"Coach K--The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski" by Ian O'Connor

I thought Coach K by Ian O'Connor is really good because it includes lots of inside stuff about Coach K and the players who played for him.  I think anyone who likes college basketball would enjoy this book.  (Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Cost of These Dreams" by Wright Thompson

The Cost of These Dreams--Sports Stories and Other Serious Business by Wright Thompson is a collection of true stories about athletes and one story about fans of a team.  I thought these stories were excellent because they were so interesting!  They go beyond who won or lost and share about the personal lives of the athletes.  I feel like I got to know the real person.  Stories included their families and friends.  There was a great mix of people and the stories were varied like the people who they were written about.  I enjoyed it very much and even if you are not a die-hard fan, I think you would enjoy it too!  It certainly gives insight into the true life of a professional athlete.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 13:  He described what the game meant to him.  He called it his "refuge" and the "place where I've gone when I needed to find comfort and peace."  Basketball made him feel complete, and it was gone.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Mrs. Morhard and The Boys" by Ruth Hanford Morhard

Mrs. Morhard and the Boys by Ruth Hanford Morhard is a true story.  This is about one mother's vision--the first boys baseball league.  The first 10 pages or so deal with Josephine growing up and he adult life.  What this woman went through is remarkable!  What a story!  The second part of this book deals with baseball and how she helped young boys play the game!  I am glad this woman's story was told because it needed to be.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 24:  Soon her feet were off the ground, and the colt was dragging her around and around with him.  She clung on for dear life, terrified.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Belichick" by Ian O'Connor

Belichick by Ian O'Connor details the football career of coaching of Bill Belichick.  I really enjoyed this book a lot, especially since I'm a fan of the New England Patriots!  There is lots of interesting behind-the-scenes stuff that I already knew about but gained more insight into.  I am so glad Belichick coaches the Patriots and Tom Brady who Belichick chose in the 6th round draft as QB! 
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Teaser from page 170:  "I know the last three weeks have probably been trying for all of you," the new coach continued, "but that's all behind me.  I'm tremendously excited to be here and to be a part of the New England Patriots organization."

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Last Pass" by Gary M. Pomerantz

The Last Pass by Gary M. Pomerantz is a true story describing the basketball career of Bob Cousy and his life off the court.  Bob Cousy was a fantastic point guard for the Boston Celtics.  The stuff he could do with a basketball is amazing!  He could dribble and pass like no one else!

The basketball part of this book was really good, but I enjoyed reading about his life off the court even more!  I laughed out loud while reading this one!  He is in his 90s now, what a remarkable story he has told!  This is my "book of the month" for December!
(Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 28:  Seeing Cousy play against the Globetrotters that night, Kerner, owner of the NBA's Tri-Cities Blackhawks, was dazzled.  He decided that Cousy was the greatest college player he had ever seen.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"One of Us--The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway" is Gripping

One of Us –The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway by Asne Seierstad is a true story of Anders who went on a killing spree one day. The first part of this book tells the story of Anders growing up with his mom and his friends. He did not really have a relationship with his father. The second part of this book is when he goes on the killing spree. This is told very well and it is gripping to say the least! The last part deals with the aftermath of what he did and how it affected the people he shot.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone" by Adele Griffin is Riveting

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin tells the story of part of Addison Stone's life.  She was a young girl who was a very talented painter whose life was way too short.  It is told by her family, her friends and other people with whom she came in contact.  I was "wowed" by it and found it to be a riveting page turner! 
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)
 
Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Unbroken: An Olympian’s Journey From Airman to Castaway to Captive by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken:  An Olympian’s Journey From Airman to Castaway to Captive (The Young Adult Adaptation of Unbroken) by Laura Hillenbrand is an amazing and fascinating non-fiction novel.  With never a dull moment, Louie Zamperini’s adventurous story kept my attention from beginning to end.  Just when you think things couldn’t possibly get any worse for him, they do!  It’s hard to believe he actually survived drifting on a life raft in the Pacific ocean for 47 days and then being tortured and humiliated as a POW. 

I highly recommend this to anyone!  It is well researched and very informative, giving me insight into a life of a POW that I had no clue about.  Unimaginable horrific things actually happened to our POW’s during World War II.  I was afraid this was going to read like a history book, but it really doesn’t.  It is very well written and stayed on my mind long after I put it down.   I found it astonishing that Louie lived to be 97 after all he went through. 

(Karen's review, 5 stars)

 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Mother Teresa: A Life Inspired by Wyatt North is Informative, Brief, Inspiring!

Image source:  Amazon

Before reading this Mother Teresa:  A Life Inspired by Wyatt North, I only had a general idea of the good this lady did.  The book made the point that she saw all human beings as her neighbor and sought to Love everybody as herself as Jesus commanded us to do regardless of race, religion and boundaries.  I learned a lot about her in the couple hours it took me to read this book.  To me, it felt as though I was reading a report on her life.  It met my expectations and inspired me to go and help as many people as I can.  This book showed me she truly was a great person by serving others as Jesus said we should do.   (I read this one on Kindle, sorry no cat pictured with it.)
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"I Promised My Dad—An Intimate Portrait of Michael Landon"

I Promised My Dad—An Intimate Portrait of Michael Landon by His Eldest Daughter, Cheryl Landon Wilson with Jane Scovell is about the life of Michael Landon.  I was impressed by how much his daughter knew about his childhood.  By reading this book, I learned many things about Michael Landon that I never knew.  Since I watched him as “Little Joe” in Bonanza and then as Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie, I was eager to learn about him as a person.  This book answers the question, What was Michael Landon really like?  It has a lot of interesting things in it but I especially liked his reason for letting his hair grow long—it gave him more confidence and made him feel like he could do anything, like Samson who had great strength when his hair was long.  He was a loving man with a great sense of humor.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Bruce" by Peter Ames Carlin (Non-fiction)

