I recently read the latest book by author, Mike DeLucia. Although I am not a basketball fanatic, I was drawn to this story based on a series of conversations that I had with my now deceased father, Phil. He imposed in his children a commitment to hard work & a passion for competitive sports. However, my father, who always had the "gift of gab," was a great story teller although, at times, I questioned the veracity of his words...
This book is more than a basketball story & a great story it is. Hank Luisetti, embodies the Italian American immigrant experience where he tied to his old world traditions but at the same time, longs to choose his own path in the newly adopted country of his parents. Despite early physical & familial obstacles, Hank triumphs both on the court & in his personal life. True, he revolutionized the game of basketball as we know it today, but more importantly, at least from my perspective, it gave me greater insights into the struggles & passions of a young Italian American youth who learns to overcome self-imposed burdens in his quest to leave his indelible mark in a society that imposes the burden of tradition on him & many others like him.
Mike captured my attention immediately with a handful of Italian phrases that I recall from my youth. He even incorporates the use of "broken English" to great effect to make his depiction of Hank's family all the more real & poignant. The reader is also absorbed in this suspenseful story as the clash between rival East & West Coast basketball teams in the 1930's is revealed & explored. The powerful & dramatic ending does not disappoint.
Thank you, Mike DeLucia, for helping me to reconnect with my dad. After all these years, I've come to learn that many of his "dubious" stories were actually grounded in fact. I'm sure that he was in attendance at the historic game between LIU & Stamford at the Garden. He was probably there with his basketball buddies, including Red Holzman, who later became the head coach of the Knicks in their glory years. I'm also certain that my dad probably concocted some story to get out of the house in order to escape, albeit temporarily, the "tyranny" of his parents.
This book is a wonderful read & a glowing reminder of the struggles that first generation Italian Americans (& perhaps all others) experienced in the first half of the 20th Century. Mike DeLucia has conjured all this & more in a truly inspirational story desperately needed in these troublesome times where the immigration debate rages on ...
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Reviews with images
Much more than a biography
You have good reason to expect fiction to be inspirational, otherwise why bother with imagined dialogue, thoughts and feelings? Yes, but this one is exceptional, and on top of that, the leading characters and main events are real. It's biographical fiction, among the best. Even the fictional parts seem real. Every word of this story has the ring of truth, colored by Italian-American culture, college romance, locker-room hi-jinks and of course games of basketball. And it's far more than a sports story, though as a sports story it's historic. After all, the author does bring back to life, back to history, a man who launched the modern age of basketball, and yet who'd been forgotten by most. This matters to all of us trying to make a difference, who wonder if anyone will remember what we did 80 years from now. However, much more than that, Madness is a character-driven page-turner. From the start, I just wanted to know what would happen with the relationships between Hank and the other characters, especially his father and his adoring girl friend. So this is a compelling coming-of-age story of a young man dealing with a cage of expectations in conflict with his pressing need to find his own path. Does he win this championship game? You'll just have to read it and find out.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2022
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2019
