Review of "Foot Faults"

From the time that I started this blog over three years ago, I am always looking for fresh ideas, books on different types of sport and not-so-ordinary books. This book fits as a fresh idea as when one thinks of a collection of poems, tennis would most likely NOT be the first idea as a topic that would come to mind. When the author sent me this book, at first I was skeptical, but after a view of his site I decided to give it a try.  I am glad I did - it was certainly a fresh idea.  Here is my review of this collection of tennis poems, "Foot Faults."

Title/Author:

“Foot Faults: Tennis Poems” by Roger Sedarat

Tags:

Tennis, Poetry

Publish date:

August 13, 2016

Length:

108 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

It isn’t often one will find a book on poems for a sport, but this collection of tennis poems is very good. On the first page, as an introduction, there is a quote by Andre Agassi in which he states that “It’s no accident, I think, that tennis uses the language of life.”  That is an appropriate introduction to this collection as the poems speak to all aspects of the game that a player can experience. It also tells a fan’s viewpoint in some as well, such as a poem about each of the Grand Slam tournaments.

Nearly everything one can think about in tennis is covered.  Great shots, court time, lessons (my favorite poem in the collection dealt with a lesson to improve the poet’s backhand) are just a few of the topics covered.  The poems are written free verse with rhyming in some of them. As I usually do when reading free verse poems, I read them as very short stories, which really is what they were trying to tell. 

The last section of the collection has poems of many tennis greats, covering all eras from Don Budge to Novak Djokovic. These poems are just a few lines long with each one starting with the letter of the last name of the player. I enjoyed them as well, as each poem had at least one line that was certainly unique to the player being honored.

Covering a very different topic for poetry, this collection is a quick read for tennis fans, who will certainly be able to relate to many of the stories told.  Poetry readers should also enjoy the variety of ways that free verse poems can cover this single topic. It was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

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

Book Format Read:

Paperback

Buying links:

https://tennisbetweenthelines.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Foot-Faults-Tennis-Roger-Sedarat/dp/1625492006/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474849794&sr=1-1&keywords=foot+faults

Review of "The Boys of Dunbar"

It seems like recently the best books available for review have been about high school sports. I am not picky about what level of the game the book is about - as long as the BOOK is good. This one fits that requirement as it was an uplifting book about a legendary high school basketball team.

Title/Author:

“The Boys of Dunbar” by Alejandro Danois

Tags:

Basketball, high school, crime

Publish date:

September 13, 2016

Length:

280 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

It is often said that sports teams can provide hope to those who are talented enough to play. Usually this refers to a high school football team, but in the winter of 1981-82, the Dunbar Poets in Baltimore’s roughest section put together an amazing team and amazing season that not only united the team but also showcased the talent of their coach Bob Wade. 

How this coach and his players made this team one of the greatest in the history of high school basketball is captured in this well researched book by Alejandro Danois.  The book explores the lives and tribulations of not only Coach Wade, but also has significant passages on the four Dunbar players whose careers took them all the way to the NBA: Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues, David Wingate, Reggie Williams and Reggie Lewis. The reader will get to know these players almost like they are long-lost friends. Coach Wade is portrayed as a tough-as-nails father and coach who values his players’ accomplishments in the classroom as well as on the court. The reader will have the same feelings for the coach as he or she does for the players by the end of the book.

The story is made more special because of the situation in Baltimore at the time this team won the hearts of the city.  Crime was rampant as the crack epidemic took hold of Baltimore and other cities. There wasn’t much hope for escaping that life, but through hard work, smarts and tough love from an excellent basketball coach, that happened to many of the young men on that Poets team – and not just the NBA stars. An uplifting book that even non-basketball fans will enjoy.

I wish to thank Simon and Schuster for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Dunbar-Story-Love-Basketball/dp/1451666977/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474593850&sr=1-1&keywords=boys+of+dunbar

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-boys-of-dunbar-alejandro-danois/1123459160?ean=9781451666977

Review of "The Best Game Ever"

I always like to find books on certain seasons or games that are historic to a sport, and the World Series game between Pittsburgh and New York on October 13, 1960 certainly qualifies.  When I visited a friend last month to take in a couple of minor league baseball games, he let me borrow a book about this game. It was a typical book on this subject and a quick read.  Here is my review of "The Best Game Ever." 

