the body in the dalles book review

Price: $15.46
(as of Dec 28, 2024 16:02:15 UTC - Details)

From Mike Pesca, host of the popular Slate podcast The Gist, comes the greatest sports minds imagining how the world would change if a play, trade, injury, or referee's call had just gone the other way.

"Intriguing...thought provoking...delightful." --The Washington Post
No announcer ever proclaimed: "Up Rises Frazier!" "Havlicek commits the foul, trying to steal the ball!" or "The Giants Lose the Pennant, The Giants Lose The Pennant!" Such moments are indelibly etched upon the mind of every sports fan. Or rather, they would be, had they happened. Sports are notoriously games of inches, and when we conjure the thought of certain athletes - like Bill Buckner or Scott Norwood - we can't help but apply a mental tape measure to the highlight reels of our minds. Players, coaches, and of course fans, obsess on the play when they ask, "What if?" Upon Further Review is the first book to answer that question.
Upon Further Review is a book of counterfactual sporting scenarios. In its pages the reader will find expertly reported histories, where one small event is flipped on its head, and the resulting ripples are carefully documented, the likes of...

What if the U.S. Boycotted Hitler's Olympics?

What if Bobby Riggs beat Billie Jean King?

What if Bucky Dent popped out at the foot of the Green Monster?

What if Drew Bledsoe never got hurt?

Upon Further Review takes classic arguments conducted over pints in a pub and places them in the hands of dozens of writers, athletes, and historians. From turning points that every sports fan rues or celebrates, to the forgotten would-be inflection points that defined sports, Upon Further Review answers age old questions, and settles the score, even if the score bounced off the crossbar.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Twelve; Illustrated edition (March 26, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1455540374
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1455540372
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1200L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
Reviewer: Andrew Bohrer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great think piece for anyone
Review: I really enjoyed it and purchased it for a few other people. The essays are quite diverse and no sports fandom is required for enjoyment.

Reviewer: Matthew Friedman
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great book
Review: Very creative. I would recommend highly for any sports fan. Very insightful. Read the book in one sitting. Could not put it down.

Reviewer: Sapphire Tinted
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Some of the topics work better than others
Review: An interesting compilation of sports-related hypotheticals. Some of the topics work better than others, though. And some of the essays are just downright confusing.

Reviewer: Bernie B
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: I found it 'meh'.
Review: Uneven publication of a series of vignettes from a variety of personal perspectives. I gave it to a friend who enjoyed it more than I.

Reviewer: K
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: "Butterfly effect" for sports and its impact on society... with a touch of whimsy. Great for "30 for 30" fans.
Review: An easy butter-fly effect alternate history that goes beyond the obvious and makes you think about the role of sports in society (e.g. Nixon's obsession with the NFL, Olympics as proxy war, the trajectory of women's pro sports). Especially recommended for the type of folks who enjoy ESPN's 30-for-30 approach to sports - a balance of appreciation, intellect and whimsy.

Reviewer: P. Seldin
Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars
Title: What-if this had been a good book. It's not.
Review: Very disappointing book. The book is an inconsistent collection of chapters written by different authors. While some of these chapters are worth reading, many, if not most, are not. Furthermore, the cover photos mis-represent the book: I don't recall any mention of Bill Buckner or Dwight Clark. This book was not a good use of my time and attention.

Reviewer: Kenneth Gasper
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fantastic book
Review: A great summer book for easy reading fun to talk about after with your friends

Reviewer: YellowRoseTX
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: for the sports fanatic
Review: This was for my son at Christmas and he loves all sports. He seemed pleased to receive and eager to read.