I am in the middle of a reading slump which has lending itself to a reviewing slump! I finished this book weeks ago but have not been inspired to reviI am in the middle of a reading slump which has lending itself to a reviewing slump! I finished this book weeks ago but have not been inspired to review it . . . or any others I have finished in that time. This is not a reflection on the book, it is just where my head is at right now.
This book is another entry in Grisham’s sports series of books. Along with Bleachers, Calico Joe, and Playing for Pizza – this book helps to firmly plant Grisham in a genre other than legal thrillers. I have loved all of this sports books and I think he does a pretty good job with them. In fact, lately I have been kind of lukewarm on his legal dramas, so Sooley is some of his best recent work in my opinion.
This time the sport is college basketball and you should give it a try if you are a fan of the sport. It also touches a lot on the situation international refugees go through and the contrast between life in war torn countries and the United States. So, while there is a lot of sports to be enjoyed here, there is also a lot to be learned about the world.
If you are just a fan of Grisham’s legal dramas, you may not enjoy this one. But I think it is worth giving it a try no matter what your interests. ...more
With baseball season kicking off I figured it was finally time to read a book that I have seen the movie version of several times. The Chicago Black SWith baseball season kicking off I figured it was finally time to read a book that I have seen the movie version of several times. The Chicago Black Socks and the 1919 World Series gambling scandal is probably the most infamous story in the history of baseball. It rocked the sport to its very core and almost destroyed it - leading to a lot of the rules and structure of the organization of it that we still have today.
Overall, I enjoyed learning about it, but was not super impressed by the presentation. While it was well researched and all the facts were delivered, it was frequently stale, uninteresting, and hard to follow (specifically the trial after the fact). If you are not a baseball fan (which I am), I don't think there is any reason to give this one a try....more
I love books and movies that get you interested in sports you never cared about before. Also, I love how the Olympics does the same thing. You turn onI love books and movies that get you interested in sports you never cared about before. Also, I love how the Olympics does the same thing. You turn on the TV and suddenly life itself depends on the outcome of some not quite mainstream sport like biathlon, cycling, diving, curling, etc. - and, while watching, you become an expert at all the finer points of the sport. The Boys in the Boat is the perfect example of this type of story. And, with the Winter Olympics coming up, the perfect way to whet my appetite for the competition.
In this case, the sport is rowing. The underdogs are the working class Western US college boys competing against the upper class Ivy Leaguers of the East. The true story of their progress to success and Olympic glory is enthralling. The writing is superb. You will find yourself falling in love with rowing even if you have never seen an oar slice through the water before.
History buffs, sports fans, and people who love a good story about the disrespected underdog finding ultimate success in the end - this book is for you!
Side note - this book also does a great job capturing the development of the Nazi regime as they rose to power while preparing for the 1936 Olympics. The stories of whitewashing the towns to cover up poverty and the newly established oppression of Jews and other minorities is heart-wrenching. Tales of the propaganda machine and the wool pulled over the eyes of the world is amazing. At one point, the author goes through a list of the things the athletes did "not see", and I was wondering if this was an intentional play on "Nazi".
A fantastic and well told story! At times, I was near tears. Other times I wanted to reach into the book and punch one of the characters. I was so emoA fantastic and well told story! At times, I was near tears. Other times I wanted to reach into the book and punch one of the characters. I was so emotionally invested, I was talking out loud to the book. In the end, I set down my Kindle and gave a standing ovation.
I was skeptical going in . . . this is the part where I fear pet lovers will start unfriending me and/or sending me hate mail! I am not a big pet person so I have been putting this off because I heard it is told from the point of view of a dog. My worry was that it may not appeal if I couldn't connect to the love an owner might have for their dog (I know, I am a terrible person!😉) But, I will say that I really enjoyed it. The dog in question is Enzo, and he comes across as very wise and human. The cutesy dog/owner story I feared it is not.
Because Enzo is very wise, this book is very quotable. I began to picture Enzo sitting on a mountaintop in robes waiting to impart knowledge on those coming to seek his guidance. Because of this, I feel that this is a good book to recommend to those seeking inspiration.
Another aspect that sold me on this book is how much the book is about auto racing. I love watching auto racing and talking about cars, drivers, great moves someone made in a race, or their mistakes made, etc. This is just like Denny and Enzo in the book. I thought it was awesome how auto racing philosophy was connected to life in general.
I mentioned in the beginning that at times this book made me rage. It has been a long time since a book has made me this mad (the last was probably The Giver - which I actually flung across the room. That was a physical copy, though. This was my Kindle, I didn't want to fling it). I cannot really say what made me so mad without spoilers, but be sure to prepare yourself because I bet there are few people who can make it through this book without a similar reaction.
Because I was so moved - to happiness, to sadness, and to anger - I give this book A++++, 16 thumbs up, all the book awards, etc. I can easily recommend this book to anyone!...more
As always, a great combination of mystery and sarcastic humor. As the books are never all that long, CobBolitar is back, and this time it is baseball!
As always, a great combination of mystery and sarcastic humor. As the books are never all that long, Coben gives me a quick, fun reading fix every time I come back to the adventures of Myron and Win. If you are a fan of funny mystery series with outlandish characters and great twists, this is the series for you!
One thing about Coben, too, is that his mysteries are always so shocking in their revelation, you cannot discuss too much without spoilers. So, I will just say that this is a great entry in the series. If you liked the previous novels in the series, you will like this. If you like sports combined with your mystery, you must check the Bolitar series out! No, really, do it now!
I really enjoyed this book! It is probably YA-trendy to say this, but it has a bit of John Green feel with a bit of the book Wonder mixed in. I liked I really enjoyed this book! It is probably YA-trendy to say this, but it has a bit of John Green feel with a bit of the book Wonder mixed in. I liked the characters and how they all grew while actually staying almost the same. Also, while the narrator is somewhat cynical, he has a lot of hope and does not let his roadblocks stop him.
I would recommend this book to almost anyone for a light, entertaining, and quick read....more
A quick but interesting read - especially with baseball season having just started. Not Grisham's usual lawyer fare. Also, I don't think someone wouldA quick but interesting read - especially with baseball season having just started. Not Grisham's usual lawyer fare. Also, I don't think someone would like this if they don't follow baseball (even if they are a Grisham fan). The plot does not revolve entirely around baseball (there is some dysfunctional father/son relationship stuff too), but if Grisham had just paraphrased the baseball parts of this book, it would have been about 20 pages long. In summary: read and enjoy if you are a baseball and Grisham fan, all others proceed cautiously!...more
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