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Recommend this book:
Running Down A Dream
The making of a film
Paul Gorman
2023 Finalist
298 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Astrid Iustulin for Readers' Favorite
Joan Carson, a seasoned skydiver with more than 700 jumps, tragically died on Memorial Day Weekend in 1981 in Lost Prairie, Montana. Her friend Paul Gorman had previously dreamed of her tragic death, and after Joan's fatal accident, the memory of that dream haunted him. This is why he decided to make a documentary film about the young skydiver - but where to start? In the book Running Down a Dream, Gorman tells us how he gleaned the information he needed about Joan, how he met siblings and other people related to her, and discovered facts about Joan. Eventually, Gorman made his documentary film about the unfortunate skydiver, but in addition to the awards, it also brought an unexpected consequence.
At first, I believed that Running Down a Dream was a commemorative book on Joan Carson and that its goal was to recount her life. Instead, in addition to being a tribute to Joan, it is also a fascinating journey in search of information about Joan and the reconstruction of her life. Above all, it describes the genesis of the documentary film. Paul Gorman describes the facts of Joan's life and the making of the documentary with sincerity and devotion; these are the elements that strike one the most in his book. Running Down a Dream is a great story that deserves to be read. I hope to also see the documentary about Joan to conclude my adventure in the world of skydiving in the most appropriate way.
Joan Carson, a seasoned skydiver with more than 700 jumps, tragically died on Memorial Day Weekend in 1981 in Lost Prairie, Montana. Her friend Paul Gorman had previously dreamed of her tragic death, and after Joan's fatal accident, the memory of that dream haunted him. This is why he decided to make a documentary film about the young skydiver - but where to start? In the book Running Down a Dream, Gorman tells us how he gleaned the information he needed about Joan, how he met siblings and other people related to her, and discovered facts about Joan. Eventually, Gorman made his documentary film about the unfortunate skydiver, but in addition to the awards, it also brought an unexpected consequence.
At first, I believed that Running Down a Dream was a commemorative book on Joan Carson and that its goal was to recount her life. Instead, in addition to being a tribute to Joan, it is also a fascinating journey in search of information about Joan and the reconstruction of her life. Above all, it describes the genesis of the documentary film. Paul Gorman describes the facts of Joan's life and the making of the documentary with sincerity and devotion; these are the elements that strike one the most in his book. Running Down a Dream is a great story that deserves to be read. I hope to also see the documentary about Joan to conclude my adventure in the world of skydiving in the most appropriate way.
Recommend this book:
ESPN
One Giant Leap for Fankind
Bill Rasmussen
2023 Honorable Mention
184 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Diana Lopez for Readers' Favorite
Bill Rasmussen is a sports lover who, at an early age, found his way into the industry through his initiative. He became an expert in sports and developed a mind focused on advertising and promoting himself, which opened up opportunities for him. He was able to become a sports commentator and eventually achieve great things such as founding the first 24-hour sports television network. Rasmussen tells his inspiring story in ESPN: One Giant Leap for Fankind. He focuses on several important aspects, including his personal experiences, the evolution of sports, and technology. He simultaneously gives us an overview of how America has progressed over time. Each chapter covers a decade from 1930 to the present and provides sports scoreboards that form a timeline highlighting major events in the country.
I loved Bill Rasmussen's account because it is so personal. He relates how as a child, his grandfather's stories awakened his love of sports. He tells us how World War II affected the mood of the country when he was young. He also explains how he took advantage of opportunities in times of peace when the country's stability allowed technology to advance. At times his path was not easy because in many cases he had to create his opportunities, and his ideas were rejected several times. His positive attitude is one of my favorite features of his story because it motivates you to want to keep fighting. I highly recommend ESPN because it is not only the history of a company but also reflects a life full of passion for sports and innovation.
