Review of “The Ight of His Life”

Having not picked up a boxing book in a while, I decided to request this one on Joe Louis. While there is boxing in it, this book is really about so much more. Here is my review of “The Fight of His Life.”

Title/Author: “The Fight of His Life: Joe Louis’ Battle for Freedom During World War II” by Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: It is well known and well documented that Joe Louis became a national hero when he defeated German fighter Max Schmeling to become the heavyweight champion of the world at a time when the Nazis were rising to power in Germany. What isn’t as well known was Louis’ later troubles with blt at racism and segregation when he enlisted in the United States Army to help defeat the Nazis. His time in both the ring and the military is captured in this book co-written by Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith.

As the subtitle will imply, much of the book is dedicated to Louis’ time in the Army. Instead of engaging in combat duty, his main duty was to promote goodwill amongst the troops, put on boxing exhibitions and to also show at least on the surface that Black soldiers were making a difference in the Allied forces’ efforts. As Roberts and Smith illustrate, that was not the case. Some of the best work they do in this book are also some of the hardest parts to read. The discrimination, poor work assignments (especially for Black enlisted sailors in the Navy) and treatment on liberty by military police are portrayed in enough detail that will make even a hardened reader shake their head.

Along with the portrayal of Louis as a vice for the Black military member, the book does a very good job of portraying Louis as a great boxer, a married man with a wandering eye (especially while in service as he and Lena Horne were an item) and also as a person who was used and indebted to his boxing manager Mike Jacobs. I never realized just how much financial difficulty Loouis had until reading this book. 

This is a book that certainly pulls no punches to fully describe the activist in Joe Louis and for that reason alone, it is one that should be read by all, not just boxing fans.

I wish to thank Basic Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own. 

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DZ22V8KN/ref=x_gr_bb_amazon?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_bb_amazon-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0DZ22V8KN&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Review of "Black Noon"

This is one of the very few books I have purchased since launching this book review site, mainly because it was published just after I started writing and it was not available in digital format at any library.  No problem - while it's been awhile since I bought the book, it is still a great book for racing fans. 

Title/Author: “Black Noon: The Year They Stopped the Indy 500” by Art Garner

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  The 1964 Indianapolis 500 was not remembered because one of the most popular and successful drivers of this race, A. J. Foyt was the winner.  It was not remembered because Foyt won driving a roadster, a car that was becoming less popular in favor of rear-engine models such as Lotus.  No, it is remembered because of the tragedy that took place on the second lap in which two drivers, Dave MacDonald and Eddie Sachs, were killed in a fiery crash that is still being discussed today more than 60 years after it happened.

Author Art Garner, a well-respected motorsports writer, does a great job of covering everything from the cars to the drivers (not just MacDonald and Sachs) to the owners and tire company CEOs to break down not only what happened on that fateful Memorial Day race, but also complete research and writing about so many factors taking place before the race.

There are three main sections to the book.  The first one focused on many personalities involved in racing at that time.  Of course, Sachs and MacDonald have extensive write ups of their lives and racing careers, but there is other great information on the personalities mentioned above.  Mickey Thompson, who was the owner of rear engine style cars and who hired MacDonald as a driver, is one example of a person whose story is well covered and well written by Garner. His coverage of the competition for use of tires between Firestone and Goodyear is also worthy of mention here.

The second section of the book focused on the month of May 1964 before the race takes place.  The inside look at Gasoline Alley is fascinating. Garner’s writing about events such as the first day of qualifying in which the pole sitter will be determined, the test rookie drivers must pass before being allowed to attempt to qualify and Moving Day, in which the drivers who are in the lower places may get bumped by faster cars on that last day of qualifying, was outstanding.  As one who is a casual fan of the Indy Car series, this information on what takes place in Indianapolis in May was quite fascinating.

