Review of "The President's Team"

The Army-Navy football game is considered by many to be the best ritvalry in all of sports.   One particular game of this rivalry, 1963, was played under very trying circumstances.  That game, the ups and downs of that year's Navy squad and an account of their most prominent fan of that year, are all portrayed in "The President's Team."

 

Title/Author:

“The President’s Team: The 1963 Army-Navy Game & the Assassination of JFK” by Michael Connelly

Tags: 

Football (American), college, history, military, politics

           

Published:

January 13, 2009

Length:

306 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars – very good

Review:

November 22, 1963 is a date that is etched in every American’s memory.  Whether or not a person was alive to say where he or she was when the news was announced, the date always brings a sad thought or memory at the thought of John F. Kennedy dying in the presidential limousine in Dallas.  Kennedy was a Navy veteran and a huge fan of the Naval Academy football team.   The two are interwoven in Michael Connelly’s book about both the man and the football team.

Connelly interweaves biological information about Kennedy and analysis of the football teams of the Naval Academy of the early 1960’s.  The latter is an important point because while most of the football portion of the book is about Navy’s 1963 season, the information Connelly shares about the team illustrates the bond between the President and the football team.  

The information shared on President Kennedy is not too detailed, but for a book of this nature, with football as the main bond between the two main subjects, it is more than adequate to describe the highlights of his time in office and also of his love for football.  Of course, the famous Kennedy touch football games are given their proper due in this book.

If the reader is more interested in the football than the history or politics, then consider this an excellent source of information about the 1963 Navy football team and its Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Roger Staubach.   The previous two years were the buildup to this season in which ironically, the two losses they suffered were in Dallas.  The connection between that fact and that it was where the assassination took place is made by Connelly in a wonder manner.  Each game of Navy’s 1963 season has its own chapter and recap.  Just like with the Kennedy pieces, the writing is detailed enough for a football fan to enjoy, but not so much so that even non-football fans will enjoy these passages as well.

The book will bring back memories for those readers who were around for the events of that time.   For those who were not (or too young to remember them), readers will get to experience a glimpse of not only a nation in deep mourning for the loss of its leader, but also will get to experience a glimpse of what it was like to be a football player for the Naval Academy at the time.  A very good book that should appeal to readers of many topics.

Did I skim?

No

Did I learn something new? 

Yes.  I did learn a little more about Kennedy’s military career and his heroics, but the bulk of new information I learned was about the Navy football teams of that time.  I knew about Staubach and his fantastic junior year, but I did not realize just how good a complete football team this group of Midshipmen was. 

Pace of the book:

Good – switching between the football and the politics of the time kept the reader involved in both sections.

Positives:   

There are many of them.  The writing style is very good – technical enough to show that the writer was very knowledgeable of the topic, yet in a style that was easy to read.  Those who may not know much about football or Presidential history will be able to read and understand these topics just fine.  

I also liked the format of the game-by-game recap of the 1963 Navy season.  It felt like being a fan who was lucky enough to attend every game of that season in which the last two months darkened an otherwise bright year for the program.

Negatives:

While the book was about Kennedy, I would have liked to have read more about the Army team of 1963 as well.  While yes, Kennedy was first and foremost a Navy fan, he was the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces, so the Cadets at West Point also lost their leader as well and felt the loss as much as the Midshipmen. 

 

Do I recommend?  

Yes, for college football fans and historians as there is good information on both the Army-Navy game and on John F. Kennedy 

Book Format Read:

Ebook (EPUB version on Nook)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Presidents-Team-Assassination-ebook/dp/B004GJVX9I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1377980776&sr=1-1&keywords=the+president%27s+team

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/presidents-team-michael-connelly/1100408358?ean=9781616731106

 

Review of "Going Deep"

It is getting to that time of the year again when many people turn to thoughts of the National Football League, fantasy drafts, point spreads, offensive formats...you get the picture. So, time to start reviewing some football books. The first one for the season that I picked was written by a long-time star of my favorie team, the Minnesota Vikings. Hall of Fame reciever Cris Carter makes his case about recievers being the most prominent players on a team in "Going Deep."

