Rating: 
Summary: a sweet retrospective
Review: This is an autobiographical review of Pat Conroy's senior year at The Citadel and his frustrating experience as point guard on what was a doormat for other basketball teams in the Southern Conference. It is am amazingly cathartic experience for Pat as he progresses through the year--What he may have started out as a straighforward account --game by game--evolves into bittersweet self-awareness of the influence of his father and coach, and the rigid military school he attended. Basketball was the seminal experience for Pat growing up--and serves as the guiding metaphor of his life. I recommend this book for any athlete or ex-athlete (like myself). It will crystallize the importance of organized athletics as preparation for real life post-athletics.
Rating:
Summary: The basketball fans book
Review: If you're a basketball fan or a player this book is a must have. The book also offers great insite into Conroy's life and writing.
Rating: 
Summary: Close, but...
Review: If you ever played interscholastic basketball you are going to enjoy this book for Conroy's recapitulations of his hoop experiences. If you have ever enjoyed competition in any endeavor you will probably like this book for the same reason. If you ever - well, you get my drift. Unfortunately, if you are expecting something more, like scintillating insights into the human psyche, you might want to read one of Conroy's other books.
Where I come from, basketball players who star for their high school team, who are good enough to interview with recruiters from ACC schools and who receive their college team's MVP award are better than mediocre, better than not very good. Perhaps, it's my fault for not being able to get past Conroy's annoyingly humble assessments of his athletic skills, but I couldn't get past it and it made it difficult for me to accept a bunch of this book. I mean, if he is so clearly unable to accurately examine and judge such a vital aspect of his own life, how can Conroy expect me to believe he has drawn an accurate portrait of his other subjects, particularly his father and Coach Thompson?
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: Another reminder why Pat Conroy remains my overall favorite author. I just wish he released books more often. Really enjoyed this, even though I am not a sports fan or sports "reader." Can't wait for his next one.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I am so glad that I read this book and wish mr. Conroy had even more books to read. I was hesitant to read a basketball memoir, but this was much more. The sports motif was really an allegory of so much more. I learned a lot about the author's life, education and childhood. This gave me more insight into his other novels particularly Beach Music and Lord's of Discipline (both excellent). This was so well written. Everything become lyrical when described by pat Conroy. He is so reflective, honest and insightful. I am not sure about the conversation between the author and the protagonist from Lord's of Descipline, but it was an interesting diea. I had to go back and savor passages that were just so beautitful. I loved it and thank the author for sharing so much of his spirit and craft!
Rating:
Summary: I simply loved this book and could not put it down
Review: Conroy has an amazing gift of language; he brought me back to my own high school and college basketball playing days and helped me relive the pleasures and the pains. However, this is not just a book about basketball...its about relationships with family and friends and about the lessons we learn as we age. I would strongly recommend this book to almost anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Pat, you should have played for my coach
Review: Anyone who played basketball in the 60's must fast break to the bookstore (or click on order) to read this book. While a bit wordy on describing his fast break assists, he perfectly describes the game and college experience of the era. Don't be thrown off by the critique of his coach, this is standard procedure for college jocks. I raced threw this book. Disappointed his team didn't extend their season so the book would continue. My golfing buddies and I today debated whether he soared with writing success due to his father or would have been better with a "normal" one. Wow, what a combination he would have been with my college coach, an English major from Purdue, John Wooden. I wish Conroy could meet Coach Wooden just once.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the most disappointing books from a author I cherish!
Review: I cannot believe that the man who wrote "Beach Music", "Prince of Tides", etc. could have written such a boring, repetitive, uninteresting book as this. How can anyone think that learning about every jump shot, basketball move, locker room ranting, past hurt (brought up so eloquently in prior books) could be of interest to anyone? Mr. Conroy, if you ever read this, please return to the man who can capture one's heart and intellect in a single sentence
Rating:
Summary: An interesting, cathartic read
Review: I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book--I've never read Conroy's books before, I've never attended a military school, and I don't like basketball--but I'm pleased to say I was wrong. Though Conroy does dwell on the play-by-play of ballgames a little too much (especially later in the book), I found this story of failures and triumphs to be gripping. I think Conroy wrote the book more for himself and his old team than for the average paying customer, but I didn't feel left out. Good stuff.
Rating:
Summary: A TRUE WINNER
Review: Conroy turns the turbo jets of his writing engines to the sport of basketball in this alternative perspective to much of his fictional work. Nowhere else have I seen a writer bring so much life and poetry to descriptions of a game that, aside from Updike, has rarely received literary treatment or scrutiny. Conroy takes the reader to the hardwood floors of small college arenas and into the steamy locker rooms of a broken down team and its half-crazed coach. As he traces his own "glory" days, Conroy attempts to understand the psychology of the overachievers (his coach and dad) that fail to find joy in the lesser accomplishments of their own charges. Anyone who has played under such conditions at the high school or college level will recognize the accuracy of many of Conroy's observations (Conroy confirms in print with his comments on modern players turning the ball over a condition that I have long thought has cheapened the sport). Those of us that have never let go of the competitive fires described here will bask in them again. This is an exceptional sports book; unlike his novels, there is little fat that needs to be trimmed. It is work of both great pride and great humility.
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