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Hoop Dreams
176 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1995
7 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Paul Robert Walker
33 books7 followersI was born in Oak Park, Illinois—just like Ernest Hemingway, only later.
I’ve been saying this in biographies for a long time, and it sounds pretty good. Ernest Hemingway is big stuff, and how many authors are born in Oak Park, Illinois?
Yet recently I was taken to task during a visit to the Fresno area, where two—count them two—separate individuals pinned me down with grueling interrogations involving specific details, places, and people in Oak Park, Illinois. I admitted to them as I admit to you on the World Wide Web: I know absolutely nothing about Oak Park, Illinois.
I was born in Oak Park Hospital, but we lived in a neighboring town called River Grove. And we moved from there when I was a year and a half. I take my literary connections where I find them.
We moved a lot in my early years, four times before I turned eleven, for a total of five places, all in the Chicago area. My Dad died in place number four, which was a townhouse in south Chicago, across the street from the Chicago Skyway, now Interstate 90. I counted trucks on the Skyway when we first moved in, but I stopped counting trucks when my father died.
I was nine, and it was November 1962, a year before the JFK assassination changed America forever. I still associate my father’s death with the death of JFK, and throw the Cuban missile crisis into the mix. It was a pivotal time for me, for my generation, and for our nation—an end to innocence and the beginning of an exciting yet challenging era of social turmoil.
My mother moved us to Evanston, a tree-shaded suburb just north of Chicago, where she got a job as a 3rd grade teacher. She later found a new career as an adjustment teacher (similar to a school counselor) in the Chicago schools. I grew up surrounded by teachers, who discussed education until they were blue in the face—which didn't turn me blue personally, but did make me believe that education was pretty important.
Evanston was a cultured place, home of Northwestern University, and I got my first taste of theater as an 8th grade extra in a Northwestern production of Don Quixote starring Peter Strauss, who later went on to mini-series stardom in Rich Man, Poor Man. On the closing night, Peter was so sick he couldn’t perform, so his understudy stepped into the starring role, with the understudy’s understudy stepping in for him and on down the line until I rose from the ranks of faceless extras and took the demanding role of Second Mule Skinner—which meant I got to mumble something like, “Move on, there!” I was hooked.
I continued acting, started singing, and had my first short story published at Evanston Township High School, which at that time was rated the number one public high school in America (by whomever rates these things.) I studied acting for a year at Boston University School of Fine Arts, and when I decided that I wanted a broader education, I transferred to Occidental College in Los Angeles, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with an A.B. in Anglo-American literature. Just before graduation, I won third place in a short story contest and received a check for the whopping amount of $20. It was the first time I was ever paid for my writing and it felt good.
After college, I taught English for six years at a Chassidic Yeshiva in West Hollywood, while playing in a rock band and writing for an alternative weekly newspaper. I started writing for the newspaper after I won a story contest with a tall tale about a guy who loses his triplex on the beach during a game of darts with the devil. It was called "Darts with Mr. D," and the paper presented me with a princely check for $100—a 500% increase over my college contest award. Not only that, they asked me to keep writing for them, only—get this—they wanted actual journalism! I did what I could and had lots of fun doing it.
I got my big break when I answered an ad in the Los Angeles Times that said, “Writers Wanted.” I thought it was some weird scam but decided t
I’ve been saying this in biographies for a long time, and it sounds pretty good. Ernest Hemingway is big stuff, and how many authors are born in Oak Park, Illinois?
Yet recently I was taken to task during a visit to the Fresno area, where two—count them two—separate individuals pinned me down with grueling interrogations involving specific details, places, and people in Oak Park, Illinois. I admitted to them as I admit to you on the World Wide Web: I know absolutely nothing about Oak Park, Illinois.
I was born in Oak Park Hospital, but we lived in a neighboring town called River Grove. And we moved from there when I was a year and a half. I take my literary connections where I find them.
We moved a lot in my early years, four times before I turned eleven, for a total of five places, all in the Chicago area. My Dad died in place number four, which was a townhouse in south Chicago, across the street from the Chicago Skyway, now Interstate 90. I counted trucks on the Skyway when we first moved in, but I stopped counting trucks when my father died.
I was nine, and it was November 1962, a year before the JFK assassination changed America forever. I still associate my father’s death with the death of JFK, and throw the Cuban missile crisis into the mix. It was a pivotal time for me, for my generation, and for our nation—an end to innocence and the beginning of an exciting yet challenging era of social turmoil.
My mother moved us to Evanston, a tree-shaded suburb just north of Chicago, where she got a job as a 3rd grade teacher. She later found a new career as an adjustment teacher (similar to a school counselor) in the Chicago schools. I grew up surrounded by teachers, who discussed education until they were blue in the face—which didn't turn me blue personally, but did make me believe that education was pretty important.
Evanston was a cultured place, home of Northwestern University, and I got my first taste of theater as an 8th grade extra in a Northwestern production of Don Quixote starring Peter Strauss, who later went on to mini-series stardom in Rich Man, Poor Man. On the closing night, Peter was so sick he couldn’t perform, so his understudy stepped into the starring role, with the understudy’s understudy stepping in for him and on down the line until I rose from the ranks of faceless extras and took the demanding role of Second Mule Skinner—which meant I got to mumble something like, “Move on, there!” I was hooked.
