Average customer rating:
- Interesting Reading
- Memories
- A Good Newspaper Article at Best
- Standing Tall and United
- This book could have been 20 Pages long
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Undefeated, Untied, and Uninvited
Kristine Setting Clark
Manufacturer: Griffin Publishing Group
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ASIN: 1580001076 |
Product Description
In 1951 the University of San Francisco football team (the Dons) went undefeated and untied. Yet, despite being among the best college football teams of all time, the squad was not invited to play in a post season bowl game because two of its players were African-American. The team was offered the chance to compete without the players, but they unanimously refused on principle. The story of the 1951 University of San Francisco football team is a remarkable tale. I heard Pete Rozelle talk about it many times. It is a story that transcends football into the realm of the human spirit. I know it made a lasting impression on Pete, and the team clearly had a major impact on the NFL. -Paul Tagliabue - NFL Commissioner
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Reading.......2004-06-14
This book is easy to read and is organized chronologically with some background on the school and the program and then a a game by game rundown of the magical '51 season for the dons.
The book uses newspaper clippings to summarize parts of the season and some great photos of the games and programs are also part of the book.
The book indicates that the dons were excluded from a bowl bid more by the color of two of their stars than by a weak schedule and that the team decided to accept this rather than play without members of their team.
If this is accurate, they are heroes for their integrity and not just their athletics.
The book tells a wonderful story of one of the teams that was truly great and that few fans have ever heard of. It also will give you a trivia question that will stump most of the experts: What is the only college team to ever have three members in the hall of fame?
Memories.......2003-08-07
As a USF alum, I was familiar with the 1951 football team. When I first announced to my dad that I was going to the University of San Francisco, he responded with, "Burl Toler, Ollie Matson, Gino Marchetti, Bill Russell, K.C. Jones." Over the years, I have had the opportunity to meet some of these gentlemen, their teammates and classmates. I was excited when I first heard about this book. The "word of mouth" history would finally be documented. In most instances, the spoken word has a tendency to be exaggerated. However, as I read about the feats of this team, I discovered that the words never adequately addressed the accomplishments of these gentlemen. I have observed first hand the cohesiveness that is the hallmark of this team. They like each other and that is the one attribute that is stressed throughout the book. Their admiration for each other is evident. They were a unit that worked together to carve out their own niche in the annals of history. They achieved what the rest of the country in that era could not fully comprehend - equality, humanity. Most of the story is a compilation of the news clippings which may disappoint some readers. However, for this reader, it was an affirmation of the reality. When I finished the book, I smiled a bit broader and stood slightly taller. I am so proud to be a USF alum and to know that those who preceded me at the University were men of honor, morality and courage.
A Good Newspaper Article at Best.......2003-04-23
I was doing research on the wonderful story of small Washington & Jefferson college going up against the mighty Cal in the 1922 Rose Bowl-with a black quarterback nonetheless! I thought this book would be a good addition to my research. However, the book cost me over [money] with tax and the book is SKIMPY! Thin to begin with, the book is mostly filled with photographs and reprints of newspaper articles and letters. It would have made a good article for PARADE magazine or a newspaper but I felt it fell short as a book.
Standing Tall and United.......2002-12-31
This book has a "Field of Dreams" and "It's a Wonderful Life" feel to it due to the courageous selflessness and undaunting unity displayed by the players on the unbeaten University of San Francisco gridiron juggernaut. I am also delighted to see a book about some of the great and often unheralded teams of the old Catholic Conference of California.
My cousin Fran Hare played three times against USF, including the brilliant 1951 squad led by the running heroics of the incomparable Ollie Matson and the defensive excellence of Gino Marchetti and Bob St. Clair. Fran's older brother, the late Vern Hare, was on the 1948 Santa Clara team which upset Oklahoma in 1948. He was a teammate of the great Hall of Fame end Tom Fears, who played both at Santa Clara and UCLA.
When I lived in Los Angeles and was a sports editor I talked to all kinds of people associated with Loyola football, a school which put on the field stellar future pros such as Gene Brito, Skippy Gincanelli and Don Klosterman. Loyola had a great team in 1950 which lost only one game, a 28-26 upset at home in Gilmore Stadium against Santa Clara.