Title/Author:

“Going Deep: How Wide Receivers Became the Most Compelling Figures in Pro Sports ” by Cris Carter and Jeffri Chadiha

Tags:

Football, professional, wide receivers

Published:

July 30, 2013

Length:

305 pages

Rating:

3 of 5 stars (good)

Review

The position of quarterback has long been considered the most glamorous in professional football, but in his new book, Cris Carter makes the case that the position of wide receiver is now the most compelling position. He uses anecdotes from his 16-year career to illustrated how the position evolved from players who simply caught passes to becoming key parts to a well-tuned offense and the players who make the biggest plays that are exciting for not only the scoring on the field, but also for television.

Carter doesn’t just limit the book to his own career. This is not a memoir of his life and career.  Instead, he also shares how he mentored two receivers who became superstars at the position, Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald. It is worth noting that both have Minnesota connections as Carter, a long time Minnesota Viking, guided Moss when they were teammates and Fitzgerald, a Minnesota native, was participating in camps and practices with the team. These two individuals are noted to be very different in their mannerisms, yet both illustrate that wide receivers are now the focus of attention for teams who need to improve, for television highlights, and even for their places in history. 

Wide receivers such as Terrell Owens, Michael Irvin and Chad Johnson all are given prominent spots in the book as they are the best examples of talented receivers who not only were All-Pro quality, they were also individuals who craved the spotlight and each of them received a great deal of it.  They each had both positive and negative experiences with that recognition. Carter uses that craving to make his case of how the wide receiver is now the most compelling player on any pro football team, regardless of who is the quarterback. 

When he would either discuss other receivers or explain his position on certain topics such as how he felt about showboating by receivers, rule changes or other hot button topics, there was a surprising lack of depth. While Carter would speak his mind, just like he does on his ESPN telecasts, he offered surprisingly little depth to his position.  This is not to say he didn’t have evidence to back up his opinion – it is just that this evidence did not have a lot of detail that would have helped support his stance.

Overall, this is a good book for any NFL fan who enjoys reading about spectacular plays, interesting characters and personal stories.  While the book has all of these, there isn’t a lot of research or detailed writing about these receivers.   The stories are based mostly on personal interactions and old press reports.   That makes for good light reading but not the best way to try to convince the reader that wide receivers are now the most important players in the game today. 

 

Did I skim?

No

Pace of the book: 

Very good.  It was a fast read, and will be for readers who are knowledgeable about professional football.

Positives:

Most books written by professional athletes that focus on the sport they played, their memoirs or something similar offer a unique perspective that a writer who was not a player cannot recapture.  This book has that quality as Carter provided a perspective on the position and a few of the players there, especially Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald.  

Negatives:

The biggest negative that I have with this book is that it doesn’t go into greater details on certain topics.   This is especially true on Carter’s reflections on his own life.  What lead to his cocaine addiction?  How was he really treated in Philadelphia?  While he was Randy Moss’ mentor in Minnesota, what was their relationship truly like?  

Do I recommend?

Yes, for anyone who enjoys NFL football.  What it lacks in details it makes up for in entertainment and like any book that tries to make a bold statement, it will be an interesting conversation piece among armchair quarterbacks.  

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Going-Deep-Receivers-Compelling-ebook/dp/B009R9R18O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1377557658&sr=1-1&keywords=going+deep

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/going-deep-cris-carter/1113317200?ean=9781401324858

 

 

 

Short review of a short story -The Thin Line

This review will be a new format.  I recently was reading and reviewing novellas of another genres with a much shorter format than the one I use here.  I just read a short story titled The Thin Line by Eric Schmidt.  I decided to use the format on the other blog where I was a guest reviewer here for this story.  Let me know if you like this or if I should keep using the longer form for all books, no matter their length.

Synopsis:

A college student is trying to juggle the three biggest parts of college life - athletics, academics and social life - and still stay healthy and stress free.  He also has an important meet upcoming and needs to train for it.   How is going to manage them all

Rating:

3 1/2 of 5 stars

Review:

This short story about a college runner reads much like other books on young adults.  There is angst, there is a bit of romance (non-sexual, not even a kiss that is more than a peck on the cheek) and a lot of dialogue between the hero (who remains nameless in the book) and his running partner Dan.

