: Chris Paul’s steps were ordered from the womb. The people, places, events, he encountered while taking his Papa’s lessons with him are what has structured his faith, career, family, philanthropy, and social justice initiatives.
This memoir gave you a glimpse of how his grandfathers, work, lessons, community, and faith helped Chris to become the man, father, basketball player he is today.
If you like a memoir that is more than a memoir then this book is for you.

Chris Paul, I would love to see you write a children's book with some of the nuggets of wisdom from yourself and your Papa!!!

Chris Paul's memoir is inspiring and uplifting. The nuggets of wisdom from his "Papa" had me highlighting passages to read to my 8 year old son. I admit to not knowing Chris Paul before this book, but I am so happy that I read this book.

Chris reminded me how important grandparents and family in general are in raising a family. His grandfather, Papa Chilly, had such an impact on his life from such a young age, that he brings you through the journey of how he became the man and player he is because of this important man. From the lessons at the gas station Papa Chilly taught about hard work and giving something/anything you love more than 100%, to how to treat a fellow human being whether they are above you, below you, or down on their luck and need a helping hand. Again, so many passages and phrases highlighted to share with my son and to remind myself.

I cried at the end for some many reasons and reading about how close Chris is to his wife and children just had my heart happy. Papa Chilly is definitely proud of the gentleman he has become and the future of this country he is raising.

Thank you to NetGalley, Author, and publisher for an ecopy of this memoir for review. This did not affect my rating as this is a book I am planning to purchase for my collection.

Published: 06/20/23

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for accepting my request to read and review Sixty-One.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first 80% of this book. Paul, an NBA player, whom I had never heard of, writes about his relationship with his family while growing up. He attributes his successes and strong work ethic to the lessons handed down from his grandfather. This is written lovingly, and the love is for all his family. He does minimally discuss that as a black man his upbringing was not stereotypical; however, outside of his family as well as out of uniform, he has the same fears as other black men. I found this part of the book so endearing. As I read I imagined being at a venue and NBA superstar Chris Paul sat down and chatted on real life.

If you are looking for NBA stuff, I'm guessing you'll be disappointed. He talks about player relationships, team work and the effects of trading on his family, quite briefly.

The last 20% came out of nowhere. I was disappointed. Paul opted to go political with his opinions on George Floyd as well as professional athletes using game time to let their political thoughts be known. His memory on Floyd was vastly different than mine and we disagree on cramming politics into gaming. He sees a platform and I see athletes employed to perform while handling their personal business at home.

Sadly, the last part confused me. He went from smart and loving to swearing and platforming. This took the book from five stars to four, the foul language to three, and the clear cut memory that was foggy to two.

I’ve been a fan of Chris Paul since his Lob City days so I was so grateful to be able to read his memoir ‘Sixty-One’. If you are familiar with the NBA, you know who Chris Paul is. NBA Rookie of the Year, 12x NBA All-Star, and 2x Olympic Gold Medalist — just to name a few of his accolades.

He has cemented himself as one of the greatest point guards to play the game and had distinguished himself for his leadership skills and relentless motivation and disciple in the game of basketball. I always had the belief that it takes a village and it was great to learn who makes up Chris’s village, one of the most important ones being his late grandfather.

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I honestly teared up hearing Chris recount his grandfather’s tragic murder. This book is a love letter of sorts to his grandfather and all the lessons he’s learned from him through their 17 years together. The day after burying his grandfather, Chris scored sixty-one points, one for each year of life lived by his grandfather — are you crying because I was!!

We learn the reason behind his philanthropic ventures and a glimpse into some of the most defining decisions in his life on and off the court — from his decision to leave the LA Clippers and the behind-the-scenes to the NBA’s decision to be vocal during the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020.

His love for his family, community, and hometown, Winston-Salem, shines through and kept him grounded throughout his life. All the lessons he’s learned from his grandfather can be appreciated by everyone and it was great to learn more about the man who is shaping the next generation.

Thank you St Martins Press for the copy! Great for sports fans and those who enjoy memoirs!

I really enjoyed this book! Teenage me decided that Chris Paul was my favorite NBA player so I have followed him throughout his career and have always enjoyed watching him play. I learned quite a few things about him in this and also thought that it had a lot of emotion in it I wasn't expecting. I definitely recommend if you're a CP3 fan/NBA fan/or just like athlete stories in general.

I was always a loose Chris Paul fan, thought he was a good guy, family man and extremely hard worker but this book really made me love him. You can tell he’s new to writing but the sentiment and story far outshined any of that. Chris’s story about his papa was so heartwarming and the hard work theme throughout really made me think about joe I approach so many aspects of my life. I highly recommend this book and told my whole team at work they need to read.

