Holiday Reads - -“When the Game Was Ours,” “Where Men Win Glory,” and more

The Book Review

How many times through the years did we watch, absorbed and marveling at the skills of Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson, the things they could do on the basketball court for their teams was a consciousness raiser.

Now there is “When the Game Was Ours” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26.00, 352 pages). And as I marveled at what the two superstars did on the court, I marvel even more at their analytical ability, their story telling skills, their keen perceptions of the game - -then and now.
But the book is not just Larry Legend and Magic – there are about 100 others whose voices so exceptionally fill these pages. All praise is due Jackie MacMullan. A job very well done.

NOTABLE
“Where Men Win Glory” by John Krakauer, (Doubleday,$27.95, 383 pages) is the poignant portrait of as its sub-title proclaims: “The Odyssey of Pat Tillman.” More than just the story of a man who walked away from a multi-million dollar NFL deal to join the Army, more than the true facts about his tragic death in Afghanistan, “Where Men Win Glory” is as timely as today’s headlines. This is an important book and one that belongs in your sports library!

“Hard Work” by Roy Williams with Tim Crothers (Algonquin,$24.95, 286 pages) is especially for college hoop fans who want the story behind the legendary coach who has led the way for Kansas and North Carolina. Self effacing yet open, detailed and filled with drama, it is a book about one of the winners in sports, also one of the good guys.

“The President’s Team” by Michael Connelly (MVP Books, $25.00. 304 pages) is history brought to life - -the 1963 Army-Navy game and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy that took place two weeks before. Connelly, a Boston Herald writer, has covered all the bases in this briskly paced account of the events. With amazing photographs, with amazing commentary by members of that ’63 Navy team and others, the time comes back in a rush. A MUST READ
“Graphical Player 2010” (Acta Sports, $21.95, 256 pages, paper) will appeal to fantasy leaguers with its at a glance dashboards for over 1,000 players in the bigs and the minors. And there is a lot more!

NOTABLE: A pair of winners from Universe Publishing/Rizzoli - -“Fenway Park America’s Most Beloved Ballpark” ($25.00, 15 pages, over-sized with pop-up feature) and “Citi Field The Mets’ New World-Class Ballpark” ($25.00, 15 pages, over-sized with pop-up feature. These are books to enjoy, to play with, to marvel at the concise facts (including chronologies) and entertaining and to the smallest detail pop- ups.

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Harvey Frommer is his 33rd consecutive year of writing sports books. The author of 40 of them including the classics: "New York City Baseball,1947-1957" and "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball," his acclaimed REMEMBERING YANKEE STADIUM, an oral/narrative history (Abrams, Stewart, Tabori and Chang) was published in 2008 as well as a reprint version of his classic "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball." Frommer's newest work an oral and narrative history of Fenway Park will be published in 2010.

Frommer sports books are available direct from the author - discounted and autographed.

FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in the millions and is housed on Internet search engines for extended periods of time.