Yes, and there was also St. Mary's located in the San Francisco suburb of Moraga. In the thirties the Gaels had one of the nation's premier football coaches in Slip Madigan. In perhaps the school's finest gridiron hour, the Gaels defeated USC in 1931 at the L.A. Coliseum, 13-7, the only blemish on Howard Jones's team's record as the Trojans recovered from that reversal to win the national title with what historians called one of the premier college teams of the early era.
The competition was intense and many of the players from these schools went on to National Football League glory. What galled a lot of us was that many of these players and their schools failed to receive the national credit they deserved. This fine book detailing a superb team from a richly endowed grid era corrects that aforementioned deficiency. The recognition is highly deserved!
This book could have been 20 Pages long.......2002-07-29
I think that this book is very important in that it tells a very important story in sports history. However, this book is very redundant. We are told on the dust jacket that they had lots of their players go pro and that they were denied a bowl bid because they had black players. Beyond that the interesting facts are few and far between. Also, it did not do a good enough job convincing me that the only reason they were denied a bowl bid is becaue of their race. One look at their schedule from that year suggests that possibly the Orange Bowl was looking for a proven team. On the whole the book left me unsatisfied.
Book Description
The story of Rocky Marciano, who remains today the world's only undefeated heavyweight boxing champion. Marciano didn't turn to boxing until age 25, and was considered too small to get into the ring with heavyweights. This compelling portrait is enhanced with 50 photographs.
Customer Reviews:
An uppercut to the jaw!.......2007-05-22
After finishing this book, I thought I had a real good idea of who Rocky Marciano really was. The book contains a lot of details of his post career life. It provided good information on his unique training habits, his lack of trust in other people especially involving money and his unbelievable confidence in himself in and out of the ring. I wanted more details on his marriage, which seemed "rocky" (sorry) at best and more on his psychological makeup (what made him train so hard and refuse to lose). After reading the book, I watched some oldtime filmclips on some of his fights. He is criticized for not fighting any worthwhile opponents, but I think Charles, Moore and Walcott would all easily dominate todays heavyweight division. Give this book a chance - you won't be disappointed.
Rocky Marciano.......2007-03-26
Absolutely a wonderful book to read, it is very absorbing, exciting, and clearly outlines the life of Rocky in great manner.
A "MUST" Have for any classic fight fan! .......2007-01-16
I purchased this book for Christmas for my Dad (Who just turned 88 the other day). In his eyes, there was only "one champion", and that was Rocky Marciano! The smile Pop had on his face was brighter than our tree.
The print (font) is easy on his eyes, and the pictures are clear;
(He hasn't read an entire book in many years, but he's reading this one!)
KUDOS to the author, the editor, the publisher and AMAZON for letting me find it!
Rocco!.......2006-08-02
Rocky Marciano was a character so full of grit and power that he seems fictional. I was born in 76. Im used to pretty boys and pretenders. My hero growing up in the 80's was Tyson. I never seen Mike come off the deck to win. Or fight hurt and come from behind to win.
Contrast that with my Dad's hero growing up. The great Rocky Marciano. When you look up heart in the dictionary you see a picture of the Rock. He fought them all, he was undefeated, he came off the deck to win. He fought behind on all the scores cards, with his nose hanging off his face, his own corner begging him to quit. Yet he never relented, he never stopped, no man alive can say that he bested Marciano in a pro fight.
Its uncool today to put Marciano on a pedestal. People always downgrade the Rock's competition, or say he was to small. But at the end of the day we only have one champion that went undefeated. One man that faced them all, and always ended the day with his hand raised. That man was the Brockton Blockbuster Rocky Marciano. This is a great book!
Has good and bad points.......2006-04-16
This was a decent biography. It had a nice picture section, some interesting interviews with famous trainers like Angelo Dundee, and it focused on all the most interesting aspects of Marciano's life. However, I felt it was a little one-sided in its sympathy for Marciano, and the fictional dialouge exchanges that appear throughout the book got a little corny at times. Though it is a little drier, I reccomend Russell Sullivan's "Rocky Marciano: The Rock of His Times" over Skehan's book. Sullivan's book was more thorough and offered a more balanced perspective on Marciano. However, if your a big Marciano fan, you should get Skehan's book, too.
Average customer rating:
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Out of the Blue: Boise State Undefeated Fiesta Bowl Champions
Manufacturer: Sports Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1596702710 |
Book Description
The Arbiter's Boise State Broncos: 2007 Fiesta Bowl Champions is certain to be a keepsake for fans of this year's Fiesta Bowl winner. It follows in the tradition of last year's title, Longhorns' Perfect Drive with the Austin American-Statesman, and will help fans keep the celebration going long after the roar of the crowd has faded.
