Basketball Books

This hard to find book is a must read for any Purdue basketball fan. Mark Montieth follows one of Gene Keady's best teams through an entire season. Fans familiar with the Troy Lewis, Everett Stephens, Todd Mitchell, Three Amigos era will greatly enjoy this book because it acts as a time capsule.

Hopefully there will be another book written about a Keady Purdue team in the future.

Reviewed by Brianne Plach (age 10) for Reader Views (11/07)

What could be more exciting than to be a part of a basketball camp with a bunch of other boys who love the same sport? This is a bright spot too, since Jay, and his family, is forced to live with his grandfather since his family lost their house in a fire. Jay is all excited to be a part of the Acadia University Basketball Camp in Nova Scotia. He gets to stay in an actual college dorm and be away from home for a whole week. What makes it even better is the fact that his best friend Mike is going to the same camp.

What starts out as being probably the most thrilling thing that has ever happened in Jay's life, takes a horrible turn. Mike's older brother, Chad, who is supposed to be the boy's coach and mentor, is not at all what a mentor should be. It will take some work on the part of the boys to make it through a tough week. Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Chad used to seem like such a great guy. It takes the boys to make a difference in Chad's life.

"Personal Best" is an exciting continuation of the story which was first introduced in Sylvia Gunnery's book "Out of Bounds." I am anxiously waiting to see if Ms. Gunnery decides to continue Jay's story in another book.

What do Moses Malone, Julius Erving, Bobby Jones, Darryl Dawkins, Allen Iverson, Billy Cunningham, Hal Greer, Wilt Chamberlain all have in common? Before you answer they all played basketball, you might be surprised to know that they all played for the Philadelphia 76ers as well.

As a long time Sixers fan, especially through the Dr. J. years, I was pleasantly surprised how mush information in enclosed in this 50-page book. Filled with facts and photos about those who played on the '67 and '83 teams, both young and old will enjoy this quick read.

You'll be treated to chapters about the history of the franchise, from its start in Syracuse, with NBA Legend Dolph Schayes, to the move to Philadelphia, with greats like Wilt, the Doctor and Moses. You'll even read about Wilt's trade and the acquiring of Julius Erving.

Also you can read about some of the more famous players and coaches, look at the career stats of some 76er greats, find out more books to read and even get a website address to visit. Tailored to fit every budget - the book is a great gift for any basketball fan.

These poems focus on leave-taking and return, recording the experiences of rural and urban isolation, dislocation and violence, and the histories of war and reconciliation in our century. They bear witness to the way people endure and continue to love in a time of upheaval.

"Beautiful...Bowen captures the spirituality of Vietnam." --Oliver Stone

"Vietnam. The word has come to define the arrogance of American military power, the mindless violence, the sheer waste and idiocy of the Cold War. PLAYING BASKETBALL is, more than a book, an act of healing and generosity. The war doesn't go on, but the Vietnamese people have survived, and they survive in Kevin Bowen's poetry..." --Harvard Review

Chosen "Pick of the Year" by The Progressive

This is a book about a nearly textbook case of a type A personality. Michael Jordan is the consummate perfectionist and competitor. From his early days as an unknown kid at Laney High in Wilmington to his days with Dean Smith at Carolina to his days of scoring championships and NBA titles with the Bulls, this book has the entire history, and it makes fascinating reading.

What comes through much more clearly by putting his entire history together than it does even in watching a game like the one he scored 40-something against Utah when he had the flu, is how intense a competitor Jordan is, how he needs to win, how if you think you can beat him you are, you have *got* to be wrong. Golf course, basketball court, baseball diamond, wherever, Michael Jordan had to be the best. Combine such a drive with a good understanding of certain dynamics and a 6'6 frame with only 4 percent bodyfat, and you've got yourself a ballplayer.

Occasionally I was bored by some of the more financial aspects of Jordan's career, but the light that it sheds on the intensity of his personality is illuminating.

FOR THOSE WHO LOVED THE MOVIE,"HOOSIERS", YOU WILL LOVE THIS ONE, AS THIS BOOK WILL BRING BACK MEMORIES WHEN WINNING IN HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ACTUALLY PULLED COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. THE WILL TO WIN WAS INSPIRING AND THE CHARACTERS AND STORYS WERE COMPELLING.

Rick Barry wrote eight books covering eight NBA seasons, basically for general managers and coaches. They provide scouting reports by one of the games 50 greatest players. Written in B-Ball jargon Barry provides readers with a keen insight into athletic talent and its application or mis-application whichever the case.

After perusing all eight books, I looked up the first five players drafted in every year back into the late seventies. Lo, I found that unless your team had one of the first three players taken in the entire draft your team did not win the NBA title. Furthermore I concluded that, after 13 years of holding season tickets for the Bullets, the teams that won most often have 8-9 good players vs those that lose who have only 3-4 good players. But, the pivotal player who carries the team must be present for ultimate success to be realized.

To draw a comparison, I learned years ago that there were one million high school football players. These reduced to 70,000 college players and then condensed further to 1200 NFL players. These remaining players averaged 3-4 years in the league, but the top 100-125 played for 10-15 years. The team who had the most of these head-and-shoulders better players won the championship. I believe this model holds true in all sports at all levels. It fits with a basis tenet of chaos theory and also with Mike Hart's book "the 100: A Ranking of the 100 most influential people in history." Thus I maintain that it's a model for how free markets and their unfettered, spontaneous ordering arrange civilizations. This leads into why western civilization has succeeded in raising living standards more for the common man in contrast to command and control economies.

Too bad Rick B. and Jordan Cohn stopped after the '97 season. It was great stuff for contemplative fans.

I recently found this book while moving, and boy, is it great. It features Shaq before he got fat, Hakeem Olajuwan before he funded terrorism, Shawn Kemp before he found crack cocaine, and Latrell Sprewell before he was a threat to A) strangle a coach or B) not feed his children. I can think of a lot worse ways to spend a quarter.

I always knew that Jordan came across well in the media and had a lot to say about a lot of things, but this book makes him sound like a motivational genius. I counted more than 300 quotes in this book, some by others talking about Jordan, and it's incredible. This is a terrific coffee-table book and collector's item.

We've all felt a bit lackluster at times in our life, but this book will get you going again in any situation. The quotes cover a wide range of topics by a ton of different people. It helps put things in perspective in your life and get you going again. This is a great one to put on your Kindle so you can access it where ever you are when you need a boost. Excellent book!