Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

 This memoir of the co-founder of Nike totally captivated me because it was like a roller coaster ride that never let up. There was challenge after challenge, and I kept wondering, how on earth can Knight stand this level of stress? I enjoyed learning more about how a company can become a cultural phenomenon, and what level of commitment and crazy that takes. I enjoyed learning about atheletic sponsorships and the feet on the ground over years of work that eventually paid off. It was interesting to read about how Knight met and hired his inner circle (the Buttfaces) that took this fledgling company into the behomoth it is today. 

What was heartbreaking to read about was how totally consuming this effort was, while his two sons languished with his wife. There's a chapter where he writes that one son refused to wear Nike's and both refused to be in sports. This was their retaliation for his absenteeism and it's a sad story. You can feel Knight's regrets, but that doesn't make it easy to read about.

He often depended on his father for encouragement and as that relationship developed over time, it was interesting to watch Knight understand some things about his own drive and impulses. It was impressive that his wife Penny stayed with him through all of the ups and downs. The Japanese characters were also intriguing to read about, and it opened a curtain on some of the cultural challenges that doing business there can uncover. 

He's definitely cut from a different cloth. I can't conceive of hanging in there when contracts were broken, when innovations didn't work, and when slapped with a 25 million dollar tax bill... Wait, what? You keep going as if it's all going to turn out well? Knight's life has not been easy! I liked how it was never about the money for him... And I liked how loyal he was to his friends and his state of Oregon and his school, the U of Oregon. All interesting things that I knew little about, and his writing style is captivating and engaging. There were lots of deals and accounting and banking things that I needed more details to understand. But if he had made them understandable, it could have been a boring and technical read. What I got was a snapshot of the issues like importing, going public, etc., and I would have appreciated more detail. Still, a good ride for sure. 

P.S. Here's a miracle! I was thinking about sending this book to Jane because I sensed she would like it, but I didn't. Then, in a recent convo, I told her about it, and she had just read it too!!! And yes, she did enjoy it and made lots of connections too, including one with her ex-husband, Larry, who wore Converse tennis shoes back in the day and laughed at her for suggesting better shoes would help his game... There wasn't such a thing as specialized shoes for specialized sports back then!

Summer Ball by Mike Lupica

I enjoy listening to Mike Lupica when he's interviewed on the radio. He seems like a good guy, so I thought I'd give one of his books a try. Since he writes about sports for young people, I thought it would be a good idea to see if it's good enough to give Gabriel. Our tastes are pretty different, but I thought this might be one that would bridge the gap. We'll see! I'm giving it to him today.

This story features Danny Walker, a small (compared to his friends and teammates) basketball player. He's the son of a professional player and that helps explain some of his enthusiasm for the game. When we were raising Melissa, I was thoroughly surprised and impressed by her sports work ethic. Nothing was too much to ask in practice, and she practiced on her own. She has the passion to get better and will do anything to do it. Danny is like that, and I've often wondered if that's a trait that is inborn.

What makes this book better than most young adult literature is the sensitivity of the characters, the wisdom of the adults, though no one is perfect. My favorite aspect, though, is the way Lupica has Danny react to challenges. When he encounters a bad coach, Danny just works harder to impress him. Overcoming challenges with a great attitude is a recurring theme which would serve kids well, I think. I guess it's okay to have a loser coach; there are plenty of them out there. I do question, however, that he ended up looking like a complete chump at the end, when compared to Danny's nobility. There is something to be said for being obedient to your coach...not sure Danny and the team found the right balance there. But all in all, I think this book teaches good values.

I also like the friendships and the appropriate interaction between them. These kids are 12-14 years old, like each other, but don't go down any sexual roads at all. I appreciated that. And they support each other in very effective ways.

Lupica describes all the basektball moves and strategies in great detail. And even though I didn't understand or necessarily follow it all, it didn't detract from the story for me. I was able to follow it enough to feel joy when the game went well and pain when a shot was missed. Danny's floor pass also was described in a way that I could see. It also helped me understand that the game is more complex than I usually can appreciate.

I just heard Lupica interviewed on Imus this morning, and he's just signed a four-book deal with Simon & Schuster. The first of the four is out, and I might give it a try. I like how he weaves a story, makes his characters interesting and real, and is also unpredictable. Stay tuned for Gabe's reaction!