I did like that the struggles that were followed were the athletics and the academics instead of the romance.  That was a refreshing change from the usual YA or NA story.  The running scenes, including the important meet, were a bit short as it seemed like they were over in a flash.  Either these runners were all in the class of Usain Bolt or the author shortened this parts considerably.

The ending was completely unexpected and was a nice surprise.  Until then I wasn't really into the story, but after finishing I stopped and gathered my thoughts as it all came together.  It even explained why the hero and his girlfriend(a minor character in the story) were not named.  It made the story a good read and I would recommend it for a good quick read.

As of this posting, the book is available for free in electronic format at www.smashwords.com.

Review of "Strokes of Genius"

Sports fans have those games, moments or events which are so memorable they will remember where they were and what they were doing when it took place.  This tennis match is one of those moments for me.  I was doing laundry when the 2008 Wimbledon finals began and when Nadal and Federer finished one of the greatest sporting events I watched, I had finished the laundry, fed the cats, blew off a golf outing and skipped lunch.  It was all worth it.  This book is an accounting of that historic event and the two players who made it happen.

Title/Author:

“Strokes of Genius” by L. Jon Wertheim

Tags:

Tennis, Wimbledon, Federer, Nadal, history

Published:

June 1, 2009

Length:

224 pages

Rating:

4 1/2 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Mention the word “Wimbledon” and even non-tennis fans immediately know that you are talking about one of the most prestigious sporting events of the year.   So when the finals pit the top two players at the time playing in a match that some consider the greatest tennis match ever played, it will take on a life of its own.  L. Jon Wertheim writes about the match and that life it takes in “Strokes of Genius”, a riveting account of the 2008 Wimbledon finals between top ranked Roger Federer and second ranked Rafael Nadal.  

Just a recap of the play on the court would make a terrific book.  It was as even as a match could be, no matter which advanced tennis statistic one wants to use when evaluating the epic battle.   While Wertheim’s recap was not a shot-by-shot account, there is plenty of description of the action on the court.  He writes it in such a detailed and descriptive manner that just like when I was watching the match on TV in 2008, I was getting goose bumps reading about it even though I knew what the outcome would be.   I had to take a breath and exhale after reading the passage describing Federer’s backhand shot to avoid losing in the fourth set tie-breaker.  That describes how good both the match and the writing about the match were.

Wertheim mixes in plenty of information and stories on the two tennis legends as well.  These stories are well researched and the knowledge he has gained as a writer of tennis at Sports Illustrated is evident.   Topics such as the players trying out new rackets, how they handle media requests and their middle-to-upper class upbringing are described in equal parts humor, detail and precision, with a dash of melancholy when appropriate.  Some other nuances about the game in general are also included.  One of the better passages on tennis came early in the book when he writes that only in tennis do the opponents warm up with each other.   Nadal and Federer warmed up for this match by hitting balls to each other.   Can you imagine Mariano Rivera throwing batting practice to David Ortiz?   Or Tony Romo throwing warm-up passes to Victor Cruz?  

These stories are mixed into the play by play of the match at various points and this is the only downfall of the book.  At times, these seemed to hamper the flow of reading the book.  The best analogy to describe them is that they felt like excellent commercials you enjoy during breaks in the telecast of the match.  I liked reading them, but would have preferred that they come at the beginning or end of chapters, not in the middle after reading about a fantastic Nadal serve or Federer return.

Overall, this is an excellent book that any sports fan will enjoy.  This was a match that does become one of those “Where were you when” questions.   Reading it will help one relive those great memories.

Did I skim?

No

Pace of the book:

Good, despite the switching back and forth between topics. 

Positives:

Many, but the best is the rich prose and style of writing.  Wertheim paints a picture on each topic, from the game itself to Nadal’s lifestyle (relatively simple for a sports superstar).   This was the first book I read by him, although I have read many of his articles in Sports Illustrated and he is an excellent author.

Negatives:

Only the placement of stories and information on the players and the game. That was covered in the review.  Otherwise, there were no negatives in this book.

Do I recommend?

Yes, especially for tennis fans.  I do think, however, that just like the match, this book would attract non-tennis fans for the excellent storytelling and recap of a historic event.

