5 comments about Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference.

1. I had a horrible experience with this seller. They didn't get my book to me on time, and when I talked to them about it, they just said they'll let me know when they find it. They didn't get back to me so I filed a claim. I better get a refund. I would give this seller a -5 stars if I could.



2. It is a book worth reading to realize how one person can make a difference - as this woman did with these refugee children. There was probably more about soccer than I care for (I don't follow soccer) but this was the perfect sport for these refugee children.



3. Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference evolved from an award winning series of stories published in the New York Times. Clarkston, Georgia was a designated resettlement center for refugees. The slowly fading town had been tolerant to the many different cultures, but not exactly welcoming. One, Luma Mufleh , a woman from Jordan volunteered to coach three Youth Soccer teams of refugee players, and they called themselves the Fugees. The soccer provides an outlet for players from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa and the team began to hold their own against the better funded all white teams the played.
   
   Clarkston struggles with a continual downward slippage and the many cultures that had made the town their home. The refugees struggle with acclimation, a strange country with confusing traditions, cultures and trying to get their footing in a confusing mix of cultures, traditions and survive their new life. Luma Mufleh struggles to keep the players out of gangs, keeping them in school and keeping the teams together and providing them all they need to continue playing. Warren St. John follows the players, the team and the town facing continual change. because the book started as a newspaper series several chapters are complete within the chapter rather than leading to the next chapter. It is a heartwarming story of overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds and finding acceptance, joy and a home in sports.



4. This story opens eyes to the perils of individuals from lands of extreme persecutions & bitter hardships encountered in the here & now, the 21st century. Immigrants are not always welcome in this accepting USA, especially in areas originally hard hit by economics & buried in racism. Overlooking all odds, personal & professional, winners emerge. Thought provoking & heavy, a necessary & good read. Highly recommended.



5. A group of refugees thrown into a small town in Georgia -- sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. There are the usual difficulties adjusting to a new and foreign environment -- and some succeed better than others. Each family has its own story: Liberians, Somalis, Sudanese, Kosovars, Iraqis.
   
   Enter Luma Mufleh, an American-educated woman from Jordan, who coaches the refugees' three soccer teams. Her selfless dedication to the families of these fyoug people is truly inspiring. She takes them to the doctor, buys them groceries, picks them up to go to movies. And she treats soccer as if it is the true meaning of life: playing hard and with sportsmanship gives the players the skills they need to survive in their new world.
   
   Outcasts United is not just a "feel good" story about a refugee soccer team that makes good. It is really about the refugees and about the town into which they've been relocated. It's about a woman who saw a way she could help some of the refugee boys do well in their new environment and it's about the clash of cultures.
   
   St. John does a fine job of portraying both the town and the immigrants in as positive a light as possible, without candy-coating anything, letting the facts speak for themselves. Let's face it -- Clarkston, Georgia didn't ask to be a refugee "dumping ground," and there is the expected resistance to Mufleh's attempts to organize and coach these young people, along with unexpected instances of openness. There's no spectacular big finish, but instead a quiet existence and perserverence, and a well-deserved book (and now a Universal Studios movie deal) to publicize the success.

5 comments about Coming of Age in Mississippi.

1. This book will really suck you in. It's hard for people who aren't from the South to understand the family dynamics, the method of speak, the rural center of it all, etc. But the time period covered while (possibly) somewhat far-removed from today's standards of living is what drives the story forward. The conditions described are both deplorable an' fascinating, an' anyone who thinks slavery ended in 1865 would be greatly challenged by the childhood stories recounted by Anne Moody. One'a the most vivid to me being her description of the chicken factory she worked at in New Orleans. There's no traditional arc here either an' no false hope, possibly because it was published in 1968 at the height of social unrest, but I wouldn't call it a downer either. Its as straightforward as it gets; tumultuous, surreal at times, filled with disillusion an' ultimate uncertainty. But, you will be better for having explored it. I've passed it on to several friends and (if I ever get it back) I intend to read it again.



2. This book is so clearly written and so interesting that I wanted to read on and on. Every so often I would stop and think that the storyline is so good and then I would remember that it's a true story which would further amaze me. I would forget that I am actually reading it for history class. We've always heard of the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. but this gives us the story of one female activist who was in action during that time. We learn in more detail about how some of the less mentioned people in history conducted protests and sit ins and strived towards uniting African Americans to gain equality. The life story of Anne Moody is sure to keep you interested.



