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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
MY LOSING SEASON HAS WINNING READINGS, 1 Nov 2002
Both Jay O. Sanders and Chuck Montgomery render thoroughly enjoyable readings of Conroy's love affair with basketball. A stand-up comedian and TV performer (The Sopranos, Law & Order), Montgomery brings nuanced richness to his performance on the Unabridged version. The acclaimed author of "Beach Music" and "The Prince of Tides," Conroy was a military child whose constant was change, from town to town and house to house. He discovered basketball at the age of nine and hung on for dear life. While enduring a less than perfect childhood, Conroy has said that basketball "provided a legitimate physical outlet for all the violence and rage and sadness I later brought to the writing table.......It was also the main language that allowed father and son to talk to each other. If not for sports, I do not think my father would have ever talked to me." Thus, "My Losing Season" is not just about a sport, but about a life. It is a memorable coming of age tale. Conroy played for the Citadel Bulldogs during their 1966-67 season. The team coach, Mel Thompson, was a harsh disciplinarian who was known for his 3 ½ hour Christmas Day practices. Rather than encouragement he doled out abuse. In retrospect Conroy looks at that season as a benchmark experience in his life. Although his teammates may very well wish they had been victorious, Conroy writes, "I consider it one of the great years of my life. If I could change history, if I could change everything that happened that year, if I could bring us a national championship I would not do it...It was the year I learned to accept loss as part of natural law. My team taught me there could be courage and dignity and humanity in loss...." Listen to this remarkable true story - listen and learn.
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