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SOL
The beauty about Gary Evans and his book SOL: Still Our Lions – The Rise, Fall and Renaissance of Detroit and its Pro Football Team is that you do not need to be a football fan, or even a sports fan, to enjoy his introspective book. The author writes in a way that is moving, and every sentence he pens is more attention-grabbing than the former. His way of expressing his thoughts on the subject matter is well thought out and stated directly. Gary Evans writes from the heart, and that is what makes his writing so appealing. He is authentic and candid in all he writes about. In between the sports discussions, readers get life lessons that the author shares while telling his story and the stories of others.
This informative book is about the Detroit Lions team in the NFL. The author writes about the football team’s history, major events, wins, losses, relationships with fans, the community, and everything in between. Gary Evans chronicles forgotten events, little-known heroes, and the role sports play in communities. The author explains how he believes sports loyalty works, writing that the Detroit Lions were loved through both their accomplishments and failures. The rise of the team, the challenges, and the goals achieved are what make the Detroit Lions special. Reading from a fan’s point of view is the magic in the entire book.
This book may focus on sports, but as you read on, you see that other themes arise. The other themes are politics, family, freedom and independence, race relations, policy making, and love. I appreciate that the author compiled notes about unheard-of history icons as he shared inspirational tales in his narrating. Reading this book gives one a feeling of nostalgia, even if not from the area being written about. The author has created an entertaining book that will give readers an appreciation of history and get them to see sports competitions in a different light.
Apart from learning about football as a sport and the Detroit Lions, the author also enlightened the reader on how to preserve culture and how to build a community with people that share the same interests. At the start of every chapter is a quote from historical icons. Two of my favorite quotes are “Time Slips away, leaves you with nothing, mister. Just stories of glory days,” by Bruce Springsteen, and “There is a fine line between honoring the past and losing yourself in it” by Eckhart Tolle. The lessons about life doubled with the impeccable storytelling skills make this book an interesting read. The reader gets to reflect on the past and appreciate the present.
SOL: Still Our Lions is more than a sports history book; it is a well-crafted and deeply thoughtful look at how sports impact and influence the communities they are part of. More than just a game, football is an avenue to bring people together that would otherwise not cross paths.
Pages: 396 | ASIN : B0BBKYW3XG
The Fall of 1972
The Fall of 1972: A season for the Perfect Storm (The Story of a Dream Season), by writers Dr. Randy White and Michael Valentino, is a powerful account of a historical time period when the game of basketball reshaped the course of life for many at the Sam Houston State University. This book is a standalone manifesto of the then Sam Houston University’s basketball squad and how the Bearkats made history as the NAIA Champion. The Bearkat’s journey from early recruiting to winning a title in the fall of 1972-73 is extraordinary.
Dr. White and Valentino give a full spectrum of information regarding this so-called storm created by the Bearkats. The beginning of the book gives readers a brief overview of the game of basketball and its situation in the South, especially with African American basketball players. How the coaching staff recruited such a talented group of young players from all over the country and how the team charged ahead to bring the perfect storm is beautifully portrayed.
This book can be an excellent read for any sports enthusiast, especially basketball fans. This book flows at a good pace with organized chapters and simple language. The interview chapters give readers an in-depth look at things and how the people felt as history was being made. The authors are successful in showing a bird’s eye’s view of the spectacular victory of Bearkats with so much authenticity and passion. Reading about the players, their hard work, and how they played as a team for the love of the game is beautiful. In addition, the authors have given a good introduction of everyone involved in the 1972/73 Bearkats team with photographs and their whereabouts.
The Fall of 1972: A season for the Perfect Storm (The Story of a Dream Season) is a beautiful memoir of the grit and grind of the young players of Sam Houston State University. This inspirational story tells how they paved their way to success for their team and for many generations of basketball players to come. This is a memoir that I highly recommend.
Pages: 126 | ISBN : 149316922X
LITERARY TITAN 