Book Format Read:

eBook (Kindle)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Strokes-of-Genius-ebook/dp/B003K16PZK/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1377294295&sr=1-3&keywords=stroke+of+genius

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/strokes-of-genius-l-jon-wertheim/1100259849?ean=9780547336947

Review of "The Perfect Mile"

When Roger Bannister broke the four minute barrier in the mile run, it was one of those sports moments that will live forever in history.  Much like when Hank Aaron hit home run #715, or when the US Olymipic hockey team defeated the Soviet Union, Bannister's famous run will be replayed, talked about and read about for a long time.   This is an interesting book about that run and a subsequent meeting with the man who would break Bannister's record in an epic showdown.

Title/Author:

“The Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less than Four Minutes to Achieve It” by Neal Bascomb

Tags:

Track and Field, running, mile, records, history

Published:

April 6, 2005

Length:

336 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review

Sports records can generate a lot of buzz – whether it is a seemingly unattainable mark, a star athlete is threatening a record, or if it is set at a famous venue, these events not only leave their mark in history, but may also have a very interesting story.   Such is the case for May 6, 1954 when Englishman Roger Bannister became the first man to run one mile in less than four minutes.  The barrier was seemingly never going to be broken until Bannister did so with the help of other runners who helped set his pace.  

 This book covers that race and Bannister’s background and training leading up to that race in a very detailed and well researched manner.   However, Bannister was only one of three elite mile runners of that time who were attempting to break the record.  American Wes Santee and Australian John Landy were also training hard and racing in events attempting to shatter that barrier.  It happened that Bannister did it first.   Landy then broke Bannister’s record by more than a full second (a large margin in the track and field world) and the stage was set for the two of them to meet head on in the Empire Games held later in 1954 in Vancouver. 

Santee, however, could not compete in this race because of his commitment to the US Marines.   His story was the most heartbreaking of the three, especially in Bascomb’s account of how Santee felt he could beat both of them by running a certain style of race.  This was illustrated by Santee thinking of this strategy while watching the race in the studio and providing commentary.  Santee’s rise to elite miler status and his subsequent events did make me think of a promising career derailed by circumstances that were mostly out of his control.

Landy’s story is also interesting, especially those with his coach involved and his single-minded determination to break this record.  Bannister’s story is the most well known of the three, especially that of the training leading up to the race as it was limited due to his medical studies.  He did complete them as well, becoming a doctor soon after the “Perfect Mile” race.

This book reads much like a mile run – slower at first, getting the reader accustomed to the three athletes and setting the pace.  Then when Bannister takes his starting position in what would be the run that makes history, the book is a blur, just like the last lap for each of these runners – a fast paced story that the reader will have a hard time putting down. 

Did I skim?

No

Did I learn anything new?

Yes.  While I have read about Bannister’s race with pacers to break the four minute barrier before, I learned more about the man and the “Perfect Mile” race against Landy.   I had never heard of Santee before reading this book and very little about Landy, so learning their stories was also interesting.

Pace of the book: 

As mentioned in the review, I felt the beginning was slow and I had trouble keeping track of the stories of the three runners.  But by the time Bannister was in the blocks for his record setting mile, the book took off from there and was a fast read.

Positives:

Two aspects struck me as outstanding in this book.  One was the recap of Bannister’s record setting race and his interaction with each of the pacers.   The detail in which these were written was excellent.  I felt like I was running alongside them on the track during these passages.  

Some of the prose in this book was also outstanding.  Here is an example – my favorite passage in the book and it came early.  It was a description of Bannister’s running style: “Bannister had terrific grace, a terrific long stride, he seemed to ooze power. It was as if the Greeks had come back and brought to show you what the true Olympic runner was like.”

Negatives:

While the detail in the research will help the reader understand the lives and thoughts of the three athletes, at times I felt those dragged down the book and made it a tougher read.  That was more than made up, however, in the last half of the book, when the competition and description of the famous races are excellent.

There was one odd editing problem with the Nook edition.  Every time the word “often” was used, there was a period in front of the word.  It would .often drive me crazy, especially when the sentence began with “.Often.” 

Do I recommend?

Yes, for people who enjoy reading about sports history. This book covers not only the historical race well, but many running events of the 1950’s well.  A touch of historical context also should attract readers who may not be sports fans.