3. If you want to understand truly the insanity of the prejudice in the south, this book is the truth. Written from a woman who lived it and fought for her freedom and that of her race. It is difficult to read at times. I had to put it down in disgust at the hatred and cruelty that white men have shown to Blacks in our country. It is so well written and should be used as a historical novel in English classes in our schools. Moody had so much courage at such a young age. Pass this one on. Use it in book clubs. Excellent.



4. Great Book. I had to read it for my History Class, my mom later read it and loved it.
   
   This is American History, everyone should read it.



5. What an amazing book!! To know this book was bravely published in 1968, when the Civil Rights issues were still a hot topic, is telling of how Anne (Essie Mae) Moody unabashadly tells the stories of her life in Mississippi. She didn't wait for controversies and prejudice to cool down. She let her voice be known at a time when immediate influence was necessary.
   
   She draws readers into this autobiography that reads more like a novel than a memoir, with tales of herself, a little girl exchanging work for milk for her family. She then shares her teenage years, as a beautiful girl struggling though work, school and family upheaval. Then as a young adult putting her life and that of her family at risk fighting for Civil Rights.
   
   This is a touching story of leadership, accountability, struggle and victory.
   
   Having missed this historical generationmyself by being born in the 70s, it is incredibly angering to know that there was such a distinction made between races. Even worse,that it was a LEGAL distinction.
   
   This book was really incredible. I can see why it continues to be ppular more than 40 years after it's original publication.

5 comments about Among the Thugs.

1. As a tour of several football grounds in England in the company of Hooligans , Buford's book is at times engaging and interesting. As a sociological study of the causes of mob violence as represented by these incidents it falls flat. I had very mixed feelings about this book. He seems to be driving to the conclusion that people in mobs conform to a "crowd" mentality and do very bad things they wouldn't do on their own. A fairly obvious conclusion wrapped in pseudo-intellectual language. He's at his best when describing his own participation in some of these confrontations. Read it for the description of the incidents themselves and you'll learn something without needing to be dragged to some profound understanding of what it all means.



2. Excellent take from an outsider (a yank at that) on football hooligan culture. More of a sociology book, but has some very good stories.
   Entertaining and a very easy read.
   One of the essential reads if you want to know more about the mindset of the yobos.



3. I was disappointed with this book.
   
   The topic was interesting and the author made a very hard attempt to get in with the sub cultural of football thugs, YOBS - do the things they did, go where they went, try to be accepted by the group without acting, being who he was - a writer.
   
   The premise is very similar to Hunter S. Thompson's Hell's Angels - a great book.
   
   The problem with Among the Thugs is that the author Bill Buford, try as he does, really doesn't like the English football thugs, not any of them - can't say anything redeeming about the whole culture - they are repulsive.
   
   Even the attempts by the English Right Wing Nationalists - the National Front comes off that the leaders of the National Front can stand these repulsive Soccer thugs, can't really use them in anyway - no one can.
   
   So the book comes off as the writer having to waste large parts of his life trying to get to know the secrets of the power of this sociological phenomenon and he learns all there is to know and, and
   
   There really isn't that much to know - they're repulsive, losers, not even good at anything, good at crime etc.
   
   A better writer could have made the subjects more interesting without taking their side. Good books about criminal networks make the criminals interesting, though bad.



4. This book is perfect for fans of Hunter Thompson's Hell's Angels. It's like a gonzo journalist was sucked into A Clockwork Orange and told to "start writing." Whether or not it's 100% accurate is beside the point. It's not a news article -- it's a book. It takes romantic liberties to better symbolize the truth.
   
   Also, for those who have a sense of humor that's hard-edged and drenched in booze, this book is hilarious.



