Players Books

Dick Dobbins does the job right in "The Grand Minor League", a retrospective of the old Pacific Coast League (PCL).

The PCL still exists today as a AAA league - one step below the majors - but it is purely an adjunct minor league system to the two major leagues.

However, this book is about the PCL's glory days, largely originating during the Depression and spanning the second world war and the first twelve years of the post-war era until the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to the West Coast.

The PCL financed operations by charging admission for its own games and by selling contracts of its more promising stars to the established major league teams. But some visionaries had dreams of attaining major league status for the PCL, and it could have happened. A disproportionate amount of major-league level talent could be found on the West Coast, and PCL scouts were busy signing it up.

While one PCL owner was dryly reputed to have the reputation of throwing dollars around as though they were manhole covers, the pay could be more generous (the players whose contracts were sold to the majors even received a percentage of the sales price) and the opportunities for stardom could be GREATER than that which was available in the majors; moreover, the Pacific Coast was "home" to many of its players. Hence, some major leaguers sought to return there.

And when the majors reluctantly granted the PCL "open classification" status, players drafted by the majors were accorded the option of waiving the draft and remaining with their respective PCL teams and were often rewarded with bonuses for doing so. The PCL could have evolved into a third major league, but the opposition from the established major league owners, who saw the potential for expansion or relocation to the West Coast long before moving the Giants and Dodgers there, was too great to overcome. The moves themselves sounded the death knell for the traditional conception of the league.

Its legacy includes the players who became stars or near-stars in the big leagues, such as Lefty O'Doul, Dolph Camilli, Maury Wills (amazingly enough, he was only an adequate shortstop and a sometime base-stealer during his PCL days, who didn`t reach stardom until he went to the Dodgers), and of course, Joe DiMaggio.

Startlingly, Dobbins fails to remind his readers that years before he electrified the country with his 56-game hitting streak, DiMaggio was thrilling West Coast fans with a 61 game hitting streak in the PCL. Both records are among the few that have withstood the test of time.

One can observe other ironies. Long before Tommy Lasorda and Sparky Anderson did battle, in their respective roles as managers of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine", for Western Division supremacy during the 1970's, they were teammates on the Los Angeles Angels, working together to establish geographical supremacy against the arch-rival Hollywood Stars.

And speaking of managers, debate rages among baseball historians about Casey Stengel's managerial acumen. Was he an adept, if incomprehensible, managerial genius or a bum who failed miserably in Boston and who only attained success by piggy-backing on the vast talent of some super Yankee teams? The story of Stengel's stewardship of the 1948 PCL Champion Oakland Oaks is a huge point in his favor.

Dobbins draws some of his history from the records but most of it from the recollections of the old-time players who consented to be interviewed. My only real criticism is that it took someone too long to undertake this project. The passage of time limits the sources from which Dobbins could draw.

And how trustworthy is human memory? There is a reference in one of the narratives supplied to Dobbins about a player named Johnny Lindell who alternated between pitcher and outfielder and who "would have been in the big leagues" if he could have only hit more consistently.

Who would dare observe, in response, that the record book shows that during the 1940's, an outfielder-pitcher named Johnny Lindell played in the majors, chiefly for the Yankees (this included several World Series appearances), on a part-time basis for 12 years and that he retired in 1954 with a respectable lifetime batting average of .273, having twice led the league in triples?

He couldn't hit well enough for the major leagues. Or could he? Were there two Johnny Lindells answering to the same description?

My favorite chapter was about the old ballparks. If you are a displaced and discouraged Giant fan who lives in the Los Angeles area, you can carry the book and its pictures of the ballparks to the corners of Beverly, Fairfax and Genessee and try to envision the Hollywood Stars' Gilmore Field having once stood there. The intersections now are home to a little company known as CBS - Television City, and there isn't even a marker anywhere to show that Gilmore Field ever existed.

And you can drive to 42nd and Avalon and marvel at the human and urban sprawl that has overtaken the area. Wrigley Field, home to the ORIGINAL Los Angeles Angels and named and constructed after its more famous Chicago namesake, has been torn down, and a community center named after a politician has been erected in its place. Again, no marker commemorates Wrigley Field. Soccer, not baseball, is the recreation of choice for the locals, and the excited cries of the players and spectators are not being delivered in English.

Is there any marker on the corner of 16th and Bryant in San Francisco to memorialize Seals Stadium?

