Basketball Books

From the names of the characters to their twisted personalities and quirks, the Bolitar Series is brilliant. 5* for dry humor and wit. 5* for character development. 4* for plotting. A definite recommend.

Not the best Myron Bolitar novel, but Win, Esperanza and Big Cyndi are all there. Sometimes Coben's style of writing is enough to carry the plot. Worth reading.

i know everyone else is raving about this one, but I liked the first 2 better....still, it moves along very fast and is fun to read...

These novels are best when you take them for what they are. They are light mystery novels with a little bit of comedy and witty dialogue mixed in.

This is the third novel in the Myron Bolitar series (the first two are Deal Breaker and Drop Shot) and it follows basically the same formula. It isn't necessary, however, to read the first two to enjoy this one. Coben does a good job of constructing the novels with the ability for each one to stand on it's on if needed.

I enjoy the dialogue as much as anything else. Coben is able to keep me very entertained with the back and forth between his very original characters as we follow them through plot twists, turns, and suprises.

This novel is more sports based than the other two which made it that much more enjoyable to me.

A fun light read that doesn't take itself too seriously. You shouldn't either.

I've not read all of the Myron Bolitar series yet, but Fade Away rates as the best I've read to this point (and all are good). A couple of factors help make this particular story stand out.

First, and foremost, since the storyline centers on basketball, it is much more personal for Myron than when other sports are featured. As a reader, I both celebrated and agonized as Myron tackled his life-long dream.

Secondly, while there are the trademark Coben plot twists and turns, they are not overdone in Fade Away. All of the plot twists ultimately add depth to the story and aren't inserted simply to keep the reader off balance. Very well done.

The secondary characters, Win & Esperanza, as always, add a tremendous amount. The 'guest stars' (the team players and administration) are entirely believable as they each attempt to protect their own turf.

This is a very good inspirational book about an underdog inner city basketball team rising up to be the best, coached by Bob Hurley--best high school coach in small, broken down parochial school. Kids all had problems and he taught character and perseverance as well as basketball. It's tells how the coach motivated and taught his players. Parts moved a bit slow but it's definitely worth your time reading this one!

Coaching (and teaching) tips I got out of it included the following:

*Always keep the bar high and require respect.
*Never let anyone slide--keep on them all the time.
*Coach all the players, not just the best.
*Make kids earn your respect and ignore them until they do.
*Give everyone a role--even those on the bench.
*Use drastic measures (wrestling practice) to punish sloppy playing.
*Use the drastic measure practice for motivating in the future.
*Let the players experience the glory, keep low profile as coach.
*Help players make good decisions concerning their futures.

Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

What a great, inspirational book. On top of that, it was only $5 when I purchased it, so you can't go wrong there. If you enjoy basketball, I strongly suggest you read this book!

I read this a few years back and I really enjoyed it. I have always found books about geniuses within their little realm fascinating. Bob Hurley's success is not attributed to a new revolutionary school of coaching thought, but rather basic hard work, discipline and commitment.

Despite its small enrollment, St. Anthony's teams have been pretty stacked over the years. That is why I always thought the St. Anthony's mystique (i.e. Poor little Catholic school in Jersey City) was overblown a bit. Give anyone an MacDonald all-american and a couple of All-NYC type players and you'll have success at the HS level. But this particular season, the players at St. Anthony's were something a bit less. Good players, certainly, but not the highly recruited types that usually populate the top HS Programs in the country. Hurley guiding this ragtag bunch of ballers to the heights of success says alot about the guys ability to coach and motivate. Its a great story that would have been something less if it chronicled one of the other St. Anthony's seasons.

Indeed, Hurley is a tough coach that borders on verbally absuive. But in this day and age of coddled athletes, he's refreshing. He's unambigious about what his expectations are and kids respond to his style. He's not a mean, cruel guy he just wants to get the most out of his players.

It would be a good read for coaches of youngsters through teenagers.

If you're a coach this is for you. If you're a sports fan this is for you. I loved it so much I bought a book for my entire coaching staff. And we are a hockey team! There are a lot lessons and values that Coach Hurley teaches. More importantly it's about life. He never let up on these kids and pushed them to success. Challenged them to succeed. At that age level they need guidance, they need someone to sponsor them. Then its up to them to follow the path Coach Hurley gives them. It's amazing how a time tested path still can't lead some kids. It's a struggle between the kids backgrounds and the future they can have
Wow what a great book. What I liked is that these kids are now in college so we can follow their careers.
The one player that sticks out to me is Sean McCready. Great talent, bad guidance (family). Now he is sitting out the 2008 season because he transferred. Coach Hurley was right!

