the same advantages he was experiencing and always cautioned them to use these enhancers responsibly.

He named names of players he absolutely had first hand knowledge of using these chemicals.He knew because he injected them himself and those he wasn't certain of ever taking them, he mentioned only in passing as those he had spoken to about the chemicals. Mark McGwire had the lions share of references in the book since they were teammates on the Oakland A's and Jose used to inject him.Without giving too much away at this point, he does mention those players who went overboard on usage and gives a straightforward look into what steroids have done and can do for baseball and all sports.

The revelation of this book is that I felt I understand Jose Canseco and why he did what he did.I came through to the last pages and knew I liked this man and no longer blamed him for what he knew in his heart and mind was right to do for himself.I applaud his honesty about himself, his decisions and overt head in the sand attitude by the entire MLB organization from the Commissioner's, team owners, managers, players and the way down to the bottom rung of the staffs.All in all, a fascinating expose.Juiced : Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Jose Canseco's Strength Training Regimen:
Step 1)Inject lots and lots of steroids into your buttocks.

Irony?
The actual exercises contained within the text are good.
Most of these are still in practice today amongst high school and college baseball coaches.

However, my point of interest lies in the concluding section of the text.Canseco offers the following advice:

"About steroids, don't use them.Steroids create the illusion of great gains in short periods of time, but they have a debilitating effect on your body chemistry, and in the long run you will be much worse for having used them.The ultimate price you have to pay is far, far greater than any short-term gain.Also, baseball is not a game of large muscle.It is a game of strong, solid, durable muscle.
THEREFORE, STEROIDS HAVE VIRTUALLY NO VALUE EVEN IN THE SHORT TERM, IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT BASEBALL."
(Canseco and McKay 1990:159).

Look to his new text, "Juiced", and you'll gain a whole new perspective on the man.Tell me the scandal isn't a last ditch attempt to make a few bills...

Attn: Jose Canseco or Baseball Fans (Read Game Face by)
If you want the hard truth about steroids and pro sports then I recommend that you read Game Face by James Chlovechok.

Chlovechok is a sports medicine and steroids experts who has a very well-written and eye-opening book.

Don't read this book if you are scared to find out the truth of what really goes on behind closed doors.

A great guide for coaches and advanced players
Jose Canseco, a physically talented... player, spent years with A's trainer Dave McKay.In this work they show the CORRECT exercises to do, starting from an intense stretching regiment through weight training and ending with how to physically become the complete player.Great for those trying to improve their game or get into better playing shape. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Reason, published by Reason Foundation on June 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1980 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: In defense of steroids: Jose Canseco's surprisingly sensible case for juice.(Book Review)
Author: Aaron Steinberg
Publication: Reason (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2005
Publisher: Reason Foundation
Volume: 37Issue: 2Page: 55(4)

Article Type: Book Review

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Sporting News, published by Sporting News Publishing Co. on March 11, 2005. The length of the article is 611 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Jose, I can see: the great author Canseco sure is deep--deeply jealous, bitter and hypocritical.(My Turn)(Jose Canseco)(Column)
Author: Joe Buck
Publication: The Sporting News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 11, 2005
Publisher: Sporting News Publishing Co.
Volume: 229Issue: 10Page: 7(1)

Article Type: Column

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Published monthly ... Read more

Product Description
Sealed plastic package. Includes: 1989 baseball's 100 hottest players book, 100 SCORE superst*s baseball cards collector set, with 6 magic motion baseball trivia cards. Jose Canseco card included. ... Read more

Product Description
Color photographs are approximately 8 inches 10 inches. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Sporting News, published by Sporting News Publishing Co. on March 4, 2005. The length of the article is 492 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Canseco isn't helping anyone but himself by hanging the game out to dry.(The Closer)
Author: Todd Jones
Publication: The Sporting News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 4, 2005
Publisher: Sporting News Publishing Co.
Volume: 229Issue: 9Page: 58(1)

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This digital document is an article from San Diego Business Journal, published by Thomson Gale on July 31, 2006. The length of the article is 475 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: With success in the win column, Surf Dawgs expect to draw more fans.
Author: Mike Allen
Publication: San Diego Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 31, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 27Issue: 31Page: 8(1)

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