"The Grand Minor League" is a fitting tribute to the REAL baseball giants of the West Coast and to a time when baseball was a "melting pot" language, when the game was played, not by overpaid egotistical prima donnas, but by men with working-class ethics, and when teams were managed by men and not "Dustys". Where have you gone, Rugger Ardizoia?

Dick Dobbins again captures the essence of the old Pacific Coast League. By using an "oral history" format, he is able to capture the true nature of this "major" minor league. The best section in the book consist of short interviews with former players and managers regarding some of the great and notorious players in the league. The same is also done for the managers, stadiums and teams. My favorite aspect of the book is the numerous historical photographs from Mr. Dobbins collection. This book is a must buy for baseball fans!

If you are a fan of the old Pacific Coast League, this book is a must. Great photos, interesting interviews with former players. If you own Nuggets on the Diamond also by Dick Dobbins, this is a great companion piece. Just to see pictures of the old coast league ball parks is worth the price of admission.

This ia an absolute must for anyone who enjoyed the old PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE.The photographs of the old P.C.L.ballparks are worth the price of admission.This is an excellent companion piece to Dobbins other book on the P.C.L. Nuggets on the Diamond.

In this book, Dick Dobbins took a cue from the book, "The Glory of Their Times," interviewing numerous ex-PCL players and umpires about the league. This oral history of the league is an excellent look back. Reading this book takes you back to a different era of baseball and shows why the PCL deserved to be called the "Grand Minor League."

The book has chapters on the league's various ballparks over the years, the league's great teams and rivalries. There are numerous pictures of various players, managers, umpires and team owners throughout the book. There are also pictures of various teams' uniforms, hats and other assorted memorabilia.

Dick Dobbins put a lot of hard work and dedication into this book and it shows. Any baseball history fan will love this book.

"Growing Up Hockey" is about a little boy, this one a real-life hockey player named Brian Kennedy. If you enjoyed "A Christmas Story" and love hockey, you'll be glad to know that reading Kennedy's account of his love affair with hockey is like listening to Ralphie Parker talk about his obsession for a Red Ryder BB gun. The major difference is that Kennedy schemes for not a rifle to fend off Black Bart but rather a hockey stick with a banana curve and then a Ken Dryden hockey card so that he can boast to his playground pals. You read this story, and you'll boast to your hockey friends that you've read the funniest hockey book you've read in years.

Brian Kennedy's Growing Up Hockey will take you back to the playground, reminding you of the politics of childhood. For Brian, this meant having the right hockey stick and having the rare hockey cards. But do not be fooled. This book is not just for hockey fans. Anyone can relate. As kids, we all wanted to be able to brag to our friends about our possessions or our accomplishments. And those things we loved as children we often take with us as adults. This is what this book is all about.

And the writing style? Brian writes in a way that makes it hard to put the book down. He does not waste words, but he gives all the detail needed. I read the book in three days, even after having to steal it back from my wife.

My husband bought this book and I was curious about it when I read the title. I started reading and just couldn't stop. This is a book full of memories and moments that stayed in the mind of the narrator, and they take us (as readers) back to our own memories. These stories made me think about friends in the playground, about that one fleeting moment of athletic success and how it feels to be so close to my dreams of glory. Reading story after story reminded me about that past that we very often take for granted and easily forget, but that will always be a series of defining moments that make us who we are. It's also gratifying to read where the narrator ended up, since he reflects also on his own present life. I am not a hockey fan, but I enjoy good stories, especially when they're written in a way that grabs you.

Brian Kennedy's story of the average hockey lover/player growing up in Canada is one I think everyone who loves hockey will enjoy. Growing Up Hockey chronicles Mr. Kennedy's life as he grew up in Canada and later went to the US and England for school or work. Although I grew up in the US, where hockey was not the main sport, I enjoyed reading about what life is like for those who grow up with hockey as an integral part of their lives.

It's great that the US has so many options, but I found myself wishing I knew what it was like to be able to discuss hockey with almost anyone around. Since I've been a fan of hockey, I've always had a couple friends who enjoy the game about as much as I do, but it would be something else to experience an environment where those who did not follow hockey were the exception.

Mr. Kennedy's detailed account of his life growing up with hockey as a central influence is very interesting. He tells stories about playing hockey, watching hockey, hockey cards, living without being able to see much hockey, the differences between the NHL and ENL (in England), and life in Canada. I couldn't recommend this book more for anyone in your life who loves hockey!

