Saturday, July 13, 2013
Thoughts and news...the week ahead
If you ever feel like you accomplished a million good things ,but at the same time also feel like you didn't...that was what this week was like for me. Will have THREE reviews ready this week as two books have been read and I anticipate finishing the third later in the week. Also, Daniel Brown is performing a reading at Marist College on Tuesday and I am attending. I will post notes and highlights from that event here as well. So...even though it was a quiet week here on the blog, there was lots of activity behind the scenes and the upcoming well promises to be busy. Stay tuned!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Review of "The Boys in the Boat"
This book is about the "other" American Olympic champions in 1936, nine young men from the University of Washington who rowed their way into history.
Published:
The book is driven by personal stories, especially that of Joe Rentz, a young boy whose father and stepmother abandoned him and his siblings during the Great Depression. Left to fend on his own, Joe was able to keep the family alive and also find a way to the University of Washington, where he was part of a seemingly rag-tag bunch of young men thrown together to form the freshman rowing crew.
These young men became a team through hard work, camaraderie, excellent coaching, and a lot of perseverance. The research on this team – everything from the results to the coaches to the lives of the young men – is outstanding. Much of the knowledge came from accounts provided by either the team members or their surviving family members. Painstaking detail is written for some of these stories, such as the courtship of Joe and his future wife Joyce, the conditions the team endured in Poughkeepsie during the regatta championships (Washington became the first school to sweep the three events – varsity, junior varsity and freshman), and the experiences they each shared during their time in Berlin at the Olympics.
Do I recommend?
Buying Links:
Title/Author:
“The Boys
in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin
Olympics” by Daniel James Brown.
Genre:
Rowing,
Crew, Olympics, Non-fiction, historicalPublished:
June 4,
2012
Length:
416 pages
Rating:
5 of 5
stars (outstanding)
Review:
The 1936
Olympics may be best remembered for Jesse Owens winning gold medals, by nine young
men from the University of Washington rowing team also had their moment of
Olympic history at those games as well.
Their story, from the time they were a rag-tag bunch of college freshmen
to a polished team representing America in Nazi Germany, is well-documented in
this outstanding book by Daniel James Brown.
The book is driven by personal stories, especially that of Joe Rentz, a young boy whose father and stepmother abandoned him and his siblings during the Great Depression. Left to fend on his own, Joe was able to keep the family alive and also find a way to the University of Washington, where he was part of a seemingly rag-tag bunch of young men thrown together to form the freshman rowing crew.
These young men became a team through hard work, camaraderie, excellent coaching, and a lot of perseverance. The research on this team – everything from the results to the coaches to the lives of the young men – is outstanding. Much of the knowledge came from accounts provided by either the team members or their surviving family members. Painstaking detail is written for some of these stories, such as the courtship of Joe and his future wife Joyce, the conditions the team endured in Poughkeepsie during the regatta championships (Washington became the first school to sweep the three events – varsity, junior varsity and freshman), and the experiences they each shared during their time in Berlin at the Olympics.
The events
of the time shaped how this team would be viewed at the Olympics, and the
author does a good job of writing about the history of that time without
getting too deep. The references made to
the rise of the Nazis, the Dust Bowl gripping the country and the effects of
the Great Depression all are important to the story but do not take away from the
central theme – namely the nine young men from the University of Washington
rowing team.
Every
aspect of the book is well researched, well written and told in the proper
amount of detail. This was an inspiring
tale and a book that kept my interest from beginning to end. An outstanding read that anyone will enjoy.
Did I skim?
No
Did I learn something new?
Yes. Having no knowledge of rowing, the history of
the sport or any of the strategy involved, I found the passages on the actual
races undertaken by the Washington crew, whether in their hometown of Seattle,
the regattas at Poughkeepsie or the Olympics, the manner in which these races
and the strategy involved made me feel like I could coach these men.
Pace of the book:
Excellent. It moves between the sport, the personal
stories and the current events of the time smoothly. Each time there is a change, it is for the
good of the book so the reader can catch up on that aspect.
Positives:
Just about
everything – the research, the writing, the sport and the personal stories,
especially that of Joe Rantz. Even
mundane items such as how the team traveled to first Poughkeepsie and then to
Berlin for the Olympics was made interesting by the style of the author’s
writing.
Negatives:
No major
problems – well edited, researched and written
Book Format Read:
EBook
(Netgalley)Saturday, July 6, 2013
Review of "How's That! A Layman's Guide to Cricket"
Thought I would try to add a little variety as one goal of this blog is to cover a wide variety of sports and the books written on them. Here is a review of a book that introduces the reader to cricket.
