From Darkness to Dynasty

The First 40 Years of the New England Patriots

By: Jerry Thornton

Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla

Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Love them or hate them, what the New England Patriots have been able to do over the past 15 years is nothing short of remarkable. In addition to their four Super Bowl championships, the Patriots have the best coach in the league, a smart and savvy front office, and a future Hall of Fame quarterback who is internationally recognized as the face of the NFL. The longer the Patriots continue to dominate on the field, as well as in the media and the American pop culture landscape, the harder it becomes for anyone to remember them as something other than a model franchise and the ultimate paradigm of success and accomplishment.

Anyone, that is, except for Jerry Thornton. It wasn't always sunshine and roses for the Patriots; in fact, for the bulk of their existence, it was exactly the opposite. Though difficult to fathom now, the New England Patriots of old weren't just bad - they were laughably bad. Not so long ago, the Pats were the laughing stock of not only the NFL, but also the entire sporting world.

From Darkness to Dynasty tells the unlikely history of the New England Patriots as it has never been told before. From their humble beginnings as a team bought with rainy-day money by a man who had no idea what he was doing, to the fateful season that saw them win their first Super Bowl, Jerry Thornton shares the wild, humiliating, unbelievable, and wonderful stories that comprised the first 40 years of what would ultimately become the most dominant franchise in NFL history.

Witty, hilarious, and brutally honest, From Darkness to Dynasty returns to the thrilling, perilous days of yesteryear - a welcome corrective for those who hate the Patriots, and a useful reminder for those who love them that all glory is fleeting.

©2016 Jerry Thornton (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Must Read for Pats Fans

As a millennial, the only Patriots organization I’ve known is a winning one. Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and winning football is one of the few constants in an otherwise rapidly changing world. From Darkness to Dynasty is a fabulous, thorough, and humorous review of the first forty years of Patriots’ history and all the turmoil and losses from those years. This book is a must read (or listen) for any Pats fan, especially as the Tom Brady Era comes to an end.

Perplexed

this was a very enjoyable book but for somebody that's pretty big football fan you'll notice there are several facts that are completely wrong. Like Lou Saban being a coach for the Patriots and saying his son Nick had won national titles at Alabama. Well that's not it sucks I think they said they were distant cousins. Then when the hiring of Ron Meyer was brought up it said he just lad SMU to the National Title which SMU never won a national title. There were several other glaring errors that I didn't feel like including but if you're looking for Perfection this book is not for you if you're looking for an enjoyable book about a team you didn't know much about I definitely recommend it.

Bazinga

A great history of the Patriots organization from inception to the start of the Dynasty after their first SuperBowl win. I enjoyed learning the history before I was born. I recommend to any Patriots fan or NFL fans in general. The narrator did a great job.

Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed. I only leave 5 stars for books I've listened to multiple times. I'll update my review if I listen again.

great narration, great book

for those interested in the current patriots, this book ends at their first super bowl victory in 2001. this book is all about the lead-up to this first victory, and the official start of the Dynasty.

I really appreciated the narrator taking time to add emphasis, use Boston accents, and even nail sarcastic quotes. It was almost like having the author read it himself. Very entertaining read/listen.

the story itself was colorfully written, and the author successfully kept his bias in check, and at minimum, admitted where he was being openly biased.

love or hate the patriots, football fans will enjoy hearing the ugly and hilarious history of such an iconic team.

Fabulously Narrated

One of the best narrated books that I have listened to. and I have listened to many audio books.

A must for all Pats fans

I lived a lot of this (as a long time fan) and although many times were cringe worthy, Thornton puts a smile on most of the embarrassments. I was at several of the games profiled in the book as well - giving even more perspective. Hard to imagine any franchise has seen the highs and lows that the Patriots have.

Before Brady and Belichick

Jerry's love of the team and how it interfered with his development in his pre adult years shines through. Funny, well researched and really hits the sweet spot for anyone who grew up a huge Patriots fan before all this crazy success. It's hard to believe there was once a franchise that were bigger screw ups than the Jets, but it actually was the case here in New England. From broken toilets to Clive Rush to the Fairbanks Fiasco, to electrocuted fans, to Zeke Mowatt- all the ugly and insane comedy is here. The narrator captures Jerry's voice.

Great History

Great stories from the Patriots' past tied together to show how the empire was built.

A must for the sports fan

A truly well written and hilarious story of rags to riches . This is a must listen for those of us who lived through it.

Super Fun Book

I totally enjoyed the book, being a Pat's fan from the start, but forgot about much of the crap that went on.