5. As documentary history, there are times when it's nearly impossible to put 'Among The Thugs' down. His ability to articulate his vantage while things go off is unmatched. However, as the book goes on (and it's short; some 315 pages) it's too easy to tire of him. His theory become pedantic, and he's so intent on it he's willing to risk the final chapters, which sink under their sociology lesson and hammed-up moral controversies. At times, it's easy to wonder whether an editor read the last two chapters at all. That said, Buford reveals much that British accounts of their hooligan shame either downplay or exaggerate . . . even if he works in the shadow of Heysel and Hillsborough. In fact, his lack of contact with Liverpool supporters nearly negates his whole work. But that's another story -- since the Reds haven't been honest with their roles in those events, either.

5 comments about Fever Pitch.

1. It seemed as though this book was referenced just about everywhere this summer during the World Cup (at least by the more literate columnists), and a long while back, I had loved High Fidelity. I thought it might be worth a read.
   
   And goodness was it. It's a little difficult to explain why. The many essays and reflections within the book are largely uncategorized. These are just things that happened, things Hornby has thought and experienced in his years as an Arsenal fan, assembled in a thematically random order. If you read it, you won't close the book thinking that there was a point to it.
   
   And yet, I enjoyed every minute of the book. I am a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, despite growing up in Texas, simply because I watched a game one day on WGN when the Cubs were on instead of Rescue Rangers, and my experience at each point in Fever Pitch was, "Yep, that's what it's like." Fever Pitch describes the joy, the anger, the irrationality, the pity, the confidence, the awe, the sense of belonging, the despair (etc.) that devotion to a sports team inspires. He captures it all, and it's funny and sad and, most of all, truthful.



2. I am a girl. An American girl. An American not-sportsy-in-any-way girl. So, to say that this book was not written for me is a bit of an understatement. Why in hell did I read it then? Because Nick Hornby wrote it. And I enjoyed it. Sure, it was interesting to get a glimpse into the footballing culture, but more so was his fascinating portrayal and dissection of obsession. His description of what it means to be a fan of something, is, sure hilarious, but it also strikes deeply into the core of this nerdy girl who waited in line, in costume, for six hours, for a film of guys wielding laser swords. Obsession/fandom becomes part of one's life, for better or for worse, guides us, builds our relationships, build us. And Hornby describes it perfectly and with affection and criticism. Grade: B+



3. My new favourite book. Well written and very amusing, it is The book about football, although I have given it to a friend who isn't into football and she enjoyed it enormously. Definitely a Must Read for football fans.



4. I was very pleased. Able to order and pay through Amazon, and received the product even faster than promised. I'd buy from this seller any time.



5. I didn't finish this book. Seems that I am not enough of a soccer addict or an englishman to find this book interesting or funny.
   The fun is anyway rather the kind of fun that critics see as funny (very "intellectual").

5 comments about Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman.

1. I saw this title previewed on Good Morning America and I was very impressed. The book is an excellent for chidren. It does a great job of summarizing Wilma's life. I highly recommend it.



2. The illustrations are great. The font, though a little difficult to read, matches the pictures and is sure pretty. And the story is inspirational, I guess...
   
   Actually, tell the truth, it's a little *too* inspirational. To read this book, Wilma Randolph did nothing in her life but work hard to overcome stuff. Which is inspirational, sure... but she comes out seeming very hard to relate too. As I read about how she successfully overcame being a (poor, black) preemie, and successfully overcame being incredibly sickly, and successfully overcame polio, and successfully overcame racism and sexism (and the continuing effects of her disability)... I start to wonder, did Wilma Rudolph ever have a bad day? Did she never, like the rest of us humans, wake up in a miserable mood and want to crawl under the covers and let somebody else do the work? When she was a child and it hurt to do the exercises to learn to walk again, did she never throw a tantrum? When she was sitting on the sidelines at recess, did she never go home and whine to her mom about how unfair it all was?
   
   Oh, she probably did. But to read this book, you'd think all the limitations she overcame were external - disability and a heap of -isms, that she never had to overcome a grumpy mood or frustration or just plain old-fashioned PMS like us normal folk. It can be a little tiring to read, honestly - none of us is ever going to be as perfect as she's (unrealistically) depicted as being.
   
   I mean, look. Wilma strikes me as a fascinating individual. She did accomplish a lot - and winning the Olympics is an accomplishment in itself, even if you don't do it as an ex-polio kid with a twisted ankle. I just... I wish I could connect to her more as a real person when I read this book. Maybe it'll grow on me. I'd give it 3.5 stars if half stars were allowed.