Life is ultimately about love. We all recognize love, although we do not love in the same way. None understands the logic of our individual passions, but we count ourselves fortunate to be near its mystery. LA Car Editor-at-Large and sports journalist Brian Kennedy writes about his lifelong love and passion in Growing Up Hockey (Folklore Publishing, 2007). The book draws you in at the beginning, with Brian's preschool adventure onto ice in Montreal, and ends with his touching the Duck's Stanley Cup in Los Angeles. The section titles of his book say it well: Learning the Game, Living the Game, Loving the Game. This is a story of a boy who grows up in Canada 's suburbs living for his pee wee league and collecting NHL cards. This is a story of a man who still is the consummate fan watching games over and over so that the video wears thin. He played until it got too rough, he refereed, he bought tickets from scalpers. He finally finds opportunity to worm himself nearer the game by becoming a sports writer. Here is another instance where he writes so he can be closer to his favorite sport. You see, Brian has another passion and love. Brian also writes about cars and car racing. Hockey and cars are about the adrenaline of gliding speed. But why analyze. Growing Up Hockey should be approached in much the same way as Brian's automotive articles: Just sit back, hang on and enjoy the ride.

High and Tight is a tried and true page-turner, an excellent sociological study of two rising urban stars who found that life in the big apple was too much for them to handle. The book also reveals some interesting stories concerning the other members of the 1986 Mets, a team divided in two camps-bible beaters and party animals.

dis is very goods book. me recomend to people who enjoy thrilly baseball parties

HIGH AND TIGHT could have been one of those works that is closer to an overblown magazine article than a full-fledged book. But author Bob Klapisch keeps the pages turning, and it's over quicker than a 1985 at-bat against Dwight Gooden and, unlike that at-bat, leaves you wanting more. The new book HEAT by Gooden and Klapisch serves as a part two for Doc. With Darryl Strawberry's Yankees comeback and subsequent health challenges, can yet another entry be far off?

Having grown up and watching Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden shine for the Big Apple's "other team," I was initially afraid to read this book. I was afraid of the brutal honesty that I would encounter and about tarnishing the images of my two childhood heroes. I was right, the book is brutaly honest, yet so captivating, I really couldn't put it down. The book follows the careers of the two men from thier days growing up to their darkest hours. I really enjoyed watching both players before I read the book, but after reading it, I feel as though I know them personally and was right there with them during all of the incidents that took place. I respect these two men so much for having conqured their demons. Nothing they acomplish on the field could ever equal the magnitude of the personal victories that they have attained. Kudos to author Bob Klapisch for capturing the reader's attention with his captive descriptions of the players' individual situations.

Very sad, but honest story. There were things in the book I never knew. I recommend it to any baseball fan

When one Edwin Henderson, a Harvard-educated African American physical education teacher - was introduced to basketball in Washington DC in 1907, he envisioned it as a method of organizing black athletes to allow them to excel at northern while colleges. In sports, he reasoned, blacks would get a fair chance to succeed. Hot Potato details the birth and rise of black amateur basketball in America, examines college basketball and the origins of the CIAA, and surveys the rise of black professional athletes. A truly outstanding sports history evolves.

Kuska has given us some details to back up the legends of black basketball stars from the first half of the 20th century. Many of the individual names are known and the New York Renaissance team has been heard of by real basketball fans. This book gives us some details and further understanding of what the individuals went through and what modern basketball owes to them. A GREAT READ!! Hope to hear more from this fine writer and sports historian.

I am the granddaughter of Samuel Buck Covington. I'd just like to point out in the editorial by John Grasso, from Guilford, NY, that my grandfather, Samuel Buck Covington was mistakenly referenced as "Cunningham". Samuel Buck Covington was an outstanding athlelete and pillar of the Washington Metropolitan community. He was honored to be part of the writing of this wonderful book and the naming of the title "Hot Potato". Growing up he told countless stories of what it was like breaking barriers and playing semi-professional basketball for the Washington Bruins against teams such as the Harlem Globtrotters. This is a wonderful tribute to those who came through during this time who had gone unnoticed. I am proud to say he was my grandfather. Unfortunately, he did not live to see the final product of this book. Samuel Buck Covington died in September,1998 . . . Cheryl Moore

There aren't enough adjectives to describe this important work on an oftentimes overlooked part of U.S. history/sports.

Bob Kuska takes the reader on an exploration of the development of black athletics at the turn of the last century, with his focus surrounding basketball teams and leagues in New York City and Washington, D.C.

The chapters are in chronological order by year and highlights the important personalities, teams and events in the two cities and throughout the country - from youth leagues to the colleges and beyond.

I am particularly impressed with Kuska's acknowledgement of many individuals that time had seemingly forgotten. The ten years of research he did certainly accomplished his goal of giving the reader a complete understanding of the era.

To set a clear path to the future, our society must have an appreciation of the rough paths taken by those who confronted the hideous Jim Crow laws and other forms of racisim & truly learn from the past.

America's game was changed forever, but not just on the hardwood floors. These heroes knocked down barriers and opened the door for others to pursue their dreams, no matter what the odds.

Seldom does a basketball historian find a book on basketball in which more than 75% of the material is new to him. Bob Kuska's new book - Hot Potato: How Washington and New York
Gave Birth to Black Basketball and Changed America's Game Forever is such a book.

It is a chronicle of the earliest days of Black basketball in the two cities where its impact was greatest and covers the period 1905 through the 1930s. There have only been a handful of
books written on basketball history of this period and none of them devote more than a few pages to Black teams.

More than a decade of research went into this work which includes a detailed reference section and twelve pages of photos.

The story begins with Edwin Henderson, the first major contributor to Black basketball and concludes with the New York Renaissance - the Hall of Fame team of the 1930s. Both amateur and pro basketball are covered.

Along the way the basketball exploits of such legendary figures as Paul Robeson and Cumberland Posey are detailed along with Fat (not Fats) Jenkins, Pop Gates, George Fiall, Bob Douglas and many others.

The intriguing title came about as a result of an discussion with Sam "Buck" Cunningham, one of the players interviewed during the research for the book. "The players today are much better than we were - ... but there is one thing that we could do better. We could pass the ball better than they can now.
Man, we used to pass that basketball around like it was a hot potato."

This is definitely a must addition to the library of a basketball historian. Thank you very much, Bob."

The book was very informative and helpful. It was an easy read and certainly will help me in preparing my taxes for this year.

If you win at poker you NEED the advice in this book.

IRS rules are often rather arcane, but failure to adhere to them can be disastrous. Johnston's advice just might prevent you from making a mistake that could lead to a learning experience you'd much rather avoid. She carefully defines and discusses in detail differences in tax consequences, and procedures for reporting, for "hobbyists" vs. "professionals."

The presentation is well done, the writing is clear, readable, and essentially free from typos and grammatical errors. Each chapter begins with a conversation in which a poker player reveals ignorance of a specific point of the tax code. The chapter then develops that particular topic to the "intelligent layperson" level.

If you are a CPA or are experienced in preparing business tax returns you'll view this book as little more than a simplification of IRS rules. However, if you don't have that caliber of experience you'd properly view it as a guidebook through a potential minefield.

For example, if your business is playing poker you should be able to deduct all poker-related expenses - right? Maybe! If you still collect a "regular" paycheck the IRS may decide you're not really a poker pro and disallow all expenses except for actual provable losses. And if they do, you may get the opportunity to prove not only the losses but also everything else on your return. And to prove everything on last year's return as well.

If you win at poker you should read this one.

For all professional Poker Players who want to save money on preparing your tax return, you must have this book !!! UNLESS YOU WANT ANN MARGARET JOHNSTON TO DO YOUR TAXES which is better !!!! Either way, it is the NUTS !!!!

whether you're filing as a professional poker player or just play for fun, this book is a must have for tax purposes. The book is concise and organized. The most helpful thing in the book are the example tax sheets she fills out for both the hobbyist and pro (2 of each case with different situations). Recommended

This author has written a easy to understand guide for anyone who play's poker and want's to know how to take every legal deduction available. It help's you figure out if you are truely in a positon to take deduction's as a pro or if you are just playing for fun. Very down to earth and fun book even if it is written by a C.P.A.