The biggest problem I had reading the book was the complexity of the game itself. By trying to keep it as simple as possible, there was a lot of information that felt incomplete. Trying to explain how a team scores its runs was an example. While reading the concept of the runs, and introducing the second batter into the explanation, I found myself reading certain sections over and over just to be sure I understood the author’s explanation of the game. Admittedly, I still had some troubles understanding some of the lingo, such as breaking the wicket, even after rereading the appropriate passages.
Title/Author:
“How’s
That! A Layman’s Guide to Cricket” by Tony Whelpton.
Genre:
Cricket,
instruction, introduction, non-fiction
Published:
December 21,
2012 (second edition). Originally
published 1998
Length:
71 pages
Rating:
2 ½ of 5
stars (okay)
Review:
Written
for those who have little or no knowledge of the game of cricket, “How’s That!”
introduces the reader to the terminology, field layout, basic roles for players
and an explanation of the scoring in the game.
Cricket is not a game that can be easily explained to the person who has
never seen it before, and the author makes an admirable effort to do so here.
The biggest problem I had reading the book was the complexity of the game itself. By trying to keep it as simple as possible, there was a lot of information that felt incomplete. Trying to explain how a team scores its runs was an example. While reading the concept of the runs, and introducing the second batter into the explanation, I found myself reading certain sections over and over just to be sure I understood the author’s explanation of the game. Admittedly, I still had some troubles understanding some of the lingo, such as breaking the wicket, even after rereading the appropriate passages.
As an
American, I can appreciate the attempt by the author to do this. I have similar issues when trying to explain
the similar game of baseball to someone who has never seen the game before. That can be met with frustration on both the
part of the person learning the game and the one teaching the game. I got that same feeling while reading this
book. I know the author was doing his
best to keep it simple, but after I finished the book, I don’t believe I understand
the game much more than I did before.
The terminology and glossary of the game was covered well and I did
learn a lot there. I was hoping to
learn more about the game than I did, and for that, I felt the book fell short
of that goal.
Did I skim?
No
Did I learn something new?
Yes. Many things, mainly the basic rules and
terminology for cricket. I didn’t get a
good feel for the game having not watched it or played it while reading
this.
Pace of the book:
Good for
the most part. I found that I needed to
go back and refer to other terms that were already mentioned because now in the
new context, I had to go back and reread that passage.
Positives:
The book
is written in simple language, easy to understand and does not delve too deeply
into the nuances of the game. For a
beginner or non-fan, this is a good format.
Negatives:
There were
numerous typing and grammatical errors throughout the book, even allowing for a
“language” barrier with the author British and the reviewer American. The diagrams of the field, the wickets and
the position of the bowler, batter, and fielders were far too small in the
ebook edition to be helpful while reading.
Do I recommend?
Only
for those who just need to gain a basic understanding of the object and terms
used in cricket. If a more detailed book
on the strategy and intricacies of the game is wanted, this is not the book to
buy.
Book Format Read:
Ebook (Kindle)
Author Media Links:
www.tony-whelpton.co.uk .
Buying Links:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ARYAZPE/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Review of Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes
For the 4th of July, it is only appropriate to celebrate America's birthday with a review of a biography of one of the all time greats of America's Pastime.
Title/Author:
“Hank
Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes” by John Rosengren
Genre:
Baseball,
non-fiction, biography, Tigers, Pirates, Indians
Published:
May 2013
Length:
400 pages
Rating:
4 ½ of 5
stars (Excellent)
Review:
Before
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, another
player had to endure taunts from ignorant players and fans as well as wonder
what would become of his people as he played the game during a tense time in
world history. Hank Greenberg was a New
York kid who became a star first baseman for the Detroit Tigers. Born of Jewish descent, Greenberg’s best
years on the field coincided with the rise of Hitler in Europe and his plan to
wipe out the Jews. Author John Rosengren
writes a wonderful biography with the emphasis on this time in Greenberg’s life
that is filled with much success as well as trouble.
The book
covers events in the world at the time as skillfully as it does Greenberg’s
baseball career which included many records, including becoming the first
player in baseball history to win the Most Valuable Player award twice in
different positions. Greenberg also
lost time to military service – nearly four years – and this part of his life,
as well as his comeback is well documented.
The book wraps up with Greenberg’s career in the front office of the
Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians, his subsequent divorce and remarriage
and his later years when the Tigers gave him a long overdue day of honor.
While
these topics are well researched and documented, the book is also a very good
source of information on some of the hot-button topics in baseball of that
era. Race relations in baseball were
mentioned, including Greenberg’s interactions with Robinson as they both felt
the heat of being a “minority” in a game with mostly white Christian males as
players. Salaries and negotiations with
players are frequently covered as the yearly negotiations Greenberg had with
the Tigers always seemed to show his petulant side, yet there was always an
agreement reached. It was especially
ironic when Greenberg was later a general manager and would employ the same
negotiating tactics with his players that infuriated him during his playing
days.