3. I have used this book in my classroom, in staff development, and in graduate classes for teachers. The life lessons that can be learned from Wilma Rudolph are endless. Her determination and ability to overcome adversity are truly remarkable. Every child should hear and see the hard work and perservence that Wilma demonstrated. Every teacher with whom I have shared this book, plans to use it in her or his classroom. I bought this book for someone who is studying to be a teacher. I know that someday he will use this book with his students as well.



4. My granddaughter needed books on Wilma Rudolph for a 5th grade school project. This ended up being her favorite. The text was just right for her understanding and she really liked the illustrations. As she was reading it she clutched it to her chest and exclaimed to me, "Grandma, I love this book!" It prompted a conversation about overcoming doubts, believing in yourself and what things inspire us... a conversation I don't think we would have had otherwise.



5. I have used Wilman Unlimited in my classroom for the past few years. It is a fantastic book to use any time during the year, but good for Black History Month also. I use it with fourth graders to teach sequencing and analyzing character. I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide To Winning In Soccer And Life.

1. i love this book! Mia Hamm is a great soccer player who knows what shes talking about. i recomend it to anyone who is serious about soccer and wants to learn how to improove thier game. it has pictures about the world cup in 1999 and of her as a kid. it is great for coaches, players, and pretty much anyone. it also tells about mia's life outside of soccer. hanging out with her friends, family, and teammates. overall this is a great book.



2. It's written with Mia's innocent perspective on competitive sports and life. Her role model status, team dedication, and work ethic dominate the main themes for tween and teen girls. The morals put forth are tried and true: practice makes perfect, never be selfish, and respect and treat others as you would yourself. The book is inspiring due to Mia's incredible determination to improve and succeed and, ergo, is motivational. It's an easy read, but I give it 4 stars since it could be more thought provoking regarding life balance and choices for girls. Nonetheless, she is a golden role model. Recommended.



3. This is a great book. I really recommend it for anyone who is interested in sports, or really just succeeding at anything you are passionate about. I learned a lot that I think will help me with my life. She is a great example of how to pick a dream and reach for it. I will take a lot of the tips for living she shared and use in my life. I think a lot of my peers will also benefit from this book and hope you do too!



4. I purchased the book for my two daughters who play soccer. I was very pleased that the book discussed many aspects of life, not just issues on the soccer field (just like the book cover promised). It was especially interesting to see Mia Hamm's handwritten practice notes - it demonstrated that Mia's success didn't come with talent only, but with much discipline and hard work. I would recommend this book to anyone with teen daughters, whether they play soccer or not.



5. "Go for the Goal" is about Mia Hamm, one of the best soccer players in the world and about her struggles, difficulties, and accomplishments in her life. She helped lead the women's world cup team to a victory in 1999. She has faith that every one that dreams about being a soccer star, go for it! This is one of my favorate books not only because I play soccer competitively but because she has showed me some techniques and strategies she used to be an amazing soccer player. This book is interesting and factual about Mia life and could help change your idea about soccer.

5 comments about The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game.

1. I don't like football. I would not see the movie. I was surprised when Sandra Bullock got an award for the movie based on this book. Then I read the book. I LOVE THIS BOOK. The most important part is that the main character accepts Jesus into his heart!



2. I love 'The Blind Side' and I never watch football. I did skip some pages that were only about football. Michael Lewis explained the football parts very well, but I just wanted to get back to the story. I stayed up until 5:00 am reading 'The Blind Side' and I was surprised to see the sun coming up. I highly recommend 'The Blind Side'.



3. I really admire this book its a great football book and great for people who love who love football to read. I also have a little brother who is working on being in the NFL when he is older.



4. Everybody knows the story recounted in The Blind Side, so I won't recap it here for you. I'll just tell you this was a great book - one of the best I've read this year. It was historical narrative, but unlike other books of this genre by other authors, Michael Lewis did several things really well with this one.
   
   He managed the web of characters really well. He gave background and history on most of the folks, and introduced you to all the main and supporting characters but never to the point where the complexities made it difficult to keep everybody straight (like, for example, in Charlie Wilson's War -- which, granted, covered a wider scope but got bogged down too much with all the characters). It was easy to follow and remember who everybody was - from all the assistant coaches to Michael Oher's mom and siblings to his long lost childhood friend.
   