I continued acting, started singing, and had my first short story published at Evanston Township High School, which at that time was rated the number one public high school in America (by whomever rates these things.) I studied acting for a year at Boston University School of Fine Arts, and when I decided that I wanted a broader education, I transferred to Occidental College in Los Angeles, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with an A.B. in Anglo-American literature. Just before graduation, I won third place in a short story contest and received a check for the whopping amount of $20. It was the first time I was ever paid for my writing and it felt good.
After college, I taught English for six years at a Chassidic Yeshiva in West Hollywood, while playing in a rock band and writing for an alternative weekly newspaper. I started writing for the newspaper after I won a story contest with a tall tale about a guy who loses his triplex on the beach during a game of darts with the devil. It was called "Darts with Mr. D," and the paper presented me with a princely check for $100—a 500% increase over my college contest award. Not only that, they asked me to keep writing for them, only—get this—they wanted actual journalism! I did what I could and had lots of fun doing it.
I got my big break when I answered an ad in the Los Angeles Times that said, “Writers Wanted.” I thought it was some weird scam but decided t
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 13, 2017
It is an interesting story about two high school athletes, overcoming the challenges from where they live and inner city issues. They are using basketball for their ticket out of the ghetto. William Gates one of the main characters says that in the book. I liked it and think that others should too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2015
Hoop Dreams is the story of to kids Arther Agee and William Gates that live in the inner city of Chicago where lot of crime goes on.They both dream of playing in the NBA and getting out of the inner city. That shot come early but from the saint joes High School in the suberbs.They both work very hard and sriveto play basket ball their whole lives This book has a great story line . I also think that the this book was writen very well.
My favorit part is when they both are in the high school play offs together. All though You may think that they would be on the same team. They however are not because Arther has to drop out for finasial reasons. Arther has to go to marshal witch is not as good.
I liked this book a lot it was a good read. If you like sports and a good back story than this is the book for you.
My favorit part is when they both are in the high school play offs together. All though You may think that they would be on the same team. They however are not because Arther has to drop out for finasial reasons. Arther has to go to marshal witch is not as good.
I liked this book a lot it was a good read. If you like sports and a good back story than this is the book for you.
January 23, 2014
In the book Hoop Dreams there's two kids who live in the inner city of Chicago.William Gates in a great basketball player and gets invited to go to one if the best high school in the city of Chicago. The other kids name is Arthur Agee and he goes to his normal high school. They are both some of the best players in the state of Illinois. Also the both started on their teams. Arthur's team made it to the elite eight for the state of Illinois for playoffs. Those games where we're help in Champagne, Illinois where the Fighting Alina play. Arthur's team made it to the finals but feel short. After their senior year William signed with Marquette University and Arthur went to the 2 year junior college.
January 10, 2008
Anthony Rials
P.3
11/05/07
The book hoop dreams by Ben Joravskay is a good book because it give good details and good facts about the charters. Another reason why I like the book because it is basketball related.
(So What?) The charters are following there dreams and they care what they are doing and they love it. Well I like basketball too so that’s why I care so much
P.3
11/05/07
The book hoop dreams by Ben Joravskay is a good book because it give good details and good facts about the charters. Another reason why I like the book because it is basketball related.
(So What?) The charters are following there dreams and they care what they are doing and they love it. Well I like basketball too so that’s why I care so much
June 14, 2015
Hoop Dreams by Paul Robert Walker is the true story of Arthur Agee and William Gates, two fourteen year olds who live in Chicago. They aspire to play NBA and show the talent aswell. This book was a very quick read as the language was simple and the book length was on the shirt side. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes sports books and a good plot.
June 26, 2008
Another book group book I am reading-I actually like it more than I thought. The book does a good job explaining basketball terms and anything the reader may not be familiar with. I can understand it, even though I know very little about basketball.
December 7, 2012
It really good it inspired me it about william gates and arthur agee they both wanted to be in the nba
November 27, 2016
Nice and concise summary of the great documentary. The movie is much better though.
April 21, 2017
Hoop Dreams,written by Paul Robert Walker, is a fantastic book based of the live of Arthur Agee and William Gates, two outstanding basketball players. The two fourteen year old boys live a similar life, growing up in the ghetto streets of Chicago. They and their friends always think of getting to the NBA, but William and Arthur are really the only ones who have a shot at the big league. We get an insight on the struggles they face with school, family, money, etc. These two players only have one thing on their mind though: their hoop dreams.
As a lover of basketball, I gave Hoop Dreams 4 out of 5 stars because I thought the book was really exciting, but could’ve been a little bit better. There could have been more wordplay or descriptive wording. But overall, I think Paul did an awesome job capturing William’s and Arthur’s life as a teenager growing up with the basketball life. The book got me on the edge of my chair while I was reading about the close games the two had to face.
In conclusion, Hoop Dreams is a must read if you love playing or watching basketball. But if you’re like me and you love doing both, I can assure you this: you won’t be able to put the book back down.
As a lover of basketball, I gave Hoop Dreams 4 out of 5 stars because I thought the book was really exciting, but could’ve been a little bit better. There could have been more wordplay or descriptive wording. But overall, I think Paul did an awesome job capturing William’s and Arthur’s life as a teenager growing up with the basketball life. The book got me on the edge of my chair while I was reading about the close games the two had to face.
In conclusion, Hoop Dreams is a must read if you love playing or watching basketball. But if you’re like me and you love doing both, I can assure you this: you won’t be able to put the book back down.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews