Review of "One Jump at a Time"

 As one who only watches figure skating during the Olympics, I had known the name Nathan Chen only because he won the gold medal in the last Winter Olympics games in 2022.  So, I was curious to see how his memoir would read and it was pretty good.  Here is my review. 

Title/Author:

“One Jump at a Time: My Story” by Nathan Chen

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: The best way to describe Nathan Chen’s journey to the Olympic gold medal in men’s figure skating is if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.  That is exactly what he did to achieve a goal he had since he first set foot on ice as a toddler in Salt Lake City, when that city hosted the Winter Olympics, 20 years before Chen won his gold.  All of the ups and downs in his road to gold is told in this memoir.

It doesn’t follow the typical memoir in that there is very little of Chen’s personal life described by him.  Yes, he talks about family and his upbringing. This is especially true as his mother was one of his coaches, both for training and for emotional support.  But overall, the book is about his skating and his training.  He talks a lot about his various coaches and other people involved.  This includes Vera Wang, who agreed to design his costumes.

For the range of emotions in the book, there are certainly lows as well as the highs – and both came during the Olympics.  After a disastrous short program in the 2018 Olympics, he considered leaving because there was no way he would gain enough points to be in contention for a medal. But then he put on a great show in the free skate and gained more confidence as he prepared for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.

However, the COVID pandemic did put a major detour into Chen’s plans, and here is where the book, and Chen, turns to a little too much negativity.  This is mainly because, by Chen’s own admission, he was very concerned about being infected with COVID and that would affect his training and school schedule (he was taking classes at Yale while training for the Beijing Olympics) as well as during the Games themselves.  It’s understandable but at times a felt to be a little too much while reading it.

It is helpful for a reader to understand the different technical aspects and descriptions of the jumps and movements of figure skating. His discussion on the programs and various movements suggested by coaches are very detailed and technical.  Not being too familiar with some of the jumps, such as the difference between a lutz and a Salchow, I had to look up some of these.  That can be both good and frustrating – the latter because of needing to put the book aside to look up terms, but good in that a reader who isn’t familiar with the sport will learn a lot.

Overall, fans of the Winter Olympics and figure skating will really enjoy this book and even if not, it is a good way to learn more about this sport that many watch only once every four year.

Link: Amazon.com: One Jump at a Time: My Story: 9780063280526: Chen, Nathan: Books

Review of "1934"

Having never heard of this team, I was curious when I read the synopsis before requesting a review copy.  This group of Canadian Black ballplayers deserve to have their story told and I am glad not only that I read this, but that there is an author who felt the same way and told the story of the Chatham Coloured All-Stars. 

Title/Author:

“1934: The Chatham Coloured All-Stars’ Record Breaking Year” by Heidi LM Jacobs

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: While many people know that when Black players were not allowed to play in the American Major Leagues and there were the Negro Leagues, very few are also familiar with teams of Canadian Black players.  While the Canadian teams may not have had their own separate league, nonetheless they played competitive baseball.  For one team, the Chatham Coloured All-Stars, their 1934 season in which they won the championship in their southern Ontario league was one looked upon fondly.  Author Heidi LM Jacobs tells the little-known story of this team, their stories and their connections to baseball history.

Like in the United States, the records for Black Canadian teams were not well organized and therefore it takes a lot of work to get the records and statistics.  For that reason, Jacobs relies on newspaper clippings and hundreds of interviews with family members of the team.  For that reason, there is a lot of anecdotal history of the All-Stars but not a lot of hard factual data.  With so many interviews and so many different names, the book can be a challenge to follow as, understandably, the dialogue shifts between different people.  Jacobs does a decent job of trying to keep the book organized and breaking up chapters by the months of the 1934 season was a key part of this. 

Even more than the history, the heartbreaking stories of the discrimination and racism the players faced and the excellent play on the field (all of which are similar experiences to those of their American brethren) the unexpected nuggets of interesting information were fascinating and what made this book enjoyable.  The one example I will give is the brief mention of one particular player who only appeared in a few games for the 1934 All-Stars, yet is probably the most recognizable name – Ferguson Jenkins Sr.  His son is the Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins Jr. It was very touching when Jacobs wrote about the tribute the junior Jenkins gave to his father during his Hall of Fame induction speech.

If a reader enjoys books about baseball’s Negro Leagues, then that person should pick up a copy of this book as well.  The stories are similar, just the nations are different, and the baseball played by this special team is just as good.

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

 

Link: Amazon.com: 1934: The Chatham Coloured All-Stars’ Barrier-Breaking Year: 9781771964777: Jacobs, Heidi LM: Books

Review of "When the Game Was War"

While wishing all American readers a happy Independence Day today, I decided to write a review on a book about the American game.  No, not baseball or football, but basketball since it was invented by an American without roots from other games in other countries.  This book covered a great era of the professional game and for the most part, I enjoyed it.  Here is my review of "When the Game Was War." 

 

Title/Author: “When the Game Was War: The NBA’s Greatest Season” by Rich Cohen

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: Just as there are many arguments between sports fans about who is the greatest team, athlete or event in a particular sport, this can also come up about the greatest season for a league.  This book by Rich Cohen makes the case that the 1987-88 season was the greatest for the NBA.  While it may not convince every reader that 1987-88 was the best season (including this reviewer – I chose another one in his honorable mention list, 1976-77), Cohen does make a compelling case for this argument.

The book reads better as a long editorial than as a history of that basketball season.  Not only does Cohen make his case about the 1987-88 season, he also makes a case for Isaiah Thomas to be included as one of the greatest players not only of that time – to be included in the conversation with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan – but also of all time.  While I did see a point to the main topic of the book, I do not agree with this assertion and at times, it feels like Cohen is writing more as a fan than as an author or historian when talking about Thomas. Bringing up Thomas’ infamous quote about Larry Bird more than once and defending it by saying it was a thought many Black players had felt like a defense of Thomas.  Cohen does point out his own biases toward not only Thomas and for the reason he felt 1987-88 was the best one, hence why I called the book more of an opinion piece.

I will also note that I have read reviews that point out many factual errors, a few of which I caught without needing to verify them.  Because I read an advance review copy, these were not detrimental to the goal I had for this book, which was to see why Cohen felt this was the best season.  There is also the matter of referring to a season by the latter year (i.e. 1987-88 would be 1988) which is inconsistent throughout the book.  Again, something that will hopefully be cleaned up in the final edition.

But…the positives far outweigh the negatives in this book, especially if the reader is a fan of basketball in that era.  The season is viewed through four teams – the Los Angeles Lakers (who ended up winning the championship), the Detroit Pistons (who lost in the Finals to the Lakers), the Boston Celtics (who lost to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals) and the Chicago Bulls (who lost to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference semi-finals). These four teams made the most sense to include, especially looking back now.  There was the reigning champs (Lakers), the old dynasty ready to end (Celtics), the hungry (and physical) team ready to take over (Pistons) and the new kids on the block getting ready to crash the party (Bulls).  Each team had a compelling chapter in the book and made for excellent reading.

Reading about the matchups during the season and in the playoffs between two of the four featured teams was also great.  Enough detail to truly feel how close the game was, and in the case of many Pistons games, how physical and even violent the play went. This was an era when the game’s big men played in the paint and not often out on the perimeter as Cohen notes.  While he doesn’t explicitly say this, I get the impression that he preferred this type of basketball.  I did as well and why despite the reservations I wrote earlier, I really enjoyed this book and fans of that era of professional basketball will as well.

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

Link: Amazon.com: When the Game Was War: The NBA's Greatest Season eBook : Cohen, Rich: Kindle Store

 

Review of "Sixty-One"

This is a book that has been on TBR for awhile but I wanted to wait until either close to or just after the publication date to read and review it so that more would know about the book and see the review - I certainly hope that is the case for this book as it was so good.  

Title/Author:

“Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court” by Chris Paul with Michael Wilbom

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: As much as I like to read memoirs from sports figures, the best aspect of this book by NBA star guard Chris Paul is that it DOESN’T read like a typical sports memoir or even a biography.  From the first pages, it is easy to tell that this is not only a book written from the heart, but it is a very moving tribute to a figure who was very important in Paul’s life.

