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Archive for June, 2009
June 30, 2009 at 8:32 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Customer Review: A must-have for any Spartan...
This is a great book! It's as simple as that. Great stories, interesting pictures, this book has it all. A great book for any Spartan fan as well as any fan of college basketball.
Customer Review: I can not believe how much I loved this book!
I must admit that I bought this book as a Spartan fan expecting pictures and statistics. To my pleasant surprise, there were incredible stories about a history that is richer than I ever imagined. This book is a must have for Spartan Fans and Basketball Fans alike!
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June 29, 2009 at 10:50 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Game On! tells the heady story of women’s basketball in Seattle — and beyond — through the careers of three of its players who embody the sport’s past, present, and future. Written by the only reporter to follow the team since its inception, the book explores Lin Dunn’s daunting role as the Seattle Storm’s first coach; Lauren Jackson’s hard-won superstardom; and Betty Lennox’s amazing career made possible by the struggles of her predecessors. Set against a backdrop of male chauvinism, racism, and homophobia, Game On! is an inside look at this much-misunderstood sport.
Customer Review: A very enjoyable read for the WNBA fan.
This book gave me some insight into some of the players, coaches and history of women's basketball. I must admit, even as a fan I had made some assumptions and stereotypes that I found to be inaccurate after reading this book. Not only did it tell the story of the Seattle Storm's development, it brought out the human element of some of the players and coaches. There are even some tear-jerking elements to the story. A good story!
Customer Review: Great Book!
I bought this book after hearing fellow Storm fans rave about it, and it's true, this is a GREAT book. It goes over the issues of women in sports, homophobia etc. Plus, there's great info on the Storm and it's history.
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June 28, 2009 at 6:46 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) has long symbolized the idealism of amateur athletic competition. For basketball especially, the AAU provided an opportunity for athletes to showcase their skills for the benefit of the team and the sport, not the bottom line. In The Golden Age of Amateur Basketball, Adolph H. Grundman recounts the history of the AAU National Tournament during its golden age, 1921 through 1968.
Grundman analyzes the early tournaments, examining rule changes, key players, and dominant teams. He explores the rivalries between corporations for amateur dominance after 1935, the competition between the AAU and the National Collegiate Athletic Association for representation in Olympic basketball, the question of just how amateur “amateur” basketball really was, and the reasons for the demise of postcollegiate amateur basketball. The Golden Age of Amateur Basketball provides the first history of AAU basketball and identifies players and teams that made major contributions to basketball history.
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June 28, 2009 at 4:13 am · Filed under Uncategorized
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June 27, 2009 at 4:30 am · Filed under Uncategorized
A tough, street wise novel packed with an important message for young readers.... --Andrew Young, former Mayor, Atlanta, Georgia
Customer Review: Let's hear more...
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were very believable and the story unfolded in a way that left me wanting to know what happened to many of the people after the book ended.
I really enjoyed the photos too, Portugal is apparently a beautiful country.
I hope another book by these authors is available soon.
Customer Review: When Least Expected
This book is about women who learn to choose for themselves. In their learning the reader accompanies them from comfortable sameness to examination, Portugal and realization. It is a pleasant, reflective journey full in interesting people and places.
Two forty something sisters from the United States are lured into a transatlantic quest to find refuge for the ashes of a beloved aunt and in so doing discover and resolve a century old family mystery and the intricacies of blood lines it created. `Father" Helen and Tyner, the two sisters, combine humor, sibling rivalry, family history and personal secret keeping into a months long steady unraveling of lives and their re assembly. The reader gets to know and adore Helena and her sister, but the real "star" of the book is the dry moist, warmish cool bright shadowy air of Portugal itself. We walk winding streets, dodge dogs, perspire, and enjoy a relaxing tea among ancient buildings, reassuring grave yards and lovely suspicious and generous people. The life of the village is filled with bird song, gardens slightly weedy, brick roads and arched bridges.