Book Format Read:

Ebook (Nook)

 

Author Media Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Neal-Bascomb/e/B001IU2RRA/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Buying links:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perfect-mile-neal-bascomb/1102805039?ean=9780547525068

http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfect-Mile-Athletes-ebook/dp/B003UD8KD8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1376768651&sr=1-1&keywords=the+perfect+mile

Review of "The Pitcher"

For the first time, I am reviewing a Young Adult (YA) book on this blog.  I still keep the same criteria for choosing a book: it has to be about sports, and the focus of the book is the game or a person whose main objective has to do with the game or sport.  I was given a copy of "The Pitcher" by William Hazelgrove in exchange for an honest review and this is the review.  It could be considered YA because the main character is trying out for his high school baseball team and told in his point of view.  I was blown away by this book - that is all I will say for now.  Read the review for more!

Title/Author:

“The Pitcher” by William Hazelgrove

Genre/topics: 

Baseball, fiction, Young Adult (YA), family, politics, race

Published:

July 1, 2013

Length:
252 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

Winning the World Series is the dream of every baseball player, no matter what level, position or ability.  So when you are a young man struggling with your pitching just before the high school team’s tryouts and you discover your neighbor was a pitcher who DID win a World Series, you want him to help you make the team, right? 

That is the premise of The Pitcher, a coming-of-age book about Ricky, a young man being raised by his mom Maria.  They are of Mexican heritage and that sometimes works against them in the mostly white Florida neighborhood where they reside. The single mom is very involved in her son’s baseball activities.  She dons catching gear and works with him on his pitching and even coaches his team for a short spell.  Despite all of Maria’s hard work, however, Ricky is still having trouble with his control and  knows that he has a famous neighbor.

Jack Langford, aka “The Pitcher” to Ricky, won three games in the 1978 World Series for the Baltimore Orioles (yes, I know, that isn’t who won that year) and is now living mostly in his garage, watching baseball and drinking a lot of beer.   Ricky doesn’t want to bother the man, but Maria pulls out all the stops to try to draw attention to the help him.   The Pitcher reluctantly agrees and that starts a journey for the three of them that includes friendship, tough talk, rough spots, romance between the two adults and of course, baseball wins and losses.  Just like the game, the paths the three characters take, both together and separately, lead in many different directions.  However, just like the game, the object is still to reach home. 

While the story grabs your attention and sucks you in so that you don’t want to escape, the characters that Mr. Hazelgrove introduces to the readers are so wonderfully crafted that one feels that these people have been in their neighborhood before.   Maria in particular, the feisty woman who won’t let a rough past, sickness and a seemingly impossible path tell her that he son can’t pitch well enough to make the team.   Ricky is the kid that we all know – seemingly shy and afraid to defend himself, but when the going gets tough, he shows what he can do.  Then there is Langford – a very complex character who seems to change from nice guy to scumbag and back to a decent chap all within the span of a few pages.  

The story is told from Ricky’s point of view and the language used by the youngster is authentic.  Not only in the style and slang that Ricky uses, but it is also authentic to illustrate his Mexican background.   Maria’s character also is an accurate portrayal of her heritage without falling into stereotypes.

Baseball fans will notice that there are both fictional and non-fictional baseball accounts.  The earlier reference to the 1978 World Series is an example of a fictional one.   There are accurate references to both Chicago teams for another example.   Ricky’s favorite big league star is pitcher Carlos Zambrano for the Cubs, there is a passage about the infamous fan interference play in the Cubs-Marlins 2003 National League Championship Series and White Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks is referenced as well for his fastball that topped 101 miles per hour.   This mix of fact and fiction is a nice touch – puts some historical context in the story, but keeps it as a true fictional account. 

There is one section that hard core baseball fans will appreciate.  Non-fans or even casual fans might be confused when Langford is teaching Ricky how to throw a changeup.  The mechanics of how to hold the ball, the proper grip with the knuckles and how to push off the mound with the legs are described in great detail.  It reads much like an instructional book on pitching.

The story is a good read for not only teenagers and their parents, but also for baseball fans and anyone who enjoys a good story of a young man who is coming of age.   I placed this in the young adult genre, but it isn’t the “typical” YA story with the only romantic references being played out between older adults.   All ages will enjoy this story.  A reader doesn’t have to be a baseball fan to be whisked away to the ball fields in Florida and follow Ricky’s path.

