Review of "Black Noon"

This is one of the very few books I have purchased since launching this book review site, mainly because it was published just after I started writing and it was not available in digital format at any library.  No problem - while it's been awhile since I bought the book, it is still a great book for racing fans. 

Title/Author: “Black Noon: The Year They Stopped the Indy 500” by Art Garner

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  The 1964 Indianapolis 500 was not remembered because one of the most popular and successful drivers of this race, A. J. Foyt was the winner.  It was not remembered because Foyt won driving a roadster, a car that was becoming less popular in favor of rear-engine models such as Lotus.  No, it is remembered because of the tragedy that took place on the second lap in which two drivers, Dave MacDonald and Eddie Sachs, were killed in a fiery crash that is still being discussed today more than 60 years after it happened.

Author Art Garner, a well-respected motorsports writer, does a great job of covering everything from the cars to the drivers (not just MacDonald and Sachs) to the owners and tire company CEOs to break down not only what happened on that fateful Memorial Day race, but also complete research and writing about so many factors taking place before the race.

There are three main sections to the book.  The first one focused on many personalities involved in racing at that time.  Of course, Sachs and MacDonald have extensive write ups of their lives and racing careers, but there is other great information on the personalities mentioned above.  Mickey Thompson, who was the owner of rear engine style cars and who hired MacDonald as a driver, is one example of a person whose story is well covered and well written by Garner. His coverage of the competition for use of tires between Firestone and Goodyear is also worthy of mention here.

The second section of the book focused on the month of May 1964 before the race takes place.  The inside look at Gasoline Alley is fascinating. Garner’s writing about events such as the first day of qualifying in which the pole sitter will be determined, the test rookie drivers must pass before being allowed to attempt to qualify and Moving Day, in which the drivers who are in the lower places may get bumped by faster cars on that last day of qualifying, was outstanding.  As one who is a casual fan of the Indy Car series, this information on what takes place in Indianapolis in May was quite fascinating.

The third section is about the race itself and its aftermath.  It is surprising that the writing about the actual accident and fires that killed the two drivers is more matter-of-fact than emotional and that is very good.  Garner saves the emotional aspects for later and he again writes about nearly everyone who would comment.  Of course, the two widows were covered, but the reactions of other drivers, crew members and others at the track was what truly made the tragedy of this event even more poignant.  Even Foyt, when accepting his congratulations in Victory Lane, is subdued when he finds out the news about Sachs and MacDonald.

Art Garner is one of the best motorsports authors I have read, and even though this book has been out for 11 years, it’s still a great read for motorsports fans about one of the most tragic days in racing.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GET19G0/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20

Review of "The Summit"

Sticking with the mountain climbing theme, this is the second book that I have read or listened to about this deadly day on K2.  This time there are many observations from a Sherpa who was on the mountain on that day.  Here is my review of "The Summit"

Title/Author: “The Summit: How Triumph Turned to Tragedy on K2’s Deadliest Days” by Pat Fahey with Pemba Gyalje Sherpa, narrated by Pat Fahey

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  August 1, 2008 is believed to be the deadliest single day on the mountain K2, which is sometimes called the “savage mountain.”  It is considered the most dangerous mountain for climbers, even more so than Mt. Everest.  As noted in this book, 1 in 4 climbers eventually die in their expedition to reach the summit of K2 compared to 1 in 11 climbers on Everest.  This book tells about the tragedy of that day from interviews and also the stories of one of the Sherpas on the mountain that day, Pemba Gyalje Sherpa.

This is the second book I have read on this tragedy – the other one was an account from a survivor of the American team attempting to summit K2.  At that time, there were several nations with teams attempting to climb the second highest mountain in the world.  In addition to the Americans, there was a Norwegian husband and wife part of a larger team from that country, as well as teams from the United Kingdom, Serbia and South Korea.