Amazon.com
In The Undefeated: The Oklahoma Sooners and the Greatest Winning Streak in College Football, The Junction Boys author Jim Dent chronicles how Charles "Bud" Wilkinson helped the dust-bowl-depressed state of Oklahoma regain self-respect by building a program that became one of the most dominant in college sports history. From 1948 to 1957, an era when players played both sides of the ball--170-pounders played tackle, and some players smoked three packs a day--the Oklahoma Sooners dominated college football in incredible fashion: they tied twice and lost four times, and amid their 94 wins they compiled winning streaks of 31 and 47 games.
Dent has an eye for detail, and the book is equally the story of coach Wilkinson and his eccentricities, with halftime speeches and an innovative coaching style that implemented schemes not found in the NFL for decades. Also of interest are the plight of Prentice Gautt, the first black OU player during a time of racial intolerance; the hardscrabble backgrounds of the tough-as-nails players; and how preparation for big games included espionage and decoy playbooks. Most of all, Dent retells game highlights in dramatic fashion, including how an opposing receiver, after potentially ending one of OU's streaks by scoring in the final seconds, confessed he had trapped, not caught, the ball. The refs discussed the matter, and "[w]hile the man in the gray flannel suit waited, watched and paced, a crowd of 50,878 held its collective breath, and prayed."
As the wins accumulated, it became increasingly difficult for Wilkinson to motivate players and fend off all comers. In like fashion, Dent loses steam, but not before making the heartfelt case that Wilkinson's Sooners fielded some of the greatest teams in history. --Michael Ferch
Book Description
For three perfect seasons (1954-1956), the Oklahoma Sooners won every football game they playedhome or awayand over the course of five years they won 47 straight games, a record that stands to this day. This awesome achievement was the product of a masterful coach and the spirited young men he led. The Undefeated details all the thrilling action on the field during this record winning streak, but it also reveals the behind-the-scenes tumult and pressure swirling around it. Dent presents an absorbing character study of Bud Wilkinson, the brilliant, complex coach who engineered the string of victories and whose starched-shirt public persona hid a man of many secrets. The Undefeated also provides an examination of a state and its people still suffering from a Depression hangover and an identity crisis, who took up the Sooners football banner almost as a religious cause.Through it all, the young men who accomplished this amazing feat shine in vivid life. Combining the gritty, evocative period detail of The Junction Boys with an in-depth look at a legendary coach and the determination of his team like When Pride Still Mattered, Jim Dent has created a classic work of sports literature.
Download Description
Simply put, Jim Dent has resurrected the historical sports genre. He established himself with his bestselling THE JUNCTION BOYS, and now he proves himself a master with his winning and powerful history of the Oklahoma Sooners' run of glory.
Customer Reviews:
Unforgettable, and not to be missed........2007-04-22
I wish every football fan would read this book, but I am willing to bet that a majority of it's readership is full of people like me. Oklahomans who are fans and supporters of our Sooners. I have to admit, I doubt many Texas fans are going to rush out and buy this book, hell, they probably wouldn't read it if there was a free copy in the john, but they might use it for something else.
So right off the bat, I have to expose my bias on this book. How could I not love it? So it doesn't mean much for me to say things like, "Everybody will love this book, it speaks to all college football fans."
While this book does not hold universal appeal for all people, here is why I think it should. It has an underlying message that is positive and inspiring. A message that can be used by anyone, anywhere, and at anytime.
Being born and raised in Oklahoma, I of course became very familiar with the place and the people that live there. From an early age I began to realize that Oklahoma wasn't all that popular of a place. Even most of the kids I grew up with didn't have many good things to say about Oklahoma. They always wanted to be someplace else, and this always bothered me a great deal. In fact, that is one of the biggest problems my home state faces. Oklahoma isn't great enough to hold onto it's own people. I live in Southern California, which might as well be Hell to many OU fans after what the Trojans did to OU in the Orange Bowl. So even I became one of the traitors, in a way. I will always call Oklahoma home, I just live in Hermosa Beach. I'm an Okie, and proud of it.
I knew we didn't have any pro sports teams, no major cities that get mentioned in the same breath as "New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, St. Louis, etc." Whenever the big news stations covered the weather, they never gave the weather in Oklahoma, we just kinda got looked over. After all, we are just the funny shaped flat state out in the middle of the country.
