Q3 2021 Reading Review
A story that weaves together turn of the century thoroughbred breeding, The Beatles, Isaac Singer's sewing machines, the Dakota building in NYC and the first ever American horse to win the Epsom Derby in 1954. Never Say Die is a fun ride for anyone that enjoys historical fiction and horse racing.?
From Scott O'Neil the sports executive - it's a business book that is really more about how to live a balanced life. A lot of good sound advice from the basics like - see a piece of paper on the ground - pick it up and throw it away - lead by example - to - "API" - assume positive intent when working with people. Like anyone worth listening to - he's failed a bunch between the success and shares the learnings more through the lens of the failing than the winning. A solid team building read.?
The true story of Oleg Gordievsky, the most senior KGB Director ever turned by M16 during the Cold War. If you liked the TV show The Americans - this one's for you. The story spans nearly twenty years and seven countries - a great, fast paced read that feels more like fiction than a historical read.?
A story about the 1923 match race between Epsom Derby winner Papyrus and the American challenger, Zev at Belmont Park for a $100K purse. The book talks about this being the launch point for the Breeders Cup World Championship concept. It also spends time retracing how the Kentucky Derby was born, how Whitney saved Saratoga from organized crime and a variety of other historical insights around horse racing in the 10's and 20's through the WW2 era. Here's a quote at the end of the book that I liked which sums it all up nicely -?
“Given its long history, no sport provides as illuminating a perspective on the American past as horse racing. Few organized past times have involved so many different groups of Americans - rural, urban, fabulously rich, desperately poor, black, white, free, enslaved, recent immigrants, men, women, conventional and counter culture. Works on horse racing provide a glimpse into the sports colorful history and many times, also, into the soul of a nation.”
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The story revolves around a famous northeastern judge, his influential family and the eventual national headlining news of his grandson murdering his son in NYC. Thanks to?Abbey Spearman?for this one. If you are fan of Saratoga - the family was a staple of high society in the late 1800's and the old house where Judge Walworth lived is now the site of the Sunoco gas station on Broadway.?
The John Thompson memoir.?A great read for any hoops head. I didn't realize that Thompson won a championship at the High School level (Carroll), College level (Providence), NBA level (Celtics), a Gold Medal in the Olympics as a coach and a National Title as a coach (Georgetown). Beyond basketball - the most interesting and insightful parts are his perspective on race relations in America and how he navigated them as a man and also taught his kids to navigate them as players.? Kudos to Jesse Washington for doing Thompson justice in the pages of I Came as a Shadow.
The true crime novel based on the murder of two young women in Appalachia during the 1980's. The author not only covers the case and the decade's long march to justice but also discusses her own personal connection to the people and the culture of the Appalachian region and how the book and her time living in the region changed her life in profound ways.?
I've reviewed coffee table books before and this one is a great purchase for the horse lover in your family.?A few photos from it dot the review above.
If I don't see or hear from you before the holidays - have a great, safe and happy holiday season. Make it a good one.
Dzik
Serial Entrepreneur, Sports, Media, Tech
3 年these are great, bought a few, thanks for the post! ps lets get to the races soon
Content Director
3 年The Spy and The Traitor was an amazing book. Will have to check out the others.
Serial Founder and Mentor - COO The Americas Start2Group
3 年Don't do that! As I told you last week, now I feel bad again about my sparse reading list!