Title/Author:
“The Goaltenders’ Union” by Greg Oliver and Richard Kamchen
Tags:
Ice Hockey, Professional, biography
Publish date:
September 2014
Length:
320 pages
Rating:
4 of 5 stars (very good)
Review:
Hockey goaltenders are considered to be some of the most colorful athletes. There are plenty of stories about their quirks and superstitions as well as their ability to stop the puck. “The Goaltenders’ Union” gathers many of these stories into one compilation that covers goaltenders from the early 20th century before there was a National Hockey League to today’s elite goaltenders. If you want goalie stories, this is the book for you.
One thing I did like is that this book had passages on professional goalies who may or may not have had successful hockey careers. Sure, there were stories on the superstars who are well known such as Glenn Hall, Dominick Hassek and Martin Brodeur, but there were plenty of anecdotes about lesser known goalies as well such as Bill Ranford, Gilles Meloche, and John Henderson.
As entertaining and sometimes downright funny as these stories were (Norm Gratton skating almost nude was hilarious) there were times when reading the stories started to feel the same – literally. One example – Clint Malarchuk was considered to be a fitness freak in an era where off-season workouts, diet and avoiding smoking were not considered necessary. In the chapter on Malarchuk, there is a good line about this prevailing attitude – “…a time when ashtrays still sat in dressing room stalls.” Later in the book, the exact same line appears in a story about goalies as “goons” – they would fight, slash forwards with the stick and other such acts of aggression. Seeing that line again, while catchy, I felt wasn’t needed. Since this was an advance copy of the book, I would not be surprised if one of these uses ends up being cut.
Overall, I enjoyed the many stories about goalies all across the spectrum both in terms of eras played and career success. This book would be enjoyed by hockey fans of all ages.
I wish to thank NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Did I skim?
No
Pace of the book:
At times it seemed to drag, especially in some of the stories of the old time goaltenders. This wasn’t really because of the authors, but more because of the scarcity of information. Otherwise, it was read pretty quickly because of the brevity of the stories.
Do I recommend?
Yes.
Book Format Read:
E-book (Kindle)
Buying links:
None at this time. These will be included after publication.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Review of "The Closer"
Even though I cannot call myself a New York Yankees fan, one of my favorite players of all time was Mariano Rivera. I picked up his book soon after it was published and naturally I wanted to write a review on it. Here is my review of "The Closer."
The entire book is a great read for baseball fans, especially Yankee fans. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to read about not only one of the greatest players to ever play the game, but also one of the best human beings to play the game as well.
Title/Author:
“The
Closer” by Mariano Rivera and Wayne Coffey
Tags:
Baseball, Yankees, autobiography
Publish date:
May 6,
2014
Length:
271 pages
Rating:
5 of 5
stars (outstanding)
Review:
From
humble beginnings as the son of a fisherman in Panama to becoming, according to
most, the best relief pitcher in the history of baseball, Mariano Rivera tells
his story in “The Closer.” This book is
much like many other memoirs written by players with assistance from
professional writers in that the player looks back fondly at his playing days
and many of the teammates and other people who helped him become a star in his
chosen sport.
However,
what makes this autobiography stand out is that Rivera shows that his persona
as a member of the New York Yankees, humble and thankful for his talent, is who
he really is as a person. This is
brought out by his frequent references to two topics that are important parts
of his life. They are his faith in the
Lord and the devotion to his wife Clara. Rivera often refers to his faith as
his means of dealing with awful occurrences (9/11 and the loss of two family
members due to electrocution in a swimming pool), trying to come to grips with
understanding others (use of PED’s for example) or even just how he keeps his
work ethic and how he deals with low points of his career, such as the seventh
game of the 2001 World Series.
His
devotion to Clara is also evident throughout the book as well. He does consult and pray with her for many
personal issues. One touching part that
struck me was when he wanted to take a leave of absence from the Yankees on a
road trip to attend his son’s elementary school graduation. The manager, Joe Torre, didn’t want to
approve but knew that he couldn’t stop Rivera if that is what he wanted to
do. Rivera turned to Clara for
assistance in making the decision and thanked her for that and everything else
she did for him during their marriage.
By the way – Rivera stayed with the team for the road trip.
