It's Better to Be Feared

The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness

By: Seth Wickersham

Narrated by: Richard Poe

Length: 19 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Over two unbelievable decades, the New England Patriots were not only the NFL's most dominant team, but also - and by far - the most secretive. How did they achieve and sustain greatness - and what were the costs?

In It's Better to Be Feared, Seth Wickersham, one of the country's finest long form and investigative sportswriters, tells the full, behind-the-scenes story of the Patriots, capturing the brilliance, ambition, and vanity that powered and ultimately unraveled them. Based on hundreds of interviews conducted since 2001, Wickersham's chronicle is packed with revelations, taking us deep into Bill Belichick's tactical ingenuity and Tom Brady's unique mentality while also reporting on their divergent paths in 2020, including Brady's run to the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Raucous, unvarnished, and definitive, It's Better to Be Feared is an instant classic of American sportswriting in the tradition of Michael Lewis, David Maraniss, and David Halberstam.

©2021 Seth Wickersham (P)2021 Recorded Books

Loved it

Great story im going to listen to it again. Loved it, so worth it

Excellent

I’m not a Patriots fan but I admire and respect what they have accomplished. This is an excellent book and one of the few I’ve ever listened to that kept my interest from start to finish. If you love football, I highly recommend this book.

A Must Listen

As an avid football fan, this provides great insight into the most dominant sports franchise of my lifetime. I especially enjoyed the history of how BB came to coach the Pats. I had forgotten, or perhaps never knew, all the details surrounding it. I also really enjoyed the insight on Bob Kraft. There’s plenty out there in every day sports media on Brady and even BB to some extent but not much on Kraft.

My only knock is in the later chapters the author, who seemed to remain pretty neutral in his stances on most of the book’s subjects, decided to insert his political opinions, which Of course are left leaning. But such is our media and many in the sports arena. Could have done without it though.

Overall, a must listen for any major football fan.

Not a patriots fan but amazing book

I listened to this book in 4 days. It was excellent. The author tells a compelling story.
It was fascinating. Tom Brady seems like an amazing genuine person as well. Now i feel bad for rooting against him.

Great detail and insights to legends

I have been a life long Patriots fan and I was looking forward to this book. I wasn’t sure how it might appeal outside Patriots nation but it does. The center is three amazing men - Brady, Belicheck, and B Kraft behind the dynasty. People keep evolving and sometimes can’t be satisfied in the same relationship if they don’t evolve well together and have true respect.

This is as much a book about a sports dynasty with insights behind the curtain as it could be taken as professional relationship advice on how to be successful.

Poor narration

Well written and interesting, but the narration is just awful. Mispronunciations abound throughout the book, and the narrator often sounds out of breath.

Perfect for a fan!

If you have any interest in the New England Patriots this is a fantastic book.

awesome book if you're a sports fan it's a must

I absolutely loved every minute of this book. I couldn't stop listening and I didn't want the book to end. I am 38 now and I was 17 when the dynasty started I'm also a die hard Denver Broncos fan. I remember everything and it took me back not only to when those events happen but, events in my own life that were coinciding at that time. it definitely was a trip in a time machine.

Great in-depth and well written book

An impressive and well organized story of the NFL’s greatest modern dynasty. Long but worth it

Wickersham is outstanding

I am a long time patriot fan. But the insights by Wickersham were outstanding. I am ready for the 2023 season to get going, and this was a great off season read.