The Dynasty Hardcover – September 1, 2020

I loved this book. Robert Kraft acquired the Patriots in 1994, the same year I graduated high school. Going back through all the games and NFL details covering the entire span of my adulthood brought back great memories. I got a kick recalling where I watched so many of the big games.I also found it important to remember not to jump to conclusions. It is astounding how often headlines and opinion columns by sportswriters who remain prominent to this day are regularly wrong. In media, it’s better to appear confident than be accurate.There is also a tremendous amount of behind the scenes reporting and a broad swath of insiders interviewed that go on the record.I already admired Tom Brady, and I came away even more impressed. I have previously read the David Halberstam book on Belichick, and once again I am fascinated by this unique character.I always assumed Robert Kraft got his money as an heir with Kraft foods. I was pleasantly surprised to learn of his humble beginnings. He and his wife seem to have had a storybook relationship.I will say by the end of the book it felt like the praise of Kraft had become tiring and I started to become cynical. Apparently he can bring any dispute to a resolution with just a sly wink of the eye. He’s evidently always the voice of reason. Regularly entertaining such luminaries as Leon Black, Les Moonves, Donald Trump, etc was like a who’s who of obscenely rich prominent people that ultimately were revealed to be of dubious character to say the least. All that was missing was Jeffrey Epstein. And I guess Aaron Hernandez is the only human ever able to pass the Robert Kraft human lie detector test. The kicker for me was that he hosted Mike Pompeo in his box and gave him a tour of the locker room at the same time as he was supposedly reconnecting the hip hop community and the NFL and presenting himself as a staunch advocate for listening to the concerns of the African American athlete. I’m sure he is ultimately an incredible man that’s performed countless good deeds and undoubtedly will leave a positive footprint on the world. But the word “starfucker” certainly came to mind by the books conclusion.I could have used a little bit less of Robert and Jonathan. Belichick is fascinating because he has no outward concern for how he’s perceived. Thus of the three constants in the Patriots Dynasty, he was the one whose shortcomings are magnified.All that being said, again, the book includes a great deal of things that were really neat about the Kraft story. It carries the book for a decent amount leading up to the purchase in 1994. I was totally ignorant to their history pre 2000. Perhaps when the tales intersect with characters and periods of which I think I’m familiar, I’m the one way off base who has no clue. I certainly can entertain that possibility. I’d enthusiastically encourage any football fan to read the book and come to their own conclusion. This work will not disappoint. Of that I am certain.

This may well be the best book I have ever read. It is not only well-written, but it gives a road map to success that could be helpful for parents of aspiring athletes. It takes a lot of class to balance the difficulties involved in staying on top. It points out that sometimes the best advice does not come from Mr. Nice Guy. Everyone coaches differently and there are many top athletes who would not have suceeded under Patriot leadership. It pries in depth into issues that were backhanded or over-exaggerated by media. After loaning my copy to a few friends I will read it a second time just to absorb all the nuances involved in coaching and participating in professional sports. It's an awesome read regardless of your purpose. It is not a Tom Brady biography as such and covers all kinds of people and players who influenced the rise of the Patriot Dynasty. I laughed, cried, cheered and scratched my head at everything that transpired. Kraft is truly an underrated genius to have built that program the way he did. I'd give it TEN stars if I could. (BTW I was an English teacher, so I know something about good writing. This is some of the best non-fiction I have experienced and was well researched and documented.) Don't miss your opportunity to own a copy. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed.

I've been a Pats fan since 2004 when I was in the second grade. The first 150 pages of the book was the best part for me because it was all things I didn't know much about. That doesn't take away from the other things of the book. Page 150 is when we start talking about Brady. But learning about all of the business stuff when it came to Kraft getting the team and dealing with Parcells was fascinating with me. Business, life situations, mindset, leadership. Many things I took note of in this book and I will go back to my highlights.The Patriots Dynasty in itself can take 3 volumes if you ask me. But much appreciation to the author for this wonderful book. I finished it in four days because this is the type of book I've been waiting for since I was a kid. I wanted to know about the Pats for the longest. I was ready to do that once Brady was done with the Pats.......it just took me forever cause Brady is the GOAT and is ageless.Yes I am a BIG Pats fan. Born in New Jersey and raised in Miami, I shouldn't be a Pats fan. But I am and all my time spent reading this book was worth it. I wish a book like this could be released for every sports franchise or dynasty. I would devour my favorite teams and other teams I respect. A lot of things we already know, but awesome to somewhat see the mindset and growth of the Big 3 in New England: Kraft, Brady and Bill.

The book was well written and provided good insight into how the Patriots organization became a dynasty. A very good read. Could not put the book down until I finished.

Well written and provided insights into the New England Patriots organization under the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick dynasty.