   Lewis also managed the pace and scope of the story well. It never felt jumpy or choppy (like, say, 5 Cities That Ruled the World) like it was zooming in and out from metanarrative to minute details and back. The pace was even and kept my interest the entire time. Anecdotes from football were timely and neatly inserted to highlight and complement Oher's and the Tuohy's story, and broke it up just enough to keep you reading.
   
   And finally, Lewis didn't beat you over the head with any sort of moral of the story, so to speak. He simply told the story and let its power speak for itself, and then left it up to the reader to draw any sort of conclusions or morals they wanted. (A practice which is much too underdone in writing these days - and which evidently allowed many people to get upset rather than inspired by the book. According to his new afterword, he got letters from conservatives, liberals, whites, blacks, Christians, and nonchristians all complaining about the story.)
   
   Lewis is a great storyteller and this was a great story. That combination is a powerful force which results in a great book.



5. You really should have some appreciation for the game of football in order to really enjoy this book. Presuming you do then you will be able to follow the evolution of not only the game of football but life in America during those same years. I was born in the early 50's, watched football on TV during the 60's 70's 80's so I can understand the technical and huge social impact of "the game" and how it evolved. That part of the book I found was very interesting informative and well worth the read. Having grown up in a family with a Dad that played and coached football during the 50's 60's and 70's this book does a great job in documenting the social issues of poverty and affluence then and now. The book conveys the difficult years we all faced and still face today in this country between the haves and have nots ... poverty and wealth the clash of the classes. A very good story worthy of a Ken Burns PBS special ... have not seen the Sandra Bullock movie ... not sure I want to ... maybe too Hollywood for me but will give it a try. Hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

5 comments about Beyond Suspicion.

1. i don't read much, but this book kept me very interested (which is rare for a book, i usually get bored too quickly)



2. I think James Grippando delivers just as suspenseful novels as John Grisham, though he does not have the same fame and popularity. His protagonist criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor Jack Swytek finds himself accused of murdering his former girlfriend and being targeted for murder himself after he discovers that he inadvertently helped her scam the Russian mafia in a viatical settlement case. At the same time he finds his marriage on the rocks because his wife Cindy has a lot of deep seated problems that surface after the murder of his ex-girlfriend.
   
   Contrary to some of the negative reviews, I thought that the plot was carefully developed, the twists were plausible, the suspense and mystery never let up (particularly the ending), and the action was nonstop. This novel will not only keep you entertained, but will also keep you guessing. It is a very enjoyable read. Don't be discouraged by the negative reviews from reading it.



3. I just discovered Grippando and am very glad that I did. I really liked this book and I can say as a lawyer that his characterization of legal issues is much better (more realistic) than most writers in the genre.
   
   I won't downgrade the book for this, but I must point out: I have since read several more Grippano books and there are entire passages that seem "blocked and copied" from previous books. He likes to make fun of the work "interesting" for example, and uses the same device in several books to make his point. He also uses gratuitous references to pop culture. I get them (because of my age bracket), but it really is a lazy way to evoke a mood and will ultimately "date" his writing.
   
   Anyway, very enjoyable.



4. 
   Jack Swyteck is a Miami criminal lawyer... the son of the former Governor of Florida... and is married to Cindy... who still has nightmares... after having been raped by one of Jack's former clients. The "trigger-effect" of this entire fast-paced enjoyable thriller, is when Jack's former girl friend Jessie Merrill comes back into his life as a client. Jessie... sensual... as well as conniving... was first diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) which meant sure death... and then the diagnosis was changed by Dr. Marsh to lead poisoning. When under the diagnosis of ALS... Jesse got involved with a Viatical company... which specializes in contractual arrangements in which a business buys life insurance policies from terminally ill patients for a percentage of the face value. Jessie collected one-million-five-hundred-thousand-dollars in advance against her three-million-dollar life insurance policy. When Jessie miraculously is re-diagnosed with a non-fatal illness... she is sued by the Viatical company... hence Jack's defense. Seven years earlier Jessie had dumped Jack, but when she came calling, Jack's wife Cindy felt sorry for the "dying" Jessie... and gave Jack the okay to defend her... putting jealousies aside.
   
   When Jack wins the lawsuit all hell breaks loose... it turns out the "money" behind the Viatical company comes from some very bad men. Jessie winds up dead in Jack's bathtub... Jack's indicted for murder... and we have a pulse-pounding thriller that includes the Russian Mafia... blood being drained from dead bodies... AIDS infected blood being sold... undercover informants... scary "crunching" sounds in the leaves... and more. The author deftly keeps the reader on the edge of their seat throughout... and Theo Knight six-foot-five-inch-two-hundred-fifty-pound former death row inmate that Jack saved from execution in his first book "THE PARDON" has a great supporting role as friend... wise-cracking-sidekick... and muscle. This is the third James Grippando book I've read ("The Pardon and "Last Call") and it is by far the most complete and action packed from start to finish.



5. This book started off pretty good. But it did began to get really slow in the middle. I fond myself skipping over all the flashback scenes from all the different characters.
   
   Ultimately the book failed because the ending was horrible. Tried too hard to be complicated and it was silly and beyond belief. A lot of the characters and actions were beyond belief.
   
   One example: No hospital would allow the parent to sign off on permission, especially when the spouse is right there. jack is a lawyer, and would know that!
   The Latrina character just never truly fit into the story. There was nothing believable about her. Someone as careless as she was, was some informant? The whole revenge part was just too much, and really weakened the story.
   
   The transformation of Cindy was also another unbelievable plot gimmick. It was just not believable.
   Even the last accusations Jack makes at the end are just stupid!! Exactly when did it happen? between the time they arrived at the house and the time Jack got to the room?? Who broke the glass in the house??
   Just makes no sense at all.
   
   Are there any good writers left? Do all the suspense writers use the same BS gimmicks that insult people's intelligence.?

1 comments about Torres: El Nino: My Story.

1. I've been a fan of Fernando Torres for many years now -by far my favorite footballer- but this book is simply a real treat from a great guy. In it, Torres comes off as just an ordinary person who happens to play football because he loves it, and is really good at it too. He's a very down to earth, unassuming and friendly person. And since most of us will never actually meet him in person, he is willing to let you peek in his life as if you were having a coffee or beer with him. He takes his work very responsibly and knows fully well that he is indebted to his fans which explains I believe why he wrote this book.
   
   This is one of those books you can leave on the coffee table. So make sure to get the hardcover edition. Hundreds of illustrations in a thick 300 pages book through snapshots of Torres' life. Like a scrapbook replete with different little stories. But beware. Although it is very informative, this is not a full-fledged autobiography from year one and so on. If you're looking for a chronological life of Torres, turn to the excellent book Torres by Luca Caioli (Ian Cruise's Liverpool number 9 is a little too dry and boring for me).
   
   Well worth the price. A beautiful gift for any fan of Fernando Torres.

5 comments about The Beckham Experiment: How the World's Most Famous Athlete Tried to Conquer America.

1. This is a very crisply written book. I've always been an admirer of Wahl's, but worried about his transition to longform writing. This book, though, is fantastic. Some of these characters really open up, and he keeps a close eye on the progression of this "experiment."
   
   My only qualm is that I held out on buying this version on my Kindle for the afterword in the paperback edition, which sadly is not included with the electronic version. A 5-star review is in order if that is ever remedied.
   
   Regardless, the excellent author should not be held at fault for such an omission. Kudos to him.



2. If I could meet Grant Wahl, I would fall to the ground, do the "I'm not worthy" mantra, and thank him for writing this book. I am afraid that no writer will ever again be allowed the kind of access he had, and tell us where our sports entertainment dollar is going. And also, where it is NOT going, i.e., to 90% of the MLS players. Wahl also covers the behind the scenes machinations by Tim Leiweke and Beckham's handlers, the monumental mistakes Alexi Lalas made, and the business side of the MLS.
   
   The only aspect of the book that I did not like was Wahl's frequent quotes from forums on [...]. That was the weakest part of his reporting, because not only are the opinions on bigsoccer mostly meaningless, but I think 80% of the participants don't even buy tickets to MLS games.
   
