BOOKS THREAD

I picked up "Room" for my nook. I've always thought the plot sounded fascinating, and SportsJournalists.com never fails me with recommendations.

I'm about 50 pages into "Unbroken" and adore it. Hillenbrand is a terrific writer.

 

Just read "Play Their Hearts Out" by George Dohrmann, about the shady world of grassroots basketball.

Every sports book, it seems, chases the greatness of Friday Night Lights. If this book didn't catch it, no sports book has come closer. I mean it.

 

I finished The Lost Dogs over the weekend, about the effort to rescue and rehab the Michael Vick dogs. I knew it would be a tough read, and it was, but also incredibly inspiring to read about the people who worked to save the dogs. I certainly regard them as heroes. And it makes me loathe Michael Vick and his "boys" even more than I already did, which I didn't know was possible.

 

Ditto on Mira's solid review of Hillenbrand's "Unbroken."

I'm only a few chapters in, but it's shaping up to be even better than Seabiscuit, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

It's a little expensive at $27 for the hardcover, so I'd use a Barnes or Borders coupon if you have one.

 

Just read a nice depiction of the Butler 2009-10 basketball season by Indy Star's David Woods, "Underdawgs." Nice easy read about a team that is interesting despite the lack of dirt, and Dave covers all the bases. If you're a college basketball fan, it's a fun look back at last season.

Got Patti Smith's "Just Kids" in the hopper, so life is good. Looking forward to "Unbroken", too.

 

A friend of mine who is an avid reader said "Just Kids" is unbelievable. She mentioned that Patti Smith's writing is stunning.

 

the story of edgar sawtelle. best novel i've read in years.

 

Your friend was spot-on. Brilliant. I didn't want it to be over. She seamlessly incorporates her poetic style and sense of humor into a narrative that is impossible to label. Equal parts love story, self-portrait, biography, rock history, NYC travelogue, and more ... there's a lot of stuff going on there. The imagery is rich; the language is economical and powerful.

 

Daniel Okrent's "Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition." I really wanted to like this book, but it was a real slog to get through (took me two tries). I was really interested in the subject, but I found the book really dry and tough to get into.

 

In that vein, I'm in the midst of "Colonel Roosevelt," the third and final installment of Edmund Morris' epic bio, and it's more of a slog than I'd wished.

The first volume was terrific, the second very good. This one is disappointing, halfway through.

 

I just finished Laura Hillenbrand's "Unbroken." Amazing, heartwrenching and harrowing, and yet I couldn't put it down.

 

Churned through a couple of music bios recently:

First up was The Return Of The Last Gang In Town, a book about The Clash by Marcus Grey. Written before Joe's death it is a pretty comprehensive look at the band, particularly its early days. Didn't have any new interviews with the members but plenty with those associated with the band and others who were around the scene.

Next was W.A.R., a bio about Axl Rose by Mick Wall, who was memorably namechecked in the Gunners' "Get In The Ring". This book is light years ahead of the dreadful Watch You Bleed by Stephen Davis. Unlike Davis, Wall interviewed the guys plenty over the years and also includes new interviews with guys like Steven Adler and Izzy Stradlin among others.

On deck I have the massive Philip Norman bio of Lennon and if Santa doesn't bring the Keef Riffhard book I will use a gift card to pick it up.