This many climbers led to many issues that the climbers and Sherpas had to address, the biggest of which was that in the short window of good weather to get to the summit, there was a logjam in the bottleneck on the safest path to the top.  While there was a very good account of the attempt so set the fixed ropes in the proper place, that did not go as planned and was just one of the many issues that resulted in the deaths of the 11 people.

Why I chose this particular part of the book for illustration purposes is that I felt it was the best example of the full picture the listener will get while listening to the book (or reading it if that is your preference). While it does take a little bit into the book to fully understand Falvey’s narration, once that is done, the accident and what led to it will be described in full with excellent observations by Pemba.  It is a little more technical than the other book I read on this disaster, but nonetheless it is still an excellent account of the deadliest day on the savage mountain.

Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Summit-Audiobook/B00KIZRULE?ref_pageloadid=0ZSIURFmuc6sdO3r&pf_rd_p=80765e81-b10a-4f33-b1d3-ffb87793d047&pf_rd_r=BZSB53VC827AKWF613TM&plink=qIG2Fd3evjWH51gj&pageLoadId=DluDQYLaZv20lRTD&creativeId=4ee810cf-ac8e-4eeb-8b79-40e176d0a225&ref=a_library_t_c5_libItem_B00KIZRULE_5

 

Review of the series “Neverest”

This review will be a little different than others because this is about a series of books, not just one. After finding the book “Neverest” by Nick van der Leek, I of course picked up on Kindle Unlimited as I never pass up the chance at books on climbing Himalayan peaks. What I didn’t expect was to find that it was book 1 of a 4 book series on the famous 1996 expedition on Mt. Everest that killed 8 and was made famous by a best selling book (“Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakhauer) and a documentary film, “Everest.”

For the series and for each book, I gave them all 4 star ratings out of 5. Each book took a different look at the circumstances surrounding the disaster and who might have been responsible. Of course, there really would not be one single person who would be the culprit for eight deaths. That, to me, is the strength of this series - van der Leek sees and writes about how many individuals, the weather, and the two groups climbing (Mountain Madness and Adventure Consultants) all had a hand in the tragedy.

I felt book 1, on the Mountain Madness team, led by Scott Fisher (one of the eight victims) was the best one. In this one, van der Leek views Everest as a crime scene and lists “persons of interest “ much like a crime investigation. These subjects include Fisher and Krakhauer. Because it had an open ending, this shows that this is a series. 

For the remaining books, van der Leek concentrates on Adventure Consultants, the two lead guides for the groups and the Sherpas in books, 2,3, and 4 respectively. They all do a very good job of explains the circumstances, highlighting possible errors in judgement, and what could have been done better. The writing in all four books is entertaining, at times a bit snarky, and knowledgeable due to both research by van der Leek and his experience as a climber made the series enjoyable. 

For my cover picture, I am posting the cover from book 3, which was the best of the four. I will resume the regular format of posts with my next review. 

Review of "Love, Zac"

This story would make a great novel - the popular high school football hero encounters hard times after his playing days are done, but thanks to his dedicated girlfriend he overcomes those struggles and they live happily ever after.  Unfortunately, for this real life story of that player, he doesn't overcome his problems and there is no happily every after.  Here is my review of "Love, Zac."

Title/Author:

“Love, Zac: Small Town Football and the Life and Death of an American Boy" by Reid Forgrave

Tags:

Football (American), high school, biography, death

Publish date:

September 8, 2020

Length:

288 pages

Rating: to

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Anyone who follows American football knows that the risk of concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a topic of much discussion and debate.  This story of a former high school football star who suffered from those conditions to point of committing suicide is a powerful book by Reid Forgrave.

Zac Easter came from a football-loving family. Every male in the family played, coached and watched football. The culture of the sport and the masculinity that was supposedly enhanced by the sport was an important part of the Easter household. Zac was certainly a member of this culture as he was a star player through high school, earning several awards.  The only break he made from the family when it came to football was that he was a Green Bay Packers fan while the rest of the family cheered for their rivals, the Minnesota Vikings.

