Book of the Year

[AD]

I'll throw this out there, and see if it flies: Favorite sports book of this year. Had to be released in 2009, but could be in the U.S. or England or wherever. Just...whatever you think is the best, and why.


My pick: "The Beckham Experiment" by Grant Wahl. This is the best -- and likely only -- look inside the running of a modern sports franchise we're going to get for some time, if ever. Incredibly well-reported, revealing of both the Beckham and Galaxy camps, and, I think, it actually had an impact on the Galaxy's season.

 

[Den1983]

Chris Ballard's "The Art of a Beautiful Game."

Donaghy's book wasn't horrible, either. It could be very damaging for the NBA if anyone decides to follow-up. I have a feeling a lot of what he said about the game's refs is true.

 

[fishhack2009]

Krakauer's Pat Tillman book. A heart-wrenching tale, and one that serves as an indictment of a military bureaucracy that sold us not just one but two bull**** war stories.

 

[Den1983]

I forgot to mention S.L. Price's book on Mike Coolbaugh, "Heart of the Game." Outstanding read.

 

[Moderator1]

I read both the previously mentioned books (Krakauer/Price) and enjoyed them, would give an edge to Price.

 

[friend of the friendless]

Sirs, Madames,

The Damned Utd.

My favorite didn't come out this year, but I never saw it in a North American bookstore until the release of the critically acclaimed film adapted from it. Not non-fiction but more truth (and research) in it than many straight bios.

If you count canoeing as sport, Zeitoun.

o-<

 

[Moderator1]

Forget the usual feelings we show about Simmons here and someone (or somemany) give me a straight, honest answer: Is the Simmons book any good?

 

[Boom_70]

Only 6 posts speaks volumes to the fact that it was a bad year for sports books.

 

[Huggy]

The Satchel Paige bio by Larry Tye was outstanding.

 

[Matt1735]

Chris Ballard's "The Art of a Beautiful Game."

Donaghy's book wasn't horrible, either. It could be very damaging for the NBA if anyone decides to follow-up. I have a feeling a lot of what he said about the game's refs is true.

Den:
Your feeling and his book have been completely debunked by statistics. Donaghy is full of crap. Why do people assume that just because Jose Canseco was proven to be correct that Donaghy must be. He's one criminal and that's it. I will be STUNNED beyond all belief if there is ever any more smoke from that fire.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

The Satchel Paige bio by Larry Tye was outstanding.

It was lovely work.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Forget the usual feelings we show about Simmons here and someone (or somemany) give me a straight, honest answer: Is the Simmons book any good?

Yes it is. And his origin story in the beginning is genuine and well-written and an overlooked part of the book.

 

[Moderator1]

Amazon is offering it for like 12 bucks.

 

[GB-Hack]

Sirs, Madames,

The Damned Utd.

My favorite didn't come out this year, but I never saw it in a North American bookstore until the release of the critically acclaimed film adapted from it. Not non-fiction but more truth (and research) in it than many straight bios.

If you count canoeing as sport, Zeitoun.

o-<

This. As with Mr. FotF I will add the qualifier that it wasn't released this year, but the movie finally got people over here to pay attention to what is a brilliant work.

 

[SF_Express]

It's not a sports book, but the local paper named The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly as its best book this year.

Mike is an interesting one, because he's a former writer for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel who went out into far bigger and better things.

 

[T&C]

No one has mentioned any fiction so I will recommend the crime/hockey novel, Starvation Lake, written by Bryan Gruley, the Chicago bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal. It's made a couple of best of the year mystery lists and is being touted for some mystery awards. The book has just gone into it 8th printing.

 

[Den1983]

Forget the usual feelings we show about Simmons here and someone (or somemany) give me a straight, honest answer: Is the Simmons book any good?

It's alright. It's basically just one really long column. It's entertaining, but it's basically his "best of the best" lists. I honestly expected more from a book titled "The Book of Basketball."

 

[clutchcargo]

Chris Ballard's "The Art of a Beautiful Game."

Donaghy's book wasn't horrible, either. It could be very damaging for the NBA if anyone decides to follow-up. I have a feeling a lot of what he said about the game's refs is true.

Den:
Your feeling and his book have been completely debunked by statistics. Donaghy is full of crap. Why do people assume that just because Jose Canseco was proven to be correct that Donaghy must be. He's one criminal and that's it. I will be STUNNED beyond all belief if there is ever any more smoke from that fire.

Matt - It's one thing being matter of fact in debunking the praise of Donaghy's book, but you sound sort of angry that anyone would like the book. What's the deal? Are you a basketball ref?

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

Sirs, Madames,

The Damned Utd.

My favorite didn't come out this year, but I never saw it in a North American bookstore until the release of the critically acclaimed film adapted from it. Not non-fiction but more truth (and research) in it than many straight bios.

Do yourself a favor and get the audiobook version of this. Even if you have already read it.

 

[GB-Hack]

Sirs, Madames,

The Damned Utd.

My favorite didn't come out this year, but I never saw it in a North American bookstore until the release of the critically acclaimed film adapted from it. Not non-fiction but more truth (and research) in it than many straight bios.

Do yourself a favor and get the audiobook version of this. Even if you have already read it.

The John Simm that is the reader, is that the same John Simm from the BBC's "Life On Mars"?