If you're looking for a great book on the life of a fascinating player, this is the book for you. "I Play Against Pieces" covers 130 of Gligoric's best games, categorized by opening. There's a wide range going from the King's Gambit to the King's Indian, the Nimzo-Indian to the Ruy Lopez; he covers tons of openings, which makes it ideal for somebody who wants to get a full taste of chess.
In addition to all the games there is a preface on Gligoric's life, which gives you some insight into his play. After all of the games, he also gives some interesting information on his contributions to opening theory in chess. All these provide an interesting supplement to the games.
The games are very high quality in here too. Gligoric's style of analysis is different than many other authors I've read. He doesn't spend time going over things like "18.Nc4!? (in the 24th USSR Championship Taimanov played 18.Ne4! against so-and-so resulting in [insert 20 move variation] with small advantage to white)" He sees that as useless commentary. No reader really wants to look into sidelines like that. Instead Gligoric takes a very text-based approach to game annotations with comments like "This is a concession to White since now the black bishop is not so well protected along the diagonal, but black was hesitant of abandoning the blockade of the e6 square and gave up on 29...Qe7." Rather than speaking in the merely concrete terms of chess (i.e. reams and reams of trivial variations) Svetozar instead chooses to instruct the reader in the simplest way possible.
So far as I've checked, this method means less variations which means less errors. I've double-checked the first 8 games with Fritz 8 and I've found practically no errors (one was where he mislabeled a mate in x moves when it was really a mate in x+2 moves). The fact that he doesn't get caught up in baffling analyses means less errors, and the errors with the text-annotations are unfound.
If you're looking for a rich game collection which instructs rather than confuses, buy Svetozar Gligoric's masterpiece: "I Play Against Pieces".

Gligoric was/is one of the greatest chess players of the twentieth century ... at one time, (mid-to-late 1950's - through the very early 70's); there was a very small group of players that the (Soviet) Russians really feared. They were Bobby Fischer, (of course!); Miguel Najdorf, Samuel Reshevsky, Bent Larsen, and this player. (GM Svetozar Gligoric)

Gligoric, (11 times Yugoslav Champ.); won many international tournaments and was an extremely feared competitor ... his first major success (a surprise) was Warsaw, 1947; ahead of such players like Boleslavsky, L. Pachman, and V. Smyslov. His string of victories at major international tournaments is almost too long to cover, a few highlights are, first at: Hastings, 1960/61; Reykjavik, 1964; The Hague (zonal), 1966; Tel Aviv (Israel); 1966; Varna, 1971; Los Angeles, 1974; and Montilla, 1977. He also had wins in about a dozen major key matches. (These are only clear firsts, his 'top five' list of tournament finishes would be too long to try and name here!) He is obviously a little older now, and past his {best} playing days.

Gligoric is also one of the most respected teachers and authors who ever lived, at least outside of Russia. He wrote mostly for newspapers and magazines, his few books (today) are considered collectors' items.

Anyone who 'grew up' or played chess in the 1970's will fondly remember his "Chess Life & Review" articles. (I had a very small library of books as a teen-ager, but I carefully saved and indexed all of my magazines, Gligoric's "Game of The Month" was easily the most important theoretical articles that I had access to during that period.)

I respect and revere this player too much to go looking for mistakes with the help of the latest computer programs. (I found no serious mistakes in my rather casual review of about two dozen games.) My favorite game would be his win from the Black side of the Vienna Opening ... against another of my chess heroes, GM Bent Larsen. (Game # 3, beginning on page 20.)

Virtually every opening is represented, but in some instances, we see a rather limited perspective. (For example: Gligoric only plays the Black side of the King's Gambit. He also plays mostly the White side of certain openings like the Gruenfeld.) His list of victims reads like a "Who's Who" of chess from the late 1940's until the early 1980's. Some games are lightly annotated, some are very deeply annotated in the style that players that were familiar with his column in CL&R - would remember fondly.

A few of my {former} Internet students also purchased this book. Some of the positive things were that it was helpful to have the key points annotated, and the fact that the book is grouped by openings. The drawbacks were that some games had too many notes, and they found the complex things were explained, but simple maneuvers were not. (This means the best class of player that should buy this book should be 1600 or better.) Some of the lines are a little dated as well. (You could use "Nunn's Chess Openings" to cross-reference these lines.) I guess I would also have to add that I could NOT recommend this book to a beginner, or someone who has not been playing chess for very long.

In closing, I greatly enjoyed this book by Gligoric, the author has a deep love of chess and a level of understanding that few have ever attained. The only qualifier is that it may not be for everyone!

