Review of "Streetball Is Life"

It is well-known that participation in sports by young people will help them learn valuable lessons that they can use later on in life.  This book by Paul Volponi shows that the sport doesn't have to be played in organized leagues to do this as his time playing streetball was just as valuable.  Here is my review of "Streetball Is Life."

Title/Author:

“Streetball Is Life: Lessons Earned on the Asphalt" by Paul Volponi

Tags:

Basketball, amateur, memoir, young adult, society

Publish date:

September 9, 2020

Length:

204 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Readers of the young adult author Paul Volponi may know about his books and his awards but they may not be aware of his basketball prowess, especially on the concrete courts where streetball players have a culture all their own.  Volponi writes how some of his experience on those courts applied later in his life in this excellent book.

As a 17 year old, Paul was already making a name for himself in the streetball culture in Queens, New York.  Playing with mostly adults who were frequently taller or stronger than him, he writes about his games and his teammates with gusto.  These teammates  are rarely mentioned their real names, but instead by their court nicknames like Pirate, J-Train, Gene the Dream and Snake.  While the play on the court can get extremely physical without calling fouls, it is clear that Paul enjoys this culture and has built up a high level of respect for both his basketball ability and his demeanor.

At the end of several of the chapters, he describes how his experiences in streetball in areas such as communication, standing up to challenges, and respect can be applied to life away from the court.  He describes this first as how the characteristic was present in the park, and then how it is used in other life circumstances. These were very good, it's just a shame that more of them are not present.

The adventure of Paul's streetball is parallel in the book to two other experiences many young people have as well – having a crush on another young person and preparing for college.  For the former, Paul's date with a neighboring girl is capture in a way that will tug at your heart and his initial college experience, especially when he went to tryouts for the basketball team, is also great reading.

While this is a book clearly designed for young adult readers, as are the rest of his books, any reader who enjoys playing streetball or even living that life vicariously through books, as I have done when reading Rick Tealander's classic book "Heaven Is a Playground", this book is one to be enjoyed.

I wish to thank Rowman and Littlefield 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/Streetball-Life-Lessons-Earned-Asphalt/dp/1538139278/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "Dust Bowl Girls"

After a 10 day cruise in which I was able to spend a lot of time on the ship reading books, there will be many upcoming reviews.  The first book completed was about a team of young women from a small Oklahoma school who provided some much-needed inspiration during the Great Depression.  Here is my review of "Dust Bowl Girls"

Title/Author:

“Dust Bowl Girls: The Inspiring Story of the Team that Barnstormed Its Way to Basketball Glory” by Lydia Reeder

Tags:

Basketball, women’s sports, amateur ,history

Publish date:

January 24, 2017

Length:

304 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

During the Great Depression, many in the nation wanted anything that would give them hope and lift their spirts during that trying time. One of the more unlikely sources of that type of inspiration was a women’s basketball at the tiny school of Oklahoma Presbyterian College. The dreams of their coach, Sam Babb, and their story is captured in this well-written book by Lydia Reeder, the great niece of Coach Babb.

In the book, the reader will learn about the Cardinals’ star player Doll Harris and her teammates as they took their athletic gifts and despite the concerns from the Women's Division (led by the wife of President Herbert Hoover) about the health of female athletes, they practiced, won games and then won the 1932 AAU championship (there was no NCAA basketball tourney for men or women at that time). 

There are also passages that describe the Depression-era economy of the time, some history of the area and the college as well as the many references to the scorn of women participating in non-feminine sports.  At that time, it was acceptable for women to play sports that would not necessarily make them masculine, such as figure skating and tennis.  But basketball was certainly one game that was supposed to be for the men.

One should also keep in mind that at this time the women’s game was a six-on-six sport in which three players for each team were on offense and defense and cannot cross the center court line.  These sections that explain this attitude toward female athletes make this book one that anyone interested in women’s sports a must read.  It is also recommended for readers who want an inspiring story about a team of determined young women out to show what they can accomplish.