I wish to thank Mr. Hazelgrove for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Did I skim?

No – I made sure to devour every word of this story.

Did I feel connected to the characters?

Yes.  I especially related to Ricky’s anxiety when he took the mound during each game and the excitement as well as the nervousness that all players at that age feel when they are on the field.  Doesn’t matter the level of play or the type of field – all players feel this on the field.

Pace of the story:

Excellent – the baseball portions, the family issues and the final game all move along without slowing down, but at the correct pace so that it doesn’t seem rushed.

Positives:

There are so many.  The best one was covered in the review and that is the rich character development of Ricky, Maria and Langford.  It is a book that runs the gamut of emotions, which is something I like because that keeps me involved in the story.  Finally, no matter the topic – the politics of immigration, the medical conditions of characters, domestic issues and of course the baseball – the writing shows that Mr. Hazelgrove has done his research.

Negatives:

There aren’t many, whether it was for the story, characters, editing, flow, accuracy of baseball history. The closest that could be considered a negative is that the characters do use foul language.  These words are not spelled out in the book, but there is use of this, so for younger readers, discretion should be used before giving this book to them.  

Do I recommend?

Yes – for anyone, any age who simply enjoys a good book. 

Book Format Read:

ebook (PDF on Nook)

Author Media Links:
www.williamhazelgrove.com

 

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Pitcher-ebook/dp/B00DMOO3RM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1376532154&sr=1-1&keywords=the+pitcher

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pitcher-william-elliott-hazelgrove/1114150429?ean=9781938467592

Review of "I Never Had It Made"

Jackie Robinson's legacy will never be forgotten and this past spring, it was brought to life on the big screen to show a new generation what the man did for baseball and civil rights.   It was based on his autobiography, originally published just before his death in 1972 and it was re-published in electronic format to coincide with the release of the movie "42."  Here is a review on this book.

 

Title/Author:

“I Never Had It Made: An Autobiography of Jackie Robinson” by Jackie Robinson and Alfred Duckett

Tags:

Baseball, autobiography, Dodgers, Robinson, history, politics, race

Published:

March 19, 2013 (e-book version) Original publication - 1972

 

Length:

320 pages

Rating: 

4 1/2 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Jackie Robinson is one of the few athletes whose importance and popularity transcended sports.  “I Never Had It Made” is an excellent autobiography on his life, his outspoken views on the state of civil rights for black people during his life and oh, yes, a little bit about his baseball career with the Brooklyn Dodgers as well.   

Most people know of his accomplishments on the baseball field and what he had to endure during his early years with the Dodgers, even those who are not sports fans.  However, it might not be known to most readers that Robinson was also active in politics for the Republican Party.  Given the history of the relationship between civil rights leaders and the GOP, that might come as a surprise, but Robinson does a good job of explaining why he did so and what the eventual outcome would be.

Robinson pulls no punches in this book.  Whether it is about race relations in society, the military or baseball, or his relationships with first Branch Rickey and then Walter O’Malley, or the tender passages written about his wife Rachel and their three children, the reader will know without a doubt how Robinson feels about that topic.

 

By writing his true feelings and not sugar-coating it or making it more palatable for those who might not be comfortable with such frankness, I thought that every subject he wrote about was told in a much better way. The reader learns about the topic, gets Robinson’s perspective, and can then make up his or her own mind.

The baseball sections of the book are very good as well.  There isn’t much description of on-field action or statistical analysis, however.  This is written from a player’s point of view and the views expressed are just as much about the business and the social life on the field as well as hits and runs.   It was just enough to satiate the sports fan in me, but because this book is so much more than just a sports book, it should be read with the objective of learning about other topics as well.

This book certainly will teach the reader a lot about that era in American history and a lot about Jackie Robinson, the man.   “I Never Had It Made” is an excellent book that many readers should pick up and enjoy.

Did I skim?

No.

Did I learn something new?

Yes, a lot.   Because Robinson recounted so many of his experiences in great detail, I learned so much about his convictions on race relations and civil rights.   I did have a casual understanding of his off-field life and activities, but I did not realize how involved he was with the civil rights movement and politics.  

Pace of the book: 

Fairly slow, but in a good way.  For a reader like me who wanted to learn so much more about the man, it was helpful to read the book slowly.

