Leni Zumas's writing crackles. Her books are sharp, bleak, funny, and possibly dangerous. When her collection of short stories, Farewell Navigator,...
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This biography is beautifully written, compelling, thoughtful, and well-researched (even though, as the author points out, Augustan Romans did an excellent job of covering their tracks, erasing nearly all Cleopatra's story in the process). I gained new insights into the Rome of that time, Mediterranean (Roman, Greek, Ptolemaic, Egyptian, etc.) culture.
I don't even LIKE sports that much, but I could not put this book down. The writers/reporters risked jail time to tell their story. The book is well-written, well-paced, and reads like terrific fiction (although, unfortunately, it's true). Anyone who follows sports has insights to gain from reading Game of Shadows. Anyone who has children who idolize athletes should view it as a cautionary tale. And coaches--who tolerate their players' bad behavior or look the other way when athletes get "bigger, stronger, faster" way too quickly--should pay very close attention to the messages of this book.
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Candy Carter has commented on (2) products.
Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
Candy Carter, January 1, 2011
This biography is beautifully written, compelling, thoughtful, and well-researched (even though, as the author points out, Augustan Romans did an excellent job of covering their tracks, erasing nearly all Cleopatra's story in the process). I gained new insights into the Rome of that time, Mediterranean (Roman, Greek, Ptolemaic, Egyptian, etc.) culture.Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, Balco, and the Steroids Scandal That Rocked Professional Sports by Mark Fainaru-wada
Candy Carter, July 14, 2007
I don't even LIKE sports that much, but I could not put this book down. The writers/reporters risked jail time to tell their story. The book is well-written, well-paced, and reads like terrific fiction (although, unfortunately, it's true). Anyone who follows sports has insights to gain from reading Game of Shadows. Anyone who has children who idolize athletes should view it as a cautionary tale. And coaches--who tolerate their players' bad behavior or look the other way when athletes get "bigger, stronger, faster" way too quickly--should pay very close attention to the messages of this book.(3 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)