I've always been a big CP3 fan....As a teenager in Greensboro (about 25 miles from Winston), I remember hearing about some high school basketball player who was so good a few cities away. I clearly recall seeing on the news when his grandfather was killed. We even went to Wake Forest at the same time...I graduated in 2005, the same year he left Wake to pursue his NBA career. I though I knew a lot about him, but man....this book really opened the door to Chris' heart and values.
The book delves into his upbringing, the root of his amazing work ethic, his love of family, and the humility he's always shown as player and a person. This is such a great story, and I'm even more of a fan now...of Chris Paul, the man AND CP3, the basketball player. Highly recommend!

As a resident of Winston Salem, NC and a retiree from Wake Forest University, Chris Paul is a very familiar individual. This book was an interesting exploration into Chris’s life growing up in Winston Salem and the influence his grandfather had on him from an early age. I enjoyed learning about life of a young man who was taught a good work ethic and to respect his elders. The life lessons are ones that I wish were instilled in all young men and women. If there were more grandfathers like Chilly, our world would be a much better place! This is a quick read and a good inspirational read to show that sometimes it’s the small everyday things that make everlasting differences in our lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

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This was a moving story about Chris Paul and his relationship with his grandfather. It's both a sad and inspiring story.

A very sweet tribute to one of the most important people in his life, Chris Paul gives us an insight into one of his greatest heroes - his grandfather Papa Chilly. This is a very sweet and special memoir - as you journey with him through his childhood memories and lessons learned from Papa.
Papa was inspiring and uplifting and sounds like a man to be treasured and admired. It is clear that his family and his community did just that.
I enjoyed this book and took down some of Papa’s lessons to implement in my own life.

As much as I like to read memoirs from sports figures, the best aspect of this book by NBA star guard Chris Paul is that it DOESN’T read like a typical sports memoir or even a biography. From the first pages, it is easy to tell that this is not only a book written from the heart, but it is a very moving tribute to a figure who was very important in Paul’s life.

His grandfather Nathaniel “Papa” Jones was a hard-working entrepreneur who overcame racial discrimination, naysayers and other obstacles to open his own service station in the Winston-Salem area of North Carolina. This made a very huge impression on Paul and his brother and they both took away many valuable life lessons. Paul talks not only about items taught to him such as the value of hard work and to always follow your dreams but even tasks taught at the shop. I loved when showed off his pride in being able to quickly rotate tires and change a car’s motor oil. If nothing else, that shows that his success in basketball hasn’t changed his view of more menial tasks that some undertake to make a living.

The moments with “Papa” that Paul shares range from unbelievably joyous (when he announced he was going to go to Wake Forest and Papa gives him a Wake Forest cap) to immeasurable sadness (when Papa was beaten and murdered). Through them all, this is a loving tribute to a person that molded a future basketball all-star into the person that he has become today. Don’t expect a lot about Paul’s basketball career or a lot about his view on the social issues of today. There are significant passages on each of these, but the bulk of the book is a loving tribute to “Papa.”

I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was Chris Paul's ode to his grandfather. His grandad was everything to him. He talked about the lessons he learned from watching and listening to his grandad. Tragically, his grandfather was murdered during a robbery before Chris started his college and NBA career. This was a sweet book that told an honest, inspirational story. Thank you to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for this advance reader copy.

Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court is a memoir by NBA star, Chris Paul, in which he shares the influence and impact his grandfather, Papa Chilly, had on his life.

Papa owned the first Black-owned gas and service station in Winston-Salem, NC, where Chris grew up. He taught Chris and his brother CJ the value of hard work, the importance of community, and was always a supportive figure in Chris’s life and for his whole family.

The lessons Chris shares in Sixty-One are good reminders for everyone — You don’t need to be an athlete to benefit from these. As a basketball fan though, I enjoyed those aspects included in this story too.

Sixty-One is a heartfelt tribute to an impactful role model, gone too soon, and I appreciate Chris’s honesty and relatable tone in this book.

Chris Paul is widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards to have ever played the game, winning awards and recognition throughout his illustrious (and still ongoing) career. In this memoir, he details the journey it took for him to get to this point and the legacy he hopes to leave behind.

Filled with anecdotes and stories of his life growing up in North Carolina, we learn about the work ethic that was instilled in him at a young age that gave him the drive and determination to get to where he wanted to be. Surrounded by hard-working family members, he always had good examples around him of what needed to be done in order to reach for your goals.

A deeply personal memoir that captures the essence of the grandfather he loved, this book is a reminder to us all that our actions are always seen by the younger generation. Paul is able to show how his grandfather shaped him and how that legacy is one that he hopes to pass on to his children - as well as the young athletes that he works with through his charitable foundation.

Whether you’re a fan of basketball or not, this memoir will tug at your heartstrings and remind you of what matters most in life. Though the public persona on the basketball court is what we normally see from Chris Paul, this book gives us a deeper look inside the man himself.

And yes, there were several times throughout the book that I was in tears. Paul writes from the heart and it shows.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

Centered around a pivotal high school basketball game, Chris Paul shares lessons and anecdotes from his childhood and adolescent years. Paul’s relationship with his grandfather- and the time he spent working and learning in his grandfather’s auto body shop- was central to the work ethic he developed both on and off the court. Paul reflects openly about how tragedy, heartbreak, and the resilience of community influenced his young life. A must read for aspiring athletes, coaches (basketball or otherwise), and anyone looking for a genuine voice of inspiration.

**I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Recommended and rated this book
5 stars

I am a fan of Chris Paul. I love watching him play, and his work ethic seems wholesome; no major scandals in his personal life. He always plays with this determination to win. Therefore, I was excited to see he had written a memoir; I am always curious about what makes up a person...life, personality, culture, values etc.

Sixty-One gives us an insight into what has made Chris Paul into the man he is today. His love for family is quite inspirational. His grandfather made a lasting impression on him as a young boy and even more so now that he is a father. The way his grandfather built his business up from nothing to then being able to take care of those at home and around the community has had a profound impact on Chris.

If you love reading memoirs, this is one to read!!

I received an arc from St Martin's Press on NetGalley. I am not obligated to write a review, but I chose to because this book was so good. I even bought the audio format.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Inspirational, Wonderful characters, Informative, Easy-to-read, Entertaining

A book about basketball that is so much more!

I don't watch basketball these days, but I've heard of Chris Paul and besides being incredibly talented, he has a work ethic that more than matches it. He is one of the oldest active players and is a leader in everything he does. But I didn't know any specifics or anything about his personal life.

Chris writes with great heart about all the lessons he learned from his Papa "Chilly" and in many ways, this book is a tribute to him. But he includes many others who have been part of his village, including the rest of his family, his church community, many in the NBA community, this coach Prosser in Wake Forest, and so many others. It's clear from this book that while he emphasizes the importance of hard work and never giving up, he credits his Papa for drilling this lesson into him and for others for reinforcing this. Over and over he stresses the importance of mentors and a strong community, and while he does mention specific accomplishments in the latter part of the book, he writes with humility and with great love of his Papa, God, and his family, neighbors, and friends.

I loved getting to know Papa "Chilly" through his eyes and am so sad the community lost such an important member too soon. Chris also talks about his foundation and its many goals to ultimately build a strong community, much like what he grew up with in Winston-Salem. I love the way he and his wife are raising their kids to have the same work ethic and learn about their roots.

This is a movingly and well-written memoir that I can easily recommend to anyone, even those who may not have an interest in sports. The lessons shared in this book are universal and can be learned by anyone. This has been one of my favorite sports memoirs.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and the publisher for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am an NBA basketball fan and so I was eager to to read “Sixty-One” by Chris Paul. You may know him by his nickname CP3 or from the State Farm commercials. Chris Paul has had an amazing sports career and this book, which is a memoir and tribute to his grandfather, shows us another side of his life as a famous professional athlete.

In a tender and caring way, Author Paul describes his growing up years and the importance of love, family, and church. His grandfather showed all of these traits as a leader of his business, family, community and church. His “Papa” gave many gifts: love, support, how to live the right way.

This is a well-written book with an encouraging viewpoint. I highly recommend “Sixty-One”. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.

Sixty-One was a combination memoir/tribute book to Chris Paul's grandfather. You could see through the writing the respect that he had for his grandfather & how much that relationship helped shape who would become. Chris conveyed so much of himself within the pages of this book while giving credit to those in his life that helped him get where he is today. I truly enjoyed reading this book and learning more about him than his basketball stats.

Thank you #Netgalley and St Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of #SixtyOne for my honest review

Even as one who only passively follows the NBA, I know Chris Paul, and loved this memoir. It was written in such a way that it was also a tribute to Chris Paul's "Papa." I loved the chapters where he brought his kids back to his hometown and showed them around. I also loved learning more about "black churches," and how he so fondly remembered spending 5-6 hours at church every Sunday and having so much community support.