Bill Rasmussen is a sports lover who, at an early age, found his way into the industry through his initiative. He became an expert in sports and developed a mind focused on advertising and promoting himself, which opened up opportunities for him. He was able to become a sports commentator and eventually achieve great things such as founding the first 24-hour sports television network. Rasmussen tells his inspiring story in ESPN: One Giant Leap for Fankind. He focuses on several important aspects, including his personal experiences, the evolution of sports, and technology. He simultaneously gives us an overview of how America has progressed over time. Each chapter covers a decade from 1930 to the present and provides sports scoreboards that form a timeline highlighting major events in the country.
I loved Bill Rasmussen's account because it is so personal. He relates how as a child, his grandfather's stories awakened his love of sports. He tells us how World War II affected the mood of the country when he was young. He also explains how he took advantage of opportunities in times of peace when the country's stability allowed technology to advance. At times his path was not easy because in many cases he had to create his opportunities, and his ideas were rejected several times. His positive attitude is one of my favorite features of his story because it motivates you to want to keep fighting. I highly recommend ESPN because it is not only the history of a company but also reflects a life full of passion for sports and innovation.
Recommend this book:
Moe Fields
The Special Bond Between Fathers and Sons
Stuart Z Goldstein
2023 Bronze Medal
386 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Moe Fields: The Special Bond Between Fathers and Sons by Stuart Z Goldstein is a memoir chronicling the life of Murray “Moe Fields” Goldman during the Great Depression, his career as a boxer and plumbing business owner, and his enduring love story with Frannie Goldman. A tragic car accident caused by a drunk driver left both Moe and Frannie with lifelong disabilities, profoundly impacting their unsupervised sons. Nevertheless, Moe and Frannie instilled in their sons the values of hard work, perseverance, and love, inspiring them to succeed in their careers and become devoted fathers. The book celebrates the strength of family bonds, prevailing over adversity, as the Goldman family exemplifies resilience, sacrifice, and determination in facing life's difficulties with quiet grace and resolve.
“The bootleg boxing career and Murray’s love life continued with great adventures.” This pretty much encapsulates the trajectory of the life of Murray or at least what catapults him into everything to come in Moe Fields: The Special Bond Between Fathers and Sons by Stuart Z Goldstein. I loved the setting against the backdrop of one of the most transformative periods in American history. Murray meeting Frannie and her support of his career is essential to his success, as he was ready to throw in the towel, sometimes literally on a massage table before her, but she insisted he continued. It's interesting how long after it is Alan who shows us what that might have looked like, losing oneself after sporting success but not having a true partner to keep them pressing forward. It's a different time and Alan is a different person than his father, but this did have a full-circle feel. Overall, this is a really heartening memoir and while I understand it took the author some time to write, it is worth the wait for readers in the end. Very highly recommended.
Moe Fields: The Special Bond Between Fathers and Sons by Stuart Z Goldstein is a memoir chronicling the life of Murray “Moe Fields” Goldman during the Great Depression, his career as a boxer and plumbing business owner, and his enduring love story with Frannie Goldman. A tragic car accident caused by a drunk driver left both Moe and Frannie with lifelong disabilities, profoundly impacting their unsupervised sons. Nevertheless, Moe and Frannie instilled in their sons the values of hard work, perseverance, and love, inspiring them to succeed in their careers and become devoted fathers. The book celebrates the strength of family bonds, prevailing over adversity, as the Goldman family exemplifies resilience, sacrifice, and determination in facing life's difficulties with quiet grace and resolve.