I wish to thank Algonquin Books 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/Dust-Bowl-Girls-Barnstormed-Basketball/dp/1616204664/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486504010&sr=1-1&keywords=dust+bowl+girls  

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dust-bowl-girls-lydia-reeder/1124454781?ean=9781616204662

Review of "Pitching For Sanity"

An author whom I follow on Goodreads sent me a request to review this story, which is not normally the kind of topic on which he writes.  Having enjoyed every other book I have read of his, which are mostly baseball-related, I immediately said yes.  While this one also has baseball, it is not the central theme, but one that I did enjoy and wanted to share here.  This is my review of "Pitching For Sanity."

Title/Author:

“Pitching For Sanity: A Nervous Man’s Journey” by Mike Reuther

Tags:

Baseball, amateur, fiction, illness,

Publish date:

January 4, 2017

Length:

107 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

It isn’t often that a book will combine the themes of baseball and a mental health condition but this short novel by Mike Reuther does just that.  While there isn’t a lot of baseball in the story, it does play a key role as pitching baseballs is how the main character, Bill Barrister, deals with his anxiety. The condition has affected Bill enough that it ended his marriage and has affected his ability to work or do many other simple things that most people do.

A former pitching phenom whose tryout with a major-league team was a disaster, Bill was a career Air Force man where a colleague’s suicide left him shattered. That is one of the many events that led to his anxiety and each one is addressed in the story with a complete picture – a trait that illustrates the fine writing done by Reuther throughout the book.

Bill ends up leaving his Pennsylvania hometown to go on a road trip to California with his friend Godfrey. There are many twists in this journey which leads them to Texas where Bill learns a lot about his friend, a woman from their hometown whose son saw Bill throwing the baseballs, and also himself and how he can cope with his anxiety in other methods. The ending of the story was a bit surprising to me, but it is open enough so that the reader can draw his or her own conclusions. That fits the rest of the book – detailed enough to illustrate the situation, but open enough for the reader to fill in the blanks. A good quick read for those who like stories of self-discovery.

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

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Pitching-Sanity-Nervous-Mans-Journey-ebook/dp/B01N0XTFQ5/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1485018899&sr=1-1&keywords=pitching+for+sanity

Review of "Ang Tak" - fictional golf novel

Nearly everyone knows about the Masters golf tournament that is held in April every year and is considered to be one of the most prestigious tourneys.  The beautiful setting, the tricky course and traditional rules that are still followed today make it one of the most watched golf telecasts. Players always want to add a green jacket to their collection - the symbol of winning the Masters.  

This novel by Helen Yeomans is a story of an amateur golfer from Nepal playing in the Masters. It is one of the best sports fiction stories I have ever read - and I have read quite a few good ones.  Here is my review of "Ang Tak' - translation: "Little Tiger" (and no, that has nothing to do with Tiger Woods). 

Title/Author:

“Ang Tak” by Helen Yeomans

Tags:

Golf, fiction, Masters, Nepal, amateur

Publish date:

March 1, 2012

Length:

352 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

Imagine being an amateur golfer living a dream by playing in one of the most prestigious tournaments in golf, the Masters in Augusta, Georgia.  Also imagine that you have a dark secret that no one else knows and this happened in your native country of Nepal. 

That is the brief background of Tony Pinasa, the protagonist in Helen Yeomans’ outstanding novel of golf, loss, sportsmanship and character all wrapped up in the setting of the Augusta National course.  While Tony is the main character the story follows, many parts are also told through the viewpoint of Tony’s caddie Kat, who also has to deal with a loss of her own.

The story is richly written with beautiful descriptions of the course and the interactions between Kat and Tony on many shots. For casual fans who may think the caddies are just there to carry the golfer’s bag, rake the bunkers and wipe off the clubs after each shot, Kat’s description of what she has to do between shots and also before and after each round will be a wake-up call.  The thinking that goes into each shot – what club to use, how the grass and greens are playing, the wind, how big a swing the golfer should take – they are all part of the dialogue between Tony and Kat and will keep a golf fan or player glued to the book.

The unique atmosphere and experience of the Masters is described, right down to the pimento cheese sandwiches that Kat gathers for herself and Tony during the rounds.  Amen Corner, Rae’s Creek, the approach to the eighteenth green – all are captured in a manner that television coverage alone doesn’t do.

