 Required reading after turkey is consumed! Not only is Brett Favre "the man" on the field, he is also "the man" in books! Overall, I have unofficially(and I stress that word!) counted about 53 titles for books about Brett Favre with his name in the title. I'm going to guess that no quarterback from the modern era has been written about (in form of a published book) more than Brett Favre. He's probably the perfect combination, of talent, accomplishments, background, personality, quirkiness, etc that make him great food for books! Most are books about the Packer days, but there are a handful about the dark days with the Vikings and only a couple about the Jet days, which seems logical. The full length books are just the tip of the Favre iceburg. I could add another 30 or so books to the list if I included books Brett was part of, but not in the title. And if you were to count all the Packer trivia or fact books, you may find another 30 on top of that. In addition, Favre is immortalized in a great many magazine features and commemorative newspaper sections, many which have probably morphed into some of the full length books written by these beat writers. Clearly, Favre is one of a kind--it's the reason we all love him! As I stressed to some of my high school library patrons this week, "Did you ever wonder why so many of you guys are named Brett?" Here's a little trip through the Favre bibliography! Top Brett Favre Titles: Based on reviews and holdings in Wisconsin libraries
Some of the more "interesting" Favre books I discovered
The 5 Part Method, or how Brett Favre is a Saint by Christopher Pumphrey How to create an argument and construct a five paragraph theme using Brett Favre! It's Favre, Not Farv You Bobbleheads: How Bradd FaVre, the NFL & the Media let America go to hell in a Jockstrap by Jon Christopher Great look at the cult of celebrity and sports figures like Brett I Love Brett Favre, I Hate Brett Favre by Ross Bernstein Boy, this about sums it up! Chapter 3: I forgive Brett Favre. Chapter 4: I love Brett Favre again! Favre Family Cookbook by the Favre Family Do you think anyone had ever eaten a crawfish in Green Bay before Brett arrived? Brett Favre: Huck Finn Grows Up by Steve Cameron The down south Huck Finn thing was a staple comparison. Aww, shucks. Kiln Kountry: Home of Brett Favre by Dan Ellis (Pronounced Kill, of course) I remember news organizations doing live reports from diners and roadsides all over Kiln. It became Green Bay of the south! We knew the place better than home! Anyone remember the Broke Spoke!!  Inspirational Favre Book: Don't Bet Against Me by Deanna Favre This book is still a favorite in the library, and a must read for any Favre fan. Brett's wife Deanna was as much a part of the Favre legacy as Brett, and her fight against cancer was well publicized.  Best/Creepiest Favre Book Cover!! Can you imagine the kid that pulls this off the shelf when browsing around?? In this cover he resembles one of those guys who hangs around elementary schools in a van with no windows!  Best Book to read this weekend if you love the Packers
Leaders of the Pack by Rob Reischel All the great ones we've been spoiled to have come together under one cover. Starr, Favre, Rodgers. Read and appreciate! Good luck finding a dry eye on Thanksgiving night.
0 Comments
 OK-the Pack wins and Jockbrarian is back on the wagon! In honor of Brett Favre having his name unveiled on the ring at Lambeau Field on Thursday, can you guess how many books Brett Favre has written about him??
Let's set some boundries.
 One of the great things about being a librarian is seeing a box of newly ordered books make it to your desk! It's like having Christmas every month or so, but when the bill arrives, you just turn it in to the finance department and let them write the check! Since I get asked regularly what I have ordered for the library, I am going to put out a post whenever I get an order in, letting you know the sports titles I purchased with an added annotated bibliography for quick reference. I may get more in depth with some of the books later, but I at least want to get some ideas out there for those ordering or looking for a quick read. The latest order came a couple of weeks ago, and usually is a little heavier in size as it includes some titles that came out during the summer months--you know, the time when nobody in education works! Luckily, Jockbrarian never breaks from looking for good sports titles! Enjoy! Five to Fly: Five new books that won't last long on the shelves!
Ravin, Idan. The hoops whisperer : on the court and inside the heads of basketball's best players. New York, N.Y. : Gotham Books, [2015]. "Basketball's training guru offers an inside look at his career, his methods, and the all-star players whose games he's helped transform"--Provided by publisher. First Impressions: Just gave this one to our D-1 hoops recruit out of the box! He happened to need a book to read for class. Score! Sometimes timing is everything! Ladouceur, Bob, 1954-. Chasing perfection : the leadership principles behind winning football the De La Salle way. Chicago, Ill. : Triumph Books, [2015]. Bob Ladouceur, the head coach at De La Salle High School in Concord, California from 1979 through 2013 with a record of 399-25-3, shares techniques, philosophies, and team-building exercises applicable beyond the playing field. First impressions: Books about successful high school football teams are always money in a school library. We have 200 kids in the football program here--this book will make the rounds. Lucas, Ed, 1939-. Seeing home : the Ed Lucas story : a blind broadcaster's story of overcoming life's greatest obstacles. 1st Gallery Bks. hardcover ed. April 2015. New York : Gallery Books, Jeter Pub., [2015]. Emmy-winning broadcaster Ed Lucas, chronicles his life and career in baseball while overcoming growing up in poverty and blindness. First Impressions: This is the first book I will read from the order! When you combine sports with human disability and overcoming odds, you capture the hearts of any reader. Favor Hamilton, Suzy. Fast girl : a life spent running from madness. 1st ed. New York, NY : Dey St., an imprint of William Morrow Publishers, [2015]. Suzy Favor Hamilton discusses her life, time as a runner, and her struggles with depression. First Impressions: Clearly a Wisconsin tie here, but she has a great story about dealing with mental illness, which many can relate to. The book may be a little racy for high school, and I'm not talking running! Mone, Gregory. The boys in the boat : the true story of an American team's epic journey to win gold at the 1936 Olympics. New York, N.Y. : Viking, 2015. "Out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington's eight-oar crew was never expected to defeat the elite East Coast teams, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler"--Amazon.com. First Impression: Will probably have a successful run like Unbroken did with readers. I remember Unbroken sat on my shelves for awhile before it got noticed and caught fire. There is an adult and young adult version of the book.  Current events drive a good share of nonfiction book movement in any library. Usually someone is intrigued by an article they read in the newspaper, or moved by a story that touches a certain nerve, and they seek out ways to further their curiosity with a book. It's no secret that sports and social issues go hand in hand. The movement by Missouri football players to boycott football in order to protest racism on the University of Missouri campus this past weekend was powerful to many kids. One of the talents of a good teacher/coach/librarian is to develop a strong enough relationship of familiarity and trust with students that you can have these heavy discussions. As often the case with me, a good casual discussion opens the door for me to suggest some books that are relatable to the current issue. This particular protest in Missouri made me think of a book that I recently purchased for the collection called Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South by Andrew Maraniss. The books is about Perry Wallace, a student and talented athlete who became the first African-American basketball player in the SEC at Vanderbilt University during the turbulent late 1960s. Wallace experienced the hostile crowd environments of the south, fought alongside other black students for better treatment from the university, and struggled for his rights as a black basketball player in a white conference. His story highlights the civil rights and racial tensions that existed back then--and obviously still do today. Members of the Missouri football team that boycotted were ultimately able to hit the right people enough where it hurt, and like Wallace, found a measure of success by taking action. Missouri defensive end Charles Harris was quoted in a USA Today piece by Jarrett Bell saying, "Let this be a testament to all the athletes across the country that you do have power." I think this is a message that Perry Wallace would be happy to have you take from his story. Now there's a fresh case for the history books, with the kids at Missouri scoring a victory that is more significant than any they can achieve on the field.  There is no greater thrill than coaching or competing in a State level meet. This past weekend, I was fortunate to have a team of girls qualify for the Wisconsin State Cross Country Championships at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. What an absolute rush!! I mean, we finished 19th of 20 teams--but nobody really cared! We were there to soak up the experience(and the rain that fell all day!).
If you want to know what it's like to win a State title though, you sure as heck don't want to talk to me! I would instead point you to Donn Behnke, coach of the Stevens Point High School boys cross country squad. Coach Behnke has led his team to an amazing 37 Wisconsin state meet appearances, with 10 of them resulting in titles. It was cool seeing Coach Behnke walking around at the meet this weekend, especially since I had just purchased a copy of his new book, The Animal Keepers: The Story of an Unlikely Hero and an Unforgettable Season. The story tracks the 1985 season of the Stevens Point High School cross country team and their journey to the State title that year. What makes the victory more surreal is that the team is led by an unlikely hero named Scott "The Animal" Longley, a special education student who shows up the first day of practice with no expectations, but a big heart. Like any title squad, pieces and chemistry have to collide at the right times. Behnke graciously gives us the details how this team forged a bond that brought out the champion in each runner and collectively made them strong for the title run. This book is an absolute "must" for any high school library. The story will make it's way through your running crew like a prized old t-shirt! Not only does the book capture the true spirit of cross country, it shows how important it is to be a good teammate, and how never to underestimate anyone that walks through the door on the first day of practice! It's a mistake we all have made as coaches and runners. Though the last thing anyone wants to hear are more "remember the day" stories from old jocks like me, the public library needs this book in their collection as well to satisfy that nostalgic itch all of us former high school runners have. This story will take you back to every crazy teammate, pasta party, gut-wrenching workout, and magical race you ever had. Not a bad way to spend some time! |
RSS Feed
