Agnė's Reviews > Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE

3.5 out of 5

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE is a well-written, candid, and engaging memoir by Phil Knight, Nike's founder and CEO, who reveals the extraordinary journey of building a business empire from the $50 he borrowed from his father.

Year by year, the memoir details the first decade and a half of Nike's existence (initially, Blue Ribbon Sports). Even though the happy ending is a known fact, the story is a real nail-biter because it seemed that during this period each day could have been the company's last.

In Shoe Dog, Phil Knight openly admits his numerous mistakes, regrets, and undeniable power of luck, making him and his brand more relatable and awe-inspiring. With so many ups and even more downs, his memoir makes for a one-of-a-kind story of luck, passion, perseverance, unwavering belief, and teamwork. You can't help but be inspired by an exceptional group of driven - even obsessed - misfits, daredevils, and innovative geniuses that don't stop learning and growing. Or simply don't stop.

But although very candid about the constant up and downs of growing a business, Phil Knight is rather terse and somewhat dismissive about the numerous controversies involving Nike. Also, the memoir basically stops after Nike goes public in 1980, and the next 3+ decades are summed up in an epilogue-style ending. I know it's a lot of ground to cover, but such an ending kind of feels rushed too.

Finally, each chapter is titled with the year number only, which makes it rather challenging to refer back to specific events. Unless, of course, you can remember in which year it happened exactly :)