Review of "Monday Morning Quarterback: A Fully Caffeinated Guide to Everything You Need to Know about the NFL," by Peter King

 Review of

Monday Morning Quarterback: A Fully Caffeinated Guide to Everything You Need to Know about the NFL, by Peter King ISBN 9781603200806

Five out of five stars

Great writing about many sports

 While the title would indicate that this book is solely about the NFL, that is not the case. Topics as divergent as high school sports and the emotions of having to put your pet down are the subject of essays. Peter King is an amazing talent as an observer of the world as well as his ability to articulate those points.

 Over his career, King has been given deep access to the figures in the sports world. The subjects of the short essays are generally not the events of the big games, but of the actions and positions of the specific players. The focus and dedication that got them there.

 The most moving essays deal with personal events. His description of a long high school softball game where his daughter is playing is a classic of sports short stories. The intensity of the extra inning contest is clearly enunciated. “Goodbye Woody” covers his actions and feelings when he has his dog put down and could appear in any publication and would move readers of any background. Whether they cared about sports or not.

 Good writing can make even the subjects that you find least interesting tug at your mind and force you to pay attention. Even though it is segmented into short essays, this book is hard to put down.

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