This fall, book fans have the opportunity to purchase three of the finest books the publishing world has to offer.Philadelphia’s own Ray Didinger and Glen Macnow have co-authored a book on the greatest sports movie of all-time, pop-culture guru Chuck Klosterman has written a bunch of non-fiction essays, and ESPN’s Bill Simmons is about to release the defintivie book on basketball.
ESPN’s Bill Simmons is set to release the “The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy” on Oct. 27.
He’s known as “The Sport’s Guy” and is the most popular columnist on espn.com. He’s the host of the popular “B.S. Report” podcast, and is currently an executive producer for the “30 for 30” documentary series that is airing weekly on ESPN. He’s also the best basketball writer alive.
In “The Book of Basketball,” Simmons undertakes the seemingly simple task of rating the greatest NBA players but that task is complicated when it comes to comparing players from different generations because no common theme exists from generation to generation; however, Simmons found that race could be the common theme.
The book is over 700 pages long and took Simmons over two years to complete. In addition to ranking the ninety-six greatest players, Simmons uncovers how the NBA came to be, tries to figure out once and for the Wilt versus Russell debate, explores the What-Ifs of basketball, analyzes the ABA-NBA merger, discusses Bill Walton’s ’78 season, re-constructs the NBA Hall of Fame, uses his reconciliation with Isiah Thomas (thanks to Gus Johnson) to uncover the secret of basketball, and much, much more. Matt Stone, co-creator of “South Park,” responds to an idea of Simmons for he and Trey Parker to purchase the Memphis Grizzlies. Chuck Klosterman makes a cameo to inject his two cents on the Russel v. Wilt debate. There’s also tons and tons of footnotes, drawing comparisons to the footnotes of the late David Foster Wallace.
Simmons possesses an extraordinary amount of basketball knowledge. He understands the intricacies, the politics, the different era’s. He’s the one author who can be trusted to deliver the definitive book on basketball.
“The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sport’s Guy” will be released on Tuesday and is available for pre-order at amazon.com. He can be read online at espn.com’s Page 2.
The Sports Guy Bill Simmons will be signing copies of his book “The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy” at the Borders bookstore in Center City, located on Chestnut street off of the Avenue of the Arts on Tues, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m.
He’s willing to sign whatever you want as long as you have a short sentence in mind and as long as it won’t result in his getting fired or arrested.
As for Chuck Klosterman, after releasing his first fiction novel, “Downtown Owl,” last fall, he returns with a book of non-fiction essays called “Eating The Dinosaur.”
His last book of non-fiction essays entitled “Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low-Culture Manifesto,” tackled such subjects as “The Sims,” why and how Coldplay and John Cusack could ruin your relationship, and “Saved By The Bell.” It was a success.
Klosterman grew up on a farm near Wyndmere, North Dakota. He has written for SPIN, Esquire, ESPN, The Washington Post, The New York Times Magazine, The A.V. Club, and GQ. He’s covered everything from Barry Bonds to evangelical Christians. He’s tried to figure out the authenticity of Bono and the importance of Morrisey among minority Mexican immigrants in California.
In his newest book, Klosterman will once again tackle important pop-culture topics.
This is not foreign territory for Klosterman. Klosterman has always been interested in the meaning and importance of celebrity in Americana, in the importance of popular culture. He memorably profiled Britney Spears in 2003 and bombarded her with questions about her own iconography to which she essentially seemed to be unaware of her own significance in pop-culture. He’s explored why so many young musicians die in his book “Killing Yourself to Live.” He’s analyzed “Saved By The Bell,” and in doing so, figures out the “Tori Paradox,” how it’s plausible that the girl who replaces Kelly and Jesse during certain senior year episodes can disappear when Kelly and Jesse were involved in the episode without a thought.
“Eating The Dinosaur” promises to be another insightful, entertaining collection of essays by the best pop-culture writer in America. He explores why music fans will hate their favorite band’s latest albums, time travel, Garth Brooks, why German’s don’t laugh when they are inside of a grocery store, and the iconography of football. While exploring these subjects, the larger theme throughout the book is the concept of reality, about a fake reality that’s been constructed by media perception, and why that fake reality is more meaningful than whatever actually happened. In other words, it’s just another good ol’ Klosterman book.
“Eating The Dinosaur” is available everywhere.
As for Ray Didinger and Glen Macnow, the two best-selling authors have put their minds together to countdown the 100 greatest sports movies of all time in their book, “The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies.”
From “Rocky,” “Slap Shot,” “Field Of Dreams,” “Caddyshack, “Miracle, “Remember The Titans” to “Vision Quest,” and “The Wrestler,” Didinger and Macnow have selected the sports movies they are most interested and affected by, the movies that are beloved by sports fans everywhere. The movie that remind us why sports are the greatest thing on planet Earth.
The book also includes lists like “The All-Time Movie Baseball Team,” “Athletes Who Could Act,” “Family Movie Night,” and “Lost Treasures.”
The two don’t do it alone though. The book features commentary from over 100 people including Dennis Quaid and Buzz Bissinger
Ray Didinger and Glen Macnow are the best authors around to undertake such a list.
Both are popular hosts on 610 WIP and have written books about Philadelphia sports. Didinger co-authored the definitive book on the Philadelphia Eagles, “The Eagles Encyclopedia,” and spent years covering the Eagles, Flyers, Sixers, and Phillies for the Philadelphia Bulletin and Daily News. He compiled the best stories he wrote in his book “One Last Read.” Macnow has co-authored three best-selling sports books including “The Great Book of Philadelphia Sports Lists,” and covered Philly sports for the Inquirer.
“The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies” is available at bookstores everywhere and online retailers at a discounted price.
Chris Monigle is a fifth-year student majoring in Literature. He can be reached at CM660983@wcupa.edu.