I also loved the fact that he sweeps the floor. That's his time, and we all need our own time. But coach is dedicated to a school that is struggling. There is no way a school like this should be on the verge of bankruptcy. Coach could leave and make millions, but he doesn't. Because if he does the school will close.
BUY THE BOOK

Adrian Wojnarowski's "The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season with Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball's Most Improbable Dynasty" is one of the best sports and leadership books I have read this past year.

St. Anthony's is a private Catholic High School in Jersey City, NJ, with 230 students (120 boys). Students come from an area where 16% pass the HS proficiency test and where the local drug-infested, back-sliding culture has a hold on the kids. Despite its size and location, St. Anthony's basketball teams have gone undefeated four times, have won two USA Today national titles, and 24 New Jersey Parochial state championships. The basketball program has developed 200 college players, including 5 who went on to the National Basketball Association.

St. Anthony's is a special and safe place under Srs. Felicia and Alan and legendary Coach, Bob Hurley - the streets stop here. Their focus in athletics and academics has been to help kids get to the finish line. They share a collective value that there is no shortcut to success.

While Sister Felicia and Sister Alan play prominent roles in the success of St. Anthony's, "The Miracle of St. Anthony" is mostly about Bob Hurley and the class of 2004 - the most athletically and socially underachieving team in St. Anthony's history. Yet, under Hurley's coaching leadership, the team went undefeated, winning the NJ State Championship and was named by USA Today as the top high school team of the year.

Hurley struggles with the problems of the inner city and sees the potential in these kids that they do not see in themselves. He has always been a disciple of John Wooden... fundamentals, well-conditioned, team play, and defense...and he has always been a no-nonsense driver.

He creates an expectation of performance and accountability that the kids will not find anywhere else in their lives, and helps them out the door to life with values and a voice to become the best they can. And despite his daunting ways, the kids respect Hurley and when returning after graduation, they always come home to the warm embrace of family. The relationship changes from tough task master to a friend.

"St. Anthony's" covers the entire basketball year from pre-season preparations to the championship game. Wojnarowski provides the ups and downs of the season - injuries, players leaving the team, tough wins, and all the key relationships that makes St. Anthony's the special place it is.

This is a great read for anyone interested in coaching, leadership, and basketball.

As best I can tell, this is the finest book yet written about Indiana University basketball and Bob Knight, and it's 21 years old. Feinstein is a top notch biographer and he doesn't sugar coat anything in this book. It's filled with interesting anecdotes and quite a few raw quotes. The mid-1980s was a magical time for IU basketball, including in their rivalry with Purdue and Gene Keady. And Feinstein tagging along for a whole season gives the reader a good feel for some of the magic of basketball in the state of Indiana, as portrayed in the movie Hoosiers. I think Feinstein is quite objective in his portrayal of the good, the bad, and the ugly in Knight. Regardless of your opinion of Knight, I think it's clear that he cares about his players, the sport of college basketball, and about running a clean program. Feinstein ends by stating that the then 46-year-old Knight is "A young man with a bright future. If he doesn't destroy it." Knight may have come close to doing so around 2000, but he's recovered nicely and seems to be doing well at Texas Tech. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

Knight is nothing but a bully and a lunatic. He's proof that you can do whatever the hell you want as long as you win and make $$$$$$$$$$$$$.
Typical America these days.
When he got fired from Indiana I had a parade down my street.

This dated but gripping look at coach Bobby Knight and Indiana University basketball places readers squarely at courtside and inside the Hoosier's locker room. Author John Feinstein observed the team during the 1985-1986 season, and he recreates the excitement as Indiana surges through the highly-competitive Big Ten conference to reach the NCAA tournament in March. The players stress under their demanding coach, yet seem to accept him. And coach Knight is a handful; volatile, foul-tempered, immature, and willing to play head games ("BK Theatre") with his players. Of course, he's also highly intelligent and one of the few NCAA basketball coaches to punish class cutting and run a clean program with high graduation rates. That plus winning probably explains why Knight kept his job until 2000, despite cry-baby antics, throwing chairs, screaming at referees, and even kicking his own son.

