5 comments about Umbrella Mike: The True Story of the Chicago Gangster Behind the Indy 500.

1. I bought this book because of my interest in the Indy 500, because the title was very intriguing, and because I was familar with the author from articles he wrote for a popular automobile magazine. As it turned out, the book was not that interesting and added very little to my knowledge of the "greatest spectacle in racing". I rate a good book as on that I will want read again and again and that also motivates me to find out more on its subject matter. This book does neither.



2. Excellent expose by autoracing expert Brock Yates of Chicago gangster Mike Boyle and his dominance in Indy-car racing in the late 20's through the early post WWII period. Yates brings out the links between Boyle and nearly all of the big name drivers and engineers of the day. With Favorite driver Wilbur Shaw, Boyle's Maserati won Indy twice, and became the most successful Indy car in history. But one wonders how much influence Boyle had, through Shaw, in convincing Tony Hulman to purchase the track after WWII? Although not a subject Yates discusses, the implications arre certainly there. The book is marred only by the lack of an index (highly needed) and Yates redundant phraseology about WWII.
   A welcome addition would be a chart showing the links between Boyle and arch rival Joel Thorne. A must for Indy history fans!!



3. A fascinating look at mainly preWWII (but some post-war) Indy 500 and open-wheeled racing history. This is a great read if you are at all interested in American open-wheel racing, which was one of the most dangerous forms of motor racing in the world but a unique motorsport art form.



4. Great Book, couldn't put it down until I finished it! If you like the history of how a great race car was born and how three special guy's, Wilbur Shaw, Ted Horn and Cotton Henning made the Masarati 8CTF a legend, get this book! This car was a winner in 1939-40, should have won in 1941, and finished no worse than 4th from 1946 to 1948. It was still competing in the 500 until 1951.



5. The book was a good read on one of the more interesting characters in Indianapolis 500 history. There has been little previous information about one of the most successful car owners in Indy history.
   
   The material was not too in depth, but gave a good account of the Boyle Maserati that won the Indy 500 in 1939-40 with Wilbur Shaw behind the wheel.

5 comments about A World of My Own.

1. I enjoyed the very British humor of this author in describing his historic singlehanded around-the-world sail. A nice balance of description, technical information, and personal revelation.



2. Knox Johnson tells a good tale, and it's worth reading. But you have to wonder at his seamanship sometimes. He might have swapped the brandy for water and maybe tried a lifeline when he went overboard to fix a leak in mid-ocean. One also wonders whether some of his mishaps might have been man made. Makes a good companion to Bernard Moitessier's Long Way. No denying the courage and determination.
   He now runs the Around Alone race and another book worth reading is Sea of Dreams about the 2002 race. There were 3 Americans and 2 Canadians in the race and the book focusses on them and the Canadian Derek Hatfield who was rolled over in a hurricane at the Horn and lived to tell the tale. terrific stuff. As good as Godforsaken Sea, I think.



3. This is a quaint read. I picked it up after reading Peter Nichol's "A Voyage For Madmen" which provides an outstanding overview of all the men in this first-non-stop-solo-around-the-world race. Knox-Johnson waxes poetic about his extraordinary accomplishment, which, of course, he is entitled to do. There is no doubt he possessed the temperment to embark on this voyage. His skills, however, might be viewed as a bit lacking. Nevertheless, he shares his thoughts, adventures, and, on occaision, his shortcomings that occurred during this voyage. As well, there is an underlying psychological drama that unfolds as you make your way through this book. I recommend reading this book, but strongly recommend you read it only after you have read "A Voyage for Madmen" simply because it will be much more informative and provide better insight into Knox-Johnson.