I very quickly realized that the only time my state popped up on national radar was when the University of Oklahoma's football team was involved. Of course, this became a source of pride for me and countless others. Oklahoma has no place comparing itself to other states in many ways, whether it be pro sports, big business, vacation hotspots, or just simply being a "popular" place to live and work. But when it comes to college football, we stand as proud as anyone, and we know that we deserve the right to do so.
What I didn't know as a kid, was that this was the plan all along. Years before I was born, the big wigs at OU and others around the state of Oklahoma wanted to use the University's football program as a source of pride for the state, and this was especially true when my home state was devastated by the depression and the great dust bowl.
The Sooners of Oklahoma at one time, won 47 straight football games, and this cemented their legacy as one of the all time greatest college football programs. The mission was truly accomplished, Oklahoma was on the map and everybody knew it.
This book covers a lot of ground in the history of OU football, all of it is exciting and interesting. I would think that anyone who is attracted to stories of victory, and overcoming great odds to succeed above all others, would love this book. It's not just about sports in my opinion. The reasons that Bud Wilkinson and his Sooner teams were so successful was because they displayed the attributes of champions. These attributes are universal to just about everything, business, family, sports, etc.
I am sure there will be some Negative Nancy's about this book, who can't help but bring up the numerous brushes with the law and the NCAA, that OU has had. All I have to say is, you're probably right, but if you're a fan of any major college football program and some of the not so major ones, then you have to right to criticize. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. That's what is said anyway.
I suggest you ignore all that stuff and focus on the inspiring message inside, don't let YOUR bias against Oklahoma, or it's University, or it's football team prevent you from enjoying a very fine tale of glory.
The Undefeated: The Oklahoma Sooners and the greatest winning streak in college football.......2007-03-10
Maybe I knew too much of the story before I read it but there was more info about the players and coaches and the women they had than about football. I would have liked to read about the football games they won!!!
Poorly Written.......2003-02-26
I try to read every college football book that I can get my hands on. I can honestly say that I have read few books written as poorly as this one. I was expecting much more considering the potential story lines involved in this subject. I simply did not enjoy this book because of the way it was written.
OU.......2002-01-29
A great great football story, but disappointingly written. For starters, Jim Dent misses his audience. Recreated quotes reminisce made-for-grade school stories, yet hollow and stereotypical characters go on big-time drinking binges and grow 'harder than Chinese arithmetic' over the ladies. More disappointing is that one must read between the lines to discover what's most fascinating about 1940s/50s-era football - that the national champion was chosen BEFORE the bowl games (imagine THAT before BCS), that players played on both sides of the ball, that there were no designated field goal kickers, and heaps of other subtleties that have faded away as college football has 'grown.' Perhaps there was a rush to get this out while the 2000 Sooners team was STILL undefeated and national champions. It takes time to make a winner, I guess.
Not Likely to Happen Again..........2002-01-10
As a fan of the history of college football I found Dent's book to be a breath of fresh air in a genre that is often peppered with statistics, numbers and facts & figures. Dent goes beyond the numbers to present a living work about the Golden Program of the Golden Era of college football.
Many books about the history of a team give just that, a history of the team but overlook the individuals that comprise the whole. Not Dent. He relishes in crawling in the dirt or sailing into the clouds with the players, coaches, supporters and fans who made the story of the OU 47-game winning streak possible.
For all the glory and fame, it is well remembered that the Sooners, perhaps the greatest college football team of all-time, was made up of the same stuff as the worst college football team of all-time...a coaching staff of chain-smoking, hard drinking, middle aged coaches and stiff-legged college boys often more interested in getting laid than getting playing time.
From desk drawers full of cash, to skirt-chasing, to fist-a-cuffs, to race relations, to sweaty lockerrooms to game day, Dent captures the aura of the greatest winning streak of all-time and the crushing pressure of winning and gut-wrenching fear of losing like few sports writers can.
Careful in his details and persistent with his research Dent writes a classic tale of college football while weaving a great yarn of story-telling.
Combine this book with Dent's "The Junction Boys", gift wrap them both and you will have the perfect gift for not only the football fan on your gift list but the overall sports fan as well.
Hell, my wife actually read and liked the book and she doesn't know squat about football...
Great job, Mr. Dent.