This is an excellent narrative, but I wish the author had gone even further. We could use a more detailed look at the team's defensive schemes, the players themselves, and the exploitive hypocrisy of letting coaches get rich while NCAA players play for scholarships in a multi-billion dollar industry. Despite these omissions, this is a superbly readable narrative, and one of (or the) top-selling sports book of all time.

Road To Satisfaction

A Season On The Brink shows the struggles of a great college basketball coach, Bobby Knight, to not have a losing season. The intensity of Bobby Knight can sometimes cause problems and hurt feelings. Knight tries to keep his poise during the 1986 season and clean up a little bit. The way things are going for a while really doesn't help him control his anger. Coming off from coaching possibly the best Olympic team, Knight expects nothing but the best for his Indiana Hoosiers.
The book can be repetitive at points while John Feinstein the author is explaining non-exciting games play by play; but the close games can get you caught up in the action. You can be thrilled at one minute and then picture yourself in the locker room during one of Bobby Knight's intense speeches after the game. Feinstein did a great job with the details of the whole season and that is why A Season On The Brink is a best seller.

---Sean Weakley

Growing up, all I knew about legendary college basketball coach Bobby Knight was that he would rant and rave, throw chairs, get arrested, scream in his players' faces and snap at the media. During college, upon taking a class called "Moral Reasoning In Sport," I conducted research on Bobby Knight and got to know Bobby Knight as a person better. The ironic thing was that he stood for good morals but what he practiced as a coach boardered on the immoral at times. I saw how wonderful a man he could be and how badly he could cut a person down. I was fascinated by his style.

My curiosity about Bobby Knight led me to "A Season On The Brink;" a book which describes the full 1985-86 season with Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers. Author John Feinstein, who trooped along with the team complete with notepad and tape recorder, crafts this book in amazing detail with all the trimmings. We are given a real life look at the pressures that college basketball can bring to both coach and players, the trials and tribulations. We are given a taste of how addictive competition is and the emotional effects it can have.

"A Season On The Brink" describes Bobby Knight in a way that begs you to love him and begs you to hate him. Passionate about not failing, Knight pressures himself to succeed and is quick to think himself a failure each time he does not reach certain goals. His characteristic short fuse is always there to represent this. After the disastrous 1984-85 season where he performed the legendary chair throw that got him in trouble, he vowed not to go through a repeat season in 1985-86. He constantly reminded his players of that terrible season as fuel for them to create a better season in '85-'86.

We are literally taken to the "brink" of Knight's sanity at times as Feinstein describes Knight's techniques for getting his team prepared for games. The saga continues before each game for the Indiana players, from studying hours of opponent game tape in "the cave," to "walk-throughs" on the court of what will be conducted in the upcoming game, to appetizing pre-game meals of spaghetti and pancakes in the early morning. Practices are grueling as the players are screamed at by Knight; virtually every four-letter word flying in their faces each time one fails to get a certain rebound, set a certain screen or make a decent pass.

Then of course there are always the Bobby Knight mind games present, a term that Feinstein calls "B.K. Theater." Players like his all-stars, Steve Alford and Daryl Thomas will be targets of his ranting and raving of how horrible they are, how they don't care about playing and how he should never have gotten players like them on his team. You did not want to land in Knight's "doghouse" as Feinstein describes it. In fact, on some of Knight's worst days, the whole team is in the doghouse as he throws all of them out of practices while yelling his questioning of their commitment to the game.

Feinstein does an excellent job of describing the games themselves from the tension in the locker room before the game, during halftime and after the game, to the crowd noise and chants, to the arguments Knight has with officials. As for the players themselves, Feinstein chronicles virutally every key shot, mistake made, rebound and beautiful pass. As you read the book, you'll find your heart pounding as Indiana fights for the lead or fights to keep their lead as the clock quickly winds down to crunch time. You'll find yourself cheering for star players like Steve Alford when he drains another key shot and for Cinderella players like Steve Eyl when he makes two clutch free-throws.

But you'll also feel the despair the players feel if a win has not been grasped or a goal has not been reached, from the chilling silence of the locker room, to Knight screaming and storming out of it only to come back in and talk calmly. Sometimes Knight will resort to taking off to fish or hunt with friends, attending other basketball games or letting the other coaches run the team for a while, while he watches from the stands. And of course there are the situations that the players bring on themselves that creates tension and stress such as Alford's posing for a calander, Daryl Thomas's injuries and Andre Harris's skipping of classes.