4. ...Now, I will admit he was quite young and inexperienced as a writer when he wrote the preposterously titled tome, however, there were times when I wanted to throw him and his book over the side and get on with better reading material. Being curious though, I stuck it out though his many man-made and nature caused disasters some of which could have been avoided it seems to this armchair reader if he'd have laid off the hootch he was addicted to...fresh water would have been more in order instead of so many whiskey and beer bottles cluttering up the larder. His answer to most situations was to stroll down to the locker and pour a shot or two and light up. How many times can one screw up on a trip like this and then write shamelessly about it? Enough to sell a lot of copies I guess and keep us on the edge of our bunks wondering why in the hell he's swimming alongside his 32' ketch in the middle of the ocean with apparently no lifeline tied around him. God forbid how anybody with so little common sense but plenty of guts should make such an arduous journey so ill prepared for the worst and carrying old sails to boot...Robin being an example of both somewhat. Anyway, friends of the sea, it's a compelling book if for no other reason than to experience his many perils and his solutions to innumerable screw ups. Yeah, I liked it but for perverse reasons I suppose since I can play at being a superior know-it-all sailor after cringing through page after page of calamities I WOULD HAVE AVOIDED. Now it's on to his next adventure. Keep it up Robin, old boy or man as the case may be...



5. A good and easy read by Robin Knox-Johnson who now helps manage the Golden Globe race of today. (2003; see Brad VanLiew's brilliant success in the Class 2 fleet in the news)
   Readers should also include Bernard Moitessier's `The Long Way' book of the same 1968 race. It is intensely interesting that where one flourished, the appointed `winner' suffered a long and arduous ordeal. Knox-Johnson describes his exhausted stop in Australia and time at anchor in this book, yet accepted the trophy. Moitessier was far ahead off the South American coast when he took a right and continued on half way around the globe again to rest free of the commercialization the media had put upon the event. Bernard had reached the highest levels of thought and global mindedness, while Robin had been reduced to survival mode and raw instinct. Can you call the "Winner" of this non-stop circumnavigation? These two accounts of the same race cover the range of human limits and ethics and should be bundled together as a set.

3 comments about Won't Back Down.

1. Reading this book was enjoyable because it gave me a deeper insight into what makes Kim Mulkey tick. The background from childhood through coaching was excellent--not too detailed, but just enough info to explain things. Reading Kim's coaching philosophy and current stance at Baylor was interesting. I highly recommend this book.



2. I've heard Kim Mulkey speak in person as well as seen her in action coaching and this book sounds just like her. She is very forthright and as always, tells it like she sees it. Except for a few repeated or inserted sections that seem to interrupt the flow, the book is a very good read.



3. Kim Mulkey wrote an interesting auto biography, which helps us know how she became so succesful in her career. It is great reading for any fan of women's basketball and working mothers who in spite of the demands on their time, keep family first.

5 comments about Home Ice.

1. Even if you live in a climate that will never allow you to build a backyard rink, this wonderful little book should be read. In a age where youth sports are increasingly dominated by organization and structure and where the attraction of video games keeps kids inside on even the nicest of days, this book takes us to a place where play is unstructured, where one can lose themself in the early morning hours or under the stars, where family and friends can gather to play, skate and even sometimes compete, where the rituals of building, maintaining and disassembling the rink mark the passage of time.
   
   Ultimately this book is as much about a family and a bond between them as is it about ice skating or hockey. Read, enjoy and take something away from the experience.



2. A good easy read. A must have for hockey fans in New England and for builders of backyard hockey rinks. Not a big reader, but I couldn't put this on down. Very well written.



3. WE took our rink down a few weeks ago, I cant wait for next years ice. In the mean time I will read this again for about the 50th time!



4. I have to say in my 28 years of being alive I can count on one hand the amount of books I have read on my own. But I recieved this book from my wife for christmas this year. I guess she had hopes on me reading more. Well she was right. I picked up the book thrusday morning about 11:00 am and finished it that afternoon. I really enjoyed reading this book. It actually took me back to when I was really young and skated on a small lake my grandparents lived on in Kinston Ontario. I feel almost compelled to build my own rink in my back yard this winter. I won't but it would be great to do it.
   Thanks



5. I have been enchanted by this book. A newcomer to hockey, as both fan and player, I have been soaking up information and lore eagerly. This book satisfies both the urge to learn about hockey, and my wish to experience more of the true joy of the game. Taken out of the huge arenas with the expensive nachos and plentiful beer, there is a game that generations have loved to play and perfect. There are kids playing here, and adults, men and women. There are friends who help shovel the backyard rink, and those who show up later. And there are stories of other backyard rinks, of ponds, and of pros. If you like hockey, I don't see how you could go wrong with this book.