His grandfather Nathaniel “Papa” Jones was a hard-working entrepreneur who overcame racial discrimination, naysayers and other obstacles to open his own service station in the Winston-Salem area of North Carolina.  This made a very huge impression on Paul and his brother and they both took away many valuable life lessons. Paul talks not only about items taught to him such as the value of hard work and to always follow your dreams but even tasks taught at the shop.  I loved when showed off his pride in being able to quickly rotate tires and change a car’s motor oil.  If nothing else, that shows that his success in basketball hasn’t changed his view of more menial tasks that some undertake to make a living.

The moments with “Papa” that Paul shares range from unbelievably joyous (when he announced he was going to go to Wake Forest and Papa gives him a Wake Forest cap) to immeasurable sadness (when Papa was beaten and murdered at age 61, hence the title).  Through them all, this is a loving tribute to a person that molded a future basketball all-star into the person that he has become today.  Don’t expect a lot about Paul’s basketball career or a lot about his view on the social issues of today.  There are significant passages on each of these, but the bulk of the book is a loving tribute to “Papa.”

I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Link: Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court: Paul, Chris, Wilbon, Michael: 9781250276711: Amazon.com: Books

 

Review of "The Final Call"

While I generally review newer books, this book from 2011 is one that I had been searching for in libraries and book stores for some time and finally got a chance to check out a digital copy.  When it became available I jumped on the chance and read it in two days, something that doesn't happen often.  Here is my review of "The Final Call."

Title/Author:

“The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes” by Kerry Fraser

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Kerry Fraser was considered by many to be one of the better NHL referees during his 30 year career in the league.  When one considers how much travel he did, how many players and coaches he encountered and all of the events he saw during that time, one must imagine that he has plenty of stories to tell.  That is evident when reading his memoir, written in 2011, soon after his retirement.

Despite the title, the book isn’t completely stories from the rink or his personal life.  There are passages that describe the training, fitness requirements and other parts of a hockey official’s life.  It was clear from this that one of the things that Kerry didn’t like about the job was writing the reports after each game, especially if it was a game in which there were many penalties or other occurrences.  This would include incidents such as verbal altercations that may not have resulted in penalties but still warranted extra attention from the league offices.

What makes the book very entertaining, though, IS the variety of stories Fraser shares.  These are mainly divided by location, with chapters covering several NHL cities.  All of the Original Six cities are covered as well as others such as Philadelphia (where Fraser officiated his last game on the last day of the regular season in 2010) and Vancouver.  Players from Gordie Howe to Wayne Gretzky to Sidney Crosby are given time in the book.  Those are the greatest names mentioned (along with Mario Lemieux) but there is plenty of material on players that aren’t as famous well.

Some fans may remember certain games in which Fraser was part of the story, most notably the famous illegal stick call in game 2 of the 1993 Stanley Cup Final between Montreal and Los Angeles.18 years after the call, he still felt he made the right call – just as any proud official would do.  These stories about his officiating, as well as stories about outings and work with fellow officials are just as good as those about the players and coaches.

What really stood out in this book for me, however, is how gracious he was in paying tribute to everyone who made his career memorable.  Of course, like any good family man, there is plenty of praise for his wife Kathy and their children.  Hockey fans of any age will enjoy reading this memoir of a Hall of Fame referee.

 

Link: The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes: Fraser, Kerry: 9781551683539: Amazon.com: Books

 

 

Review of "Penguin Power"

Even today, when I look back at the Los Angeles Dodgers infield of the 1970's and early 1980's, I am amazed that they played together as a unit as long as they did, considering it was the beginning of the age of free agency.  My latest review is of a memoir by one of those infielders, Ron Cey. 

Title/Author:

“Penguin Power: Dodger Blue, Hollywood Lights and My One-in-a-Million Big League Journey” by Ron Cey with Ken Gurnick

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: Ron Cey was part of the infield combination that played the most number of games together for one team.  With Cey at third base, Bill Russel at shortstop, Davey Lopes at second base and Steve Garvey at first base, this foursome played together nearly nine complete seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Each one of them was an all-star and Cey talks about his journey to the big leagues in this memoir.

The best part of this book was Cey’s candor.  He wasn’t afraid to drop some criticism or share bad experiences with teammates, especially the other three infielders mentioned above.  This is also true of his coaches, managers and front office personnel.  Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a book where he harps on the negatives – indeed, most of the stories are positive and at times funny.  It just was refreshing to see that when he sensed something wasn’t right, he wasn’t afraid to call it like he saw it.  The best example of this was his experience with former Dodger GM Al Campanis, whom Cey felt never was totally sold that Cey would be a key part of a winning Dodgers club, which he certainly became.

There are also times where Cey shows that he played in a different era than today as there is more analytical data in the decisions made by on-field managers as well as general managers.  I’ll stop short of calling it sounding like he is yelling at people to get off his lawn, but he clearly doesn’t agree with some of this process today.  To his credit, he gives counterarguments to what was done when he was a player.  For example, when he mentioned that today, players are shuffled in and out of a lineup because of data showing strengths and weaknesses, that was done by communication between players and managers during the 1970’s and 1980’s when Cey played.

Overall, the book does read like a typical memoir with some extra name dropping since after all, this was Los Angeles and Cey was able to rub elbows with many celebrities.  He also talks about his time with the Chicago Cubs, including their memorable 1984 season, but for the most part, both during and after his playing career, he certainly bleeds Dodger blue.  Any Los Angeles fan will enjoy reading this book.

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

Link: Amazon.com: Penguin Power: Dodger Blue, Hollywood Lights, and My One-in-a-Million Big League Journey eBook : Cey, Ron, Gurnick, Ken: Kindle Store

 

Review of "62"

 It seems ironic to be posting a review of a book I enjoyed on the New York Yankees on the day before I take my first trip to Fenway Park in 30 years, but I guess that's just how the reading schedule played out.  Here is my review of a book on Aaron Judge's record setting season, "62."

Title/Author:

“62: Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees and the Pursuit of Greatness” by Bryan Hoch

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (Very good)

Review: 2022 saw one of the best individual seasons in recent baseball history as Aaron Judge set a new American League record with 62 home runs in the penultimate game of the season.  How Judge and his team, the New York Yankees, fared in that season both on and off the field is captured in this book written by veteran Yankee beat writer Bryan Hoch.

Hoch’s knowledge of the Yankees, both the players and the front office, is very clear in the writing as he provides details that only a Yankee insider would know.  This is especially true when he writes about Judge’s negotiations for a new contract both before the 2022 season and then afterward when he was a free agent but ended up re-signing with the Yankees.  His coverage of both the team’s performance on the field and Judge’s individual pursuit of the home run record are also very good.

At times, though, it did appear that objectivity was not a strong suit of this book.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not a “Yankee hater” and I don’t get upset when the team does well, but at times it feels like Hoch writes like a public relations employee for the team instead of a reporter.  One item that made me think like this was when he was giving a brief history of both the team and the previous record-setting seasons by Babe Ruth and Roger Maris.  This item talked about the institutional racism by the Boston Red Sox and their dubious distinction of being the last baseball team to integrate.  While everything Hoch wrote was true, it was never mentioned that the Yankees’ history in racial matters is not much better as they too were very slow to integrate.  A complete picture on items like this was my one issue with the book.

That doesn’t overshadow the many positives – the portrayal of Judge, the inserts of what Maris was going through in his record season of 1961, some great stories about the other 2022 Yankees like Josh Donaldson and Gerrit Cole.  Plus, of course, a description of each of the 62 home runs hit by Judge and some of the memorable calls by TV broadcaster Michael Kay and radio play-by-play man John Sterling.  This book should be part of every Yankee fan’s bookshelf.

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

Link: Amazon.com: 62: Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees, and the Pursuit of Greatness eBook : Hoch, Bryan, Maris, Roger: Kindle Store