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This review is based on the "Advance uncorrected proof". That's good because this book needs a lot of work.  Most significantly, Austin Carty needs the assistance of a professional writer to create a memoir similar to other "celebrities".  Yeah, that may sound like ghost-writing but at least those types of books are enjoyable to read, if you are interested in the person that is the subject of the memoir.  

In this case, I am interested in Austin Carty.  I am a big fan of "Survivor" and was really looking forward to some juicy behind-the-scenes accounts of what it is really like to participate in this show.  This book contained no such thing.  In fact, I don't think "Survivor" was mentioned at all, except on the cover to promote the book.  Instead, this book reads more like a diary of random events, people, confessions and thoughts on subjects like faith, sin and forgiveness.  I'm sure Austin Carty is a great guy and that genuinely comes through.  He's a good-ole southern boy with southern values and sensibilities.  I like that.  And I'm sure if I personally knew Austin, I'd find the book more interesting.  But as it is, it is a boring book to me and probably will be to anyone else who doesn't know him.  

The challenge for any author writing a book about themself is to make it interesting to people who have never met them and don't know anything about the "real" person.  I think this book could be better if Austin did talk about being on "Survivor" and use some of those events as a catalyst to some of the stories, people and thoughts he does include in this book.  Austin needs the assistance of a guy like Anthony Bozza.  Unfortunately, I suspect Anthony Bozza is busy "ghost-writing" for more interesting celebrities.

By David Renovitch (February 14,  2010)