However, Zac's time wasn't all glory and fun.  Forgrave gradually shows the reader some of the issues Zac was facing when all of the hits he took, especially to the head as he would often lead with his head against coaching instructions.  He would fight with the team's female trainer when she wanted him to give him his helmet, a sign that he will not return to the game. His moods became darker.  The book continues after his playing days to paint a great picture of the issued Zac faced with alcoholism, hypersexuality, headaches, mood swings and inability to hold jobs or focus on college courses.  It led to his suicide which wasn't a surprise ending, but one that the reader will still feel stunned when it happens.

That is what makes the book so powerful. Yes, the author did his research in the topics of football, helmet design, CTE and its effects and even in-depth interviews with the Easters.  But what makes the book truly a worthwhile endeavor is simply the emotions of everyone involved – from Zac to his family to his girlfriend (who stayed with him to the end) to his shocked teammates.  While some people, including this reviewer, do believe that he brought some of his issues on himself by refusing to adhere to the instructions to not lead with the head, it still boils down to the loss of a young life due to a danger in a sport that is by far the most popular in the United States. 

I wish to thank Algoquin 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/Love-Zac-Small-Town-Football-American-ebook/dp/B08518VLGS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "No Way Down"

As a reader who loves to read about topics that I could never experience, mountaineering is a sport about which I am craving to find more books.  When this one was offered at a deeply discounted price, I had to jump on the offer and I wasn't disappointed.  I completed the book in one sitting - my flight back to New York from Minneapolis.  This is my review of "No Way Down."

Title/Author:

“No Way Down: Life and Death on K2” by Graham Bowley

Tags:

Mountain climbing, death

Publish date:

June 29, 2010

Length:

288 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

Climbing K2, the second highest mountain in the world, is considered by many to more challenging than climbing Mount Everest. This can become even more daunting when the season is cut short due to weather, which in turn makes the mountain more crowded when several teams of climbers, porters and Sherpas make the journey at the same time.  This happened in the summer of 2008 and this gripping account of that ascent that began August 1, 2008 and resulted in the deaths of 11 people makes for a terrific book.

One difference between this book and others on dangerous mountain climbing expeditions is that Graham Bowley is not a climber.  Instead, he is a journalist so his information sources were research and hundreds of interviews in order to write his stories and describe what the climbers were experiencing.  While this may result in a book that has less detail and technical description of the climbers’ actions and equipment, I felt this fact made it a very entertaining non-fiction “novel” if you will, making it very easy to read.

Some of the descriptions of the more tragic events on the mountain, such as the death of the husband from a fall while his wife was climbing to the summit, were heartbreaking.  The joy that people in the camps felt when they discovered that some who were feared dead were found alive will be felt by the reader as well.  It is an educational journey for those readers who are not familiar with mountaineering and an emotional story as well.  This book comes highly recommended for readers who enjoy these types of publications. 

Book Format Read:

E-book (Nook)

Buying Links:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-way-down-graham-bowley/1100564795?ean=9780061834790

Review of "Concussion"

It is not often that I anticipate the release of a book and the movie inspired by the book at the same time, but that was the case with "Concussion." While the movie that will be released on Christmas Day starring Will Smith looks very good, I am one who always prefers to read the book first.  So when I saw that this book was available for review just before its publication, I decided to take advantage. I am very glad I did so.  Here is my review of "Concussion."

Title/Author:

“Concussion” by Jeanne Marie Laskas

Tags:

Football (American), biography, medical, death, Steelers

Publish date:

November 24, 2015

Length:

297 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

The issue of concussions in football has made many headlines the last few years, enough so that even people who are not fans of the game know about the dangers.  Some of these players, after taking many blows to the head for many years, have been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

The discovery of this disease and the connection to football player is credited to Dr. Bennett Omalu, a forensic pathologist in Pittsburgh. After Dr. Omalu performed an autopsy on former Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster, he became both alarmed and fascinated with this discovery.  Dr. Omalu’s story is told in this book by Jeanne Marie Laskas.  Her work, including the first story on this issue, has been featured in GQ and this books shows how good a story teller she can be.