Of course, Ty and Helen find their Portuguese family and of course they are as delightful and interesting as the sisters themselves. Of course, life decisions are explored: "What form is love to take? How do intellectual stimulation, creative juices, intimacy fit into a life of work, laundry, bill paying and raising children?" The authors of the book do not resolve this balancing act for all of us- more is the pity. The resolution is just for the sisters and their friends, husband, child and lover. The resolution is both tidy (handy that) and believable.
Most anyone who liked the Mitford Series will enjoy this book. It embraces the struggle of all of us who have solve life's urgencies for food, shelter and adolescence and sorts out through the perspective of the sisters at least one answer to the human need to create, to love, to laugh at ourselves and avoid large dogs. I enjoyed it and recommend it.
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June 26, 2009 at 3:29 am · Filed under Uncategorized
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June 25, 2009 at 10:01 am · Filed under Uncategorized
1976 is a year many people in the village of Westville will never forget. Their local hometown basketball team, the Tigers, took their fans on a magical ride in a quest for the state championship. The interviews from everyone involved, including the players, coaches, and fans recount the journey of this unforgettable team, from the high expectations of pre-season to their heart wrenching final game of the Class A state tournament. Remember Westville is a story of triumph and heartbreak as seen through the eyes of the 1976 Westville basketball team and the community that loved them. What happened in 1976, in many ways, molded these teenagers into the men they would eventually become. The loyalty of the fans was unmatched in the season of '76; Westville fans continue to support their Tiger teams. But their hearts still hold this special team close to their hearts. It's the team the town can't forget.
Customer Review: Remember Westville is a very good book!
March Madness has returned, leading to a series of ill-conceived brackets, non-stop ESPN analysis and often heated discussions over whose alma mater is going to take it all this year. Everyone with even a passing attention for the game gets caught up, reviving old rivalries and remembering that last big game. No doubt it's even bigger for the friends and family of players, who remember when their boys played in the high school gym.
It's that affection for young players that fuels "Remember Westville," James Bryant's history of the 1976 Westville Tigers. Westville, a small Illinois town known mostly as home to the first night high school football game, saw their high school basketball team embark on a winning streak that motivated players and fans alike. Winning several regional tournaments, they eventually lost a super-sectional but still established the best season in school history.
To reconstruct this almost epic year Bryant conducted extensive interviews with Coach Hardy, as well as the entire team, assistant coaches, rival coaches and family members. He covers Hardy's first years as coach and tracks the path each player took to get on the court, moving on to play-by-play descriptions of bigger games. It gets off to a slow start - there are almost too many little details, such as Coach Hardy's inscriptions in the high school yearbook - but the excitement builds as the stakes rise.
The book's research is considerable, but its construction feels less like a narrative and more like a documentary. Bryant, a former radio broadcaster, structures the book as a series of commentaries followed by long quotes from players and coaches. The language makes it seem like there should be a running reel of game highlights or players' faces, which makes the book's almost complete lack of pictures rather surprising.
What the book lacks in visual aid it makes up for in commitment, both affectionate and perceptive. Competition with rival schools Chrisman and Schlarman will resonate with anyone even peripherally involved in high school athletics, and the feel of the game comes across in several of the more tense reenactments. Anyone who either knew the players personally or becomes attached to them will enjoy updated biographies at the end - none of the players went pro, but all enjoy comfortable lives and share fond season memories.
"Remember Westville" is the story common in sports - small school team, up against the odds, uniting the town in a quest for glory even if the final win eludes them. With every player and coach talking to him Bryant has put together an in-depth history, even if some of the hometown pride will be lost on non-Westville residents.
Customer Review: great book!!!
This book is a great read! Much like Friday Night Lights, this book blends history with the incredible basketball season of 1976. Its an inspirational book that would be an ideal for any high school fan of basketball or football. Any fan who has experienced a season with your own kids or if you are just a fan of high school sports, get this book. It tells about the highs and lows of high school sports, and what a team goes through on an individual level and as a unit.