I really consider this book a rare jewel in my chess library,well suited to ocassional selfstudy or for mentoring others about the art of positional play, very clear explaining in all the stages of the game as well some historical trivia facts..this book is classic in chess literature..

Svetozar Gligoric`s name is rarely heard among new kids in chess circles nowdays, and this moderate man was never braging caracter. But Svetozar Gligoric is a chess giant. Lived and played in era od absolute soviet domination, he managed to stay on absolute top in fifties and sixties.
I live in Croatia (which was part of Yugoslavia), and this great serbian GM influenced all of us by his calm and clear works, in which this book goes in piedestal of biography chess colection books there are. To the sheer quality of this book I can only compare the book "Life and games of Mikhail Tal", also written by author himself.
Gligoric is not starting his anotations at move 25. No, they begin when he predict player will lost the tread of logic of it, and that usually means somewhere around move 5. Sometimes even at move 1, not to explain the move by itself, but to give a broader picture of game.
Also, games are organized by openings, which greatly helps to follow authors mind paths in differing from game to game.
Author used to play more d4-s as write (70% vs 30% e4), and against d4 played KID, Nimzo, QGD, and vs e4 played mostely e5, and few c5.
He showed his 130 wins, almost every one was against the world top. For example, there are 4 wins vs Fisher(!) amongst lot of wins against Smislov, Botvinik, Larsen, Tal and frankely every
other from top.
Atomic bomb of positional chess.
Apsolutely recomended.

This collection of GM Gligoric's games from the entire span of his long career is rightly considered a classic. He seems to update it once in a decade and it is republished with new material. This edition might be the last update, as the man is probably not playing much chess anymore.

I recommend this game collection over almost any other similar work by other players. Gligoric has the ability to annotate in a very lucid and comprehensible way. As a member of the older generation and as a positional player, his annotations do not include tons of Fritzy lines but are easy to read and follow. On the downside, the analysis is not always very deep as you'd find in a Nunn book, but there is still material here for months of study in this thick tome. And there's some pictures here also, which is rather rare nowadays for a chess book.

The author has a great ear for dialogue. The conversations between characters are realistically choppy, swervy, etc. And yet I never got lost (as can happen when people are TOO realistic w/ their dialogue).

The plot was nicely revealed as well.

And I love that his hero is sort of a schlub. A good guy, but not perfect, sort of ordinary. He looks stupid on television--the way a real human being would. At first I was worried that this schlubby guy would end up being unadmirable, the sort of slacker who screws up at his job. But he isn't; he doesn't. He just doesn't take it too terribly seriously.

Lots of fun. An engaging, absorbing read.

What can I tell you? Same cast of characters, same extremely cool writing. This guy has me hooked. He didn't use quite as much humor in this book as in its predecessor, because it wouldn't have been appropriate for the story and perhaps because he's mirroring reality yet again.

Do you know what's difficult about writing mysteries? You have to put clues out in the open where the reader can see them, along with perhaps a few red herrings, but ideally the reader won't realize what he's seen and what the solution is until you tell him. Then he said "Ah ha!" and "Of course!" and you admire the author for making you feel a little bit silly.

Schaffer's hit upon a solution to the dilemma. As you read, you don't always know where the clues are. His subplots are not window dressing, they're not an afterthought, and they're not filler. Life's not as simple as figuring out whodunnit, lots of things are happening to the protagonist at once, and every scene can also be attributed to character development. The typical mystery author's focused, as is the reader. Schaffer is focused as well, but on a number of things simultaneously. It makes him extremely readable. But now I have to wait while he writes the third installment. Damn. I hate waiting.

{March 2006 Update - The author sent me an email because of these reviews. Is that cool or what? It'll be a long wait, because he's writing other stuff instead. Fine by me. As long as he's writing, I'm a happy reader. His site, in case you care, is at [...]}

If you have any desire to get a sense of what it's like to actually be a public defender, Dylan Schaffer's books are a must read. While the main character himself in this book and in Misdemeanor Man may not be typical of public defenders, the courtroom action is dead-on.

I Right the Wrongs is in turn funny, touching, and engaging. Schaffer has a writing style that truly grabs the reader. My only criticism, is really not. I can't pick up one of Schaffer's books when I don't have the free time to actually read it non-stop, because I generally lack the willpower to put it down.

