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The Last Magic Summer: A Season with My Son
After a rollercoaster career as a pro football star and bestselling author, Peter Gent's ride in the fast lane ended in a bruising divorce and custody battle. Afterward, he returned to his hometown to rebuild his relationship with his son, Carter. This chronicle of ten seasons coaching Carter's "Connie Mack" league baseball team celebrates the redemptive power of sports, the healing bond between father and son, and the bittersweet turning point when a father must face the proud yet painful process of letting go.
- GenresBaseballNonfiction
240 pages, Paperback
Published April 22, 1998
14 people want to read
About the author
Peter Gent
10 books8 followersGeorge Davis Peter Gent was a Michigan State University basketball player and National Football League wide receiver turned novelist.
After leaving professional football, Gent wrote several novels dealing with the sport. His first and most famous book, a semi-autobiographical novel entitled North Dallas Forty, was published in 1973. Its main characters, a quarterback and a wide receiver, are widely considered to be based on Don Meredith and Gent, respectively. The novel was one of the first to examine the NFL's hypocrisy regarding drug use.
Gent made his home in Texas for many years, where he was friends with many of that state's significant creative minds of the day, including Larry L. King, Billy Lee Brammer, Gary Cartwright, Bud Shrake, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Dan Jenkins. They called themselves the Mad Dogs.
Gent also explored the corruption in modern professional sports in a sequel volume entitled "North Dallas After 40", published in 1989, and in two unrelated football novels — "Texas Celebrity Turkey Trot" (1979) and "The Franchise" (1983).
Gent also wrote a novel about college basketball entitled " The Conquering Heroes" (1994). Bill Walton’s cover blurb states that the book is the "North Dallas Forty of college basketball. But it’s much more, it’s about a whole generation of kids who came of age in an America that I grew up in."
Gent resided in Bangor, Michigan at the time of his death from a pulmonary disease on September 30, 2011,and was working on a novel.
After leaving professional football, Gent wrote several novels dealing with the sport. His first and most famous book, a semi-autobiographical novel entitled North Dallas Forty, was published in 1973. Its main characters, a quarterback and a wide receiver, are widely considered to be based on Don Meredith and Gent, respectively. The novel was one of the first to examine the NFL's hypocrisy regarding drug use.
Gent made his home in Texas for many years, where he was friends with many of that state's significant creative minds of the day, including Larry L. King, Billy Lee Brammer, Gary Cartwright, Bud Shrake, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Dan Jenkins. They called themselves the Mad Dogs.
Gent also explored the corruption in modern professional sports in a sequel volume entitled "North Dallas After 40", published in 1989, and in two unrelated football novels — "Texas Celebrity Turkey Trot" (1979) and "The Franchise" (1983).
Gent also wrote a novel about college basketball entitled " The Conquering Heroes" (1994). Bill Walton’s cover blurb states that the book is the "North Dallas Forty of college basketball. But it’s much more, it’s about a whole generation of kids who came of age in an America that I grew up in."
Gent resided in Bangor, Michigan at the time of his death from a pulmonary disease on September 30, 2011,and was working on a novel.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 14, 2022
Poignant account of a season with Gent's son right before he grew up and left the household. It contains some gloomy parts like a back injury and ugly divorce, but that makes the backdrop of coaching your son for the last summer more meaningful.
It must mean a lot more now for Carter Gent, seeing how his dad passed away too young in 2011.
I grew up watching Gent play with the Cowboys. He became one of my favorite players because he was so tough, well-read, and seemed to question more about what was happening around him. I never met him in person, but we corresponded a few times by email. I never knew about his intense pain late in life until after he passed. As a divorced father, I stayed in my kids' lives and even shared custody. I was glad to read that Gent was so involved with his kids after divorce. Sometimes you don't see that - look at Richard Bach. (less)
It must mean a lot more now for Carter Gent, seeing how his dad passed away too young in 2011.
I grew up watching Gent play with the Cowboys. He became one of my favorite players because he was so tough, well-read, and seemed to question more about what was happening around him. I never met him in person, but we corresponded a few times by email. I never knew about his intense pain late in life until after he passed. As a divorced father, I stayed in my kids' lives and even shared custody. I was glad to read that Gent was so involved with his kids after divorce. Sometimes you don't see that - look at Richard Bach. (less)
January 16, 2016
My husband has owned this book for 17 years! Why didn't I read it before????? Pete Gent was in high school with my husband. During our lives together we watched the Dallas Cowboys, saw Nick Nolte in "North Dallas Forty" and then read that book. I met Pete's brother Charlie was at a class reunion. I finally met Pete in 2000 on the porch of the house he grew up in. He was not well, hurting unbelievably and still writing. Now....I read this book. What a great memoir. It was almost painful to read with so much personal connection. Pete's discussion of how to live life and how to share with your kids, how to let go of your kids as they grow fits into every parents life. I recommend it to everyone.
July 6, 2017
This story focuses on a father and his son, and their relationship over many, many years. A difficult divorce, a custody battle, and an ailing wife/Mother and her deteriorating relationship with her husband and her son are continuing themes throughout.
Still, Peter Gent does not relent in his quest to not only get custody rights to his son, but more importantly, to remain vigilant to be in the life of his son.
Several episodes revolve around the Bangor summer baseball team---their victories and losses, and sharing together....father and son....coach and player...
I am glad that I read it.
Still, Peter Gent does not relent in his quest to not only get custody rights to his son, but more importantly, to remain vigilant to be in the life of his son.
Several episodes revolve around the Bangor summer baseball team---their victories and losses, and sharing together....father and son....coach and player...
I am glad that I read it.
February 1, 2017
I give it 3 1/2 stars! Interesting read by the author of North Dallas Forty on fatherhood, youth coaching, divorce, fame, loss of fame, college/pro sports.
August 12, 2009
Overwriting mixed with bad writing. Even baseball can't save this book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews