Basketball Books

I enjoyed this book, but I was disappointed at the ending. I won't spoil it for anyone planning to read the book, but I found the conclusion unsatisfying, not at all neat and happily-ever-after-ish.

Excellent! I couldn't put it down. A whodunitt. A beautiful blond model gets an oppurttunity as a main star in a movie, but she feels somone is out to get her. Soon, she is being attacked by large mobs as the cause of the death of another movie star. Who did it? I'm not saying anything. Figure it out!

Final Cut is about a girl and her brother who go into film making. Someone can't get a part on the film and wants revenge for the person who killed their sister on set. I won't give the story away, the book is worth reading!

11 JUNE 2008
I JUST RECV'D THIS BOOK. IT SHOULD HAVE A GREAT BIG WARNING ACROSS THE FRONT OF IT; "NO EATING OR DRINKING WHILE READING THIS" !!!! THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE LAUGHING!!! IF YOU ARE A FAN OF OLD DIRT TRACK RACING & OR THE EARLY DAYS OF NASCAR, YOU'LL LUV IT !!! IF YOU'RE NOT A FAN, AFTER YOU READ THIS, YOU WILL BE!!!,,,, OR YOU'RE JUST PLAIN NUMB !!! BUDDY IS A HOOT !!!

If you do not laugh out loud when you read this book, check your pulse! This book is extremely funny and would only be better if there was an audio recording of Buddy telling the stories himself! Actually, that is an idea that some company really should explore. I received an extra copy of this book and gave it to a new to NASCAR fan. She loved it! She said it is best not be drinking or eating while reading it though, you may suffer from choking spells or spewing liquids!

I agree with the other reviewer about how thought provoking the chapters on the loss of drivers would have effected the sport. As someone who remembers the time they were here and the time after they left us, I feel the emptiness they left behind.

For someone wanting to laugh, read this book! For someone who wants to spend an afternoon reading about some history of NASCAR, this book can easily whet your whistle!

Buddy Baker's "Flat Out and Half Turned Over: Tales from Pit Road" is a chronological rememberance of a time when NASCAR moved from a regional non-sponsored organization to the time when the corporate interests of NASCAR started to take over. Baker, son of the famed Buck Baker, tells stories of when drivers were human enough to play practical jokes on each other, have knock-down, drag-out fights if they had an altercation on the track, and then get drunk together that night when all was forgotten. In today's big-money sanitized stock car racing world, this activity seems like ancient history, if it is recalled at all.

As a driver and a TV commentator, most of these stories have been told and retold before, although they are still interesting. Two of the less-mentioned chapters of Baker's stories are 1) why he had to retire (serious medical injuries, which were a testament to his build and strength), and 2) how significantly the NASCAR landscape would look if three drivers (Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki and Tim Richmond) had lived. This is a point that I had considered in my own thinking as a race fan; life's coming and going is what it is and we don't have a say in that, but these three bright stars in NASCAR would have made the sport look much different over the past 15 years if they had the opportunity to compete.

Buddy Baker's book, to his critics, is not "War And Peace" or Shakespere, but it never claimed to be. It is simply an interesting book about simpler times; stories about how men raced hard for a living so they could support their families and how Buddy Baker made his way in this world. It's good to have recorded and read a book like this, before NASCAR and its drivers become too close to the America that the corporate world loves and individuality disappears.

Walter Dean Myers is at his best when he's writing about basketball. His writing comes alive and seems to jump off of the page and pull you into the story, holding you captive until the final period. "Game" is no exception. This book follows in the tradition of "Hoops" and my personal favorite "Slam" which tap into the dreams and desires of urban youths. These stories tell the good, the bad and the ugly of the struggle for the socioeconomic liberation and upward mobility that basketball and other sports represent.

What is most incredible about Myers' writing is the play by play that puts you right on the sidelines. It's hard to contain yourself as the games grow intensify and there are times when I found myself ready to jump out of my seat. Cleary, Mr. Myers has the same love for the game that he infuses into his protagonists. In this book, however, Myers uses the "game" as an allegory. As the story unfolds, we realize that the "Game" the title refers too is life, not just basketball, and Drew, our hero, learns that being able to strategize, maneuver and score off the court is even more valuable than what he's able to do on the court.

"Game" is another example of Walter Dean Myers' commitment to empowering and enlightening our you. It also demonstrates Myers' ability to remain current and relevant. If you know of a boy with hoop dreams, or any dreams at all, introduce him to Walter Dean Myers. They'll forge a literary bond with everlasting benefits.

This is an interesting look at the struggle of a young high schooler (Drew Lawson)growing up in Harlem. His dream is to get out of that area and go to a Division 1 college. Midway through his senior year his coach brings in two white players from Europe who start to get a lot of playing time. Drew fills that his chances are slipping away and struggles with what he should do. Will Drews dream come true, read and find out. I gave it 4 stars because some of the words used seemed kind of hokie for the boys growing up on the streets, they sounded like something from a cheesy movie. Overall a good book though would highly recomend.

