For fans of sports and just plain great writing, this collection of twenty-seven of the finest pieces from the past year features "outstanding sports reporting on a wealth of different topics" (Booklist). Guest editor Michael Lewis, the best-selling author of Moneyball and Coach, has assembled a compelling look at the sports stories and issues that dominated 2005. Pamela Colloff reports from the politically and sexually charged world of competitive cheerleading in Texas. Paul Solotaroff meets the star of the University of Georgia wrestling team, a nineteen-year-old world-record weightlifter who was born with no arms or legs. Ben Paynter travels the gay rodeo circuit. Pat Jordan profiles the world's greatest poker player, a boyish thirty-year-old whose mom still packs him a brown bag lunch. Jeff Duncan travels to Florida, where a New Orleans high school and its football program are picking up the pieces in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We also discover Linda Robertson reporting on the supersizing of NFL players. S. L. Price profiles the most famous U.S. Paraolympian. Katy Vine introduces a girl who can dunk -- in eighth grade -- and more. The pieces in this outstanding volume show the true reach and impact of sports, its importance often extending far beyond the playing field. As Lewis writes in his introduction, "What's reassuring about great sports writing is what's reassuring about great sports performances: facing opposition, and often against the odds, someone, at last, did something right."
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Marvelous:
I've enjoyed reading this series for a decade, and this book was right up there with the best of them. This book can either be read quickly like a pleasant novel, or it can be read in pieces; I usually save it for a business trip, when I have breaks to read for just 10-20 minutes at a time. It's hard to pick a favorite, though the boxing girl and the cave-diver pieces are especially memorable. I also thought it was interesting that several articles related to how homosexuality is accepted/not accepted in... more info
Engaging and interesting:
The chief strength of this anthology is its diversity. Very contemporary in flavor, this one appealed to me even though I'm only on the outer fringes of the world of sporting events. Micheal Lewis' has culled an intriguing mix of stories related to sport. In this collection, you will find a young girl who wants to box, the gay rodeo, the story of Mike Webster, a rainbow coach, the fastest sprinter with a prosthetic leg, post-Katrina football among other gems. Truly a sign of our times. Each story has a... more info
Best American Sports Writing 2006:
Have been reading "Best Sports Writing" since 2001 and it is a hit every year. Only three stories so far; the limbless wrestler was a fantastic "fighter" and had great courage. Loved "Brooklyn Heights". She could play. Also had a look at NBA article. If memory serves me correctly there was some discussion about young players going straight to NBA without college degree. Kareem A.J. made several good comments in a video clip in New York Times saying that these young players miss out on important life... more info
Underdogs, Oddballs, and Goat Dressers:
Michael Lewis, this year's guest editor to Best American Sports Writing, is somewhat of a newcomer to sports writing. After fifteen years of fairly successful (and really interesting) journalism in his books about high finance, a presidential campaign, and Silicon Valley, Lewis hit on a major success with Moneyball, a story of money and baseball. Then he wrote Coach, about a crusty old high school baseball coach. Now he has a book out about football, The Blind Side, that tells of a poor black kid who is... more info
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