Phelps (Law/Notre Dame), wife of ex-Notre Dame basketball coach ``Digger'' Phelps, pulls no punches in this intelligent, skillful account of her family's 20 years in South Bend. When Coach Phelps (whom the author refers to as ``Dick,'' forgoing the nickname her husband acquired as an undertaker's son) was told after the 1990-91 season—his 20th at Notre Dame—to resign or be fired, the news came as no surprise. The Phelpses had heard the boos over the past couple of seasons and were well aware of the ``Dump Digger'' clamor. But according to the author, Phelps's mediocre 1989-90 record of 16-12 was only a part of the problem. The trouble began, she says, when Notre Dame's longtime president, Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, retired and a new administration took over—one that emphasized winning ``at any cost.'' The ``new plutocratic regime'' measured success only by the bottom line, Phelps contends, and ignored her husband's many 20-win seasons; his value as part of the school community; and the fact that 100% of his players went on to graduate, compared to the 33% national rate for varsity basketball players. Phelps quotes the school's new athletic director, Dick Rosenthal, as boasting that he would ``schedule Digger out of a job'' with a grueling 1990-91 slate of games that included only 12 home games—and most of those played just prior to exams. On a more personal note, as the author writes of her marriage and children, she makes clear that she knew early on that she wouldn't be simply a ``lovely wife,'' a media creature who was ``trivial, irrelevant, interchangeable.'' She goes on to proffer some practical advice to the NCAA rules committee regarding eligibility, and remarks that colleges need to create an atmosphere ``in which athletes can exploit their educational opportunities as much as we exploit the athletes.'' A fine memoir-cum-defense, told from a fresh perspective. (Photographs—not seen)
Pub Date: Jan. 24, 1994
ISBN: 0-393-03470-4
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Norton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1993
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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