Bruce by Peter Ames Carlin is a really good story about Bruce Springsteen aka "The Boss." It has some wow factor with details of how the band came to be and lots of inside stuff that I didn't know. I enjoyed it very much. If you are a Springsteen fan, it's a must read. I highly recommend it.
(Gerard's review, rating 5+ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Half Broke Horses" by Jeannette Walls

Half Broke Horses is a true life novel about Lily Casey who grew up in the 1930s, the oldest daughter of a horse trainer in Texas. Lily was a girl with gumption and her story is both inspirational, funny and amazing! She could break horses, play poker, teach school and fly a plane! Lily was a strong girl who never gave up and who always found a way to manage, even when things were tough. The only child she encountered that she couldn't teach was her own daughter who was a wild child with compassion and a yearning for adventure. I enjoyed this novel and found it to be an interesting read which is based on the author's grandmother's life.
(Karen's review)

We also enjoyed The Glass Castle by this author, about the author's immediate family growing up in poverty with an alcoholic father and mentally disturbed mother.  Jeannette was much like her grandmother, Lily.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Sweetness--Life of Walter Payton" by Jeff Pearlman

I enjoyed Sweetness--The Enigmatic Life Of Walter Payton a lot!  It tells the story of the life of Walter Payton aka Sweetness, a football player.  I especially liked hearing from all the players he played with and against as well as the details of his life off the field were fantastic and enjoyable.  It must have taken a lot of research to write such a book.  It seemed he left nothing out!  If you are a football fan, I think you will love this book!
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Rin Tin Tin" by Susan Orlean

Our dog, Abby, thinks you should read this one!

Rin Tin Tin—The Life and the Legend by Susan Orlean is one of the most interesting dog books I have read. For those who may now know, Rin Tin Tin was a dog in a TV show years ago. First of all, let me tell you that Susan Orlean did a ton, and I mean a ton of research on this book. It took a decade to write it and second of all, this is a wonderful book!!! You're going to find things about the owner, Lee Duncan, and Rin Tin Tin (a German Shepherd) that is simply going to dazzle you! I got so caught up in it that I had a hard time putting it down. The few pictures in the book are very good too. Thanks for all your hard work, Susan, I LOVED IT!

Here is one of my favorite quotes from it since I'm not reading it on Tuesday for a Tuesday Teaser from page 85:

He scrambles up a tree--a stunt so startling that I had to replay it a few times to believe it. Can dogs climb trees? Evidently. At least certain dogs can.

(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Endgame" by Frank Brady

Biography of Bobby Fischer

Endgame by Frank Brady is the kind of book I love that catches me up to speed on a person or subject that I really didn't know that much about. Don't worry, you do not have to be into Chess to enjoy this book. It deals more with the life of Bobby Fisher than his Chess games although Chess, of course, is a big part of the book as you would think. He was a child prodigy who at age 14 was beating Chess masters. I enjoyed it a lot and would recommend that you read it too.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Willie Mays--The Life The Legend by James S. Hirsch

I wanted a baseball book to get me into the 2010 season coming up.  This did it!  I found out lots of interesting facts about Willie Mays that I didn’t know before.  Always a plus for me.  Willie Mays--The Life The Legend had good movement, never got tired of reading it!
(Gerard's review 3/2/10)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Little Girl Blue--The Life Of Karen Carpenter" by Randy L. Schmidt

 A Sad Tale--An Outstanding Read!
This is the type of book I devour:  non-fiction that I am not fully up to speed on the subject.  Little Girl Blue--The Life of Karen Carpenter by Randy L. Schmidt is a sad story about her life.  I found myself rooting for Karen to get through her disorder even though I knew she didn’t.  The writing is superb and the last 100 pages or so I found it hard to put this book down.  I highly recommend you read this book.  What a gift God gave her--we miss you, Karen!
(Gerard's review)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Playing With The Enemy" by Gary W. Moore

Playing With the Enemy:  A Baseball Prodigy, World War II and The Long Journey Home by Gary W. Moore is a true story of Gene Moore who was a super baseball player and a super person. It shows how he cared about other people. Hard to put this one down. Can't wait to see the movie. A must read for anyone who enjoys a good book, this is it!!  I loved this book!!
(Gerard's review 6/20/08)

Comment By Gary W. Moore on July 13, 2008 03:25:

So happy you enjoyed Playing with the Enemy! Thank you for your review. Gary

A Bible Reading Challenge For You

 I just discovered this morning that Mom's Toolbox:  Tools For Real Moms Growing In Christ is starting a blogger Bible reading challenge to read the Bible through in 90 days.  It just started yesterday so hurry over there to sign up. 


I read the Holy Bible through once.  It's a wonderful book that can really make a huge difference in your life if you accept it as God's Holy Word and ask God to show you the truth and speak to your heart as you read it.  It is not a text book and should not be read as one.  It is inspired by God.  It is like no other book broken down into two main parts:  The Old Testament (the time before Jesus came to earth--the old covenant between God and man) and the New Testament (the time about Jesus life on earth and the acts of his disciples and his teachings--The New Covenant between God and man.)  The entire Bible is broken down into 66 books with chapter and verse references. 


There is something for everyone in the Bible.  Basic major groupings of the books by category include:



Books of the Law (aka Books of Moses), history, poetry, major prophets (major because they are longer), minor prophets (minor because they are shorter, not less important), gospels, church history, Letters by Paul, other letters, prophecy.
Gerard and I both love this book because it is life changing and thought provoking.  It is truly unique, like no other!  We highly recommend it!

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?