“The bootleg boxing career and Murray’s love life continued with great adventures.” This pretty much encapsulates the trajectory of the life of Murray or at least what catapults him into everything to come in Moe Fields: The Special Bond Between Fathers and Sons by Stuart Z Goldstein. I loved the setting against the backdrop of one of the most transformative periods in American history. Murray meeting Frannie and her support of his career is essential to his success, as he was ready to throw in the towel, sometimes literally on a massage table before her, but she insisted he continued. It's interesting how long after it is Alan who shows us what that might have looked like, losing oneself after sporting success but not having a true partner to keep them pressing forward. It's a different time and Alan is a different person than his father, but this did have a full-circle feel. Overall, this is a really heartening memoir and while I understand it took the author some time to write, it is worth the wait for readers in the end. Very highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
The Winning Playbook
Strategies for Life On and Off The Field
Rob Welsh and Jonathan R. Scott
2023 Gold Medal
142 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite
The Winning Playbook: Strategies for Life On and Off the Field by Rob Welsh and Jonathan R. Scott covers business and finance, targeting athletes, entrepreneurs, and anyone planning their financial stability. Welsh, a finance empowerment expert, and Scott, a former NFL offensive tackle, alternately provide financial advice from their respective points of view. Toward the end is a chapter on life lessons, where they interview high-profile professional athletes who share their biggest mistakes and successes, what they would do differently, and their advice to current athletes.
Rob Welsh and Jonathan R. Scott’s The Winning Playbook is a well-written and tailored personal finance resource. Lamenting that many professional athletes on million-dollar-a-year contracts end up working in the off-season to survive, Welsh and Scott designed this book to provide information on how to make their money work for them. It is easy to understand, well-structured, and has a casual tone, which makes it reader-friendly. Because the authors are writing from their own experiences, it is credible and authentic, with practical and sound financial tips that can also be useful to non-athletes. The Winning Playbook is a must-read for anyone wanting a financially rewarding life.
The Winning Playbook: Strategies for Life On and Off the Field by Rob Welsh and Jonathan R. Scott covers business and finance, targeting athletes, entrepreneurs, and anyone planning their financial stability. Welsh, a finance empowerment expert, and Scott, a former NFL offensive tackle, alternately provide financial advice from their respective points of view. Toward the end is a chapter on life lessons, where they interview high-profile professional athletes who share their biggest mistakes and successes, what they would do differently, and their advice to current athletes.
Rob Welsh and Jonathan R. Scott’s The Winning Playbook is a well-written and tailored personal finance resource. Lamenting that many professional athletes on million-dollar-a-year contracts end up working in the off-season to survive, Welsh and Scott designed this book to provide information on how to make their money work for them. It is easy to understand, well-structured, and has a casual tone, which makes it reader-friendly. Because the authors are writing from their own experiences, it is credible and authentic, with practical and sound financial tips that can also be useful to non-athletes. The Winning Playbook is a must-read for anyone wanting a financially rewarding life.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/just-hit-the-damn-ball&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41LpDeCSbnL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=In Just Hit the Damn Ball!: How to Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf, Dave Johnston writes an instructional manual that flies in the face of "conventional golfing wisdom." Based on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), this book is much easier to understand than the concepts of NLP. Basically, Johnston's instructions are based on the assumption t...){kind=link}
Just Hit The Damn Ball!
How To Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf
Dave Johnston
2022 Finalist
137 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Eileen Johnson for Readers' Favorite
In Just Hit the Damn Ball!: How to Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf, Dave Johnston writes an instructional manual that flies in the face of "conventional golfing wisdom." Based on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), this book is much easier to understand than the concepts of NLP. Basically, Johnston's instructions are based on the assumption that every golfer has untapped natural ability -- and if you stop worrying about the things you are doing wrong, you can become a better golfer. The trick is to begin with the fundamentals -- know how to stand correctly, grip the club, and then swing it. After you have those three fundamental skills, you can then begin to concentrate on those things you are doing right. Reinforcing those habits and rituals when you hit a shot perfectly will encourage you to reproduce those actions instead of the actions that happen when you focus on a bad shot.
As a really average golfer, I found Just Hit the Damn Ball!: How to Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf by Dave Johnston very appealing. I have spent many hours on the golf course berating myself for every bad shot -- only to find that one bad shot typically leads to several more! The concept of keeping a journal of "good shots" and really dissecting what you did before and during those shots makes sense and seems almost too easy. I look forward to getting through those 30 days of improvement to see if the system really works!