Drew Lawson lives and breathes basketball. He plans to use basketball as his ticket out of Harlem, and everyone knows it. The problems start when Coach "House" Hauser changes the game plan.

The Lawson family is a bit unusual for their neighborhood. Drew is lucky to have both a mom and dad living under the same roof, and although money is a struggle, both parents work. He and his sister have been raised to value life and set high goals. News from their neighborhood only makes the paper when it is bad news. Shootings, stabbings, and robberies are the usual stories, and Drew's mother frets when those stories involve young people.

The Chargers basketball team could offer Drew a chance at a better life. He is a decent player and has his sights set on playing Division I college ball in hopes of being a future NBA player. As a star Chargers' player, it just might be possible. Unfortunately, it seems that Coach House has other plans.

It is mid-season and suddenly Coach House has brought in two new players - a couple of white players. That doesn't bother Drew and his team too much until it becomes evident that Coach plans to start these new players in positions that clearly threaten Drew's game. What is Coach trying to do? Is there a method to his madness or is Drew's future at stake?

GAME is set in Walter Dean Myers' home territory in Harlem, and is filled with his trademark characters and plenty of action. Readers hear Drew's story in between bouts of realistic play-by-play basketball scenes. Myers fans as well as basketball lovers will find this a satisfying read.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

The only thing bigger than the chip on Mr. Abdul-Jabbar's shoulder in this text is the grand and engaging story he tells. For fans or just the curious observer (as I was), he takes us on an insightful journey into his motivation, his doubts, his difficulties, and his dreams. It sometimes seems that the persona behind the person is revealed more to the reader than to the writer.

Giant Steps is an auto-biography of Kareem's first 30-35 years. A lot of people know Kareem as a sullen and bitter man and with good reason. But after reading his perceptions on his own life, you start to get an idea of what shaped Kareem and made him the man he was and how it shaped the man he is today. Raised in NYC, he was always a hoops phenom, always the tallest kid around, and after a few years, he became acutely aware of his blackness. A high school coach spitting a racial slur at him for "motivation" and a bus ride to racially insensitive North Carolina opened Kareem's (at the time his name was Lew Alcindor) eyes to racial inequality. He developed a keen interest in Islam (Kareem mentions the differences between the Islam he believes versus the Nation of Islam that Muhammad Ali believes in--very interesting take on this) and his own race.
After high school, it was on to sunny California and UCLA to play for John Wooden. The UCLA campus, chock full of white folks and scholars, was a bit different from the jazz joints he'd be hanging out at in Harlem.
From the US's two greatest cultural epicenters to Milwaukee? From the year-round paradise-like weather of LA to the frigid temps of Wisconsin? From the shelter of John Wooden's hoops program to the spotlight of the NBA and its aggressive media? Life can't change a lot more than that. And Kareem definitely had his difficulties, which he addresses and doesn't attempt to excuse.
You can feel Kareem's edge throughout the majority of the bio. The unforgiving chip on his shoulder weighs heavy on him, and after reading and understanding what pushed a bit more you can begin to sympathize with his personal struggles.
Near the bio's end you can literally feel weight sliding off of him. It's slow, it's gradual, and it's not complete, but it's the start of something. The "Giant Steps" title can refer to a lot of things in Kareem's life, New York to LA, LA to Milwaukee, college hoops to pro hoops, Wilt Chamberlain's friend to Wilt's enemy/competitor, but I believe the biggest steps Kareem takes are the steps toward acceptance of himself and others.
A companion book to Giant Steps is "Kareem". "Kareem" is a bio/diary Jabbar kept during his final season in the NBA. The second book picks up right where "Giant Steps" left off. His remarkable growth after his 35th birthday is clear to the most unobservant reader.
Kareem and his co-author clearly express his development in rich language. This isn't just for hoops fans. "Giant Steps" is for anyone curious about race relations in America. Anyone curious about what it means to be truly different (7'1" black Muslim/basketball player in America in the 60s-80s--not too many of them around) and be forced to feel those differences every second of your waking life should take a look.
"Giant Steps" shows an angry, but passionate young man develop into a thoughtful, (somewhat) outgoing adult capable of contributing much of what he's learned to younger generations.