   I am so glad the book came out so quickly after Beckham's debut, so that we didn't have to wait 10 years to hear a cleaned up version of history. The flip side of that is-- the Beckham Experiment is not over. And there may be a lot more MLS experiements to come, as the league increasingly opts for, as Wahl describes it, players of exorbitant incomes and players of my-real-job-is-cleaning-pools incomes, with no middle class inbetween.



3. This book did a great job of describing the USA's soccer league, MSL or Major League Soccer. It further described how David Beckham fit in to it and changed it. As a season ticket holder for the Seattle Sounders, I thought the insight in to MSL was very interesting. I have read many books on soccer and come across almost zero information on the MSL. The author was very objective concerning everything and everybody he discussed.
   
   The book was more about those affected by Beckham before and after he came along than it is about Beckham himslf. There was great insight on Landon Donovan.
   
   I was never a Beckham fan to begin with. After reading this book, I was left feeling that he is quite a pitiful person.
   
   If the book was focused on a more impressive player such as Donovan, I would have given the book 5 stars.



4. This book is not so much about Beckham (there are many biographies and even a few autobiographies about him) as it is about the surrounding cast. The one person with whom Grant did not speak with was Terry Byrne and thus it is hard to really know how much David knew or approved of in regards to moves made by the Galaxy.
   
   Needless to say, after gracing the pitches of Old Trafford and the Santiago Bernabeu, coming to the Home Depot Center was always going to be a let down for David. Southern California offers him the sunshine of Madrid, without all of the pressure of having to win every single game. However as a world-class footballer, naturally David is very competitive and thus playing away games in Kansas City or Denver or passing to Alan Gordon or Edson Buddle does not give him the same satisfaction that away days at Anfield or the Camp Nou or passes to Ruud Van Nistelrooy did and Ronaldo(the Brazilian one) did. When Beckham signed with MLS he thought that his England career was over and thus determined that it was time to come to America. He would have been better of waiting until after the 2010 World Cup, when he England career will certainly be over.



5. I have to confess that I don't read many sports books - and those I do read tend to be biographies of cricket/rugby players, with a sprinkling of football (soccer) books thrown in. Those books don't tend to be anything special. But "The Beckham Experiment" has to be hands down the best sports book I've read. Not only is it about Beckham the football player, but it is also about Beckham the brand - a combination of sports and business. This had the potential to be off putting for a sports fan, but the author has done a fantastic job of combining these two elements of the Beckham Experiment, writing a readily accessible and enjoyable read of Beckham's ill fated dabble in the MLS.
   
   Beckham's move to the US was always going to be either a spectacular success or a spectacular failure, and quite clearly by mid 2009 it is the latter. I can't claim to be a devoted follower of football, but I was certainly aware of Beckham's move to the Galaxy. But until I read this book, I had no real knowledge of the MLS - Wahl has done a good job of introducing the workings of the MLS without impacting on the pace of the story. There is also consideration given to the politics and business decisions that can be involved in the running of a football club. The involvement of big business (AEG) in Beckham's shift to the Galaxy is not surprising - but the degree of manipulation and control over the management of the team is quite astonishing. Right from the start, it is readily apparent that signing with the Galaxy also represented a skillful business move by Beckham and his advisers.
   
   Wahl has delved deep into the personalities in the team in the course of preparing this book, and has done a warts and all expose. There is some fingerpointing here - but Wahl is reasonable in his criticism, and puts a good case forward as to why just about everyone needs to take some responsibility for the fiasco that resulted during the LA Galaxy's campaign in the 2007 and particularly the 2008 season. One of the most surprising relevations from the book is Ruud Gullit's performance as a coach. I was astonished that he appears to have little idea what he was doing, and was unable to adjust to the US scene. I felt some sympathy for the players - I guess I fell victim to the general perception that as professional sportsmen in a first world country, they would be well paid, which as it transpires is not the case for the majority of the players. This is one of the highlights of the book - the perspectives of some of the lesser lights in the team on Beckham, and the impact he had on the team.
   
   This book has everything going for it - a superstar football player, a team falling apart, outspoken former associates of the team, all skillfully put together in a totally enjoyable - and easy (I read this in the course of a weekend) - read. Easily the best sports book I've ever read, and probably one of the best books of the year for me. Recommended to anyone interested in football, learning about the MLS, and the global phenomenon that is David Beckham.