Positives:

There were so many in this book that it would be hard to list them all.  However, I believe they can all be covered by just stating that was a very outspoken man and this book reflects that trait. 

Negatives:

While this isn’t a negative for me, some readers might not be comfortable reading about Robinson’s candor on the controversial issues of his day.  There were two notable problems in the editing of the e-book version.  One was that a period was inserted prior to each use of the word “other.”  The .other (intended to show that edit) was that when the World Series was discussed, the phrase was not capitalized as it is elsewhere.

Do I recommend? 

Yes.  Going well beyond sports and baseball, this book is a good source of information on issues concerning race relations and some events of the turbulent 1960’s.   Whether the reader likes baseball, politics, history or biographies, this book is an excellent read for anybody who enjoys these topics.  

Book Format Read:

EBook (Kindle)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Never-Had-Made-Autobiography-ebook/dp/B00BEFNX72/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1376256884&sr=1-1&keywords=i+never+had+it+made+an+autobiography+of+jackie+robinson

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-never-had-it-made-jackie-robinson/1101956049?ean=9780060555979

Review of "Bums No More!"

The 1955 baseball season was a magical one for the borough of Brooklyn as "da Bums" won their first and only World Series championship.   This book is a nice summary and story of that season. 

Title/Author:

“Bums No More: The Championship Season of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers” by Stewart Wolpin

Tags:

Baseball, championship, Dodgers, Brooklyn, Yankees, history

Published:

June 15, 2010

Length:

130 pages

Rating: 

3 1/2 of 5 stars (good)

Review:

The Brooklyn Dodgers won only one World Series before the move to Los Angeles in 1958 and this book is a good recap of that season. It reads much like any other season recap book with one exception. The stories shared here by fans, including some famous ones like Larry King, are a wonderful addition and they are interspersed throughout the book.

There is not a lot of depth to the recap of the season.   It reads much like a brief summary when describing the various ups and downs to the season, beginning with the 12 game winning streak and ending with first the despair entering the World Series and then the elation of winning it all.  The despair was illustrated through the reactions

I also liked the thought by Vin Scully about how the entire borough of Brooklyn was rabidly celebrating the Dodgers winning but in the author’s opinion, the Bronx did not match that for the Yankees for any of their championships, nor did Manhattan do the same for the Giants in the previous season of 1954. Overall a good read.

Did I skim?

No.  The book was long enough to capture the entire season, but short enough that it didn’t take too long to finish. 

Did I learn something new?

Yes.  I don’t usually look up or research older baseball records, so I didn’t know that the Dodgers started that season with a 12 game winning streak or that they broke out of the gate so fast.   Also, while I knew that the Dodgers were not drawing well because many of their fans were now heading east on Long Island, I didn’t realize just how severe a drop in attendance they were experiencing.  The low crowds described in some of the games seems hard to fathom for a championship team worshipped by the locals.

Pace of the book: 

Very good.  The stories of fans, both famous and not so famous, are interwoven with the season recap nicely.  There isn’t a long pause before getting back to the season when one of these stories was shared.

Positives:

What the book lacked in depth and new revelations was more than made up by the wonderful description of the love affair between Brooklyn and the Dodgers.  Each fan’s story and the write-up of the celebration after the championship illustrate this.

Negatives:

Fans who are either old enough to remember this special season or those who are well-versed in Dodgers history might be disappointed in the lack of depth in the description of the baseball happenings or the portrayal of the players.  While good for a casual fan or a reader who knows little about the Dodgers, hard core fans might be disappointed.

Do I recommend? 

Yes.  It is good for baseball historians, Dodger fans, or those who wish to learn a little more about the Brooklyn baseball era.

Book Format Read:

EBook (Kindle)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Bums-No-More-Championship-ebook/dp/B003V5X9Q8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1376002998

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bums-no-more-stewart-wolpin/1112964168?ean=2940032916505

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/18582

Review of "Sorcery at Caesar's"

The middleweight championship bout between Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvelous Marvin Hagler ended with one of the most controversial decisions in modern boxing history.   This book is one man's opinion of why it ended the way it did and how the winner stole this championship.