KAREEM TELLS OF HIS LIFE GROWING UP IN NEW YORK IN GREAT DETAIL IN THIS BOOK. BUT I THINK HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD US MORE ABOUT HIS PLAYING DAYS AT UCLA, MILWAUKEE AND LOS ANGELES. THIS HAS A LOT OF GOOD STUFF LIKE HIS FIRST MEETING WITH WILT, HIS TEAMMATES AT UCLA, AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH CHERYL PISTANO. I REALLY FOUND HIS BUDDAHISM AND ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED TO BE VERY WEIRD AND UNINTERESTING. KAREEM IS AN INTELLIGENT GUY WHO ENJOYS THE MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL THINGS IN LIFE. HIS PIECE AT THE TIME CHERYL PISTANO, HELPED HIM TO BE MORE OUTGOING AND CORDIAL TO PEOPLE AND HELPED OPEN HIS LIFE MORE. JUST WISHED HE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DETAILED ABOUT HIS SEASON TO SEASON CAREER AT UCLA AND THE NBA. A GOOD READ.

While reading the Gifts of Jimmy V, I found myself laughing out loud while imagining the plots told by his brothers, coaches, and friends. Although I was too young to remember the Championship win at NC State, I do recall his ESPN days. I always thought he was a nut, and thought it was a shame that cancer took him away in such a tragic way. The book was great, and if you are like me and don't have time to read novels, it's a good short book that gives you a different look at life and how you should live it.

Jim Valvano is best remembered for two things--running around the court after NC State won the 1983 National Championship, and for the emotional ESPY speech he made, where he urged everyone "Don't Give Up--Don't Ever Give Up." This book goes beyond that to tell amusing and often touching stories of Valvano's life through the eyes of those who knew him best, starting with his brother Bob who author's the book. Bob has a radio show on ESPN Radio that is pretty funny (I have heard it late at night while driving mostly), and he tells some funny stories in this book. The book is a biography of Jim Valvano, but VERY liberally spiced with stories all throughout.
It covers Valvano's firing at NC State, and raises interesting issues about it. Bob adored his brother, and makes no secret about that, but it serves him well here when talking about Jim's very courageous fight with cancer. Those chapters are often very moving.
It is a very quick read. Includes the entire text from the ESPY speech, and some columns from writers Tony Kornheiser, John Feinstein and Mike Lupica in an appendix.
I thought it was funny and moving, and really enjoyed it. It is not really a "basketball" book, and not really a biography...it is like Bob Valvano has just decided to chat with you and tell you about his brother. It helps that Jim was a very interesting guy...if you know who he was you'll enjoy it, and if you didn't you will probably get to know him and admire him, as I did!

I literally couldn't put this book down. Upon receiving this book as a Christmas gift from my wife (who has endured my fascination with Jimmy V for years) I read the book within a day of opening the front cover. As a student at NCSU during the last year of his tenure I was touched by his gifts. This book shows the human side of Jimmy and his relationships with his family, players, fellow coaches, sportswriters. You will find yourself laughing outloud and moved at the same time. The book gives an informative look into the truth behind all of the myths surrounding his departure from N.C. State. This is truly a motivational book which provides an insightful look to the life of coach Jimmy V.

I don't know how many times I read this when I was younger.. its a great story.... in some ways, it reminds me of the movie Hoosiers. Lots of basketball action, and typical teen problems. Yes, a great book!

Go team Go is a book basically on basketball. There arent many problems throughout the book though. It is mainly about basketball and I recommend it to the people out there who enjoy books on sports. It is the best sports book ive read because I havent really read any fiction books on sports.

When I was in middle school, I read every sports fiction book in the Harding and Hiawatha libraries. This was one of my favorites and I enjoyed it just as much when I read it again. There is a lesson in this book that transcends sports, which is something that Tunis does as well as anyone.
The high school basketball team of Ridgewood, Indiana has won the state title and the players are on top of the world. However, this is a town that has its' problems. There is a great deal of gambling going on and many citizens are betting that the team will win the state title the following year. All of the starters are back, so it seems like a good bet. Unfortunately, the team members start to believe that the rules do not apply to them. These beliefs are buoyed by the majority of the people in the town, who feed their egos. When the only real bad apple among the varsity players is disciplined, the remaining four players resign.
Rather than back down, the coach stands firm and plays his B team. At first they get shelled, but gradually they form a cohesive unit. When the school holds a pep rally in support of the new team, they catch fire and start to win.
The story is told from the perspective of Little Tom, son of the mayor and a member of the original varsity. He spends a great deal of the story feeling sorry for himself and making excuses for his bad behavior. Finally, to his credit, he goes to the coach and offers to help with the team. The coach readily accepts the help and together they coach their team deep into the state tournament. Since he was man enough to admit his mistake, his girlfriend takes him back and he rises above what he was to become a man proud of himself once again.
This story is a reminder of what seems to be lacking in sports these days, a concern for the character of the players that rises above concerns for winning. While winning is always desirable, how you play the game will almost always matter more in the long run. Tunis writes those points as well as anyone ever has, which is why I admire him so much as a writer. He teaches a very valuable lesson about life by wrapping it up in the thrill of sports.

jeff sheppard is one of my fav players of all time and after i had read this book i like him even more.I laughed i cryed i was totally moved. But i might be a little partial since he used to live right down the street from me.