Amazon.com
It seems fitting that the most successful college basketball coach since John Wooden is named Summit, because that's exactly where she's taken the women's program at the University of Tennessee. In Raise the Roof, she recounts the Lady Vols' astonishing 1997-98 campaign. The team went 39-0, won its third straight NCAA crown and sixth overall under her direction, and, most importantly to Summitt, "played as if they had no internal or physical boundaries." If the team's unprecedented success is the engine that runs Summitt's story, the fuel that powers it goes a good deal deeper than what happened on the court.
"With this team," she admits, "I was different." From two-time All-American forward Chamique Holdsclaw to the four freshmen from broken homes on whose talents the future rested, Summitt realized early that she had to approach them differently than she had any collection of Lady Vols before, and she did; she cared about them differently, yelled at them differently, and reveled with them differently, ultimately tapping into her own emotions in ways she never had before. She, and they, sought to set new standards for themselves, and for their sport. The record shows they did; Summitt details how and why. "Throughout the season," she writes, "I had the curious sensation of something rising." In the end, she rises to the occasion by identifying and preserving that "something." --Jeff Silverman
Book Description
"It wasn't a team. It was a tent revival."
So says Pat Summitt, the legendary coach whose Tennessee Lady Vols entered the 1997-98 season aiming for an almost unprecedented "three-peat" of NCAA championships. Raise the Roof takes you right inside the locker room of her amazing team, whose inspired mixture of gifted freshmen and seasoned stars produced a standard of play that would change the game of women's basketball forever.
The 1997-98 season started innocently enough. One Saturday in August, four young freshmen--Semeka Randall, Tamika Catchings, Ace Clement and Teresa Geter--arrived on the Tennessee campus to begin their college careers. Welcoming them were a number of players from the previous year, including Chamique Holdsclaw and Kellie Jolly. But that night, in a sign of things to come, a simple pickup game turned into an amazing display of basketball brilliance--freshmen against established players, and with barely a shot missed by either side. Suddenly Pat Summitt glimpsed the future: fast, aggressive and hugely talented. This might be the team she'd worked her whole career to coach.
As the season got under way, other dramas unfolded. After one emotional team meeting, Summitt realized that many on the team were playing for something more than just the glory of the game: all four freshmen, for example, came from single-parent homes, and the tough circumstances of the majority of the other players seemed to add an extra edge to their desire to win it all. Further, Chamique Holdsclaw, widely regarded as the greatest female player ever, was being dogged by questions about turning pro--and she seemed reluctant to rule it out. Meanwhile, another member of the team began to notice the unwelcome attentions of a fan, who soon turned out to be a full-fledged stalker.
All this was behind the scenes; out on the court, the win column was swelling with every game: 8-0, 15-0, 21-0. As 1997 turned into 1998, Pat Summitt began privately to admit that this team had changed her: these kids were so lovable, funny and eager to please that she simply had to let them into her heart. Along the way, the Lady Vols were redefining what women were capable of, trading in old definitions of femininity for new ones--in short, they were keeping score. And by the time they entered the NCAA Final Four tournament in Kansas City, Summitt found herself believing the impossible: despite all the distractions, the 1997-98 Lady Vols could go undefeated, and, in doing so, raise the roof off the sport of women's basketball.
Packed with the excitement of a season on the brink of perfection and filled with the comedy and tragedy of one year in the life of a basketball team, Raise the Roof will have readers cheering from the bench for a team of all-conquering players and their astonishing coach.
Customer Reviews:
the best book ever.......2007-06-11
Raise the roof is very good. i have read the book so many times that the front is about to come off. I love coach summitt and the lady vols. This is a book that i would like to be buried with. The stories are great and the season was the best i ever saw. GO LADY VOLS!!!!
Fabulous!.......2007-05-14
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! Pat Summitt is genuine, frank, and honest in her emotions and actions toward her life, her teams, and her family. What a ride!
A Three-Peat Season.......2007-04-12
Read about the 1997-98 basketball season when the lady Vols aimed for a three-peat. The history-making season comes to life in this book.
A great sports book to read!.......2007-04-04
"When I said I wouldn't write another book (after Reach for the Summit), I didn't know about this team. I had no idea what a remarkable story the Lady Vols would prove to be, and how much they would accomplish. I didn't know what they would do to me. Usually, it's the coach who changes the team. But in this case, it was the team that changed the coach." (From Raise the Roof)
While this book is all about the Lady Vols 1997-98 season, when Tennessee faced the very real possibility of going for a "Three-peat" (winning 3 NCAA championships in back-to-back years, an incredible accomplishement), it's also a book about the people who made up that season, from the returning veterans (including the amazingly talented Chamique Holdsclaw, before she turned pro) to the "Fab Freshmen Four," and the coaching staff.