Rivera doesn’t
talk a lot about controversial topics such as PED’s but when he does express an
opinion in the book; he is open and honest and doesn’t care about the
reaction. The best example of this is
when he stated that he would like to have Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox
as the second baseman on his team. This
upset many Yankee fans – how dare a lifetime Yankee player say a RED SOX player
is the best? But Rivera just was honest
in his opinion on this topic as he was with any other one.
The book
follows his chronological path during his youth, his tryout with the Yankees in
Panama and his storied Yankee career. He
doesn’t get too detailed in recounting seasons and even skims or ignores
milestones he achieved. The game in
2011 in which he became the all time saves leader is worth two paragraphs. Yet, he moves the reader in which he
gracefully and humbly acknowledges all that he has done and praises teammates
and foes alike. Some of these passages
are heart-tugging. I admit that my eyes
moistened when he recalled being removed from the game in his last Yankee
Stadium appearance in 2013 by teammates Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter. He was sobbing in their arms on the mound and
his recollection in the book of that moment is one that the reader will know is
truly heartfelt and emotional.
The entire book is a great read for baseball fans, especially Yankee fans. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to read about not only one of the greatest players to ever play the game, but also one of the best human beings to play the game as well.
Did I skim?
No
Pace of the book:
Excellent. Because Rivera doesn’t break down every
detail of his childhood, his personal life or each season he pitched for the
Yankees, the reader will move through the book with amazing speed.
Do I recommend?
Yes. Whether the reader is a baseball fan, one who
likes to read biographies or memoirs or even just to read about someone who is
true to his faith, this book will be a fine choice.
Book Format Read:
E-book
(Nook)
Buying links:
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Review of "Man Versus Ball"
The author of this book wrote to me asking if I would review his book on his "unique, often funny sports exploits." I was certainly interested and I was glad I took him up on the offer as that was an accurate description of these stories, especially the "often funny." Here is my review of "Man Versus Ball."
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/man-versus-ball-jon-hart/1114150176?ean=9781612344140
Title/Author:
“Man
Versus Ball” by Jon Hart
Tags:
Memoir,
off-field, baseball, tennis, basketball, inline skating
Published:
May 31,
2014
Length:
184 pages
Rating:
4 ½ of 5
stars (excellent)
Review:
When one
thinks of a writer who participated in a sport in order to write about, many
will think of George Plimpton, who famously took the field and ice with the
Detroit Lions and Boston Bruins respectively in order to write about his
experiences. Jon Hart does that and so
much more in his very funny and sometimes poignant book “Man Versus Ball.”
The
reference to Plimpton is appropriate here because that is Hart’s nickname in
the first story in which he is a member of a semi-pro football team. While his playing time is sparse, his stories
about that season are rich with humor and personal interest stories. That is a good foundation for the rest of
the book, which has more stories of Hart’s time as a ballpark vendor, a mascot,
a ball boy at the US Open (which contained the best line in the book – “No,
Toto, this isn’t Court 18 anymore!”), and a participant in a game that was a
cross between in-line skating and basketball.
I read that chapter twice and I still don’t understand that game.
Having
been a vendor at major and minor league ballparks and arenas, Hart’s stories as
a vendor at both Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium struck a chord with me as I
could relate to practically every situation, every interaction with both fans
and coworkers and the quirks that make up the profession of the ballpark
vendor. I look back on those days
fondly, and Hart’s stories about those adventures brought back some great
memories.
If there
is a negative about the book, it was that I just couldn’t get into the inline
basketball league, but that too was a funny piece that those who are into
in-line skating would really enjoy. It didn’t diminish from the quality of this
book, which was excellent. It is a great
book for readers who enjoy sports stories off the field of play and for those
who enjoy humor or comedy.
I wish to
thank Mr. Hart for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest
review.
Did I skim?
No.
Pace of the book:
It read
quickly as the stories were not only entertaining, they were broken up into
shorter segments that made the pace of the book much quicker.
Do I recommend?
This
is recommended for not only sports fans, but anyone who likes to read humorous
stories or memoirs.
Book Format Read:
Hardcover
Buying Links:
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Review of "Blocking Paris"
Realizing I have not reviewed a book on my favorite sport to play, golf, I picked up this fictional golf story when it became available on NetGalley. Here is my review of "Blocking Paris."
Despite the last scene, this was a book that I enjoyed reading and would recommend it to readers who love golf. Readers who also like some romance, drama and humor with the sports will also like this book.
