With school almost over and the first 90 degree day ready to hit New England, I thought id share the books that I'm going to read over the summer. This list might not even get read because ill most likely be distracted with the summer blockbuster movies that will be playing [seriously, Spiderman 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Transformers, Die Hard (that's like #4 or #10 I believe; its hard to keep track with Bruce Willis making 5 movies every year), the new Harry Potter movie, and I'm probably missing like 5 more good movies]. And ill probably be working 50+ hours a week on top of that, so this list is not even going to be read. If this is the case, the books will have more use as kindling for a campfire, getting recycled, or donated to charity. I guess this becomes all the more motivation to get it done.
Let Me Tell You a Story (Red Auerbach w/John Feinstein)
-With the state of the Boston Celtics, I wonder if Red is turning in his grave. But I will read this novel first because I the first line is so enticing. "Did I ever tell you about Wilt Chamberlain?" Its a book that must read like a conversation, but reads like a story. Its like reading a play by Shakespeare, yet you don't spend 10 minutes on every page. As a coach, Auerbach was the mastermind behind Boston winning nine championships. As an executive helped make the Celts a household name again drafting and trading for hall of famers like Bird, McHale, and Parrish. With the popularity of the NBA waning, I wonder what kind of perspective Red gives in this novel that has drawn rave reviews from anyone I've asked about it.
Game of Shadows (Mark Fainaro-Wada and Lance Williams)-In my trip to Boston this past weekend, I decided that I wanted more of a perspective on the steroid issue and about Bonds himself. I am very skeptical about everything now that Bonds is putting together a very good season [.307, 11 HR, 23 RBI, 25 runs, .512 OBP, 37 walks (leads MLB)]. According to a recent Jackie MacMullen column, she calls it the "most comprehensive journalistic work on steroids to date." Where we get the history of steroids from Howard Bryant (Juicing the Game) and Conceco's exaggerated account, this book is next in the series. It puts together what we know and compels us to think long and hard about the Maguire-Sosa home run chase and Barry's 72 home run season (among other things. While I believed at the time that Bonds was "juicing" and am still rather skeptical (even though Bonds denies everything), this book is a reading for perspective on a very controversial issue.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling)
Spoiler Warning (Do not read if you have not read the other 6 books)-I might consider re-reading the fifth and the sixth books before I even think about reading the seventh installment in the series. Along with the rest of the world, I await for this book to be released on July 21st, and wonder what surprises this novel will have inside.
-(Here come the theories) I think that Snapes a double agent that doesn't care one way or the other about what side really wins. My friend Chip is convinced hes a traitor (even after rereading the sixth book) and he will continue to be one in this book. I think he will come up in the clutch and help Harry do what he has to do at the end of the book. I also think Ron is going to die (stolen from a professors comment) and lots of drama is going to happen between Hermione and Harry. This series has taken some unusual twists and turns and no one will be able to predict what the future holds for Harry, Lord Volder-cant say the name, Ron, Hermionie, Malfoy, the Order, and the rest of the cast.
Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer (Warren St. John)-While looking up information about Every Week in a Season (see below), this book was recommended as an exciting read about the Crimson. Two summer's ago, I was fortunate to read "Coach" (about Bear Bryant's seasons at Alabama), and ever since I have been intrigued by Alabama football ever since. With so many rivalries like Michigan-Ohio State, Red Sox-Yankees, Texas-Texas A & M, its a wonder that we have little time to appreciate the most heated southern rivalry, the Iron Bowl. A book written from an outsider gives the best impressions of what the insider is thinking, because they aren't biased towards leaning in any particular way. I look forward to reading a book that talks about one of the best conferences in college football (with some pretty intense-hardcore fans).
The Brothers Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoevsky)
-I was a freshman in my Western Political Thought class, and Professor Barkalow asked the class to name off titles of books. I decided to get some participation points and called out, "Crime and Punishment" (one of my all-time favorite books) Barkalow looked at me and said, "Mr Miller, that book is secondary. The Brothers Karamazov is much better."
-Four years later, I am still shocked at the preposition. Crime and Punishment is a novel that starts off slow and then makes the reader grip the book to the very last page, and that includes the epilogue. A novel that gives the reader an inside look in the mind of a killer and his attempt to get away with the "perfect" crime, it goes beyond the text introducing such themes as existentialism.
-With that being said, I am still intrigued by my professors suggestion. While 824 pages makes any reader shudder, I believe I am ready for the task at what many people say is Dosteoevsky's best novel.
