Review of "Above the Noise"

There was a lot of pre-publication buzz about this book and after reading it, I believed it lived up to the hype.  Here is my review of "Above the Noise", the memoir of DeMar DeRozan. 

Title/Author:

“Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm” by DeMar DeRozan

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

When NBA star DeMar DeRozan made a simple tweet to state that he wasn’t okay, no one expected the outpouring of not only support but also the attention that it would lead to the mental health of athletes.  While that was probably the best part of his memoir, it is one of the better sports memoirs I have read and one that every basketball fan will want to add to their library.

The format of the book isn’t much different than any other sports memoir – stories about his childhood, who helped push him into the athlete he became, his successes and failures that he endured along the way to where he is now.  What made this one stand out from others to me was his refreshing humility.  He was raised in Compton and frequently mentions the hard day-to-day life in that section of Los Angeles. He never forgets his roots when he is now living a much different lifestyle and it’s clear from the writing that this isn’t just being told to sound good – he truly does care for that community.

DeRozan is also frank about his personal relationships, whether with teammates, coaches or his wife and children.  He is honest about the struggles in his marriage and while his commitment to stay together with her may come across as “staying together for the children,” it is clear that part of his process of dealing with his mental health matters includes ensuring his relationships are strong as well.

And yes, there is plenty of basketball in the book.  It was clear that despite changing teams twice (from Toronto to San Antonio to Chicago) when he did not want to leave either time, he was able to quickly adjust and not only be welcomed, but welcomed being in a new city with new teammates despite missing his family.  He talks about his all-star seasons in Toronto, his relationship with coach Greg Popovich with the Spurs and his new role with the Bulls in helping them regain some of the glory they had in the days of Michael Jordan.

It's the feeling of refreshing honesty that made this book a very good read and one that I completed fairly quickly.  Hopefully this book will not only be a good one for basketball fans, but also for anyone who is dealing with mental health issues.  Reading about DeMar’s story is something that hopefully will be able to help others dealing with similar issues.

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

Link: Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm: DeRozan, DeMar, Zarum, Dave, Popovich, Gregg: 9780593581261: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "The Ancient Eight"

John Feinstein?  Ivy League football?  Fascinating history?  Sign me up!  Did this book deliver?  Well, read the review and find out.  

 

Title/Author: “The Ancient Eight: College Football’s Ivy League and the Game They Play Today” by John Feinstein

Rating:  3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review: John Feinstein has long been one of my favorite sports authors – whenever I saw a book that he wrote, it immediately gets put on my “need to read” shelf.  So, when I saw this one about Ivy League football, I immediately requested an advance copy and started reading.  I also saw a couple reviews of the book – one glowing, one not so much.  I felt that this was in-between and while an okay book, I don’t believe it was one of his better works.

I’ll start with the disappointing aspects.  The first is that one of Feinstein’s great strengths is his ability to tell stories about his subjects, primarily coaches and athletes, with a great human touch and makes the reader that these are people with real issues, not just glamorous celebrities.  While he does this at the beginning with coaches from all eight Ivy League schools, the items about the players are not as interesting and instead read more like clippings from press conferences.

Which leads to the second part that disappointed me – most of the book is a rehashing of the 2023 Ivy League football season complete with game descriptions, quotes and updated standings each week.  While many times that is fine for a book of this nature, it isn’t the usual Feinstein style and for that, my satisfaction came up a little short.

But this doesn’t mean everything about the book was disappointing.  The stories about the coaches mentioned earlier were great.  Especially with the passing of Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens and the outpouring of support that came from all the Ivies.  The dialogue about how many coaches in the league stay in their positions for long periods of time, no matter their records, was also good reading.  Same goes for other passages that talked about the history of the league – some of which were interspersed with the 2023 game notes.  Also, of course, no book on the Ivy League would be complete without mentioning the Harvard-Yale match called simple “The Game.”  Although…here there are four references to the famous headline “Harvard beats Yale 29-29” but at least they make sense in their use and not just added to make the story juicier.

Overall, it was an okay read, but I would not recommend it to hardcore Feinstein fans like me. There just wasn’t enough of the material that makes him a great writer and instead it felt more like a product to just get out there and sell.  

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

Link: Amazon.com: The Ancient Eight: College Football’s Ivy League and the Game They Play Today: 9780306833908: Feinstein, John: Books

Review of "The Wee Ice Mon Cometh"

With October starting, that means several new releases for the fall season are out, and this was one of those copies I have received.  While I and any other golf fan would be familiar with the comeback story of Ben Hogan, I learned a lot about his spectacular 1953 season in this book. 

Title/Author:

“The Wee Ice Mon Cometh: Ben Hogan’s 1953 Triple Slam and One of Golf’s Greatest Summers” by Ed Gruver

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Ben Hogan is one of most legendary golfers the game has ever seen.  Most noted for his comeback from a near-fatal auto accident, he put together one of the most magnificent seasons in 1953 as he won three of the four “Grand Slam” event in golf.   His three wins in those major tournaments is the subject of this book by Ed Gruver.