This is not a book about the technique or skills or drills that it takes to play basketball at the level of the Lady Vols or try to win another championship. Or necessarily an inside look at what exactly drives Coach Summitt or makes her one of the winning-est coaches in any sport at any level of play.
It is a book about the heart and emotions behind the play on the court. About long trips to play games. About how to make a team anew and creating a new family with them. About the significant games they played in that season and what it took to win them. About the pure fun of spending time together. About the families involved. About the losses these young women had already endured in their lives prior to coming to Tennessee, and how these losses might have motivated them in a particular way to become the type of athletes and students who they became. About a personal loss Coach Summitt experienced that year.
And it's about Coach Summitt, who in the face of her new players, realized that her own coaching style had to change and that she would have to engage differently with this team because of who they were.
The story is written in a a simple format for describing sports: Start with what we know: A truly magnificent season and recreate it. From the first moment when the incoming freshmen players arrive on campus and, after moving into their rooms, play their first game with the other players to feel each other out. Move into the first team meeting of the year. Begin building for the reader the sense that Coach Summitt had that this team had something special in them. Chronicle the small moments making up significant games played that year. Focus on each starting player, including brief interviews with them and their parents. End with the championship game.
By reading this book, you become a part of that history-making season and, in turn, learn much about the heart and emotion and soul of the people involved in that season.
Truly a great book to read!
A great read.......2006-05-13
Even better than Pat Summitt's first book! It's thoughtful and well-written. And even though you already know how it ends, it's wonderful from start to finish. I couldn't put it down!
Book Description
This vivid work, first published by UNC Press in 1954, reveals General Joseph Orville Shelby as one of the best Confederate cavalry leaders—and certainly the most colorful.
Born in Lexington, Kentucky, but drawn by the promise of the growing West, Shelby became one of the richest men in Missouri. Siding with the Confederacy at the outbreak of the Civil War, he organized his Iron Brigade of cavalry—whose ranks included Frank and Jesse James—taught his men a slashing frontier style of fighting, and led them on incredible raids against Federal forces in Missouri. When the Confederacy fell, Shelby refused to surrender and instead took his command to Mexico, where they fought in support of the emperor Maximilian. Upon his return to Missouri, Shelby became an immensely popular figure in the state, eventually attaining the status of folk hero, a living symbol of the Civil War in the West.
Customer Reviews:
Shelby: One fine cavalry general.......2006-03-07
Many commanders, both North and South, thought Jo Shelby to be the best cavalry general of the South. From the black plume he wore in his cap to the large sorrel horses he rode (after getting three shot from under him at Cane Hill, Arkansas, he superstitiously would only ride sorrels) to his daring tactics, Shelby struck an heroic figure. A successful businessman in Missouri before the war and a prominent slaveholder, he raised a three-regiment cavalry brigade in 1862, taught it western fighting tactics, and conducted a number of raids in Missouri and Arkansas for the rest of the war. A real thorn in the side of Union leaders, Shelby's "Iron Brigade" inflicted much damage in raids all along the western border region. Most distinguished were his operations in Sterling Price's raid into Missouri in the fall of 1864, especially at Glasgow and Sedalia (both of which he captured), Waverly, and Westport. When the war ended, he refused to surrender, and simply took his men to Mexico to fight for Maximillian. But after Maximillian was killed in 1866, Shelby returned to Missouri. His popularity only increased in the hero-hungry post-war South, which was bolstered further after he appeared as a defense witness in the trial of the James brothers, who had ridden with him during the war. He died in 1897, and his funeral was the second largest in the post-war South for a Confederate leader, after only Jeff Davis's.
O'Flaherty's approach is that of a popular, rather than an academic, historian. So much conversational dialogue is included that sometimes the book reads more like a novel than a biography. At times he over-quotes sources: for example, he includes the complete transcript of an interview that appeared in the Kansas City "Journal" with Shelby just before the James Boys trial. It's interesting, but could have been abridged. His purpose, though, seems to be to present Shelby as a hero in the Sir Walter Scott mold: brave, loyal to a cause, fair and democratic, tough on the battlefield, concerned with the welfare of his charges. In this he succeeds admirably. [This is a reprint of the original 1954 edition.]
