Go Up for Glory

The book does give an insight into Russell's career (up to the point the book was written), which I enjoyed. But I already knew about his basketball career. I wanted to know more about the man named Bill Russell. The book helped me "get to know" (a little better) a man. His name is Bill Russell. Here is a public figure that actually admits that his views have changed over the years and that they will continue to change. (Take note, politicians.) Russell is, in this book, a man struggling with racist America. (As a white man, I simply cannot conceive of what Russell went through.) The book also portrays Russell as a private man. It is written with humor, and Russell isn't afraid to laugh at himself. But it cannot be overlooked or missed that Russell, at least when he wrote this book, felt the scars of racism. Bill is wrong on one thing. He says, "I would never become a super star." History has proved that he was a super star. I wish the book had been longer. I believe he has a new book coming out soon. It will be interesting to see how he has changed since this book was written.

Bill Russell once made a point of telling Michael Jordan's father than Michael was a better person than he was a basketball player. I don't know if anybody ever got around to saying that to Bill Russell's father but they sure should have. The two books Russell authored about his life and career are as good as anything you will find in this field. Russell is as astute about things off the court as he was when he revolutionized the game of basketball. This book might be out of print but if you can find it at your proverbial local library, check it out read it because it is well worth a weekend.You do not have to be a fan of the Celtics to enjoy this book, but certainly anyone who enjoys the game respects what Russell accomplished. I do think you will end up being impressed more by Russell's off-court stories, talking about what it was like to grow up, to discover that you were a basketball player and then know that you wanted to be considered much more than that. I particularly like Russell's emphasis on the mental dimensions of the game, which implicitly attacks the still perpetuated stereotype of the "natural athlete" that continues to dimish the hard effort of many African-American sports stars (e.g., think of what they said about Willie Mays and recall George Will's stinging rebuke in Ken Burn's "Baseball" series). Russell is able to move from sports to politics to society with a keen eye and a subtle passion that is quite eloquent.To top things off, Russell's books are very readible. He has a wicked sense of humor and if you have ever heard his cackeling laugh (catch his current Coors commerical where he repeats Dan Patrick's punch line "and that was just in the first half" and let that sound echo at appropriate moments when you read this book). I particularly like his story of the first time he realized he was looking DOWN at the rim. This is the Russell of old, before he lost interest in the current version of the game and he went from being the best basketball analyst around to something of an outright cynic. You might not like that transformation, but you must agree he has the right to be that way.Bill Russell does not sign autographs. He would rather just shake your hand. If I got the chance to shake his hand I would tell him I never got to see him play, but I read his books and they made me think. I hope he would appreciate the compliment.