5 comments about No Excuses: One Man's Incredible Rise Through the NFL to Head Coach of Notre Dame.

1. Take ajourney with Charles Weis, New Jersey born
   and raised guy who happened to go down and talk
   to one of the 'Fathers' in the Notre Dame Athletic
   office one day back in 1975 about what HE thought
   the 'Fightin' Irish' should be doing to inprove
   the football team. Fast forward through the years
   as Charlie Weis becomes the sports enthusiast who
   moves up through the ranks and becomes a first rate
   football coach who ends up going back to Notre Dame
   after winning FOUR Super Bowls and becomes it's H.
   Coach! Great and inspirational reading! As good as
   Marv Levy's fine football book, "Where Else Would
   You Rather Be?"



2. Coach Weis starts this short autobiography out with a funny story about his student days at Notre Dame and how he had the nerve to complain to the University president about the football team. I would say that this is a rather interesting way for the man who is now in charge of that same football team to start out his book. Right up front Charlie Weis says to us the fans that he understands what it is like to be frustrated and that we Notre Dame fans really matter to him. I like this guy!
   
   I say that this is a short autobiography because there is so much yet to be written in the Charlie Weis story but there is still a lot of information to be found in these pages. I must admit that I had wondered how a guy who hadn't even played college football became the coach of the most storied program in the sport and by reading this book I got my answers. Charlie Weis is one hard working guy. This is not to say that he didn't get some major breaks along the way because he did and he freely acknowledges that he did. Coach Weis is proud of his work ethic and that comes across loud and clear in this book but the man doesn't have a conceited bone in his body. I like this guy!
   
   When Coach Weis was hired at Notre Dame most Irish fans read up on him in a hurry and so we knew the basics of his sparkling pro career but in this book we get a little more of story including some things that I'm sure that he didn't really care to share but he shared them anyway and the book is all the better for it. I really do like this guy!
   
   Best of all, we finally get a look at Coach's personal life and we learn about his wonderful wife and his special relationship with his son. We also get a glimpse of his relationship with his special needs daughter who is able to communicate very clearly when she wants her dad to go away and leave her alone. The proceeds from this book go to a foundation he has set up in the name of his daughter Hannah and it was for the love of her that he even agreed to write this book. Did I mention that I like this guy?
   
   This book is not a deep tome on Charlie Weis' coaching philosophy or an insight into the Notre Dame program. That may well come later when he has been at South Bend for a few more years. This is simply the basic story of a man who accepts no excuses from his players or himself and who expects everyone to give their all for the good of the team. This is Charlie Weis 101 and I hope that the graduate level course won't be too long in coming.



3. This book is a fast read, and I really liked it. I thought he made his points and got his story across very well, and gives some insight as to how the coaching profession works. I recommend it.



4. The book has several interesting stories. Though CW doesn't mention it, he must have been a pretty smart student to get admitted to ND. I thought he said his dad was of a blue collar profession, so he must have gotten quite a bit of financial aid.
   
   I found his story about how he quit HS coaching to take a grad assistantship at South Carolina interesting, as well as how he was to be offered the head coaching job with the Bills, if the Patroits lost the AFC championship game to the Titans. I also found his early days as coach of the Fighting Irish to be interesting. All in all, it's a story of a hard working guy who always tried to do the right thing and succeeding to get the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.



5. This is a very refreshing story of how an outwardly ordinary person with some extraordinary insight and self-confidence goes from being a regular kid to a top level coach, and how he balances his family life with his professional life. He doesn't dish dirt or tattle, and it isn't all about Notre Dame Football. He acknowledges success and failure without bragging about his system or complaining about setbacks. He doesn't breach the privacy of others to sell his story, so details of who said what and who did what are not there, though he does give plenty of credit where it is due. It's dignified but not stuffy or superior. You just can't help but admire him, and you wish you had a boss with his sense of priorities, directness, and honesty.
   
   It really does hook you, so make sure you have plenty of time when you first open it to read the whole thing. I bought this for my spouse for Christmas. While wrapping it, I took a little peek. Two hours later I finished it. It was just too darn interesting to put down, and I am not a big football fan. Then I kept thinking about it and had to stop myself from quoting it (to keep from spoiling the surprise). When my spouse opened it on Christmas Day; I warned him that it would suck him right in. He laughed and took a peek. Now I have a nice picture him, surrounded by holiday chaos and kids, completely oblivious while reading this book cover-to-cover.
   
   We both agree that this is a really terrific book. Since my spouse is a big Notre Dame fan (two ND degrees and grew up in South Bend), but I am not, I'd say that this book appeals to a wide variety of people.

5 comments about Redemption Song: Muhammad Ali and the Spirit of the Sixties.

1. Marqusee succeeds in putting Cassius Clay's transformation to Muhammah Ali in the rhythms and images of the times. An excellent cultural history.



2. This is a fascinating book - looking at Ali in a historical, social and political context.
   
   It is not a typical sporting biography - there is very little focus on boxing. This is not even a typical biography - Ali is the central character but there are many digressions - Malcolm X (and Elijah Mohammed), Martin Luther King, Paul Robeson, Jackie Robinson, Bob Dylan and Don King feature heavily. The real focus is on the social & political upheaval of the sixties.
   
   This is also a reclamation project. The Ali who is now an almost universal hero is not the Ali that inspires Mike Marqusee. Marqusee loves the Ali who said "I will not be what you want me to be", the fascinating, flawed man - one of the most controversial, divisive but important men of the 1960s. The man who transcended his nationality and embraced the world, which in turn embraced him back. He wants to remind us what an extraordinary man he was. I think that he succeeds admirably.
   
   This is not a hagiography - it is prepared to look Ali's flaws and contradictions directly in the eye. However, the book is fundamentally very sympathetic to Ali and the whole black power movement of the 1960s, particularly Malcolm X. This is not a problem, as Marqusee's politics never get in the way of the book.
   
   Recommended



3. This is nothing less than the story of an African American man's struggle to define himself within the context of the 60's US black power movement exploited by a white Englishman. Mike Marqusee brings nothing new to the story of Muhamed Ali other than stilted prose and an uncritical eye. It fails as a book about boxing and is equally weak with respect to Ali's struggle with the white establishment of his day. Marqusee's attempt to embrace Ali's story serves only to water down the true struggle of an entire generation against the evils of institutional racism.



4. I'm not a boxing fan, but after seeing the recent "Ali" movie, I was inspired to take Mike Marqusee's "Redemption Song" off my bookshelf and read it. I got the book because I heard Marqusee last year in a radio interview about Ali and the Black Power movement of the sixties and I was very interested in the culture and politics that both shaped Ali and was influenced by him.

   I found "Redemption Song" a powerful and well written book that gives so much more depth than the new movie. The depth of Marqusee's research and analysis made me realize that the Ali movie would have needed to be a trilogy in order to do justice the champ's life. Ali's defiance of racist draft policies could have been an entire movie in and of itself. While "Ali" movie focuses on Ali's defiance, Marqusee's book provides the context for Ali's anti-war stance. His description and analysis makes the movie's focus a mere footnote to this part of Ali's history. When Ali argued, "Man, I ain't got not quarrel with them Vietcong," he was taking a religious and political stance on a personal, cultural/racial, and class level. He was not only echoing the developing anti-war movement, but giving voice to it, even though he never sought to be a leader within the movement. He was in sync with civil rights activists like John Lewis who complained, "I don't see how President Johnson can send troops to Vietnam...to the Congo...to Africa and can't send troops to Selma, Alabama," [where the civil rights of Black people were systemically and violently denied civil rights on a daily basis.] He was in line with Martin L. King who boldly declared and preached that the war "morally and politically unjust." His refusal to participate in the bombing of thousands of innocent children and women in Vietnam and Cambodia was a part of many anti-war demonstrations in which Stokely Carmicheal described Selective Services as "white people sending black people to make war on yellow people in order to defend land they stole from red people."

   Marqusee reminds us most in his book that boxing in this country was linked to issues of race and power representation. Thus, Black boxers and other sports figures like Jackie Robinson were measured, promoted, and criticized by how patriotic they were to the White power structure in this country. They were expected to be like Joe Louis who stood "as a role model--for white America, for the black middle class and for much of the left--by enlisting for military service in World War II," or an anti-communist like Robinson. But Ali becomes a bug in the system. Guided by Black nationalist ideology of the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X specifically, Ali rewrote the script for how Black sports figures were to behave. He proclaimed, "I'm free to be what I want." But as Marqusee points and shows, "he did not invent himself out nothing. In his search for personal freedom he was propelled and guided by a wide array of interacting social forces." This search and influence is the heart of Marqussee's book.