Title/Author:

“The Best Game Ever: Pirates Vs. Yankees October 13, 1960” by Jim Reisler

Tags:

Baseball, professional, history, Pirates, Yankees

Publish date:

August 28, 2007

Length:

280 pages

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review:

The 1960 World Series was one of the most lopsided Fall Classics that went 7 games.  One team outscored the other 55-27, outhit the other 91-60 and outhomered the other 10-4. Yet the team that was dominant in these statistics, the New York Yankees, LOST that World Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a dramatic game seven won by the Pirates 10-9 on a home run by Bill Mazeroski.

That game is the subject of this quick read by Jim Reisler who was living in Pittsburgh at the time (although he was only two years old) and wrote about this game with the type of knowledge that only a native or long-time resident of a city could have, especially in the sections about Forbes Field, where the historic game was played, or the city itself.  These were some of the tangents that book went on when not describing the on-field action of the game. Typical for a book on this type of subject, these nuggets were entertaining and educational for readers who were not familiar with the Pirates or their home part at the time.

Writing about the game itself was the same, as some of the details on important moments were well researched and described, such as the ball that hit Yankee shortstop Tony Kubek in the throat and Hal Smith’s home run in the eighth inning that many believed at the time would be the winning blast for the Pirates.

Reisler expresses his opinion often throughout the book as well.  He doesn’t do so in long soliloquies, but instead with brief remarks in the paragraph. He makes several comparisons to the way baseball was played, covered by the writers and the money involved today. Granted, the cover gives away how he feels about this game, but at times I felt he was a little over the top about his opinion about how much better this particular game was than other thrilling World Series games.

Nonetheless, this book is certainly one to read if the reader is a Pirates fan or if he or she wants to learn more about the team and the sport at that time.  It is a quick read as I finished it on a train trip to and from a baseball game, so the reader won’t have to wait long to learn more about one of the most thrilling finishes to the World Series.  Three-and-a-half-star rating, rounded up to four for Goodreads and Amazon.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Game-Ever-Pirates-Yankees/dp/0786719435/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474245896&sr=1-2&keywords=The+Best+Game+Ever+pirates

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-best-game-ever-jim-reisler/1111985259?ean=9780306817557

Review of "Lasting Impact"

Having read and enjoyed books by Kostya Kennedy on Pete Rose and Joe DiMaggio, I was looking forward to reading this one about a New York high school football team. Like the two baseball books, Kennedy wrote an outstanding book on football as well.  Here is my review of "Lasting Impact."

Title/Author:

“Lasting Impact: One Team, One Season. What Happens When Our Sons Play Football” by Kostya Kennedy

Tags:

Football (American), high school

Publish date:

September 6, 2016

Length:

272 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

The sport of football has been under the microscope for several months due to issues on many fronts: domestic violence incidents involving professional players, the overall culture of the game and the safety of the players’ long-term health due to the concerns about the number of concussions suffered.  All of those topics and more are explored in this excellent book on a high school football team by Kostya Kennedy.

The book takes the reader through the 2014 football season of New Rochelle High School, a New York City suburban school district. The area is a melting pot of all levels of affluence, of various races and various family dynamics.  The football program, led by coach Lou DiRienzo, is one of the more successful teams for many years.  The players are proud to be wearing the Huguenots jersey and many come back to visit.

One of these former players, Ray Rice, came back to visit during that 2014 season when he was the flashpoint of the issue of domestic violence in professional football. This section of the book was a good example of the main characteristic of this book that I thought made it an excellent read: it was fair, free of inflammatory talking points and explained the issue in a thorough manner.