At its heart, this book is really a biography of Dr. Omalu, from his humble beginnings and education in Nigeria to his journey to America where he is thrilled to be working for Dr. Cyril Wecht in Pittsburgh to his battles to protect his name when the NFL is discrediting his work. Bennett, as is he is called throughout the book, is portrayed as a humble and simple man. He seems perplexed throughout the book when he is outside of his comfort zone of the examining room. He cannot understand why the NFL is so intent on discrediting his work and uses physicians for its own studies. When a former football player and professional wrestler wants to be Bennett’s partner to bring awareness to the dangers football players face with concussions, the story makes it appear that this man simply used Bennett’s work for his own gain. 

None of the material is fictional or false, but because of the presentation of only the viewpoint of Bennett in all of these issues, some may feel that this is a one-sided book.  While if one is reading it for fact-finding this is accurate, I felt that reading this book as a biography or even a medical or sports thriller is the better approach as the story makes for compelling reading, especially once the NFL gets involved and uses its vast resources and influence to disprove the dangers of the game and insist that the players are safe.

This story will make the reader think about just how dangerous the game of professional football can be to the players and will also make some readers angry at the smugness of the NFL.  But no matter how one feels about the game or league, anyone who reads this book will feel like he or she knows Bennett and the story of his discovery that has caused waves in a multi-billion-dollar industry.

I wish to thank Random House Publishing for providing a copy of the book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Concussion-Jeanne-Marie-Laskas-ebook/dp/B00S3RIMBQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449193760&sr=1-1&keywords=concussion

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/concussion-jeanne-marie-laskas/1121197990?ean=9780812987577

Review of "Junior Seau"

As anyone who follows football or the current news knows, the topic of concussions and football is a hot-button issue right now.  One of the symbols of this issue is the suicide of Junior Seau in 2012.  When I saw that a book on his life and death was to be published, I was very interested to see if the book would reveal some new information on this topic.  It was a good biography of the Chargers' great but it fell a bit short on this matter.  Here is my review of "Junior Seau". 

Title/Author:

“Junior Seau: The Life and Death of a Football Icon” by Jim Trotter

Tags:

Football (American), biography, death, Chargers

Publish date:

October 27, 2015

Length:

240 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Tiaina Baul “Junior” Seau is a name that even casual football fans recognize.  He is considered to be one of the best linebackers to ever play professional football. Growing up in southern California, he dreamed of playing for his hometown team, the San Diego Chargers. After a great high school and college football career, his dream came true when the Chargers made him a first round draft choice.  He was charismatic, generous and a fan favorite. Teammates and opponents alike respected him.  He seemed to have the charmed life.

However, as this biography by Jim Trotter reveals, it wasn’t always easy for Seau.  Many did not realize this until his suicide in May 2012. It was revealed that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from repeated blows to the head.  That disease has also been diagnosed in other former professional football players and is a hot topic in the current discussion on concussions in the sport. Therefore, when I picked up this book, I was hoping that some insight would be shed into this disease and how players are affected.

That was not the case. The book is a good but typical sports biography. There is excellent writing about Seau’s football career, especially his time with the Chargers (he also played for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots) and how he was not only the best player on the field but also a leader in the locker room and in the community. His charitable work and his successful restaurant are mentioned prominently throughout the book. There are also passages about the pitfalls many athletes encounter – excessive drinking, marital infidelity, poor investments – that make Seau’s story typical of most celebrities who get caught up in the high life.

Where the book and Seau’s story takes a different turn is when he drove off an embankment in 2010.  While it was dismissed as one of his many episodes of poor judgement while driving, not everyone believed this to be the case.  The author, through interviews with many who were close to Seau, takes the reader through a journey that reveals there was more to this incident than just drinking or bad driving.  It is the first exposure that makes one believe there was something terribly wrong with Seau.  Again, in both this book and in real life, that doesn’t seem to be understood until he was found dead by his ex-wife on May 2, 2012 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Here, the book scratches the surface about Junior’s suffering from CTE and the effects, but does not dig into that topic. Instead, the author focuses on how the surviving members of Seau’s family are coping with their loss.  Again, typical material for a biography of this type but nothing that is earth-shattering.