In Just Hit the Damn Ball!: How to Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf, Dave Johnston writes an instructional manual that flies in the face of "conventional golfing wisdom." Based on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), this book is much easier to understand than the concepts of NLP. Basically, Johnston's instructions are based on the assumption that every golfer has untapped natural ability -- and if you stop worrying about the things you are doing wrong, you can become a better golfer. The trick is to begin with the fundamentals -- know how to stand correctly, grip the club, and then swing it. After you have those three fundamental skills, you can then begin to concentrate on those things you are doing right. Reinforcing those habits and rituals when you hit a shot perfectly will encourage you to reproduce those actions instead of the actions that happen when you focus on a bad shot.
As a really average golfer, I found Just Hit the Damn Ball!: How to Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf by Dave Johnston very appealing. I have spent many hours on the golf course berating myself for every bad shot -- only to find that one bad shot typically leads to several more! The concept of keeping a journal of "good shots" and really dissecting what you did before and during those shots makes sense and seems almost too easy. I look forward to getting through those 30 days of improvement to see if the system really works!
Recommend this book:
Red Card: A Bet You Can Win!
Tony Kelly
2022 Honorable Mention
200 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite
Red Card: A Bet You Can Win! documents the fascinating journey of a former professional football player, Tony Kelly, including his struggle with gambling and his experiences with racism. Kelly was born in 1966 and grew up in Coventry, UK. His family, especially his twin brother Mel, remains a constant source of support for him. At the time, he saw football not only as his ticket to a better life but as his escape from the streets of Coventry that were marked by frequent cases of racist attacks and violence. Unfortunately, these would not be his last encounters with racism. Kelly went on to achieve football stardom playing for clubs such as Stoke City, Leyton Orient, Bury FC, and Swedish club, Gimonais CK, even playing at Wembley Stadium in 1992. Despite his success in football, his career was marred by a costly addiction to gambling.
Red Card: A Bet You Can Win! by Tony Kelly is a story of hope and redemption. It paints a shocking but realistic picture of the cost of gambling. Kelly explains how he gradually got into overwhelming debt and how the problem cost him his football career and his long-term relationship. He later decided to get professional help and now assists others affected by gambling through his support project, Red Card. Other important topics arise in the book including the existence of racism in football and other areas. Without his twin brother playing alongside him, Kelly felt isolated. In school, he also faced racism from other students. The book shares important lessons for aspiring and professional players. Red Card: A Bet You Can Win! is a memoir that contains impactful lessons from a former professional footballer.
Red Card: A Bet You Can Win! documents the fascinating journey of a former professional football player, Tony Kelly, including his struggle with gambling and his experiences with racism. Kelly was born in 1966 and grew up in Coventry, UK. His family, especially his twin brother Mel, remains a constant source of support for him. At the time, he saw football not only as his ticket to a better life but as his escape from the streets of Coventry that were marked by frequent cases of racist attacks and violence. Unfortunately, these would not be his last encounters with racism. Kelly went on to achieve football stardom playing for clubs such as Stoke City, Leyton Orient, Bury FC, and Swedish club, Gimonais CK, even playing at Wembley Stadium in 1992. Despite his success in football, his career was marred by a costly addiction to gambling.
Red Card: A Bet You Can Win! by Tony Kelly is a story of hope and redemption. It paints a shocking but realistic picture of the cost of gambling. Kelly explains how he gradually got into overwhelming debt and how the problem cost him his football career and his long-term relationship. He later decided to get professional help and now assists others affected by gambling through his support project, Red Card. Other important topics arise in the book including the existence of racism in football and other areas. Without his twin brother playing alongside him, Kelly felt isolated. In school, he also faced racism from other students. The book shares important lessons for aspiring and professional players. Red Card: A Bet You Can Win! is a memoir that contains impactful lessons from a former professional footballer.