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June 24, 2009 at 2:29 am · Filed under Uncategorized
On the Shoulders of Giants: An Audio Journey which is more than an adventurous odyssey into the Harlem Renaissance. It's about how a place and time influenced today's society, from politics and music to one of its favorite all-time sports. As a sports legend looks back on his boyhood, he discovers what made him the man he is today. The 4 volumes offer a compilation of intimate stories; personal interviews with talented people from the world of literature, film, music and sports; snippets of history; and of course jazz. Basketball icon and historian Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shares narrative duties with Avery Brooks, Jesse L. Martin, Bob Costas, and Stanley Crouch. *Volume 1: How Harlem Became the Center of the Universe: Avery Brooks tells how a world war, prejudice and an insect conspired to build a new community. Includes an original rendition of the classic "Stompin' at the Savoy," arranged and performed by Herbie Hancock, and sung by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and Nikki Yanofsky. * Volume 2: Master Intellects and Creative Giants: Jesse L. Martin recounts the fascinating stories of Harlem luminaries as Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Countee Cullen, Zora Neale Hurston and more. Also features "Vote for Mr. Rhythm," newly arranged and sung by Nikki Yanofsky, as well as the classic "Lift Every Voice and Sing," sung by Ray Charles. * Volume 3: Basketball Comes to Harlem: Bob Costas explains the rise of basketball in Harlem, and of the greatest team you've never heard of: the Harlem Rens. Also includes two Ray Charles classics, the infectiously joyous "Sweet Georgia Brown," and "Lift Every Voice and Sing." * Volume 4: Jazz Lights Up Harlem: Now it's jazz critic Stanley Crouch's turn to narrate. You'll hear about such legendary composers and musicians as Billie Holiday, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and more. For his part, Kareem rhapsodizes on the musicians that jazzed his world, from Miles Davis to Thelonius Monk.
Customer Review: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores again.
This master piece is a must have. The whole set is a beautiful journey through the Harlem Renaissance, where jazz was king.
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June 23, 2009 at 12:21 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Examine the social and cultural impact of basketball on America at the amateur and professional levels!
Basketball in America: From the Playgrounds to Jordan's Game and Beyond is a pioneering analysis of the history of basketball and its effect on popular culture from the 1970s to today. The popularity of basketball is undeniable, and the subject allows for such a broad range of interpretations in popular culture. It cuts across economic, racial, and social boundaries, and its major stars cross over into other forms of popular entertainment more than any other professional sport. This book examines the entire scope of modern basketball history, from the playgrounds, where people first learn the fundamentals, to the college and professional levels.
Basketball in America is a collection of essays that explores the intersection of basketball and popular culture in America. The contributors are an eclectic mix of writers, scholars, journalists, former players, coaches, and sports enthusiasts who all share an undying love for the game of basketball. The authors analyze the sport from a cross-cultural and historical perspective—digging deep into the profound popular cultural influences of basketball and exploring the scope and depth of its influence. This is the first book that examines the social and cultural impact of basketball on American society to reveal how tightly it is woven into America's cultural fabric. Also included are photographs and tables to enhance your understanding of the material.
Topics covered in Basketball in America include:
Elgin Baylor—the first "modern" basketball player
Chocolate Thunder and Short Shorts: The NBA in the 1970s
Dr. J, Bird, Magic, Jordan, and the Bad Boys: The NBA in the 1980s
The Jordan Era: The NBA in the 1990s
LeBron James and the future of the NBA
the Nike brand and popular culture
lessons learned from legendary UNC coach Dean Smith
professional women's basketball
and much more!
Basketball in America is a comprehensive analysis that will appeal to anyone interested in understanding how the sport has become an integral part of our national culture. It is an insightful read for sports fans as well as for sports historians. In addition, this book can be used as a textbook in sports history or sociology of sports classes. It will entertain and inform those who treasure basketball and the role it plays in the American consciousness. Make it part of your collection today!
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June 22, 2009 at 1:30 am · Filed under Uncategorized
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