You'll find out what Bobby Knight goes through with the media; how his past record continues to follow him and how the media jumps to conclusions and exaggerating. You'll also see Knight's recruiting process (players from high school and junior college) and the ups and downs that come with it. You'll hear Knight's own insecurity through talks with his other coaches over meals at late-night diners, on the plane trips and before games with words like "Do you think we're okay?" "Will we win again?" You will see Knight marking up important words on the chalkboard and trying different defensive and offensive set-ups that he wouldn't have done in the past. In short, you'll hear it, you'll feel it and you'll see it all.

But one thing that Feinstein enables us to see is the loveable Bobby Knight; he Bobby Knight who doesn't forget past players that he has befriended such as Quinn Buckner. The Bobby Knight who sympathized with a deaf kid and gave he and his family tickets to the basketball game. The Bobby Knight whom past players and friends call upon for advice or to have some strings pulled. As Feinstein pointed out in the book, nobody could have a more loyal friend than Bobby Knight. You ask him to do something and he would do just about anything for you. And granted we see plenty of Knight's softer side around his players from Steve Alford's final game as a Hoosier, to the heartfelt goodbye to Delray Brooks who would transfer to another school. And of course you'll really get a taste of Bobby Knight's sense of humor and quick wit. When times are going a little smoother for the team, you'll read of Knight making cracks with his coaches and players.

Feinstein even takes us right down the path to the crucial tournament games with heated rivals Ohio State and Michigan. The read is quite a nail-biting experience. Feinstein follows the chronicled 1985-86 season up with a fairly quick but detailed overview of the 1986-87 team on the way to a championship against Syracuse, where you will again start getting onto the court with the players as the key plays of this amazing championship game are described by Feinstein. Headed by new recruits such as a kid named Smart, the Hoosiers took home a championship and rendered Knight literally hoarse with emotion in the end.

Indeed, if you are a fan of sports and you love the game of basketball; especially the thrill of college basketball, you will love this book. Even for those who may despise Bobby Knight, I would still recommend you give this book a read. It's a wonderful basketball story and a read that gets you right into the heated games and the hardened practices with the team. It could quite possibly be the best trip to the brink a sports fan could want.

This is a wonderfully nostalgic group of vignettes and reflections. At times, the writing is quite poignant. This will resonate with long-time soccer (futbol) aficionados, who know the history of the game. Younger readers will be lost in some of the allusions and will not know some of the players.

Eduardo Galeano has collected a series of short essays developing random thoughts about professional soccer. He seems to decry the fact that professional soccer has become big entertainment business. I detected an inate longing for watching men play soccer just for the joy of participating in a boys game in several of Mr. Galeano's essays. However, he does develop some interesting imagry and metaphors to describe the game of soccer.

I liked the my old paperback edition so much, I bought a hardbound version of the new edition. (The new material BTW is just a continuation of Galeano's commentaries this time centered on the 2002 World Cup tournament. Older version just went up to the 1998 tournament.)

Any discussion of Galeano's writing must begin with his inimitable style. For lack of a proper genre, I call his writings "mosaicos", as each little vignette is like an individual tile in a larger, greater picture. Sometimes this format can be a bit disjointed, but in "Soccer Sun Shadow", it works because the Reader understands that the vignettes are organized chronologically. Galeano does have some vignettes about the origins of the game and its spread to the far-flung corners of the world by British imperialists, but by and large the narrative begins with accounts of games/goals/players from the early 1950s. Since Galeano is Uruguayan, he also has a decidedly Latin American bias (so don't expect to be reading about European teams of the era).

I'm 42 years old and a fan of soccer; some of the stories/players mentioned I had never heard of, so it was refreshing to hear a bit of this history. Once Galeano's narrative caught up to my earliest memories of the game (1970/1974 World Cups), I felt like I was talking to an old friend about a subject we both love. I think that's why I like this book so much: it blends my love of literature (I'm an English teacher) with my love of soccer, and it does it so poetically, so precisely, with such quick turns of language, it is a distinct pleasure to read and reminisce.

I'm not saying you should buy two copies of "Soccer Sun Shadow" (like I did), but if you buy one, I'm sure you'll enjoy the read.

This is a beatifully written little book about the world's greatest game. When I come across people who just can't udnerstand why soccer is the favorite sport (in all countries but the US) I give them this book to read.

It is actually a series of elegant little essays -- (it doesn't neccesarily need to be read in order).