Jo Shelby.......2005-08-02
I was particularly interested in reading about Confederate General Jo Shelby as my great-grandfather fought under him during the Civil War, serving in Co. A, Elliott's Battalion,
Shelby's Brigade. The book was fairly informative, but relied too heavily on the writings of Major Edwards, Shelby's Aide, who was not always objective, and given to hyperbole.
All-in-all though, it was enjoyable reading and gave me a lot of information about the man my ancestor served under.
I am in the process of visiting the battlegrounds where Shelby campaigned and this book will help in visualizing the various battles.
A very fine read.......2003-04-09
Gen. Shelby did remarkable things with his small command. His genius was unappreciated due to Jefferson Davis' myopic pre-occupation with west point pedigrees instead of ability and results. A Southerner can only sigh at the lost opportunity, if Shelby had been given command of command of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi instead of Theophilus Holmes.
This is a very readable volume about the greatest Confederate cavalryman in the war who led several different lives. About a half of it covers the war, another 1/4th the Mexico adventure, and the remaining 1/4 are split between his growing up and the post-Mexico (1868-97)years.
It features vivid descriptions of many battles in MO and AR, as well as the tale of his expedition to Mexico after the war. The details of his tactics at the Battle of Cane Hill, which he used repeatedly after that is fascinating. The author's style is a bit colorful and folksy, sorta like you're there talking to him. If you demand that your history read like a textbook that may spook you off, but if it doesn't it's a wonderful bio about a neglected figure
Book Description
Lacrosse legend Bob Scott describes Johns Hopkins's 2005 men's lacrosse season as "the greatest in the university's history." The last time the Blue Jays claimed the NCAA lacrosse championship, in 1987, Head Coach David Pietramala was on the field as a sophomore defenseman. In Undefeated, photographer James T. Van Rensselaer and writer John Jiloty of Inside Lacrosse magazine tell the exciting story of the Blue Jays' perfect season and their dramatic play in the NCAA tournament.
Van Rensselaer's spectacular color photographs capture this unforgettable season in all its grit and glory. His lens brings you so close you can feel the intensity of a crucial faceoff, hear the ball rip through the net, see the sweat dripping into the eyes of a focused defender, and you almost have to flinch at collisions that seem just a split second away.
All of what made this season THE season for the Jays is here -- from the seniors who led the team to four grueling overtime victories to the young players who performed so well in memorable games against perennial powers like Duke, Virginia, and Princeton. Undefeated bears witness to a high point in the long and illustrious tradition of Hopkins lacrosse and celebrates the players who brought the program back to the top.
Average customer rating:
- truly undefeated
- Football and Life
- These Gentlemen Can't Be Beaten.....Literally
- Undefeated---
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Undefeated how Father And Son Triumphed Over Unbelievable Odds Both On And Off The Field
Bob Griese ,
Brian Griese , and
Jim Denney
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0785270213 |
Book Description
Both Bob and Brian Griese have led their teams through an undefeated season. But this biography explores a more significant meaning to living in victory. Both father and son have emerged bruised and battered but undefeated from some of life's toughest battles. In 1988, Bob Griese lost his wife and Brian lost his mother, Judi, after a five-year battle with cancer. When Bob made a decision to be a full-time dad to 12-year-old Brian, their shared grief, values, and commitment became the cornerstone of a very special father-son bond.
Undefeated has all the makings of a dramatic, inspirational sports bestseller in the tradition of Dave Dravecky's Comeback.
Customer Reviews:
truly undefeated.......2002-02-23
Bob was my childhood hero, and so seeing that he had written an autobiography was like a dream that I never thought would come true for this private man in the public setting. However, he and his recently famous son Brian felt compelled to write a book that doesn't brag about their on-field exploits, but as a beautiful tribute to the person that appears to be their hero, Bob's first wife and Brian's mother Judi.
From this book's pages I learned a lot about a beautiful woman, someone who graced the earth with her presence, and about the devoted love that her family members had for her. A wonderful, and funny, and touching book about love within a family. First, the Griese's and friends love for Judi, and then, the love that Bob and Brian had for each other as they tried to support one another.
I can truly say that this book had a positive impact on my life.