Season on the Brink (John Feinstein)-I look forward to reading a book that has Bobby Knights name written all over it. After "surviving" four seasons with BSC coach Joe Farroba, I look to draw comparisons to Knights larger than life figure. I once thought about picking up Knights autobiography, but now I think im going to read an outsiders view before I get what goes through the mans brain. In Halberstrams Education of a Coach (see below), we gain perspective on what Belichick thinks about. In this book, maybe Feinstien offers the same thoughts and more on Bobby Knight and his Indiana Hoosers
Fear: The History of a Political Idea (Corey Robin)
-As political science majors, we are required to take senior seminar and we had to buy this book for this class. I read a few pages and thought the ideas of Hobbes were cute, but not particularly enlightening. Now that Ive read Leviathan (by Hobbes), the Persian Letters (by Montesquieu), and understand a little more about political theory, the premise of the book proves rather fascinating. In the first half of the book, Robin says that for us to understand fear, we need to know the history of fear. He delves into such topics like the totalitarianism of communism and the Nazi party, and the tyranny of the absolute rule of french kings. The second half of the book goes into the American style of fear, that attempts to explain fear within a democracy (esp. with McCarthyism and 9/11)
-I want to read the rest of this book not just because I'm interested in the subject matter, but for the perspective. Fear in politics can sometimes make people rally in the streets or keep them in their homes. While America has a fascination with scary movies and the unknown, I want to read this book for what we do know, because (more often than not) history repeats itself.
Other considerations:
-A Good Walk Spoiled (John Feinstein)
-What no one ever tells you about Blogging and Podcasting (Ted Demopoulous)
-Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
-Debt of Honor (Tom Clancy)
-Freakeomics (Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner)
-Juiced (Jose Conceco)
Last Summers Reading List (author and rating out of 5 stars, with commentary):
The Last Amatuers (by John Feinstein): 2 stars
Comment- Little on the dry side, but Division 1 Basketball at its finest
Boys of Summer (by Roger Kahn): 3.5 stars
Comment- This book about the 52' Dodgers first half starts off slow and dramatic, but the second half of the book gives you the goosebumps and the chills in some places because Kahn makes you feel for the characters
Da Vinci Code (by Dan Brown): 4 stars
Comment- A 105 chapter, 454 page book that I finished in a day. It gave me perspectives to Christianity I never thought existed. Truly a case where the book really is so much better than the movie.
Education of a Coach (David Halberstram): 6 stars
Comment- If you ever wanted to know more what is really inside the mind of Bill Belichick and possibly ever other pro coach out there. A masterpiece that makes you appreciate the NFL.
LT: Over the Edge (Lawrence Taylor): 3.25 stars
Comment- If you want to hear about a former Pro Star brag about all of his crazy times with drugs and alcohol (Chivas and Milk, how can you stomach that crap) and how he got his life cleaned up in rehab this is your book. Interesting perspective from a legend.
Heat (Dwight Gooden): 2.5 stars
Comment- A much more dramatic story of one of the best young pitchers in baseball, his troubles with cocaine, and how he tried to get his life in order. While LT's book is good, Gooden's is more dramatic.
October Men (Roger Kahn): 4 stars
Comment- Kahn does it again when it comes to the 78' Yankees. A book that offers one of the best glances of who George Stienbrenner really is, in a book that wasn't written at the time, but in 2003. This is a book that I highly recommend if your a die-hard Sox fan because of the insight and perspective it provides about the team you hate the most, the Yankees.
Feeding the Monster (Seth Mookin): 4 stars
Comment- If you ever wanted to know the "real" story behind the current ownership group (Henry, Werner, and Lucchino) this is the book. With insight strait from the front office (similar to the Moneyball approach), its a good read.
Every Week in a Season (Brian Curtis): 0.5 stars
Comment- I learned more about college football from the AP wire reports (this season) than I did from this book. The chapters don't flow well and the attempt at being dramatic falls short of the authors expectations. His main ideas (what coaches do to prepare and practice) are just another way of restating the same bland thing over and over and over again. Just horrible.
Now I Can Die in Peace (Bill Simmons): 3.5 stars
Comment- A book I bought in the fall and finished a few weeks ago, I thought it was really good. One of those books that recaps the last 6 years of Red Sox baseball really well. There were times I laughed, shook my head in disagreement, and actually cried; a book that makes me wonder when the next "Sports Guy" book is coming out.
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