   I would imagine there's much that Marqusee leaves out his book. And at times he seems too apologetic about Ali's break with Malcolm X, his relationship with the conservative tide of the Nation of Islam, and the inherent contradictions between his religious convictions and his views about marriage. Marqusee could have also provided specific references for his research. His bibliography is simply not enough.

   Despite these criticism, "Redemption Song" is a much needed work to offset efforts to depoliticize Ali's past. Read it before or after you see the movie.




5. This book isn't so much about Ali as about Black radical politics of the 60's and 70's and the way Ali's public life reflected them. An excellent, thoughtful book that reads more like a monograph than a work of popular non-fiction (cf. David Remnick's "King of the World", a more accessible book with a different focus and scope). If you are interested in the Nation of Islam, the Black Panthers, the Black Power movement and the ways boxing historically has reflected the racial realities of its time, you will find this book engrossing and informative. If you are looking for a conventional "boxing book" (whatever that is), you will be disappointed.

5 comments about View from the Summit: The Remarkable Memoir by the First Person to Conquer Everest.

1. Sir Edmund Hillary was clearly a remarkable man with his life marked particularly by the first successful ascent of Mt. Everest. The descriptions of the climb to the summit of Everest along with Tenzing Norgay are particularly interesting, especially his discussion of the period immediately flowing the first ascent when immense pressure was brought on Tenzing to say that he had reached the summit first. However, Everest was not the only adventure for Hillary. Other trips to the Himalayas and to other parts of the world are described and give you an idea of Hillary's overall achievements.
   The most meaningful parts of the book to me were Hillary's efforts to lead the way in helping the Sherpas by building schools, hospitals, and pipelines. Also, the chapters detailing his upbringing give you a good idea of how far he had come from his early days in a beekeeper's family. The chapter about the plane crash in Nepal that took the lives of his wife and daughter was extremely emotional.
   However, the book does have its slow moments. I found the sections about the journey to the South Pole to be tedious and confusing. A good map would have helped. Hillary's writing style is fairly pedestrian, but he does give a number of examples of where he thought he fell short as a person, husband, and father. His extreme confidence in his own abilities shows through during the book.
   All in all, the book is certainly worth reading if you are interested in Edmund Hillary or mountain climbing.



2. On the plus side, this is indeed a proper 'boys own' story and is very well written. Unfortunately, the reader becomes quickly aware of the arrogance of Hillary. Clearly he is a gifted climber who possesed endurance way beyond that of the average human. However, this is over-shadowed by the authors arrogance as he tells the reader how much better he was than those around him.
   
   In a way i wish i had not read the book as it has shattered a romantic illusion I had of what Hillary was really like. It also made me very sympathetic of those who had to endure him in the ice packs of Antartica and the isolation of the death zone of Everest.



3. I remember how exciting it was for those of us in London for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation (on June 2, 1953) to find out that Mount Everest had been climbed at last! And Sir Edmund Hillary's story of how he and Tenzing Norgay did it is terrific and even to my suspicious eyes seems sincere.
   
   The portion of the book I was most curious about dealt with the Antarctic Expedition of 1957 to 1958. Hillary was the leader of the Ross Sea Party, which was to was to lay provisions between the Ross Sea and the South Pole to support the crossing of Antarctica by the Transpolar Party, starting from the Weddell Sea. The Transpolar Party was led by the overall expedition leader, Dr. Vivian (Bunny) Fuchs. The two parties reached the South Pole in January, 1958 after which they made it to the Ross Sea in less than six weeks. As the two parties neared the Pole, the telegrams between Bunny and Hillary were in all the newspapers. Vivian had told the story from his point of view in his 1958 book, "The Crossing of Antarctica," and even though that book also included eighteen pages written by Hillary, I was glad to see more of what Hillary had to say, especially with his perspective of writing about it so much later.
   
   This entire book is worth reading and tells us plenty about the life of a successful adventurer.