Recommend this book:
A Ball With No Points
A Football Town...A Basketball Triumph
Stephen D. Reddy
2022 Bronze Medal
388 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite
A Ball With No Points: A Football Town...A Basketball Triumph by Stephen D. Reddy is genuinely inspiring because it really happened. We join the author in his trip down memory lane, as he recalls an epic basketball season in 1971, a year that witnessed the emergence of an unforgettable basketball team in a town obsessed with football. As a member of the Westfield High School hoops team, the author takes you into the world of hoops filled with rude awakenings as they traverse the difficult path to victory. Facing bigger and faster teams, it is a story that addresses physical, mental, and emotional maturity, the development of skills, and dealing with the curveball that life throws at you once in a while and when you least expect it. Stephen D. Reddy openly confesses how the game of basketball is inextricably woven into his being.
A Ball With No Points is a non-fiction sports story that shows its own uniqueness from the rest. While it echoes the same way, it demonstrates the triumph of an underdog basketball team. It evokes genuine inspiration and may well set the standards for future real-life sports stories. Stephen D. Reddy tells his story by not limiting it to the personalities involved but including the intense moments that surround the memories now put in writing. It’s a good thing that Reddy didn’t give in to his apprehensions about not writing his story and letting it be buried without a headstone—because it’s a story worth telling. It’s an effective sports story, as well as an effective portrait of a man whose integral role in a team becomes a genuine tale of the indefatigability of the human spirit. No matter if you have played a sport or preferred to be a spectator, this must-read story will resonate.
A Ball With No Points: A Football Town...A Basketball Triumph by Stephen D. Reddy is genuinely inspiring because it really happened. We join the author in his trip down memory lane, as he recalls an epic basketball season in 1971, a year that witnessed the emergence of an unforgettable basketball team in a town obsessed with football. As a member of the Westfield High School hoops team, the author takes you into the world of hoops filled with rude awakenings as they traverse the difficult path to victory. Facing bigger and faster teams, it is a story that addresses physical, mental, and emotional maturity, the development of skills, and dealing with the curveball that life throws at you once in a while and when you least expect it. Stephen D. Reddy openly confesses how the game of basketball is inextricably woven into his being.
A Ball With No Points is a non-fiction sports story that shows its own uniqueness from the rest. While it echoes the same way, it demonstrates the triumph of an underdog basketball team. It evokes genuine inspiration and may well set the standards for future real-life sports stories. Stephen D. Reddy tells his story by not limiting it to the personalities involved but including the intense moments that surround the memories now put in writing. It’s a good thing that Reddy didn’t give in to his apprehensions about not writing his story and letting it be buried without a headstone—because it’s a story worth telling. It’s an effective sports story, as well as an effective portrait of a man whose integral role in a team becomes a genuine tale of the indefatigability of the human spirit. No matter if you have played a sport or preferred to be a spectator, this must-read story will resonate.
Recommend this book:
Marathon Man
My Life, My Father's Stroke and Running 35 Marathons in 35 Days
Alan Corcoran
2022 Silver Medal
320 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite
At 20, Alan Corcoran had to accept a reality he never seriously considered before: the mortality of his parents. His father's stroke came to him as a shock and a challenge that inspired him to do something positive and make his family proud. Thus, Alan decided to run 35 consecutive marathons to raise money for charity despite his lack of experience in running marathons and his young age. Marathon Man is Alan Corcoran's story of how he ran 35 marathons, reacted to the news of his father's stroke, and the insights he gained from these experiences. The book immerses the audience in the challenging situations Alan experienced, including the problems he encountered while working with a charity, the physical pain he endured, and the mental toughness he had to build. Thankfully, Alan walked the walk, and he informs readers just how he did it in Marathon Man: My Life, My Father's Stroke and Running 35 Marathons in 35 Days.