The third section is about the race itself and its aftermath.  It is surprising that the writing about the actual accident and fires that killed the two drivers is more matter-of-fact than emotional and that is very good.  Garner saves the emotional aspects for later and he again writes about nearly everyone who would comment.  Of course, the two widows were covered, but the reactions of other drivers, crew members and others at the track was what truly made the tragedy of this event even more poignant.  Even Foyt, when accepting his congratulations in Victory Lane, is subdued when he finds out the news about Sachs and MacDonald.

Art Garner is one of the best motorsports authors I have read, and even though this book has been out for 11 years, it’s still a great read for motorsports fans about one of the most tragic days in racing.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GET19G0/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20

Review of "Reversing the Curse"

Normally, I do not post reviews of books that are nearly 20 years old, but I picked this up on Kindle Unlimited for reading on a bus trip to Fenway Park, so it just seemed right to do so.  I was thoroughly entertained by this book, with a definite Red Sox slant, but it was hard to put down.  Glad I decided on this one - and oh, by the way, the Red Sox won the game 1-0. 

Title/Author: “Reversing the Curse: Inside the 2004 Boston Red Sox” by Dan Shaughnessy

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  Before 2004, mention the Boston Red Sox to nearly any baseball fan and immediately, the word “curse” will be brought into the conversation.  For 86 years, it was believed that the franchise was “cursed” (or fill in whatever else will fit for a lengthy time frame without a championship) until that magical fall when just about everyone who follows baseball, save for New York Yankee fans, were happy when the Red Sox finally won the World Series. This book, written by veteran Boston sportswriter Dan Shaughnessy, brings that crazy season to life.

What struck me about this book is not the overly-zealous bias toward the Red Sox, nor the frequent criticism of certain players like Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez (both of these were expected and the two pitchers did have some struggles in 2004), nor the complete coverage of the “reversing” of the curse, as that was to be expected as well.  What I really liked about the book is how it could come across as humorous for those readers who, like me, really did not have a strong rooting interest for either the Red Sox or Yankees but nonetheless got caught up in what was one of the most intense years of this “greatest rivalry in sports.” You may agree or disagree with that statement, but it is part of the book.

The research and interviews are very good – yes, some may simply have been quotes already printed, but they still made for great reading. This includes my favorite part of the book, which really did not involve 2004 until later, but the chapter on the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry.  This story about the teams’ two star catchers in the 1970’s, Carlton Fisk of the Red Sox and Thurman Munson of the Yankees, is the best example of what made that chapter fun to read.  Munson was upset that he led Fisk in every statistical category in one of their seasons except for assists.  So, in the game that day, Munson purposely avoided catching the ball on the first three Boston batters who struck out.  Instead, he picked up the ball and threw to first to retire the batter.  Three additional assists – that put Munson ahead and he was not shy to show his pleasure in that accomplishment.

Of course, the book builds up to the climax of the baseball season that year, the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in which the Red Sox became the first team to win a seven-game series after losing the first three.  That it occurred against the Yankees made it seem even more amazing to Red Sox Nation. To Shaughnessy’s credit, while practically all felt that the subsequent World Series (which the Red Sox won with a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals) was anti-climatic after the dramatic ALCS, the author covered that with just as much detail, enthusiasm, and entertaining stories as he did the ALCS and the rest of that remarkable season for the Red Sox.  If there are any Red Sox fans who have not read this book, it is highly recommended.  Not advised for Yankee fans.  If the reader is a fan  for one of the other 28 teams, then read it for good information and entertainment.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Reversing-Curse-Inside-2004-Boston/dp/0618711910/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Review of "Dark Squares"

 Having posted about books on chess before, I decided to do another one on this fascinating memoir by one of the early contributors (who is now the COO) of chess.com, Danny Rensch.  It's a fascinating book.

Title: "Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life" by Danny Rensch

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (outstanding) 

Review: When one thinks of chess, one won't immediately think of cults, children taken from their parents, tithing and cheating.  However, this memoir from the COO of chess.com, Danny Rensch, covers all these topics and more.  It makes for one of the most interesting memoirs I have read in a long time.  