Title/Author:
“Blocking
Paris” by Bill Thesken
Genre/topics:
Golf,
fiction, romance, drama, humor
Published:
May 1,
2014
Length:
246 pages
Rating:
3 of 5
stars (good)
Review:
A group of
four men gather every day for a round of match play golf. The stakes are low but the camaraderie is
great and the guys have a good time.
Then one day, one of them announces that he is going to propose to his
girlfriend in Paris and the others are worried about the end of the golf
outings. They, along with three
girlfriends of the fiancée, then scheme to figure a way to stop the trip to
Paris from happening.
This story
has many elements that will keep the reader engrossed – there is some romance,
of course. An interesting link is that
the three girlfriends each dated one of the other three men in the golf
foursome, although all of them are now single.
There is drama in the story, especially as the reader will wonder if
this rag-tag group can stop Archie from getting on that plane to Paris? There is humor as many funny passages can be
found throughout the book.
Also, of
course, there are many passages about golf.
I do like how Thesken makes each of these men “regular” golfers, meaning
they are regular hackers like most people who play on municipal course like
theirs. Of course, since the story is
set in Hawaii, there is some beautiful scenery, but it doesn’t take away from
the realistic golf scenes. However,
there is always a lucky break or two in each match. Scenes like balls that are heading out of
bounds always seem to hit a tree or rock and bounce back to the fairway happen
regularly in this book. I wish that
would happen more regularly to me on the course!
The story
moves along quite well with good interaction and character development of the
other characters. It leads to a very
hectic final scene at the airport when they are trying to stop Archie and his
soon-to-be fiancée from boarding the plane to Paris. This final scene, while at
times hilarious, was a bit over the top for me in trying to resolve the story. Without giving anything away, I just felt
that this ending took too much attention and energy away from the real story of
keeping the golf buddies together.
Despite the last scene, this was a book that I enjoyed reading and would recommend it to readers who love golf. Readers who also like some romance, drama and humor with the sports will also like this book.
I wish to
thank NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest
review.
Did I skim?
No
Did I feel connected to the
characters?
Yes,
especially Archie. While reading this book, even though he was clearly the
foursome’s member with the most money and apparently didn’t need to work for a
living like the other three, his moods, golf game and happiness because he was
in love made him a very likable characters.
The others, both the men and women, were realistic as well, but I liked
Archie the best.
Pace of the story:
It was
very good up to the last scene at the airport.
At that point, it seemed like the story would not come to a
conclusion. Of course, it eventually did
and with something of a twist as well.
Do I recommend?
Yes. It is an entertaining story and golf fans
will enjoy the long passages when the buddies are playing their matches.
ebook
(Kindle)
Buying Links:
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Interview with John Rust
I had the pleasure to ask author John Rust a few questions about his book "The Best Phillies Team Ever." Here is the question and answer session:
What made you decide to create an all-time Phillies team, aside from your love for the team?
I think this is the debate fans of all teams have. Who would make the all-time team? With the Phillies, you’re talking about one of the oldest franchises in baseball. There is so much history to explore with this team. There are so many great players who wore a Phillies uniform since the 1880s, I felt it would be a fun challenge to sort through all that history and see, out of the thousands of players in Phillies history, which 25 make the all-time team.
How difficult was the research for players like Ed Delahanty?
Not very. Many of the old time Phillies on this team were inducted into the Hall of Fame, so their histories were not that difficult to find. The stats were the easy part. You can get those on Baseball-Reference.com. Some other aspects of their lives you can find in old newspaper articles. Working as a sports and news reporter for over 20 years, one of the things I found interesting with using parts of newspaper articles about
Delehanty and others from that era was the style of news writing back then. They used some rather flowery prose in those days. So different from radio news where our writing can be short and to the point.
Your simulated games were very interesting. However, as a reader, I was hoping for some more matchups instead of just one World Series. Would you consider pitting your team against championship teams that broke the hearts of Phillies fans, such as this team against the 2009 Yankees or the 1977 Dodgers?
Those would be some interesting matchups, and you can throw in the 1993 Blue Jays if you really want to talk about heartbreak. Many of my simulated games involved all-star teams of the past, mainly because I thought the best challenge for the Best Phillies Team Ever would be taking on teams consisting of the top players of that year, whether it’s 1971 or the very first AL all-star team of 1933. I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to taking this all-time Phillies Team and pitting them against those teams you mentioned.
Are you working on any other books or writing projects?
I have a sci-fi thriller about a sea monster attacking the Jersey Shore that I plan on publishing very soon. I also have another baseball book in the works along the same line as my Phillies book. This one will list Arizona’s all-time baseball team, featuring the best players born and/or raised in the Grand Canyon State.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Review of "Long Shot"
As a baseball fan who was a big fan of Mike Piazza while he was playing and also a fan of the New York Mets (they are #2 behind the Twins, of course) I was very interested in what he had to say in this book. It made for some great reading and some head-shaking comments but it certainly is one that readers should add to the list of baseball books to read. Here is my review of "Long Shot."
Title/Author:
“Long Shot”
by Mike Piazza with Lonnie Wheeler
Tags:
Baseball, autobiography,
Dodgers, Mets
Published:
February
12, 2013
Length:
386 pages
Rating:
4 of 5
stars (very good)
Review:
Baseball
fans have heard the story: 62nd round draft pick, who was chosen by
a well-known major league manager as a favor to the player’s father. Worked his
way up to the big leagues where he became one of the best hitting catchers in
the game. Mike Piazza shares his thoughts on these topics and a lot more in
this memoir of his life and career that was fun to read, and at the same time
it evoked a lot of reaction for his comments and viewpoints on many issues and
people that affected him personally.
The first
impression I had when reading this book, no matter at what point in his life or
career he was describing, was that he was being himself and honest. It didn’t seem to matter to him if someone
would be upset or offended by his comments; he wrote what he felt about the
topic. This was especially telling when
he talked about his bitter contract negotiations and subsequent trade from the
team that drafted him, the Los Angeles Dodgers. He blamed many others for the
situation, including broadcaster Vin Scully, a beloved icon in Los Angeles. He
blamed the Dodgers’ ownership, fans, and anyone else that he could except
himself. He had the on-field statistics
to back him up for his position in the negotiations, but even to this day, it
doesn’t seem that he fully understood why some people would not look upon this
situation favorably.
While this
was the most notable example of Piazza being critical about others, it wasn’t
the only one. When he ended up in New
York playing for the Mets he was critical of many of their moves as well. Whether the reader believes the criticism is
justified or not, Piazza’s style of writing and the items he chooses to discuss
can rub many readers the wrong way. However, it is also obvious that he is
being honest with his opinion and because of that I thought the book was one to
enjoy, even if the reader disagrees or will react with anger to some of the
comments.
The tone
he sets also comes across as defensive, especially when addressing topics such
as performance enhancing drugs, the feud between himself and Roger Clemens and
the aforementioned departure from Los Angeles.
Whether he was explaining why he was taking “andro” (a legal substance at
the time and the one that was famously found in Mark McGuire’s locker in 1998),
telling why he would not react differently to Clemens beaning him and then
throwing a broken bat piece at him in the World Series, or even when trying to
explain the rumors in New York that he was a homosexual, he comes across as
overly defensive. He is honest, he doesn’t
pull punches, but it felt like he was trying too hard to win over the reader’s
mind. That wasn’t necessary in my opinion. The honesty was refreshing – that was all
that was needed.
Some of
his stories can be quite touching. One in which I thought was really good was also
my favorite one in the book and that was when Ted Williams came to his house
and watched Piazza takes some cuts in the backyard. Williams, who always had a keen eye for
hitting, felt that Piazza would be a great hitter someday. That prediction did
turn out to be true.
So given
all this, I still felt the book was an enjoyable read even if by the end of it,
the aura he left in my mind of his career was a little tarnished because of his
attitudes. That doesn’t take away his on-field accomplishments, nor does it
take away from my opinion of the book, which certainly is one to read if you
are interested in learning more about him.
It was an enjoyable and entertaining read, and one that will surely
leaving you wanting to talk about it with anyone else who read it or follows
baseball.
Did I skim?
No.
Pace of the book:
It reads
fairly quickly as Piazza takes the reader throughout all the important events
and stories of his life and career, from childhood to the end of his playing
career. There isn’t a lot after that except for his opinion on a few baseball
topics in the epilogue.
Do I recommend?
Fans of
Piazza and the Mets will enjoy this book.
Dodger fans may not take kindly to some of his remarks, however. If the reader was not a fan of Piazza or
looks poorly upon any player who is controversial, this is not a book for him
or her. Otherwise, I do recommend it to all baseball fans, regardless of team
loyalty.
Book Format Read:
Hardcover
Buying Links:
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