Tony’s heritage is not forgotten and is a key element in the story as well.  There are flashbacks to his life in Nepal and there are scenes from the American Embassy where national officials are watching to see if the native son can pull off the feat of being the first amateur to win the prestigious tournament.  There is a secret from his days back home, however, and it explains some of Tony’s temper.  Even how this is revealed, during the press conference after the Saturday round, was a terrific twist in the story and another highlight that makes this novel one of the better sports fiction pieces that I have read.

Whether a reader wants to pick this up for the golf, for the characters or just for an inspiring story, this book will certainly fit that need.  It is one that any reader who enjoys fictional sports stories should read.

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

Book Format Read:

E-book (PDF)

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Ang-Tak-Helen-Yeomans/dp/0969321937/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447547918&sr=1-1&keywords=ang+tak

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ang-tak-helen-yeomans/1109408008?ean=9780969321934  

Review of A Devilsh Pastime

This book was a history lesson.  But unlike the history lessons back in school, this one was actually FUN to learn!   I wish to thank the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Title/Author:

“A Devilish Pastime: A History of Football in All Its Forms” by Graham Hughes

Genre:

 

Football (American), Football (Canadian), Football (Australian) Soccer, Rugby, Gaelic, History, Professional, College, Amateur.

Published:

April 24, 2012

Length:

441 pages

Rating:

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review

When a sports fan hears the word “football”, different images come to mind depending on where that person lives and which games he or she follows.   This book on the history of all types of “football” will have some appeal to these fans - no matter what type of “football” is meant.

Each type of football is covered in this book from its beginnings as a club sport, social gathering or a group of men who want to let off a little steam.   Whether it is soccer from the English school systems, American football at Ivy League schools, or any other piece of history that is associated with a game that relies on advancing field position and kicking, this book covers it.

Painstaking detail and research was undertaken for this book as nothing is left uncovered.   Fans of a particular type of game will find little-known gems about it, and will be left impressed with the wide range of topics covered.   Even if the reader is not a fan of a particular type of game, just some of the historical context will be worth the time it takes to read.

This book is best read with a mindset of wanting to learn history about these games.   If the reader is looking to learn about a new sport, this isn’t the book to do it.  This is explained further later in this review.   I picked up the book hoping to do just that for games like Gaelic football and was taken aback when I could not find any basic descriptions.   However, after realizing that this book would not contain that type of material, I went back and re-read those chapters with the mindset of reading a history book.   This made the book a more pleasant and interesting read.

If for no other reason, Mr. Hughes deserves kudos for the fantastic research on each type of football so that fans of each kind can learn something new about the history of their favorite game.

Did I skim?

No

Did I learn anything new?

Yes – too much to list here!   I was very intrigued by the concept of “masculine Christianity for the basis of acceptance of the games by the Church and also behind the justification of why some otherwise God-fearing men would participate in such brutal games.  This included soccer, rugby, Gaelic football, and American football.

If I had to specify one item that I learned that was very surprising it would be that some believe that American football began as a combination of soccer and rugby.   There are so little soccer elements in American football that it seems hard to believe that scholars believed this.

Pace of the book: 

Somewhat slow, as I re-read some passages because I was not familiar with either the English history described in the early chapters or some of the football games described such as Gaelic.  However, the pace did pick up for me when I read chapters on the games that were more familiar to me.

Positives:

Outstanding research makes this book a good read.   Every aspect of the games is covered, even in the sections that are shorter such as Canadian football.  Each game’s history, players, leagues, clubs, rule changes, social significance and outlook for the future.

Negatives:

This is not a book to become familiar with a sport that the reader does not have prior knowledge.  A reader will not learn the basics for soccer, rugby, or other types of football.  There are references to rules and some explanation of items such as player formations.   But for the basic “what is this game like” reference for a newcomer – it won’t be listed here.  

Do I recommend?

Yes, if you enjoy any type of football game, the section that describes its history will be a good read.  

 Book Format Read:

Ebook (Kindle)

Author Media Links:

http://football-history.weebly.com/

Buying links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007XJMG9O

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15845159-a-devilish-pastime