Starting with Danny's love of chess after watching the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer", his story moves along quite slowly, but one cannot help but absorb every word Rensch writes about the leaders of the Collective (the name of the cult to which his family belonged) immediately saying his Purpose was to be a chess prodigy.  As a result, he was treated somewhat better than other members, but it also led to him being taken away from his mother and placed in the family of one of the leaders - who happened to be his biological father who before this had no contact with him.  If this all sounds convoluted - well, it is and it takes careful reading to figure it out.

Rensch then moves through his life of winning tournaments, finding his soulmate who would be his wife Shauna (blessed by the Collective, of course) and his later trauma of alcoholism, tinnitus and his trouble maintaining his grandmaster status until an unlikely encounter with the founders landed him at chess.com.  From there, his life did improve, he did reunite with his mother, but there was another troubling aspect.  It had to do with the game and the increased cheating by online players, including those achieving master status.

There are also good sections, written in italics on the Kindle version, on the game's history, the impact that machines made on the game, including the famous "Deep Blue" match with Garry Kasparov.  Again, more than what any review could include, it's best to read the book.  Danny Rensch has opened himself up and shared practically everything he could about not only his chess skills and his work at chess.com, but also an eye-opening look at life inside a cult.

I wish to thank Public Affairs for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. 

Link: Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life - Kindle edition by Rensch, Danny. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Review of “Get Your Tokens Ready”

To my fellow American friends, I hope your Independence Day weekend has been safe and fun. And what would be more appropriate that reading a book on America’s Pastime, baseball? This book takes a look at the two New York teams leading up to their match-up in the 2000 World Series.

Title/Author:

“Get Your Tokens Ready: The Late 1990’s Road to the Subway Series” by Chris Donnelly

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: While I usually do not consider the title of a book in the thoughts of whether or not I wish to read it. But the title of this one certainly caught my attention. I did recall that Michael Kay, broadcaster for the New York Yankees, exclaimed this catchy phrase when the Yankees clinched the American League championship in 2000, setting up a World Series against the New York Mets in what would be dubbed the “Subway Series.”

Author Chris Donnelly, who has penned two other books on New York baseball, does a nice job with this one as well. Starting with the first regular season game between the Mets and Yankees, Donnelly takes the reader inside the stands, dugouts, locker rooms and front offices of both the Mets and Yankees leading up the Yankees becoming the kings of New York baseball for at least that time. 

Donnelly spares practically no one from either club during the period of 1997-2000 from getting at least a mention in the book. From Mets pitcher Dave Mlicki to Yankees utility man Luis Sojo, Donnelly spans these four seasons with great detail about the two New York clubs both on and off the field. These two players were chosen because the bookend this period covered in the book - Mlicki was the winning pitcher in that first ever 1997 interleague game between the two New York teams and Sojo drove in the winning run in game 5 of the Subway Series to win it for the Yankees.

There is not a lot of extra material in the book such as short biographies or side stories. Practically every word has some connection to the performances on the field or activities by the front offices to improve the teams. The closest story that can be considered to be a side bar would be that of Mlicki, whose outstanding performance in that 1997 game is the subject of a few short chapters interspersed between the longer ones on the two clubs.

It was mentioned in the book, as well as the media at that time, there there would likely be little interest outside of the New York metropolitan area in the Subway Series. Without being quite that harsh, this is a book that would certainly appeal to fans of the Yankees or Mets but might not hold the interest of fans of other teams. Or, if a reader is a baseball historian or just one who likes books that concentrate on the game (I fall into this category), then they should check it out as well.

I wish to thank the University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Get-Your-Tokens-Ready-Subway-ebook/dp/B0DJS15B2C/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Review of "Ant"

Having been a fan of the Minnesota Timberwolves since their debut season of 1989-90, of course I wanted to read this book.  Not only because of the subject matter, but also because of the author, who has been a very good beat writer for the team the last 7 years.  Here is my review of "Ant." 