4. I found this book a pleasant surprise, after having read a few mountaineering adventure books. If you are looking for one, look elsewhere; Hillary climbed Everest, but did not have any major mountaineering accomplishments thereafter. Instead, we see the picture of a simple man, a very likeable and sincere one, with flaws and virtues.

   We can see his sneakiness in going for the south pole despite orders not to, we can see his dedication to the people of Nepal, we can see his somewhat estranged relationship with Tenzing and the tensions that arose after Tenzing said he had reached the summit first. The discussion is a futile one, but it seems to put a damper on the relationship.

   In this book we also follow his life, not just his great conquests. We see the backstage of the lecture circuit he went through after Everest, then the honors he received and his attempt to maintain some normalcy in his life. Overall, it is a very good life book, and despite it being filled with adventures, we see the character of a person that is much more than simply an adventurer.




5. Unless Edmund Hillary can produce definitive evidence that A.) George Mallory and Andrew Irvine did not reach the summit of Mt. Everest in 1924 or B.) that Tenzing Norgay was not actually the first to set foot on the summit, he cannot truthfully bill himself as "The First Person to Conquer Everest."

5 comments about Dusty: Reflections of an American Dream.

1. A lot of people criticize Dusty for his ego but really that's just Dusty being Dusty and he even admits that several times throughout the book. I don't think he hates Hogan as some other reviewers have said... but I do think he is a little miffed that Hogan came along when he did and got the attention Dusty thinks he would have had without "Yellowfinger".
   
   My main complaint is the vulgar language. I didn't like Jericho's book for the same reason. There is no excuse for it. Use your brains, increase your vocabulary, buy a dictionary and write without the vulgarities.
   
   This is not a book I would read again and at times was hard to get through the first time.



2. Dusty is a self-promoter. That is ok, he is a wrestler and that is the name of the game, you have to promote yourself to be larger than life or you will not get anywhere.
   
   Dusty's book is full of promise but it doesn't really make the grade when it comes to delivering on the promise. He has a wealth of knowledge and stories and we see very little of it.
   
   Readable but not a classic.



3. i'll never forgive dusty for ripping me off. his book is a total waste of money. i'm trying to get some use out of the book by using it as toilet paper. his dvd sucks too.



4. Quite discouraging. This guy is the man I grew up with on Saturday nights watching TBS. My all time favorite wrestler, and 2nd favorite interview. I even have a Dusty Rhodes doll. However, this book is terrible. Way too many expletives that just are not needed. Terrible grammar and editing. Story line is at the same time disjointed and repetitive. Way worse than Flair's "To Be the Man."



5. Keeping this short and to the point.
   Although not even half way though it ,Dustys book is doing my head in .
   His shameless self promoting /name droping/ disreguard for time lines is just to much.
   Moving onto JJ Dillions book instead.
   Read it ,If you will
   But have pain pills on hand

3 comments about Blessed: The Autobiography.

1. Very interesting especially for someone that wasn't familiar with football in the 60's and 70's. Mr. Best seemed like a larger than life character and it of course makes for a great read both the good and the bad.



2. I was never a huge fan of Bestie-his behavior always seemed immature and impulsive. This book has changed my mind. The author fully acknowledges his shortcomings, and the insight into the extent of his battle with alcohol truly reveals someone battling a monster rather than just acting foolishly. The book is a great read and I would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in Best and British football.



3. George Best's auotbiography reads like any other footballer's biography for about the first third of the book. It's only after that it starts to get insightful and the reader begins to get an idea of the extent of what alcoholism can do to a person.

   George's life is a series of highs; winning the European Cup with Manchester United in 1968 and being considered one of the best footballers in the world, and lows; planning his suicide. It's a sad story in many ways.

   Much of the time George is his own worst enemy, but he doesn't shy away from admitting as much. There are some revelations new to me: Like when Ron Atkinson asked George to return to Manchester United in the 80's - thanks goodness that didn't happen, an image of boyhood hero would've been shattered.

   Although you're not left with the feeling that George is cured from alcoholism by any means, and may go off the rails at any time, you're at least given the comfort that he's happier living back close to his roots.

   More than just another footballer talking football.

No comments about Jim Clark: A photographic portrait.