This book is one that football fans, especially Charger fans, will especially enjoy as they will read about many of Seau’s exploits on the field and his happier times. Readers who enjoy celebrity biographies will also enjoy it as the book sticks with the tried and true format.  They should just not expect anything new or intriguing about the situation or disease behind Seau’s disease or death.  

I wish to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (EPUB)

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Junior-Seau-Life-Death-Football-ebook/dp/B00QPHS9PA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1446989075&sr=1-1&keywords=junior+seau+the+life+and+death+of+a+football+icon  

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/junior-seau-jim-trotter/1120874816?ean=9780544236172&quickview=true

Review of "Boy On Ice"

As a fan of the Minnesota Wild, I was familiar with Derek Boogaard and the popularity he achieved in Minnesota while serving as the team's enforcer for a number of seasons.  When he left to sign with the New York Rangers, I also thought I would get to see more of him as I live in the Rangers' market.  But sadly, that never happened with his untimely death in 2011.  So naturally I was interested in reading this book and I am certainly glad that I did.  Here is my review of "Boy On Ice."

Title/Author:

“Boy On Ice: The Life and Death of Derek Boogaard” by John Branch

Tags:

Ice hockey, biography, professional, Wild, Rangers, death

Publish date:

September 29, 2014

Length:

385 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

When Derek Boogaard was found dead in his apartment in May 2011, I was shocked.  He was a player that I followed as a fan of the Minnesota Wild, his first team, and then as a member of the New York Rangers, since I live in Rangers territory.  My first thought was he was another athlete who succumbed to the good life and lived it too well.  But then when the true cause of his death was disclosed, it was an even bigger shock.

Given that premise, I was very interested to read this book by John Branch to see what really happened to Boogaard and what type of life he led. This was not the typical biography of an athlete, something that Branch states in the book. While it does cover the entire spectrum of Boogaard’s life, it reads much like a novel in which you root for the main character but you just have this sinking feeling that in the end, something bad is going to happen.

Two topics that are hot items in sports and the news today, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and addiction to pain killers, are discussed at length in the book, as it was shown that Boogaard was suffering from both. Branch did extensive research to illustrate how much Boogaard was willing to spend and to travel in order to obtain prescriptions for pain killers and sleeping pills. It made for fascinating reading and makes the reader both feel sorry for Boogaard and also angry in why he was not following his rehabilitation treatment and listening to those close to him about this problem.

The book also explores the life of a hockey enforcer and what these players go through in order to catch on with professional teams. Branch portrays not only Boogaard, but all players who are this type of specialist, as insecure and always wondering if that next fight that is lost or that next shift that is missed will cost the player his job. There are many facets to this type of player such as the constant hand injuries and the secret codes they speak to one another about when to fight. I also enjoyed reading about life in the Canadian junior leagues, a path many young Canadian players take to achieve their dream of playing in the NHL. If the reader is unfamiliar with these leagues and the lifestyle of these players, the book does a wonderful job of portraying this life.

Hockey fans should read this book for not only a description of the ups and downs of Derek’s life but also for the insight into the life of the enforcer. There will be many surprises to be found if one believes that person is merely the tough guy for his team.  An excellent book that I enjoyed very much.

Pace of the book:

It was a fast paced book that will grab the reader’s attention right away and will not let go. Each segment of Boogaard’s life was covered by excellent writing.

Do I recommend? 

Not only will hockey fans enjoy this book, but anyone who is interested in the effects of CTE or the addiction to pain killers will want to read this book as well.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Ice-Death-Derek-Boogaard-ebook/dp/B00J8R3NNM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1439633876&sr=1-1&keywords=boy+on+ice

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/boy-on-ice-john-branch/1118484490?ean=9780393239393