One of the most touching, inspiring, and memorable stories I've read this year! Marathon Man showed me an example of the grand and beautiful achievements that can arise from challenges. The book is filled with words of wisdom about some core life values, like compassion, endurance, sacrifice, and learning from personal experience and from others. Readers who plan to run a marathon, start any kind of sport, or create awareness for a cause will learn a lot from the book. Alan Corcoran does a fantastic and thorough job of narrating the intricate details of his marathon mission. With an infectious humor, a mightily detailed narrative, and an intelligent relation of insights, Alan Corcoran's memoir inspires readers to achieve their most meaningful goals while they still can.
At 20, Alan Corcoran had to accept a reality he never seriously considered before: the mortality of his parents. His father's stroke came to him as a shock and a challenge that inspired him to do something positive and make his family proud. Thus, Alan decided to run 35 consecutive marathons to raise money for charity despite his lack of experience in running marathons and his young age. Marathon Man is Alan Corcoran's story of how he ran 35 marathons, reacted to the news of his father's stroke, and the insights he gained from these experiences. The book immerses the audience in the challenging situations Alan experienced, including the problems he encountered while working with a charity, the physical pain he endured, and the mental toughness he had to build. Thankfully, Alan walked the walk, and he informs readers just how he did it in Marathon Man: My Life, My Father's Stroke and Running 35 Marathons in 35 Days.
One of the most touching, inspiring, and memorable stories I've read this year! Marathon Man showed me an example of the grand and beautiful achievements that can arise from challenges. The book is filled with words of wisdom about some core life values, like compassion, endurance, sacrifice, and learning from personal experience and from others. Readers who plan to run a marathon, start any kind of sport, or create awareness for a cause will learn a lot from the book. Alan Corcoran does a fantastic and thorough job of narrating the intricate details of his marathon mission. With an infectious humor, a mightily detailed narrative, and an intelligent relation of insights, Alan Corcoran's memoir inspires readers to achieve their most meaningful goals while they still can.
Recommend this book:
One More Season
The Birth of Football's Spread Offense
Lorin Fife
2022 Gold Medal
448 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
One More Season: The Birth of Football's Spread Offense by Lorin Fife pays tribute to how a high school football coach changed the face of a game that became America’s national pastime. Puking on the football field during a match was embarrassing enough, but that was the only thing haunting young Fife. He lived, breathed, and consumed football and loved it every inch of his being. There wasn’t much hope for him until Jack Neumeier walked into the picture. As the coach of Granada Hills High School, Jack was adamant that the 69' season would end with his players in the Los Angeles City playoffs. With one last season to prove himself, Jack came up with something magical that would change the game of football forever. The Spread Offense was a stroke of luck that gave hope to a young man and gave Jack Neumeier a place in the history books.
Fans of football will love One More Season. Author Lorin Fife makes the story personal with his memories and how Jack’s presence changed his life. Isn’t that all we need, someone who will inspire you, give you confidence and make you feel like you are worth the effort? I am not a huge fan of football, but even I have heard about Jack Neumeier and how he revolutionized the game of football. I loved the author’s enthusiasm and the way he described the field. I felt like I was on the field with him, feeling the highs and lows Fife went through and feeling his pain with every loss. By reading the narrative, you can feel how Jack inspired him. This wasn’t a fairytale, it wasn’t perfect, but Jack did the unimaginable and somehow succeeded with sheer determination and dedication. It is a great story to read, especially because I learned more about the sport that consumes a whole nation every year.
One More Season: The Birth of Football's Spread Offense by Lorin Fife pays tribute to how a high school football coach changed the face of a game that became America’s national pastime. Puking on the football field during a match was embarrassing enough, but that was the only thing haunting young Fife. He lived, breathed, and consumed football and loved it every inch of his being. There wasn’t much hope for him until Jack Neumeier walked into the picture. As the coach of Granada Hills High School, Jack was adamant that the 69' season would end with his players in the Los Angeles City playoffs. With one last season to prove himself, Jack came up with something magical that would change the game of football forever. The Spread Offense was a stroke of luck that gave hope to a young man and gave Jack Neumeier a place in the history books.
