Reviews

Abdul-Jabbar, away from basketball for ten years, having recently entered his fifth decade of life and devastated by the loss of his mother, returns to the game in an unusual fashion: a one-year stint as an assistant coach for the Alchesay High School Falcons of the White Mountain Apache reservation in Arizona. This work chronicles Abdul-Jabbar's experience with Alchesay's brand of "Apache basketball" as the team attempts to return to the state high school championship finals. Much more than a basketball book, Abdul-Jabbar's collection of interactions with players and coaching staff provide a framework for his examination of the historic connections between Native American and African American peoples from the time of the Buffalo Soldiers to the present day. This is as solid a work on experiencing life in another culture as it is on Arizona hoops. It is as appropriate for ethnic, multicultural, and history collections as it is for sports. The audio abridgment is carefully done, nicely produced, and excellently read by Carl Lumbly. Highly recommended for listeners of all ages.--Cliff Glaviano, Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.