By Stanley Gordon West
A young English teacher, nearly crippled both by pain from his childhood and from the recent death of his wife, agrees to once again coach the perpetually losing high school basketball team at his tiny school in a Montana town. But this year is different, thanks to a 6'11" exchange student and a new student with lots of basketball experience moving to town. A young assistant coach joins the team, dealing with ghosts from her own past. Sam's favorite story is Don Quixote, and like the persistent hero, Sam follows his own impossible dream. The book is loaded with memorable characters, e.g. Pete's grandma and Tom's alcoholic father - as well as a host of subplots - but the author keeps the characters human and avoids letting the story descend into saccharin sweetness. The ending is satisfying and rewarding.
No comments:
Post a Comment