Shoe Dog

Almost 4 stars. A unique take on the popular “startup” story - selling physical goods and the challenges of international distribution before the internet. Knight draws you into the cheap, cramped, and messy offices where the world-renowned Nike brand was born and has you rooting for the Portland underdogs as if you were watching a championship match. Since I used to follow the running circuit, I was excited to recognize a number of names - Bowerman and Prefontaine to name the biggest.

The one thing that held this book back was Knight's blatant disregard of historical accuracy. There were several times where he explicitly calls out remembering an event differently than what he/others had documented, but Shoe Dog only shares the version in his memory. A major disappointment to be left hanging at these moments.

Would recommend. Doubly so for anyone interested in getting a physical goods business off the ground and/or big Nike fans :)