Concerns about player safety and concussions are also explored from the point of view of coaches, players and parents. The culture of the game will make players not want to suggest that anything is wrong with them physically. There is concussion treatment protocol that all teams must follow, but it relies on player self-reporting, Because of this, according to a quote in the book, “There may be as many concussions that go unrecognized as go recognized on the football field.”  But as to WHY this is the case – the culture of the game – is explained quite well through the book.

Kennedy does address the question most often posed to parents – would he let his son play football?  By following the season of a successful high school football team, he explains his position in a manner that will make any person think about his or her perspective of the sport.  This is done not only in the last chapter when he addresses the question directly, but in each previous chapter when Kennedy captures the spirit, the drive and the passion these young men have for the game of football and the school.  No matter the level of interest one has in the sport, this is a fascinating book on the game and the young men who play it. 

I wish to thank Sports Illustrated for providing a copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Lasting-Impact-Season-Happens-Football/dp/1618931571/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473759310&sr=1-3&keywords=Lasting+Impact

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lasting-impact-kostya-kennedy/1123255928?ean=9781618931573

Review of "Playing Through the Whistle"

There are two reasons that when I saw this book was available for review, I wanted to pick up a copy.  One is that the town of Alliquippa has produced many NFL players and even has other celebrities that call it home, such as Henry Mancini.  The other reason I wanted to review it is that I enjoy reading S.L.Price in Sports Illustrated, so getting the chance to review a book of his was something I wanted to do. In neither case did the book disappoint. Here is my review of "Playing Through the Whistle."

Title/Author:

“Playing Through the Whistle: Steel, Football and an American Town” by S.L. Price

Tags:

Football (American), high school, race, industry, society

Publish date:

October 4, 2016

Length:

400 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

The western Pennsylvania town of Aliquippa is noted for two things: the rise and fall of the Jones and Loughlin (J & L) steel company and the success of the high school football team that has produced several NFL players, two of the most notable being Mike Ditka and Derrelle Revis. The story of the town and how the people in the town became a melting pot of culture, race and social status is captured in this outstanding book by S.L. Price.

The award winning Sports Illustrated author writes about more than the football team. In fact, the book illustrates the struggles of the town’s residents as some wanted to escape the hard gritty life of the steel mill.  While J & L provided a living for most of the families in Aliquippa, the town also was a reflection of the conflicts occurring in the country. For example, racial tensions ran high in Aliquippa during the height of the civil rights protests and it affected the high school as well as the adults.

There isn’t a lot of football talk in the book – at least not the X’s and O’s of the game. The stories of many players and coaches, both black and white, are told through interviews and how the experience of Alliquippa football shaped the man. The football team was not a winner every year that is written, a reflection of the ups and downs of the mood of the town.

This book is better classified as a history book, as it describes the successes and failures of the town through the steel industry and the high school football team. It is a gripping story, one that is not always easy to read, and will not end on a happy note.  Instead, it is one of the most realistic books a reader will find on the lives of the residents of one of the most resilient towns in the nation.

I wish to thank Grove Atlantic for providing a copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Through-Whistle-Football-American/dp/0802125646/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473556271&sr=1-1

Review of "Eighth Wonder of the World"

In order to have two reviews posted in one day, that means one of those books has to be pretty good to have me read it so quickly.  This book certainly qualifies as one, as I finished it today on my train rides to and from the ballpark today.  It was a page turner about the Houston Astrodome that covered anything you can think of about the iconic stadium. Here is my review of "Eighth Wonder of the World."

Title/Author:

“The Eighth Wonder of the World: The Life of Houston’s Iconic Astrodome” by Robert C. Trumpbour and Kenneth Womack

Tags:

Baseball, Football (American), Oilers, Astros, history, stadium, politics

Publish date:

September 1, 2016

Length:

272 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

When the Houston Astrodome opened for its first baseball game in April 1965, it was so unlike any other sports stadium that was in use at the time.  How the iconic structure came into being and what it meant to the city of Houston and to sports stadiums is captured in this outstanding book by Robert Trumpbour and Kenneth Womack.

While the Astrodome was the home field for both baseball’s Houston Astros and football’s Houston Oilers, the book’s sports passages concentrate on baseball and the quirks it presented as a ballpark. The early flaws that are well-known such as the glare from the original roof and the death of the natural grass inside the dome are covered well in the book and how quickly the problems were addressed.

However, the best writing in the book is saved for the political maneuvering (both in government and in baseball) to get the Astrodome built. Trumpbour and Womack describe all the deals and pleading that Roy Hofheinz and others had to work in order to gain approval. The baseball politics to make sure that Houston would get a team to be a tenant in the Dome was just as intriguing as that was not a sure bet either.

No matter the topic covered, every aspect of the stadium’s history was chronicled and written in a such a manner that will make the reader want to learn more. Even topics such as the architecture of the stadium and the push for destruction of the currently empty mausoleum made for interesting reading.

Throughout the book, the two authors emphasize how the Astrodome not only made Houston a “big league” city, but they also noted that many of the innovations in the fans’ experience at a stadium, such as in-house restaurants, padded seating and a video scoreboard, are here today because of Hofheniz’s vision. The authors also made the same observation for items such as private boxes. Other teams and stadiums copied this because after all, as the authors stated, “luxury was not a patentable commodity.”

Any reader who wants to learn more about this state-of-the-art (for its time) stadium and its history and the current push to decide its fate should read this book. It covers the entire history of the “Eighth Wonder of the World” in one terrific book.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying links:

http://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/product/Eighth-Wonder-of-the-World,677225.aspx

https://www.amazon.com/Eighth-Wonder-World-Houstons-Astrodome/dp/0803255454/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473123397&sr=1-1&keywords=eighth+wonder+of+the+world

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eighth-wonder-of-the-world-robert-c-trumpbour/1123666070?ean=9780803255456

Review of "Bronx Bummers"

Happy Labor Day to all of those who are celebrating.  Since this is an American holiday, what better way to celebrate the day by going to a baseball game?  I will be doing that today, and since my trip will be to Yankee Stadium, I figured I would read a book on the Yankees to set the mood.  Here is my review of "Bronx Bummers."

Title/Author:

“Bronx Bummers: The Unofficial History of the New York Yankees’ Bad Boys, Blunders and Brawls” by Robert Dominguez and David Hinckley

Tags:

Baseball, professional, history, Yankees, humor, short stories

Publish date:

April 10, 2016

Length:

210 pages

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

The New York Yankees are one of the most recognized sports franchises in the world, with 27 championships and over 100 years of history. While most of that history is positive, there are some other stories of not-so-good moments and players for the team as well.  Fifty of those not-so-great ones are the subject of this quick read authored by two veteran writers from the New York Daily News, Robert Dominguez and David Hinckley.

The stories run the gamut from players who were caught doing illegal actions, clubhouse fights between Yankee teammates and acquisitions that didn’t work out so well for the Yankees. Each story is fairly short and told in a manner that the reader will shake his or her head in amazement as how someone can do something so stupid or think “How did that happen?”

The book is a fast read as the writing style is one of easy reading and even some New York City attitude thrown in.  At times, that feels a bit forced, but realizing that the writers are from that area, it only makes sense. Also, for those readers who may not like the subject team and are hoping for a book that bashes the Yankees, that isn’t the case.  While many stories are here to highlight some stories that many wish were forgotten, the tone toward the team is that they are still a high-class organization – these are a just some bumps along the road.

If a reader wants to learn more about a subject of one of the stories, such as Babe Ruth (yes, he had a few not-so-good moments as well), then he or she should search elsewhere. But readers who just want to enjoy a quick, humorous read will find this one worth the short time to read. 

I wish to thank Riverdale Avenue Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

Paperback

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Bronx-Bummers-Unofficial-Yankees%E2%80%99-Blunders/dp/162601275X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473077906&sr=1-1&keywords=bronx+bummers

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bronx-bummers-an-unofficial-history-of-the-new-york-yankees-bad-boys-blunders-and-brawls-robert-dominguez/1123627194?ean=9781626012752