Jeff Sheppard is the epitomy of Kentucky basketball. This is another "must read" for anyone who follows the mighty wildcats from the bluegrass state. Go deep inside the heart and soul of this year's "Comeback Cats".

My name is Amber. Jeff Sheppard is a HUGE inspiration to me. His book is just mixed emotions to me. It touched me. Deeply. Being his BIGGEST FAN, it truely inspires me. He truely does have a heart of a champion, and now he has inspired me to dig deeper. I am a basketball player and also have the number 15. He is such an inspiration. I would love to meet him and tell him how much he and his wonderful book has inspired me. Jeff, if you ever read this, you and your book are touching and mean so much to me and my basketball career since i first heard of you. Even me starting out as a sophomore in hs and playing basketball all my life, you and your book are truely my lifetime idol and inspiration.

This was an outstanding book on Johnny Orr. I have gone to ISU basketball games since i was 3 years old and Johnny's wife sat right behind me, so i really got to know him and her. The book is all about is tremedous coaching career and his awesome life.

When I am loyal to a team like the Cyclones, I try not ever live in the past. I love to remember past events and particular games, but to compare present teams with past teams is not fair. With this book, it is hard not to hark back to a special time in Cyclone basketball lore. Gene McGivern gives a genuine and heartfelt gift to the true Cardinal and Gold fans of the world. The fault I found to this book is that sometimes McGivern became too repetitive and this is probably due to his sports writing experiences. On occasion this slowed down the pace, but otherwise this book is a treasure as is Johnny Orr. This year Iowa State nearly beat eventual champions, Michigan State, and would have earned a Final Four bid. Their first. None of the present success at ISU would be possible without Johnny Orr. This book is THAT story. It is a inspirational success story and it is REAL! Something that is not found in similar stories.

Ok, so I'm married to the author. I'm a basketball fan by marriage, and this book was an important part of my conversion. Gene was the sports editor of the Ames Tribune and knows Johnny both personnally and professionally. He documents the Johnny Orr era with such precision, that you'll feel like an ISU alum even if you aren't. We hope you enjoy the book

This was a very quick read, and goes into something of the history of the person behind the Spurs Coyote, Tim Derk. He lived a double life, with a secret identity, for two decades until he suffered a stroke.

As the Coyote, he performed feats of athleticism that were amazing, all the time showing the humor for which he was known. Only a few people knew his true identity until shortly after his stroke on Feb 13, 2004.

The book is a quick read, easily completed in a single night and has several tales of the misadventures of the Coyote, and its actor. It is written very much as if the author was speaking to you, however it is somewhat disjointed jumping around from time to time, inside a chapter.

The seven chapters are relative focused, each one detailing aspects of Tim'sis life. From the inception of the Coyote, to a number of injuries, to his hey-day activities, to the stroke, then to rehab, and finally to recovery, though that is obviously an ongoing issue.

The book is inspiring, showing how much a person can accomplish if he puts his mind to it. Considering that Tim's stroke is central to the book, it still remains a relatively enjoyable read.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mascots, and specifically to anyone who may be facing a tough time. It is also a must for any fan of the Spurs Coyote.

The reading is quick paced and engaging. One minute you are laughing, the next you are saying "WoW", or "Mmmmm"

This book makes profound thinking easy to read!

A fascinating read and a great look at the king of NBA mascots. Whether hanging from the ceiling or making up hilarious bits, Tim truly set the bar for other mascots and athletic entertainers to follow.

Much like others much more famous than I, I also believe that the Chip Hilton series reminds us all of the basic values of life. I would certainly recommend the series to all young people, even at the risk of them being put off by Clair Bee's "hokeyness". There are great lessons contained wthin each story as Chip and his friends work very hard to navigate through their teen years.

I loved this book. Chip Hilton is a good series for girls and boys. I can't wait to read the rest of them. I am going to get Championship Ball today.

For those readers new to the Chip Hilton series, this is a good book in the series as it has basketball and a good off-the-court story. I feel the earlier books in the Hilton series are the best. I had many of original Hilton books as a kid and absolutely loved them. I re-read them through the years and am truly disappointed my son never got into them the way my brothers and I did. Of course, I was thrilled when the stories were re-released so I could read the volumes I never read. The stories are still great, but I am greatly annoyed by the small changes the authors chose to make, in attempt to modernize them, when they re-released the books. I have found these small changes often lead to confusion in the stories, particular in this book. For example, in "Touchdown Pass" Speed Morris is referred to as being black, which he was not in the original version. No big deal. That is, until this story which dealt with racism very well as the team took a young black player to a hostile town for the first time. The fact that Speed was now black changed the significance of the event, which the author apparently realized and scrambled to make sense out of it. Oh, well, my brother (another Hilton fanatic) told me to lighten up and just enjoy the books!