There are few books of non-fiction whose writing transcends the subject matter, but this is such a book. I am not a soccer player but this book made me a fan of the game and a fan of Galeano. He puts us on a field, in the stands, at the goal, in the sun, and under the shadows. He transports us into the game and celebrates its mystique and passion and sadness. And, amazingly, he does it in as few words as possible, giving us just a few paragraphs at a time but creating huge panoramas of emotion with those words. I'll tell you how much I love this book: it sits on my night stand, ready for me to read a paragraph or two and be transported by a magical game and a writer of similar power.

great book awesome stories. i actual went by the restaurant wherte they eat. The game lost an amazing lifer.

Of all the Sports that Feinstein covers I think he covers Basketball Best.
This is a superb tale of the Legendary Boston Celtic's LEADER. I was told that Red grew up in the DC area going to a Segregated Roosevelt High School. I wondered how someone coming from a Segregated Environment could draft one of the first 3 African Americans in the Now NBA. Also how he could select the first African American Coach. Well he grew up in Brooklyn in a multi-cultural Neighborhood. Fascinating stories about the Carnegie Deli area. He went to college in DC (GW) (Which I knew), and then later taught at Roosevelt (Which may have been where the confusion started.) I think it helped that I have been in the Chinatown Restaurants that are the setting for a lot of the stories, This an absolutely Great Read, and one of Feinstein's best.

I have never been a fan of the Celtics, but a big basketball fan none the less. Having said that, this book was perfect for me. It is a in-depth, personal look into the life of the greatest coach in basketball history, as told not only by the man himself, but the great writer John Feinstein. This book gives great insight not only the the makings of the Celtic dynasty, but into the beginnings of the games, and how Red has shaped the game into what it is today. Must read for all basketball fans.

I'm not the greatest John Feinstein fan. Sometimes he's really good, but sometimes he just seems like he's trying to be elitist. But when I heard about this book, I put it on my list to buy. Two years later I finally got around to it. My loss.

Red Auerbach was the institutional memory of the NBA as well as the guy who created the Celtic dynasty. He was a master storyteller and collector of people. This book is the story of lunch with Red every Tuesday, 11am @ the China Doll restaurant. Just as importantly it is the story of the people Red collected and his influence on their lives.

No one will claim this book is objective-it's not supposed to be. I'm sure Red had flaws, but I really don't care. For older boomers he and John Wooden define greatness in basketball. I'm just glad to have the stories.

I read 10 pages of this book while waiting in the doctor's office & bought 3 copies the same day.. one for my dad, one for my brother & one for me.

Great stories & since I'm a native Washingtonian, I love the stories about DC & one of the greatest characters & coaches of all time.

This book follows ACC basketball for a season. Very fun, like potato chips, hard to stop.

If you love ACC basketball and cannot get enough behind the scenes information about the coaches then you'll love this book.

Feinstein is amazing in that he has the clout to get into the locker rooms of each of the teams in this conference. Further still, the coaches and players never hold back on their thoughts. So you get one fantastic book, made up of hundreds of interesting basketball stories.

John Feinstein is a great writer, and this book is a look at one season in the ACC. He follows the teams around the conference for a season, giving us the background of the players and coaches and showing us the high and low points of the season.

For those of us who didn't go to one of these schools, it's a great way to learn about the basketball traditions of the conference, the history of the rivalries, the conference tournament, the arenas, the fans, etc.

Even if you're not an ACC fan, if you like college basketball you should enjoy this book.

'A March to Madness' follows the Atlantic Coast Conference through the 1996-97 season with Feinstein's signature behind the scenes access. For a fascinating contrast, read this book and then read Feinstein's also excellent 'The Last Amateurs' about the Partiot League. The Patriot League has more true student-athletes, healthier competition, and a lot less money.

'A March to Madness' portrays the high stakes, high pressure, big money atmosphere behind big-time college sports. The ACC is great college basketball conference, but this book tears away most of the romantic myths. The reader is, however, treated to behind the scenes looks at coaches like Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, and Gary Williams, as well as big name players like Vince Carter and Tim Duncan. It's especially interesting to read about Williams' agonies of doubt - this book was written 6 years before the Terps won the NCAA title.

Very highly recommended for readers who enjoy college basketball or John Feinstein.

I'm not a college hoops fan, but having come from the University of Connecticut (back when winning the NIT was a big deal for us), I figured I should try to read something about the sport that has come to define my alma mater.

I chose well. No, UConn is not a part of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the subject of this season-long profile by John Feinstein. But Feinstein gives a solid appreciation for what college basketball is all about through the experiences of the coaches, players, refs, execs, and fans active in the ACC, which Feinstein claims is perhaps the most competitive b-ball conference in Division 1, year in and out. "Let down just the slightest bit and you become instant roadkill," he writes.