This book
is a thorough and enjoyable read on the life of one of baseball’s greatest
players. Fans of all generations of
baseball should read this book to gain insight into not only one of the best
players but also into the events and mindset of that time. Excellent book.
Did I skim?
No
Did I learn something new?
Yes. Many things, but what struck me the most was
how much of a hero Greenberg was considered for Jewish people all across the
country. I was also fascinated with his
seemingly petulant behavior every year when he negotiated his contract. Considering this was during the time of the
reserve clause and no agents, it was understandable, as it was usually the only
leverage a player had during negotiations.
But it was still surprising to me as it seemed to be the complete
opposite of the persona that was portrayed.
Pace of the book:
Excellent
– the narrative never was bogged down with unimportant information or
overloaded the reader.
Do I recommend?
Yes. For any baseball fan or historian, this is a
complete and entertaining account of Greenberg’s life and baseball career.
Book Format Read:
Hardcover
Author Media Links:
Buying Links:
Monday, July 1, 2013
Interview with Graham Hughes
Recently I had the pleasure to interview Graham Hughes, author of "A Devilish Pastime." His answers are posted this morning for your reading pleasure.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Do you any future writing projects or books you wish to share?
_______________________________________________________________________________
What inspired you to write A Devilish Pastime?
I was doing a writing course, and, for one of the assignments, I needed to produce an idea for a non-fiction book and write a synopsis for it. I had become very interested in sports history, and thought about various ideas in that area. My first idea was to cover the history of all well-known sports, but that wouldn’t have allowed me to go into much depth about any of them, so it wasn’t very appealing Then, something – I can’t remember what – made me think about the common ground that the various football sports share, and there seemed to be a good basis for a book there.
So, I did a bit of research and planning, and wrote a synopsis. I began to like the idea so much that I started doing some more detailed research and planning, and started writing the book itself, independently of the course.
After finishing the first few chapters, I started contacting publishers. One of them, SportsBooks, agreed to publish the book, giving me a great incentive to press on and complete it.
Aside from the research, what other means did you use to obtain information, especially if you participate in any of these games?
Almost all of the information came from researching – using books, websites and so on. I went to see a folk football event in the Midlands, and visited Harrow School in London to see its own 19th-century brand of football – these are both covered in the book’s epilogue.
I don’t take part in any sports nowadays – too old and unfit! – although I did play soccer at a recreational level for many years. Other than that, my playing experience is limited to a couple of rugby union games at high school, when I was pretty clueless about the rules, and probably never even touched the ball.
Describe your experiences while researching and writing the book.
It was hard work, but mostly enjoyable. The social history aspects were especially interesting, and made for some nice diversions from learning about the histories of rule changes, leagues being formed, etc.
One of the difficulties was that a lot of the source material for the research was written from biased viewpoints, by people who were essentially proselytising about those particular sports – I had to try to differentiate the facts from the myths and exaggerations.
The easiest, and most satisfying, parts to research and write were the parts about the sports that have had the most eventful histories. Writing about rugby union, from 1895 until roughly the 1960s, was especially tough, as very little happened throughout that time, thanks to the extreme conservatism of the people running the sport. On the other hand, with American football, there was an enormous amount to write about in terms of changes in the rules, tactics, culture and organisational structures – almost too much.
No, not for the foreseeable future. I didn’t have any further ideas that seemed to be strong enough, and turned my attention to proofreading and editing instead. This helped me with re-editing my book for re-publication as an ebook last year, after the original SportsBooks edition went out of print.
Is there anything else you wish to share with readers?
Strange as it may seem, I haven’t been to a soccer game since 2007! Although I grew up as a fanatic, I find it difficult to watch soccer nowadays, thanks to the diving, play-acting and whining, and the extreme levels of hype and madness surrounding the game in England. I do still find the game’s earlier history interesting, though.
Friday, June 28, 2013
An update on a prevous post
For total transparency I should note a point I made in responding to comments on a previous post. Recently I listed the best franchises in each of the four professional leagues in North America. One of the criteria that I used for this was that players for the franchises did not create negative publicity for himself or the team. It was why I did not select the commenter's favorite baseball team.
I now have to change the model NFL franchise after this week's events that lead to arrest of a player on that "model" NFL franchise. Yes, it isn't fair to blame an organization for the actions of a lone player. But right now, if you think about that team you don't think football. So, staying with the same criteria, the current model NFL franchise is...and as a Vikings this is painful...the Green Bay Packers. Add them with the Cardinals, Spurs and Red Wings for the best franchises in sports.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
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.
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.
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.
Book Format Read:
Buying links:
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.
Ebook
(Kindle)
Author Media Links:
Buying links:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)