cover image Tinman to Ironman: 26.2 Proven Ways to Crush Your Failures and Transform Your Life Today!

Tinman to Ironman: 26.2 Proven Ways to Crush Your Failures and Transform Your Life Today!

Chris Swanson. Next Century Publishing, $16.95 (136p) ISBN 978-1-629038-43-8

For Swanson, an Ironman triathlete, undersheriff for Genesee County, Mich., and motivational coach, those who build their lives on a "tin" foundation are those who crumble under pressure. One must build upon "iron" and "crush" failure. As Swanson tries to explain how to do this, the book's many autobiographical anecdotes, from the author's upbringing to his job as a cop, tend to come across as rambling, with oft-incongruous takeaways. For instance, in "Sometimes, You Need to Just Shut Up and Eat Your Peas," Swanson shares his unwavering hatred of peas before discussing the difficulty of training for a winter marathon. The "Iron Theme" for this chapter is "Have Willpower," except Swanson admits that he still refuses to eat peas, despite knowing they're good for him. The consistently declamatory writing will allow readers to easily imagine Swanson himself shouting imperatives from behind a podium. His feats are impressive, yet his retelling of them lacks resonance, so it's hard to imagine them appealing to many readers who don't personally know Swanson. (May)