Feinstein gives you a sense of the different coaching styles at play here, from Dean Smith's traditional approach at North Carolina to Rick Barnes' cut-up quirkiness at Clemson to Dave Odom's huggy-bear avuncularity at Wake Forest. He relates tales about the history and folklore of the conference that make one feel like an instant Dick Vitale just from reading them, even if the terms "traveling" and "charging" make you flash on American Express. Most importantly, he writes a book that really opens up the world of college basketball to the more casual fan, or even curious non-fan.

That's what I liked the book. I read it, relished it, and enjoyed it with practically no knowledge of the sport going in. The way Feinstein writes about how different refs call different fouls, for example, was both illuminating and entertaining reading.

Feinstein also writes candidly about contracts, recruiting, marriages (failed and successful), burnout, death, and all the other factors that affect college coaches. Players are less the focus, and I get the feeling that Feinstein speaks from personal experience late in the book when he speculates about how an inability to relate to his young players may have moved Dean Smith to retire at 66. The absence of a players' perspective is unfortunate, but it kind of follows with the focus of the book being on the nine coaches, seven of whom gave Feinstein total access.

Feinstein obviously worked hard, and at times his narrative seems to be everywhere at once. Really great work on game descriptions, too, the way he uses them judiciously to punch up the storyline without letting them overtake the rest of the book.

Finally, this is a must-read for fans of Duke and their coach, Mike Krzyzewski. Krzyzewski comes off the best in this book, and while some charge Duke grad Feinstein with bias, the truth is Krzyzewski has the most to offer, both as a man and as a coach. The story of his "drawing the line" before a big game with North Carolina is worth the price of the book by itself. Between him and Dean Smith, I'm surprised Feinstein had time at all for poor Pat Kennedy of Florida State, but he works hard at balance.

What most comes across in this book is the amazing drive of the people involved. "If you're good enough to reach a goal, then there's still someplace else to go," says Maryland coach Gary Williams. "You don't just stop. You keep trying to be better."

There are minor holes in "A March To Madness," but what makes it great is the fact its author shares Williams' passion for excellence. There's no let up.

I just finished reading this book, and it was not that great. A lot of the facts about the case are there, but there is way too much storytelling. Some parts of the book sound like a fiction novel geared towards 7th graders. I do not like the way the authors tell some of the stories of things that happened. The authors could have been more unbiased, especially when giving facts about the accuser. I felt that a lot of the time they were kind of assuming things about her and how she was thinking. The ending of the book is also horrible, and it is too open ended and fails to really tie into the rest of the book. The last chapter is kind of awkwardly placed at the end, maybe because there was no where else for it to go.... perhaps they need to add on to the book now that more has happened.

Oh, and they misspell Red Auerbach's name in the book, I'm surprised no one caught that before it went out.

Overall if you really want to read this, it gives a little insight, but it is not worth your time. If you followed this case in the press and read articles, you probably already know most of the stuff covered in this book and it is not worth it. If you did not follow this case at all and just want something to read that will give you the basic story, then it may be worth it for you.

This is a very well written book of what happened in the Kobe case last year. Its incredible the case never went to trial after everything that happened.

that a rich athlete can get away with rape by throwing money at the problem.

This book may be the answer - according to the authors, this isn't the first time that Kobe's made some strange moves on women. The authors say there are THREE other women who he's had "questionable circumstances" with - one of whom is in Portland, Oregon. The book doesn't say where the other two are, but they're probably in towns where the Lakers have played in the past. The writing is pretty good and entertaining. It' got some hard info and a pretty good history of Kobe's career, his rivalry and even good moments with Shaq. It's gonna be real interesting to see what Shaq AND his wife have to say - she's on the witness list too for the civil suit - now that he's been traded to the Miami Heat. Did the Lakers make the right move by trading Shaq and firing Phil Jackson to keep Kobe on board? We'll find out when they play the Heat soon. In the meantime, it'll be even more interesting to see how the two match up under oath in a courtroom! This book is a pretty good read for people who are interested in the NBA and want to know more about what's happening in the case.

Jennifer Stevens and Jeffrey Scott Shapiro's summary of the Kobe Bryant drama will most likely be immortalized since the case has been settled and all parties -- including Bryant, the victim and their lawyers are bound to silence. Stevens and Shapiro covered the case up until February of 2004, but very little happened afterwards, leaving the reader with all the pertinent information, including what happened the night of the alleged attack and the police interviews with Kobe. It's a fast turning read, but good luck trying to find a copy in an actual bookstore. Either they're all sold out or maybe there was a recall for a new edition or something. It's pretty hard to locate a copy now. I remember seeing them in Borders when the book first came out, but ended up borrowing a copy from a friend after I had a hard time relocating the book offline. This book reads easily, but almost all of the authors bombshells including the police interview and 3 other women Kobe had strange encounters with has been verified by other sources. It's a fun read and unfortunately it's all there is since no one else has written another book on the case. I'm glad there was at least one book out there that covers all the main points and stories. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a broad overview of the case and an inside look at who the main players are.

Will Blythe has crafted a must read book with this one!I laughed through it as I recognized myself in the obsessed Carolina fan self portrait Blythe paints. It simply is the best book on Carolina basketball ever written. The one on one conversations with Coach K, Coach Smith, and even Crazy Towel Guy are all must reads. Most remarkable is the way he ties family, religion, class struggles, and basketball all into one probing question ... IS IT ALRIGHT TO HATE YOUR RIVAL LIKE THIS?

This is a must read for anyone seeking to understand the trible mindset that is sports fanaticism. Those willing to laugh at themselves will enjoy it the most.

Even Duke fans won't be able to put down this entertaining analysis of the Duke-Carolina rivalry. Find out what's behind the bad blood between the two schools.

Great book, great price, great shipping.

I actually bought this book as a Christmas present for my husband who is a big Duke fan. I am the Tar Heel fan in the family and thus you see the method in my madness. However, he started reading it on Christmas day before all the wrapping paper was cleaned up and could not put it down for hours. He did make a number of comments disagreeing with various premises of the book, but it certainly kept his attention. I've just started the book and particularly enjoy the references to the author's family (I knew his father years ago) but it does bog down a bit in detailing the games during the season. Still, for any of us who have lived in Chapel Hill and been infected with the Tar Heel "bug" it is a 'must read.'

I don't give a d*mn about Duke University
'Cause I'm from Car-o-lina!

Ah, if only the song were true. What a salutary effect it would have on my blood pressure if it were! But, like nearly every other North Carolina fan in the world, I do give a damn about Duke University. I give a damn frequently, vociferously, and ferociously. I often give quite a bit worse than a damn when the rodenty visage of Coach K appears on my television. Where does such vituperation come from? Why should a smallish Southern research university inspire such hatred in me and my fellow members of Tar Heel nation?

These are the questions that Will Blythe explores in To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever, his thoroughly biased account of the UNC/Duke basketball rivalry from a fan's perspective. Blythe is clever and self-deprecating, and the book is fun to read, but I suspect that my enjoyment stemmed mainly from the fact that Blythe falls on the same side of this rivalry that I do. Blythe was born and raised in Chapel Hill, NC, and is a passionate and knowledgeable lover of Tar Heel basketball. He makes no secret of the fact that he lives and dies by Heels, and I couldn't help liking someone who shares my feelings in that regard. Blythe is also a good play-by-play writer; his accounts of specific games were gripping and suspenseful even though I remembered the results of most of them. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that the games he describes took place during Carolina's run to the national championship in March of 2005. Blythe's narrative gave me a great opportunity to relive my favorite moments of the season--Remember that torturous loss to Duke on the last possession? Remember that nerve-wracking game against Villanova in the Sweet Sixteen?--and to remember how much I miss Ray Felton, Sean May, and the other stars of the championship team.

But the book is not only about basketball. Blythe spends some time talking about his father's recent death and analyzing his relationship with his dad. He also occasionally gets sidetracked into philosophical discussions about the nature of hatred and its role in the life of the modern sports fan. Perhaps it's just the rabid fan in me, but I found these sections of the book to be less successful. I might even go so far as to say they were a bit boring. Forget your family, man, forget your philosophizing, and give me the basketball! Blythe is much more entertaining when he's indulging his hatred of Duke than when he's probing its depths.

This was a fun read, peppered with clever digs at the Duke students, players, and coaches, but I can't imagine that it would be very interesting for anyone who's not a partisan in the war between the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils. It would probably even be somewhat insufferable to that portion of the population who feel that this rivalry is already over-hyped by the media.

"A tremendous account. . . I must refer anyone who has any interest in the Black Sox Scandal to Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. There is a shiny gold sticker on the jacket of Frommer's book, by the way, announcing that it contains "Never before published -- Joe Jackson's complete Grand Jury Testimony." . . .The testimony is worth reading. Frommer quotes Joe Jackson: "I never said anything about it [the plot to throw the Series] until the night before the Series started. I went to see Mr Comiskey and begged him to take me out of the lineup .... If there was something going on I knew the bench was the safest place, but he wouldn't listen to me...." I would love to fill about ten pages with excerpts from Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball, but will not. Get the book. It's a fascinating and fast read.

I might as well have read the back of a baseball card as have read the book, for all the insight into Jackson's personality it gave me. This book simply read like an extended sports column; I suppose that is all well and good if sports columns are all you ever read, but I expect more from a biography than a collection of blow-by-blow accounts of the games Jackson played in. The man, after all, spent 13 of his 62 years playing in the big leagues. There is scant discussion of his later years. Does Frommer suppose that the reader is not interested in how Jackson came to terms with his status as a disgraced former big-league ballplayer? One is left with the impression that Frommer did not even attempt to scratch the surface when dealing with Jackson's later years.

Couple this with Frommer's clumsy writing style, lack of citations, and bizarre style of quotation, and one is left with a book that was not worth the time spent reading it. I was left with no greater insight into Jackson the man than before I first picked up the book.

Nothing more than sappy baseball nostalgia masquerading as a biography. Totally useless.

I've read 3 or 4 books on Joe Jackson and/or the 1919 scandal and seen enough movies (8 Men Out, Field of Dreams), to have been familiar with the story of Jackson and the Black Sox. This book gave a little more biographical information about Jackson. It was interesting to know more about his upbringing and early career. However, while a fast read, I don't think this is sterling prose. Seems a little biased toward Jackson, which we are probably all guilty of as time goes by. I do agree with the implicit endorsement by the author of Jackson for the Hall of Fame. It does seem that his illiteracy and ignorance made him an easy target for the gamblers, his corrupt teammates and---later---Comiskey's attorneys. Jackson's grand jury testimony provided as an appendix is probably the best thing about the book. I had never seen that before and found it fascinating.

I would recommend Eliot Asinof's (which the author does too) "Eight Men Out" as a better, more balanced account. Also a very, very good movie if you'd rather not read the book. A great ficitional account, I thought, was "Hoopla" by Harry Stein, which came out a few years ago. I think both of those do a better job in giving us the feel for Chicago and America in those days. A good case is made in both for Buck Weaver as another reluctant participant in the scandal who was probably penalized a little more severely than he deserved.

If you know the basic story, you're not going to learn anything here. Eight Men Out is a much better account of the 1919 World Series and there are better biographies of Shoeless Joe. Also, this is the only historical work I can ever recall reading that did not contain citaions for all of the quotes. The author also has an unusual manner of using quotes.

This book was inspiring, I picked up the phone and called my college coach after 15 years. I learned how much I truly learned and how much I missed not keeping him in my life.

Andy Hill does an excellent job of applying Coach Wooden's winning philosophies to business and personal life. Makes an excellent gift to first-time managers.

The book arrived in good condition. I was anticipating it to arrive sooner than it did as my daughter needed it for a class but aside from that, the purchase was a great value and served its purpose well for a college class.

I really enjoyed this book by Andy Hill. Not until he realized his own successes and failures did he fully see all that he learned from coach Wooden. The foundational principles taught by coach Wooden are one's that we can all admire. "Make each day your masterpiece." Buy this book, then give it to a friend.

The book begins with a brief summary of Hill's introduction to Wooden and Hill realization that the only reason he's made it this far is because Wooden's teachings so ingrained in his mind from his time at UCLA and that they are applicable to all aspects of life. He relates Wooden's 21 "secrets" to his business life, and demonstrates how they guided him to the top. It's amazing how perfectly these teachings fit into regular life. John Wooden is truly an enlightened soul.

In fact, I have implemented a few of his lessons into my life already, and it has made quite a difference. In a band I have gotten together, I have gone for talent, in keeping with rule #1 "The team with the best players always wins". I have gotten the best singer, the best metal guitarist and the most unique drummer. It's incredible that Wooden's teachings even apply to a heavy metal band, something at the opposite end of his spectrum. Whenever I am selected to be in a leadership position I skim this book to better prepare myself to succeed. The way these "secrets" apply to every aspect of life where success is an issue is awe inspiring.