I can't wait for the next chapter in Gordon Seegerman's career.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I read in bed at night before going to sleep and my fiancee kept looking at me sideways as I laughed out loud. The plot is good, the writing is clever and the characters are totally believable. Seegerman is a great protagonist and his hilarious quips alone are worth the price of the book!

Gordon Seegerman, the underachieving public defender in mythical Santa Rita, California (it's really Oakland), continues to want to lay low and spend as much time as possible preparing his Barry Manilow cover band for its next performance - in Las Vegas, for Barry himself. But, as in the wonderful "Misdemeanor Man", events conspire against Gordon and his lack of ambition.

Marcus Manners, the local high school athletic hero, is arrested for stealing a rival team's mascot. The fact that there's a little mysterious pot in the car shouldn't cause too much trouble in this basic `misdo' case. But Gordon draws an insane judge. The illumni of the rival school, many of whom are involved in the local legal system, are not interested in letting things slide. And then the wife of the mascot's owner is killed. Thus, Gordon is thrust again into the spotlight - much against his will.

Dylan Schaffer has written another marvelous story; not only is it chock-full of sly, acerbic humor, there's a deftly plotted mystery. It would be a mistake to think of this book as simply a funny legal mystery - while there's humor aplenty, Schaffer touches on a number of darker issues as well: racism; corruption, and the difficulty of dealing with ageing family.

This is a terrific second novel - I hope there are many more Gordon Seegerman stories to come....

I love this book

It is the greatest book I've ever seen

Mr. Millikin has done his homework on Mr. Foxx. This book is well researched and by far the most accurate book ever written on Mr. Foxx. Mr. Millikin goes to the extreme to inform the reader, not only on Foxx's baseball career, but on his entire life. Once you finish the book, you feel like you actually knew Mr. Foxx and appreciate his success on the diamond that much more. Thank you, Mr. Millikin for your hard work...your book is one I am proud to have on my bookself!!!

Mr. Millikin must of spent a great deal of time researching on Mr. Foxx. I know of no other book written on Mr. Foxx to be more accurate and true. If you are interested in Mr. Foxx, this is the only book that I would recommend. Great job, Mr. Millikin and I look forward to your next book.

This book has detail about Foxx that has never appeared anywhere before except possibly contemporary newspapers. Foxx's minor league career, largely ignored by previous biographers, is treated extensively. A compelling treatment of the life of a Hall of Famer who hasn't received as much publicity as many players of lesser talent.

A very informative book. It covers his childhood until his death. Mostly it covers his major league career of 20 years but covers his childhood in Maryland with lots of good details too. However, after his playing years (20+ years) is covered rarely quickly in about 20 pages. It was well written, but sometimes had too much game by game details and stats. Is this book worth the 40.00 price tag? No, and I'm a huge Foxx fan. Cut the price in half or wait for the softback edition to come out, and save yourself 25.00 bucks. A few pictures in the book that are average-nothing spectacular.

West did a fine job with his book and has a real sense of capturing both King Kelly and the state tournament (I played in two). But more than that, he captured the sadness and the loss of what King Kelly could have been. As good as King Kelly was, we never got to see him mature as a player beyond Wayland.

In 1956 I was fortunate to have been to the Kentucky high school basketball tournament and witnessed the amazing King Kelly Coleman. He scored 68 points against Shelbyville. This book is great and a fitting tribute to a true legend. This guy is without a doubt the greatest basketball player to ever walk in a pair of shoes. He could move like Michael Jordan, rebound and block shots like Bill Russell, handle the ball like Pete Maravitch, and dribble like Marques Haynes. And those are the things never mentioned because they are dwarfed by his uncanny shooting ability. The only times he ever missed a shot were when he had two or three guys all over him, but that didn't matter because when he did miss he would get his own rebound and put it back in. His personal story is fascinating. He played a short time in the NBA but they say he quit because pro basketball didn't pay well in those days. After 50 years I got to meet him at a book signing. He deserves the title of "King of Basketball".

I found this book fascinating - even though I didn't grow up in Kentucky hearing the King Kelly Coleman stories. This book is more than a one dimensional basketball book. It offers an insight into the cultural aspects of Eastern Kentucky as well as the rich tradition of basketball throughout the state.

King Kelly Coleman is a very good read about a legend in Kentucky Basketball history and the area of our Commonwealth where he grew up. Fascinating to see how choices made change an entire lifetime.

