| Playing Without the Ball: A Novel in Four Quarters |  | Author: Rich Wallace
Publisher: Topeka Bindery
Category: Book
Buy New: $15.25
New (1) Used (4) from $15.25
Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 1509637
Media: School & Library Binding
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 213
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.2 x 1
ISBN: 0613624009
EAN: 9780613624008
ASIN: 0613624009
Publication Date: July 2003
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
There are dozens of detailed, play-by-play descriptions of basketball games in Playing Without the Ball--good news for basketball fans; perhaps bad news for the less enthralled. Rich Wallace, author of Wrestling Sturbridge, is a sportswriter and coach, and it shows. He writes with vigor and authority about the inner workings of athletic competition and the progress of a game but in this book, fails to connect those elements with the plot and convince us that the outcome matters. But never mind. For some teens, as one of his characters says, "There's never enough basketball." Jay McLeod is "the only 17-year-old around who's living alone"--in an apartment over a bar while he finishes his senior year of high school. His mom left when he was nine, and his dad opted out early last year to live his own life, leaving his almost-grown son in the casual care of the bar owner. In the evenings Jay has a job downstairs in the kitchen, frying up wings and egg rolls while other people are partying in the next room. But it's not too bad. Jay has time for lots of basketball for its own sake, and the freedom to check out girls and see where that leads. Rich Wallace has a keen ear for the nuances of young sexual encounters, and his female characters are comfortable with themselves in their easy athleticism--both elements score points in a story that nevertheless bounces off the rim. (Ages 14 and older) --Patty Campbell
Product Description
Some might think Jay was cheated. By his mother, who walked out when he was 9. By his dad, who took a job a couple thousand miles away and let him stay above a bar in a one-room apartment. By the basketball coach, who saw his talent but chose youth over determination. And even Jay’s not sure whether this last year of high school in the small town of Sturbridge, Pennsylvania, will add up to anything. But just when senior year seems a waste–kissing the wrong girls, offending the right ones, playing basketball on a church league with other “rejects”–life begins to click again. The church league gives him some of the best basketball he’s ever played, and the right girl gives him a second chance. Jay may not know what he wants next out of life, but he’s beginning to get a clue about how to play the game.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 Too-Good Character February 13, 2007
Basketball isn't a big sport in the town of Sturbridge--wrestling is what they are known for. But for Jay, basketball is the only sport. Jay is a high school student living on his own. His mother left him and his father when Jay was only a child, and his father raised him alone ever since then. But now his father has decided to travel across the country and settle in California. He thinks Jay should come, too, but Jay wants a chance to stay and play basketball for his high school's team. He starts a job working as a cook in a bar on nights and weekend, and he lives for free in a couple of rooms above the bar.
Living alone doesn't bother Jay much. He focuses on basketball all the time. He wakes up early to play pickup games down at the gym. He plays in the afternoons and the evenings and every other time he can find. Basketball is the focus of his life, and he can't wait for basketball season to start at school. Plus, there are a handful of girls he is interested in who keep him on his toes--Spit, the singer from the band that plays at the bar; Julie, a girl who comes to the bar to see him; and Dana, a girl he plays against in the morning basketball league.
This is an interesting year for Jay, regardless of what happens with the girls and with the team.
The story is good, with plenty of varied and vivid characters. Jay himself, though, was very hard to believe. He is a high school student living all alone, surrounded by drugs and alcohol, and he never gets into any trouble. I simply couldn't buy that as reality.
Love and Basketball August 30, 2004
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book was quite an interesting story about love and basketball, not necessarily in that order. Jay, the main character, is a 17 year-old that was abandoned by his parents. His mother left him, when he was 9 and his father left him in Sturbridge, Pennsylvania to move to California, during Jay's last year of high school. His father left him under the "eye" of a bar owner named Shorty. Jay lives above the bar and he is employed at the bar, as a cook.
It is Jay's desire to play for the high school basketball team. He tries out for the team, and even makes it to the 3rd day, but he gets cut from the team. He is disappointed about this, but he gets up the next day to go play at the YMCA. He decides to try-out for the church league. He makes the team and they go all the way to the Championship. During his run with the church league, he meets a girl named Kylie. On the other hand, his friend, Sarita (Spit), is jealous. Nevertheless, Jay and Kylie fall in love.
The book was OK December 22, 2003
The name of the book is Playing without the Ball by Rich Wallace.
The genre of this book is a little bit of adventure and sports. This book is good for all ages who like to read about sports. Their isn't any bad language and isn't hard to read. The book has a little bit of action so it is kind of hard to put down.In the book their is two main characters named Jay and Sarah, they are best friends and like to play basketball together. Jay likes to play basketball and enjoys goin to the YMCA. Jay's friend Sarah likes to play basketball too. Sarah and Jay go through a lot together. One of the quotes from the book was "don't go sticking up for for him" Sarahs says when Jay is getting yelled at. I thought the book was good but, i think there could be a little more stuff about basketball. I encourage other people to read this book.
 Playing without the Ball February 14, 2003
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Have you ever wondered about what your friends mean when they say girls come into play in their life? Jay in the book " playing without the ball" is faced with the same type of problem as what your friends mean. This book has that same conflict but with girls and basketball. This was the greatest book I have ever read, not just because basketballs my favorite sport but because it dragged me right into the book and I could not put it down. I used to hate reading, since this book I found out how exciting it can be. This book had a lot of details in it. Jay had played basketball for a church team in league at the Y. His team then makes it to the championship game as they play the toughest team in the league. This book has a great deal of meaning, and I just loved it!
Playing Without the Ball February 14, 2003
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
The boook "Playing Without the Ball" by Rich Wallace is one of the best books i have ever read before. I read many good books but this one has to be one of my favorites. This book is very discriptive and interesting.
Jay loves plaing basketball. He plays it everywhere. H meets a girl, Spit, who he loves, but she says they're just buds. Spit plays at Short's bar were he works in the kitchen. When his parents divorce he's left alone. But when he's working he meets the girl of his dreams, who also loves him back until Spit makes her think she's with Jay. Jay gets very mad and they dont talk for a while. Jay gets involved in a Catholic Church group were he meets new friends and plays basketball every Sunday.
If u like basketball with a bit of romance this is the book for you. I hate never read another book by Rich Wallace before, but after this book I'm sure I will read another book by Rich Wallace! This book is defiantly a five star book. The book is only 213pages, but its fast reading.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
