Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Sidecountry by John Branch


Started: 8/9/2024

Finished: 8/13/2024

Year: 2021

Pages: 345

Genre: sports history

Grade: B

Reason for reading: goodreads.com giveaway

Type: ARC

Blurb (from Amazon): "Branch is renowned for covering the offbeat in the sporting world, from alligator hunting to wingsuit flying. Sidecountry features such classic Branch pieces, including “Snow Fall,” about downhill skiers caught in an avalanche in Washington state, and “Dawn Wall,” about rock climbers trying to scale Yosemite’s famed El Capitan. In other articles, Branch introduces people whose dedication and decency transcend their sporting lives, including a revered football coach rebuilding his tornado-devastated town in Iowa and a girls’ basketball team in Tennessee that plays on despite never winning a game. The book culminates with his moving personal pieces, including “Children of the Cube,” about the surprising drama of Rubik’s Cube competitions as seen through the eyes of Branch’s own sports-hating son, and “The Girl in the No. 8 Jersey,” about a mother killed in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting whose daughter happens to play on Branch’s daughter’s soccer team."

Opinion: As with every collection of stories, some are better than others. Some interesting looks at behind the story on some known places, sports, events.

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