After Gruver gives a mini-biography of Hogan (with an excellent account of the auto accident), the book has an easy-to-follow format of Hogan’s three victories to make up his Triple Slam.  Gruver starts with a description of the course where the tournament takes place.  For the Masters, which is of course Augusta National.  Then for the U.S. Open in June, which took place at the Oakmont Country Club.  Finally, the third major win for Hogan, the Open (formerly known as the British Open) took place at Carnoustie.  For all three of these courses, a great explanation of the layout is given where the reader can feel himself or herself walking the course.

In these sections there is also information on Hogan’s main competitors in the tournament and here is where it was a bit of an issue for me as a reader as it was difficult to keep the golfers straight. That, however, wasn’t an issue when Gruver would get to the actual golf as his accounts of each tournament were excellent.  The descriptions of Hogan’s shots, his demeanor on the course and even the agony of his competitors was all captured in a manner that puts the reader right in the gallery.  Because of these sections, I genuinely enjoyed the book and would recommend it for any golf fan or historian.

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

Link: Amazon.com: The Wee Ice Mon Cometh: Ben Hogan's 1953 Triple Slam and One of Golf's Greatest Summers: 9781496238986: Gruver, Ed, Williamson, Trevor: Books

Review of “Tiger, Tiger”

 With a recent trip to Minnesota to see family, that meant more reading time during the flights. This was the book I started on trip out and finished on the return home. 

Title/Author:

“Tiger, Tiger: His Life As It’s Never Been Told Before” by James Patterson

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review: 

Having read multiple books on Tiger Woods before, I was curious to see the “never been told before” tidbits James Patterson could share with readers. I was disappointed in that there really wasn’t much in the book that I at least had passing knowledge about Tiger, but I did find the book easy to read and despite its length, a fairly quick read.

It was good to read more about aspects of Tiger that weren’t strictly golf or scandal. Such as the relationship with his mother Tida. Even non-fans of golf or Tiger are aware of the influence his father Earl had on Tiger. But for me, it was nice to read many passages about the influence Tida had on him as well, especially on his mental health.

The more salacious and scandalous parts of Tiger’s life are not glossed over, but once initial details are covered, it felt like Patterson was saying “nothing to see here, let’s move along.” That May leave some readers wanting more but for me, it was fine. Everyone with any interest in Tiger knows the intimate details (pun intended) so there really wasn’t a need to include them. However, it just seemed to rush through them too quickly.

This also includes the chapters on his golf accomplishments. Some wins, especially in major tournaments, have some details but not many. Others just seemed like high-view summaries of moths or an entire season. Just like with Tiger’s personal life, this isn’t bad and makes for quick reading - but it feels incomplete.

Having read this book in two sittings while flying, I can’t say it’s a great book on Tiger as I enjoyed Jeff Benedict’s book on Tiger better as well as the book on Tiger’s 1997 win at the Masters. However, if a reader is more familiar with Patterson and his writing than anything about golf, this would be a good introduction to the most successful golfer in the history of the game. 

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Untold-Story-G-T/dp/031643860X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Review of “Locker Room Talk”

As an avid reader of Sports Illustrated in its heyday, I remembered this author and her case against Major League Baseball. Here is my review of Melissa Ludke’s fight for equal access. 

Title/Author:

“Locker Room Talk: A Woman’s Struggle to Get Inside” by Melissa Ludke 

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

Melissa Ludke is a well-known name to those who follow or study women’s rights. After being denied access the the locker room of the New York Yankees following their win in game 6 of the 1977 World Series, she and Time Inc. (the owner of the magazine Ludke wrote for, Sports Illustrated [SI]) sued Major League Baseball on the grounds of sex discrimination. Ludke’ a recall of the judicial hearing and her personal life at the time are the subject of this book she authored.

Ludke shares the story of how she became interested in sports journalism, the blatant sexism she faced and her happiness after obtaining that vaunted press credential when she started covering the Yankees for SI. During that time, she did have access to the Yankees locker room for interviews so it was quite a shock to her when she was denied access after the World Series by commissioner Bowie Kuhn.  The story Ludke shares about the many obstacles and denials she faced that night will sadden and anger a reader today who may not be aware of how much discrimination female sports journalists faced at that time. 

Stories about Luke’s personal life, most notably her rushed decision to marry a man she barely knew, don’t seem to have anything to do with her legal case, but by the end of the book it seems to make sense. This is especially the case when she shares the story of her decision to obtain an abortion not long after Roe v. Wade. Since the story is about women’s rights, it certainly does tie in with the main subject.

The testimony given before the hearing and that actual case make up the bulk of the book and while on the whole it is very fascinating, there is so much repetition of statements and opinions by Ludke that much like the judge during the hearing, the reader may ask when this part will ever end. The additional stories about female sportswriters who had access to NBA and NHL locker rooms at the time make Luke’s case even stronger.

There is text on MLB’s argument that it wanted to ban female reporters to protect the players’ privacy but both Ludke and the judge end up ridiculing that argument and the hearing ends up in favor of Ludke. However, that doesn’t mean a happy ending for her as she still has struggles with her professional life but will eventually come to a good place and seems to now be doing well.  Well enough to write a book about a very important case in the struggle by women for equal rights. 

I wish to thank Rutgers University Press and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Locker-Room-Talk-Womans-Struggle-ebook/dp/B0CH8W7WVC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hNvrwNYbEzLqplPxRX4oTg.ZmKEvfear5xdmXEb7rRR-2AYTp_1p8CmM5TfUnhDTuI&qid=1727565306&sr=8-1 

Review of "Life in the G"

 Sometimes it's easy to forget that baseball and hockey aren't the only sports with a minor league - the NBA has one too and this book on the G League makes for great reading. 

Title/Author:

“Life in the G: Minor League Basketball and the Relentless Pursuit of the NBA” by Alex Squadron

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Having read several books on players or teams in baseball’s minor leagues, I expected this book to be about the same with the same format and the same stories.  That wasn’t the case with this excellent book by Alex Squadron about the 2021-22 season of the Birmingham Squadron of the NBA’s minor league, currently known as the “G” League thanks to its partnership with Gatorade.

While there are certainly some aspects of this book that are like any other book on minor leagues, such as the less-than-desirable travel conditions (although here, there are always flights, but commercial not private charters like the NBA) and the stories of drive, determination and at times hopelessness, this one reads quite differently.  For one, there is plenty of humor.  That starts at the introduction when Squadron adamantly denies picking this particular team only because its name is the same as his own. From there, it was a fast-paced and fun read as the reader will learn about the history of the G League, some of the players and coaches who became successful at their craft in the NBA and some of the ways that players can be called up to the league.

One very interesting observation about the qualities that NBA teams look for in these players is that it is rarely the leading scorers or flashy players that get the call.  Many times the NBA coaches and scouts are looking for players that are either totally into the team concept of basketball or are willing to do the dirty work such as defending the opponent’s best shooter or fight inside for rebounds or even court position.  Of the players profiled in the book, the one who achieved the most NBA success, Malcom Hill, that was his ticket to getting a contract with the Chicago Bulls.

Hill’s story, just like those of the other three Squadron players profiled - Jared Harper, Joe Young, and Zylan Cheatham – make for great reading, as does Alex Squadron’s description of the Birmingham Squadron’s games and practices.  It’s a fun ride through the season that will bring the reader much closer to the life of a minor league basketball player.

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

 Link: Life in the G: Minor League Basketball and the Relentless Pursuit of the NBA: Squadron, Alex, Ingram, Andre: 9781496235855: Amazon.com: Books

 

Review of "Underwater"

There really is no good way to introduce the topic of this book, so I will just say that it was one of the toughest and saddest books I have read for this blog since starting it 11 years ago.  Here is my review of "Underwater." 

 Title/Author:

“Underwater:  The Greed-Soaked Tale of Sexual Abuse by USA Swimming and Around the World” by Irvin Muchnick

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

The sports world was shocked when the sexual abuse scandal in gymnastics, and especially by Larry Nassar, was exposed.  However, sadly, that is not the only sport with this issue – many young athletes in swimming have suffered the same fate.  It goes beyond sexual abuse of young female athletes.  Young male athletes have also been abused and the abuse for both sexes can also be emotional, to the point of coaches proposing marriage.  This isn’t new as well, as this book by Irvin Muchnick exposes the decades-long abuse of athletes.

I will note that the rating is not due to the subject, the amount of research (exhaustive and extensive) or the accuracy of the findings.  As a reader, I found this book very tough to read.  There are SO many names that are both victims and abusers that I have a very hard time keeping track of who was being investigated and who was covering up for who.  If nothing else, that shows the depth of how long this has been going on in USA Swimming and in many swim clubs.

 Of course, stories of the victims get to be very depressing to read as well.  Just like when exposing the abusers and the cover-ups, this was hard to follow as well. Again, not because of any poor writing or investigation, but strictly from the sheer numbers.  It boggles the mind to think that this has been going on for decades. 

Even big names, while not directly or even indirectly implicated, can somehow be linked to some of these scandals.  The biggest name amongst these is Michael Phelps and Muchnick does a nice job of balancing fairness to Phelps – after all, he didn’t commit any of these crimes – but still wonders how he could be attached to some of these atrocities. It's a very hard book to read but is one that is worthy of the time to illustrate just how badly some promising athletes have been treated.

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

 

Link: Underwater: The Greed-Soaked Tale of Sexual Abuse in USA Swimming and around the Globe: Muchnick, Irvin: 9781770417755: Amazon.com: Books