Over the course of the last few years Chael Sonnen has become one of the most divisive figures in mixed martial arts. The outspoken middleweight is beloved by some and reviled by others, to find an MMA fan without an opinion on Sonnen is virtually impossible. With a recently announced rematch against middleweight champion Anderson Silva looming, the timing could not be better for Sonnen to release The Voice of Reason: A VIP Pass To Enlightenment.
When you first open the book it doesn’t take long to figure out what kind of ride you will be taken on by Sonnen. The dusk jacket features a brief blurb from the author that simply states, “You’re welcome, civilization.” If that’s not enough of a clue of where things are headed, you’ll find that none other than “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior of Humanity, COO of the Universe”, has penned the foreword. Those two items set the tone for the book, but don’t be fooled, just like with the author himself, there is much more happening here than a quick glance can discern.
The book itself is comprised of more than 25 relatively short chapters, with each chapter tackling a subject before quickly moving on to the next topic. In that manner the book it is not unlike an interview with Sonnen himself. If you find yourself uninterested in the subject that he is currently writing/speaking about, just wait a minute or two, he’ll change gears and move on to something fresh.
The book is laid out in an entertaining manner. After a brief introduction, the author begins by taking the reader on the journey with him to a UFC fight, detailing everything that goes into getting there and the drama that he has to deal with every step of the way. The book closes with that fight taking place and Sonnen having his hand raised in victory. Between those chapters is where we hear The Voice of Reason.
During the course of the book there are moments where Sonnen comes off as “aw, shucks” humble, such as when a father and son want to have their picture taken with the fighter. There are many examples of self-deprecating humor, like when he discusses losing focus for a brief moment, writing that if you need an example, “Look no further than my fight with Anderson Silva.” There are times when you will be left wondering about the sincerity of what he is writing. And you should wonder during those times because as Sonnen himself writes, discussing characters on television:
If you begin any thought about these people with ‘he seems like a really nice and genuine person’ than you are his favorite breed of fool. You’re the type that still believes in Santa Claus and fad diets. You are our favorite sort of turkey. I mean, their favorite sort of turkey. Because I’m not like them at all. I would never lie to you. Trust me, because I am the real deal, and we are going to be best friends forever.
Sure there are times that Sonnen is playing all of us, but that’s part of the beauty of his game, figuring out when those times are taking place.
The topics covered in the book are varied. You get the fight related topics you would expect, but you also get a glimpse at things that shaped Sonnen’s life, his family and his early days of wrestling. He also offers his thoughts on, among other things politics, Presidents, terrorists, films, walkout songs and much more.
For those that are already fans of Sonnen this book will be a must read. For those that, shall we say, are less than enamored by Mr. Sonnen, this book will provide a glimpse below the surface, exposing the reader to a man that is much more than the one he presents when he is standing in front of a camera with a microphone in his hand.
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