Fans of football will love One More Season. Author Lorin Fife makes the story personal with his memories and how Jack’s presence changed his life. Isn’t that all we need, someone who will inspire you, give you confidence and make you feel like you are worth the effort? I am not a huge fan of football, but even I have heard about Jack Neumeier and how he revolutionized the game of football. I loved the author’s enthusiasm and the way he described the field. I felt like I was on the field with him, feeling the highs and lows Fife went through and feeling his pain with every loss. By reading the narrative, you can feel how Jack inspired him. This wasn’t a fairytale, it wasn’t perfect, but Jack did the unimaginable and somehow succeeded with sheer determination and dedication. It is a great story to read, especially because I learned more about the sport that consumes a whole nation every year.
Recommend this book:
One Country Club Drive
Stories Across Three Generations of Greenskeeping
Marty Peck
2021 Finalist
272 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
One Country Club Drive: Stories Across Three Generations of Greenskeeping is a nonfiction sports memoir written by Marty Peck. Battle Creek Country Club and the Dutch Colonial home gracing the entrance at One Country Club Drive was the home, workplace, and playground of three generations of Pecks, beginning with the author’s grandfather, Andy Peck. For Marty, growing up in the house and with a whole golf course, complete with a lake, woods, and swimming beach as his playground, was paradisaic, even with the inconveniences such as the dreaded shower in the basement and the oddities of a house that never seemed to catch up with modern necessities. Marty learned so much from both his shared experiences coming of age on the course along with his two best friends and the lessons imparted by his dad and grandfather, as they passed on the secrets of how they kept an amazing course healthy, green, and alive.
I loved every minute I spent reading Marty Peck’s One Country Club Drive. There’s something in this book for everyone. Golfers will love learning the intricacies behind making the course they play on perfect and reading about the author’s experiences and acquaintanceship with notables such as Arnold Palmer. Those who enjoy coming of age memoirs will appreciate the antics and adventures Peck and his friends had as they grew up in what had to be a paradise for a kid who loved the outdoors as much as Peck did. Those who enjoy reading about society and the well-heeled will find their niche covered here as well. And the Macgyver set will love every moment spent reading about Marty and his dad’s continual tinkering and sometimes brilliant inventions. This is a marvelous read, well-written and filled with anecdotes, historical photos, and the endless affection of the author for his family and the life they shared in the historic Dutch Colonial home. One Country Club Drive: Stories Across Three Generations of Greenskeeping is most highly recommended.
One Country Club Drive: Stories Across Three Generations of Greenskeeping is a nonfiction sports memoir written by Marty Peck. Battle Creek Country Club and the Dutch Colonial home gracing the entrance at One Country Club Drive was the home, workplace, and playground of three generations of Pecks, beginning with the author’s grandfather, Andy Peck. For Marty, growing up in the house and with a whole golf course, complete with a lake, woods, and swimming beach as his playground, was paradisaic, even with the inconveniences such as the dreaded shower in the basement and the oddities of a house that never seemed to catch up with modern necessities. Marty learned so much from both his shared experiences coming of age on the course along with his two best friends and the lessons imparted by his dad and grandfather, as they passed on the secrets of how they kept an amazing course healthy, green, and alive.
I loved every minute I spent reading Marty Peck’s One Country Club Drive. There’s something in this book for everyone. Golfers will love learning the intricacies behind making the course they play on perfect and reading about the author’s experiences and acquaintanceship with notables such as Arnold Palmer. Those who enjoy coming of age memoirs will appreciate the antics and adventures Peck and his friends had as they grew up in what had to be a paradise for a kid who loved the outdoors as much as Peck did. Those who enjoy reading about society and the well-heeled will find their niche covered here as well. And the Macgyver set will love every moment spent reading about Marty and his dad’s continual tinkering and sometimes brilliant inventions. This is a marvelous read, well-written and filled with anecdotes, historical photos, and the endless affection of the author for his family and the life they shared in the historic Dutch Colonial home. One Country Club Drive: Stories Across Three Generations of Greenskeeping is most highly recommended.
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