Title/Author:

“Sorcery at Caesar’s” by Steve Marantz

Tags:

Boxing, championship, middleweight, Leonard, Hagler, history

Published:

September 17, 2010

Length:

256 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Sugar Ray Leonard defied the odds when he came out of retirement to fight Marvelous Marvin Hagler for the middleweight championship.  It was a fight Hagler had been wanting for many years and it always seemed that something kept it from being a reality.  When it finally took place on April 6, 1987 it was the climax of the story of two fighters who had taken different paths to reach this point.  The result, a split decision in favor of Leonard, remains one of the most hotly disputed results in a championship bout today.

The author made it known from the very beginning that he felt Leonard sold himself to the judges of the fight, not that he actually won it on skill or by outfighting Hagler.   Indeed, at 3% into the ebook, the writer noted that “Leonard had sold himself to two judges, not literally, but as a salesman sells a product, a con man sells a lie or a magician sells an illusion.  More importantly, he had sold himself to Hagler...”

This last point is important, as Hagler had wanted to fight Leonard for the title for several years.   He felt that Leonard was more marketing machine than actual boxer and that was why Leonard was the champion much quicker than Hagler was.  Leonard was the more popular boxer as many more fans knew of him or had seen him in the Olympics and many televised bouts, whereas Hagler had to work his way up from the gyms of Massachusetts to the championship.

The troubles in both men’s lives are chronicled here, although the telling of Leonard’s drug use and his marital problems were told in a more critical manner than Hagler’s.   This is not to say that Hagler got a free pass or that nothing positive was said about Leonard.   Both men’s boxing talents and personal problems are covered well.   This topic, however, does show the author’s message of how he felt that Leonard, being the more popular and marketable fighter, was able to avoid the backlash that such publicity would bring.

There are two other details made that I felt showed this book was a good read and keeps the reader entertained.   One was an incident during the promotion of the fight.  The two fighters posed for a photo and “Leonard matter of factly took Hagler’s fist and pulled it to his chin.”  It was then noted by one of Leonard’s trainers that if “a guy would take your fists and put it up to his chin, you’d snatch it back.   Hagler never did.  And that gave Ray time to check out what his reach was. “ A way that Leonard stole the fight, if you will.

The second detail I really liked that the author used to illustrate his point of Leonard “stealing” the fight is this passage during the chapter about the sixth round, in which Hagler came out dominant but Leonard fought back.  The author then reported that “in the final three seconds, Leonard unleashed the cleanest and most theatrical combination of the round….The phrase ‘Leonard stole the fight’ could well refer to this round.”   That was an excellent manner to not only report on the action in the ring, but use it to make the case about Leonard’s manner of stealing the fight.

A book that any boxing fan would enjoy, “Sorcery at Casear’s” is one that I am glad I added to my boxing shelf. 

Did I skim?

No.  Whether it was the background of the fighters, the build-up to the fight, or the fight itself, I was mesmerized by the story. 

Did I learn something new?

Yes.   Because I have read other books with more details of Leonard’s rise to champion and subsequent retirements, I was more interested in learning about Hagler’s story and this book delivered on that count.   It also brought out new information about Leonard that I did not know, although most of that was his dark side.

Pace of the book: 

Excellent.  It never dragged and it stayed in chronological order.

Positives:

The research and background information of the two boxers was a good balance of enough to make the reader learn something new, but not too detailed that it would slow the pace of the book down.   I also felt the chapters on the fight itself were very good.   It felt a little anticlimactic after reading about the backgrounds of the fighters, but still enough to make the reader feel like he or she is ringside.

Negatives:

While the author made it clear what the book would be about and his view of the fight, it did tend to make reading the book a little more challenging to find a lot of positive information for Leonard.   This is not a criticism of the author because he did let the reader know his feelings, but I personally prefer books like this to be unbiased. 

One other disappointment for me was that there was not much detail about Hagler’s other legendary fight, his third round knockout of Thomas Hearns.   To many, including myself, that was one of the most exciting and vicious fights in boxing history.   I was hoping to read more about it in this book from the Hagler camp, but there were few details shared.

Do I recommend? 

Yes.  It is good for boxing fans, those who like to read about sports history and even those who are into conspiracy theories will enjoy this book.

Book Format Read:

EBook (Kindle)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043GX1S0/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sorcery-at-caesars-steve-marantz/1111491337?ean=9781592993369