Football and Life.......2001-01-26
This book is a heartwarming story of how a family survived the tough times and came out on top. If you like football or not you will enjoy this book and be able to see the love of family between each line. If you think football can't be applied to life, you will find out differently by the end of this book. Truly inspiring!
These Gentlemen Can't Be Beaten.....Literally.......2000-10-03
Suprisingly, this book is not just for football fans. It has a little bit of something for everybody.
The book is written in a very unusual format. It was as if both Bob and Brian Griese were just sitting around talking, discussing many different things, and voila, we have a book. It is written so matter-of-factly, that it becomes a page-turner rather quickly.
The book parallels the two quarterbacks, in their careers, family life, and personal triumphs and tragedies. Dealing with football was only a part of the book. You really get a good feel for these two men when they talk about a myriad of subjects and events, and you can't help but let your heart go out to them when they reflect upon Judi Griese, respected wife and mother.
The book's compelling language is peppered with humor rather nicely, and the overall tone of the book is quite inspirational. I truly enjoyed this book, and it sincerely kept my interest throughout. Undefeated is a real winner.
Undefeated---.......2000-07-12
THIS BOOK IS NOT JUST FOR FOOTBALL FANS! It is a compelling and inspirational story about the lives and the unusual parallels of two high-profile people--a father and his son--that involves much more than just the game of football. It encompasses sadness, joy, humor, and much more. It is presented in an interesting and unusual form by co-author Jim Denney. He captures some conversations between Brian and Bob Griese talking with each other about many events the two have shared in their lives, both on and off the football field. Often, these conversations get humorous, dad and son going at it tit for tat, openly displaying their strong, inherent competitiveness, even between their own two football careers. But the affection between them always shows through in their amusing dialogue. Their conversations, as well as inserts from other contributions of family and friends, are very moving as they discuss the life of Judi Griese, their wife and mother, who secumbed to a five-year fight with breast cancer in 1988. They tell of her strong influence on all of their lives. Bob and Brian have courageously revealed much about their family, personal, spiritual and emotional lives, much of which they have previously chosen to keep very private. I thoroughly enjoyed this book in every way. It's a great story, one that great movies are made from.
Average customer rating:
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Undefeated in Love and War
Carman
Manufacturer: Destiny Image Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fiction
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ASIN: 0768422213 |
Book Description
Jack DeNova is the most feared and respected "no-holds-barred" prize fighter the world has ever seen. No man can match his strength and determination in, or out, of the caged ring. Anger and lost love fuel his rage, his ultimate weapon in any fight. But even his strength in battle cannot stop the unraveling of his world when he is targeted by a dangerous Russian mob family. When tragedy strikes his personal world, he is thrust into the shadows of the Federal witness protection program, but the darkness of his violent past won't give him up that easily. On the run from a powerful crime lord bent on vengeance, Jack risks blowing his cover to protect a beatiful and mysterious woman. Together, the two find comfort and sefety in each other as they struggle to survive...and with their emerging feelings for each other. Leaving one life behind and struggling to begin another is now the greatest battle Jack will ever fight. Full of adventure, love, plot twists and desperate struggles for survival, Undefeated In Love and War is the story of every person's struggles to leave the past behind and turn to the only one who can make the future worth living for.
Customer Reviews:
And he writes too!.......2004-03-11
Carman is best known for his career in music. In recent years, he's branched out into acting and now he's writing. This is his second novel (the novelization for "The Champion" was his first), and it's a good run.
The premise is good. An Ultimate Fighting Championship type fighter escapes into the witness protection program and ends up losing his cover. The Russian mafia comes after him and he has to use his skills to protect himself and the woman he's growing to love.
The characters here are good, and it's obvious that Carman's a talented guy. The middle lags just a bit, but it ends well. It's an action-packed story for the most part though. All in all, this is a satisfying read, and I think Carman succeeded in what he set out to do. He may not win over any new fans with this one, but he's going to keep his old ones happy.
Books:
- Waiting for Daisy: A Tale of Two Continents, Three Religions, Five Infertility Doctors, an Oscar, an Atomic Bomb, a Rom
- Watchdogs of Democracy?: The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public
- Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do
- Working With Contracts: What Law School Doesn't Teach You (PLI Press's Corporate and Securities Law Library) (Pli Press's Corporate and Securities Law Library)
- 101 Uses for a Bridesmaid Dress
- A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A Piece of Cake: A Memoir
- A Thousand Splendid Suns
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