Knute Rockne: A Portrait of a Notre Dame Legend

Michael Steele has been doing books on Notre Dame football for many years. Some, like Rockne: A Bio-Bibliography (1983) are very detailed, but most, especially this book, are more in the coffee table genre. But that's o.k. because Steele is modest about his books, and makes no special claims for them.The photos in this book are excellent and not only include many of Rockne at various stages of his life, but also of his famous players. Steele also includes pictures of many important sites in Rockne's life, and even some diagrams of plays.The text moves swiftly through the famous coach's life and career. On occasion, Steele repeats an old and questionable chestnut, but for the most part, he gives straight-forward game-by-game details. The final section of the book contains long interviews with a number of men who played for Rockne and/or were students at Notre Dame in the 1920s. Since all of these men have since died, the interviews are often poignant, even if they are more nostalgic than truly informative.If you are looking for a deeply researched and footnoted biography of Knute Rockne, this is not the book for you. However, if you want a pleasant journey through the coach's life, take this trip with Michael Steele.Professor Murray Sperber, Author of Shake Down the Thunder (1993), and Onward to Victory (1998).