This is a fun Read. Gary P. West did a great job.

King Kelly Coleman..Kentucky's Greatest Basketball Legend, written by Gary P. West, is a story about a man who played basketball, not necessarily about a basketball player.

It's about a youngster, the son of a coal miner, with 10 brothers and sisters, who became the biggest high school legend in the history of basketball-crazy Kentucky.

The footprint he left and the records he set are still being talked about some 50 years later.

His more than 4,000 career points, and 68 points and 28 rebounds in the 1956 high school state tournament have withstood the assault of some of Kentucky's greatest basketball players.

In 1956 he was considered the best high school basketball player in the nation, ranking ahead of Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. He had just broken Wilt Chamberlain's national record for most points scored in a career, and University of Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp publicly called the King from Wayland perhaps the best basketball player of all-time.

You can read Gary P. West's take on it all as he reveals for the first time what is fact and what is fiction in "King Kelly Coleman.. Kentucky's Greatest Basketball Legend".

I went to high school with Howard (Julian) and there are things in the book that friends didn't even know that he was going through, yet her persevered. This is a great read for athletes, teens going through something or employees that need to understand more what it means to be a team player. This book shows how to be a good teammate not only in sports, but in business and in life. Great Read from a great Chicagoan.

This is a book for anyone with dreams, or for someone who just wants to be a better person.

Howard Griffith is a first-class football player. In my honest opinion, Howard is the most underrated football player in the NFL. Year in and year out he is busting his butt for guys like Terrell Davis and Mike Anderson, and not complaining about it. This man made Terrell Davis. And hopefully he will get his pro-bowl before its all over.

Enough about him as a football player, on with the book. In this book, Howard talks about his life and the trials he has been through. This is a story of a man who never lost sight of his goals. While he has had a tough life, he never gave up, and always does his best to help his team - even if that means taking blocking assignments and never getting the ball. "Laying It On The Line, Notes Of A Team Player" teaches people to better themselves... ...to better the world. With his actions speak louder than words attitude, he teaches independance, how to be a person free from following others and just being the best person you can possibly be. He teaches about responsibility and maturity, and taking life seriously.

Reading this book was a turning point in my life. Before i read it, I was, simply stated, and punk kid. This book taught me the importance in doing your very best at everything you do and how important things like you education are to you. He shows you how you can be indepent but still conform, not to stick out. After reading this, It opened my mind really. Before hand I was quick to judge just about anyone that didn't believe exactly how I felt. Now I think empathatically, and am not so quick to judge. I know it's irrelavant, but its amazing what certain situation you can be put in can change you life around in a totally different manor.

Props to Howard Griffith with this truly inspiring story. This is a perfect book for anyone with dreams, and that is willing to work. Howard Griffith's book deserves every 5 stars I gave it, maybe more (if I could). Simply stated, this book can change you life.

This self-proclaimed bookworm ranks this book as one of her all-time favorites. To those who aren't necessarily interested in football, to those who don't understand football, and for those who don't even know what football is, believe me when I say, you will undoubtedly connect with some, if not all of this autobiography. Indulge yourself in this down-to-earth, eye-opening, and often comedic drama that chronicles the ups and downs of life, as it relates to Griffith's chosen career of football. I see this book as more of the spiritual journey of a young man's life, explained through the metaphor of football. It could easily be a training development manual for any business consisting of more than one person - it's all about teamwork and the success, respect, honor and glory that can be achieved if all involved are confident and secure with their individual roles and truly understand the concept of "team." If you need to be "pumped up" and inspired about anything you're trying to accomplish in your life right now, I suggest you purchase this book - it just may be the medicine you need.

This a truly remarkable account of Griffith's story and the obstacles that he's faced to get where he is today(the best fullback in the NFL). There were so many points in his life that he could have given up--but he didn't. Don't think that it's your "typically" sports book--it's not! This book is for anyone that aspires to fulfill their dream. I highly recommend this book. Kudos to Griffith!!!

As a professional book reviewer and avid reader, all I can say is: It's about time that a story like Griffith's gets some "air-time." LAYING IT ON THE LINE is uplifting and inspiring, while dispeling many of the myths about players in the NFL. It highlights the positive aspects of professional sports and reveals important ways in which team sports can develop one's mental and physical "game." Griffith is a living example of what it means to be a true champion, on and off the field. This book's a winner!