Title/Author:

“Ant: The Incredible Journey of NBA Rising Star Anthony Edwards” by Chris Hine

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Anthony Edwards has propelled both himself and his team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, into levels of fame and prosperity that neither had ever occupied before.  However, for Edwards, his personality and approach to relationships with people and how he handles them have not changed drastically since he was a young boy.  This book by Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine takes an in-depth look at Edwards’ path to where he is today.

The first section of the book focuses primarily on Edwards’ outstanding performance in a different sport, football.  While he eventually switched to basketball, the lessons learned in football on how to handle adversity, how to interact properly with coaches, teammates and other people in general, and who he can trust and not trust. The latter especially came into good use as Edwards’ star took off in basketball during his high school days. It should also be noted that he was often described by people who knew him well and were interviewed by Hine as one who was an “old soul” (a term used several time) because he would be asking inquisitive questions and say statements that just were not expected to be spoken by someone at a young age.

When writing about Edwards’ college and professional career (all 4 seasons in the book with the Timberwolves), Hine followed the same pattern of writing about Edwards’ interactions with people, whether coaches, teammates, his “inner circle” or other similar people important in his life. Even well after they passed away, his mother and grandmother were still important influences in his life.  While many, including myself, may remember the pictures of those two women next to him when the Timberwolves made Edwards the #1 pick of the 2020 NBA draft, it is noteworthy to see how much he still values their wisdom and guidance.

While there is some writing about the action on the court, especially during the Timberwolves’ 2024 run to the Western Conference Finals (the last season the book covers), this book focuses much more on Edwards the person instead of Edwards the basketball player and as a result, readers should learn a lot about the young man who is becoming one of the iconic faces of the NBA today.  This is true no matter how closely the reader follows the Timberwolves, the NBA or basketball in general.  

I wish to thank Harper for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Ant: The Incredible Journey of NBA Rising Star Anthony Edwards: Hine, Chris: 9780063438958: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Death of a Racehorse"

I used to follow horse racing more closely but the recent scandals, deaths of horses and general overall lack of enthusiasm about the sport compared to others has made me follow it less and less.  Nevertheless, I was intrigued by this book by its title - the book was not quite what I expected but still a good read.  

Title/Author:

“Death of a Racehorse: An American Story” by Katie Bo Lillis

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Horse racing has been rocked by scandals involving drugging and doping the race horses and the deaths of some of these thoroughbreds. The death of Medina Spirit, the horse trained by well-known trainer Bob Baffert and whose Kentucky Derby win was taken away when testing revealed a banned substance in the horse’s system.  That was the start of this in-depth look at the world of horse racing by Katie Bo Lillis.

The title of the book and the first chapter made me think that this was going to be a compilation of sad stories of horses who had to be euthanized for one reason or another due to their participation in races. That turned out not to be the case at all as Lillis, a journalist who used to work in the racing industry, exposed both the therapeutic and performance-enhancing use of various drugs in horses that run in the sport.

The book also took a critical look at training methods, the horse racing industry as a whole and the various degrees of interest by the federal government in their investigations of criminal activity in the sport.  An example of this would be the consideration of wire fraud charges if illegal substances were sold across state lines using electronic technology (phone, email, texting, etc.) and money exchanged hands.  There are many people involved in these stories, not just the big names like Baffert. 

It was also interesting to learn new knowledge about the industry.  One example that was a recurrent topic in the various chapters was the need for a full complement of horses to run in each race for an event to turn a profit. This is so that there are more betting options for gamblers, resulting in a higher purse for the track.  It makes sense after reading this, but it is something that I was never aware of.

At times, the book does get very detailed, especially about the drugs used in the sport.  It felt at times I needed a pharmacology degree to understand these nuances, but despite this, it is a book that is very informative and one that would be enjoyed by readers of all levels of interest in horse racing.  

I wish to thank Simon & Schuster for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Death of a Racehorse: An American Story: Lillis, Katie Bo: 9781668017012: Amazon.com: Books