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The Game of Their Lives | 
 enlarge | Author: Geoffrey Douglas
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Category: Book
List Price: $23.00
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You Save: $22.93 (100%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 1192243
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 146
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 6.3 x 0.5
ISBN: 0805038752
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.3346680981
EAN: 9780805038750
ASIN: 0805038752
Publication Date: September 1996
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: Excellent Condition--for being read once. Book shows very light wear. 1 Hour Ship! ** 96% positive feedback past 90 days--new management overhaul! ** Shop the Internet's most eco-conscious bookseller and keep the earth clean! ** Red Carpet Books = Red Carpet Service.
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Product Description
In the summer of 1950, a most unlikely group was assembled to represent its country in the first soccer World Cup since World War II. The Americans were outsiders to the sport, the underdogs of the event, a 500-to-1 long shot. But they were also proud and loyal men -- to one another, to their communities, and certainly to their country. Facing almost no time to prepare, opponents with superior training, and skepticism from the rest of the world, this ragtag group of unknowns was inspired to a stunning victory over England and one of the most thrilling upsets in the history of sports. Written by critically acclaimed author Geoffrey Douglas, and now a film directed by David Anspaugh (Hoosiers), The Game of Their Lives takes us back to a time before million-dollar contracts and commercial endorsements, and introduces us to the athletes -- the Americans -- who showed the world just how far a long shot could really go.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 great story June 27, 2007
i thought it was fantastic. it's not as much about soccer as i thought it would be, and it's not the most well written book i've seen, but the long stretches where it seems like the author transcribed a recorded conversation with one of the players are amazing. some of the stories the players recall provide an insight to a time in American history that i never knew. really did give a unique view of an unforgettable moment in US Soccer history. also, very quick read.
 A fine read, but it could have been so much more. January 23, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Rather than investigating the events surrounding the team from an academic or even journalistic perspective, Douglas basically records the recollections of the surviving members, with more emphasis on their idyllic childhoods than anything that happened at or after the World Cup. There was much more material to be had here had the book had a wider scope or more comprehensive research. As an example, Walter Bahr is one of the seminal figures of American soccer, but the descriptions of him in the book are limited to sepia-toned recollections of his youth in "simpler times." Still and all, it is nice to read about a team that history has not accorded its due, and if one can accept the book for what it is rather than wishing it were something more, the short time it takes to read it is worthwhile.
Good Movie for any die hard soccer player October 16, 2005
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Although the movie may be missing pieces here and there or not go deep enough into character development, it's still a good heartwarming story. Any person with a true love for the sport will connect with it in some way.
Not Many Options October 29, 2003
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I would recommend this book a US soccer fan that may only know the final score for this historic game. This book does describe the state of US soccer in the 50's. For example, some people may not be aware that there is a national club championship open to all US teams (the National Challenge Cup, today this cup tournament is called the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup). This team was made up of players that came from some of the teams that won the cup such as Simpkins-Ford (1948 & 1950 with Gino Pariano, Charlie Colombo, Frank Borghi, and Frank Wallace) or New York Brookhattan (1945 Joe Gaetjens team). For the die hard soccer fan this book needs more details on how this team won its spot in the World Cup. Also, there really is not enough detail on the game itself, which may be a result of the dearth of information even at the time (still there is enough there to get your hear pounding and help the reader imagine the excitement of the game). Considering how the English team felt humiliated by result they sure did not want to discuss the game and the US press could hardly care any less. Also, it would be nice to have the perspective of the English players; however, that was not the writer's purpose. This is a story about the men who played the game because they loved it. There needs to be a more detailed treatment of these men and specifically Joseph "Joe" Gaetjens. That being said there is not much out there on the subject and this is still an enjoyable story of perseverance. I hope this book and the upcoming movie bring more people to examine this
More than just the game! November 4, 2002
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I can understand those who want more about the soccer than the team members. But consider that this book isn't just about the upset, it's about the people who made it happen. It's as much about the social history of the team as anything else. Could the author have spent more time following up reserves and scouring the globe for accounts of the game? Probably.But I think the story would suffer for that. Could someone write a focused, technical account of the game and the 1950 World Cup? Probably. But the social and personal contexts enrich the story. It could stand to be a little longer, and perhaps fleshing out the other team members would help in that regard. But what there is of this book is more interesting because we're given background.
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