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Nearfall: Book One - The Adventures of Matt and Mike
Standel Publishing is excited to present Book One --- The Adventures of Matt and Mike. Joe Reasbeck has penned a story that will become an instant classic within the wrestling and mixed-martial arts communities. The athletic theme and coming of age realities will resonate with kids everywhere. Book One --The Adventures of Matt and Mike Get Yours today! For autographed copies To schedule an appearance with the author
205 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2007
2 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Joe Reasbeck
3 books2 followersJoe Reasbeck grew up wrestling in a small town in Northern Wisconsin. He went on to wrestle at the University of Minnesota and later trained for the 1996 Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling. A series of injuries forced retirement. Joe began working in production in Southern California, eventually writing the novel NearFall.
Today, Joe lives in Texas with his wife and young sons. Family and wrestling are two of his greatest passions. They are the inspiration for this series of books and eventual movie. Joe's fervent hope with these efforts is to inspire kids to live their dreams while they learn more about the great sport of wrestling.
Today, Joe lives in Texas with his wife and young sons. Family and wrestling are two of his greatest passions. They are the inspiration for this series of books and eventual movie. Joe's fervent hope with these efforts is to inspire kids to live their dreams while they learn more about the great sport of wrestling.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 4, 2014
NEARFALL: Book One - The Adventures of Matt and Mike
by Joe Reasbeck
This book is about Matthew or Matt Dean and his brother Mike. Matt is in the 4th grade and his teacher is Mrs. Wilson. He likes a girl by the name of Kimberly Johnson. A big 5th grader named TJ also likes Kimberly. Mr. Merrill is the Elementary School Principal who intervenes between TJ and Matt at one point but Matt later man’s up and fights TJ on the handball court during recess. TJ tells Matt to stay away from Kimberly when he leaves him bleeding on the ground with a black eye, split lip, and a tooth knocked out. Luckily it was a baby teeth. The only concern Matt has is what he is going to his brother Mike.
Mike is a couple years older than Matt and now in middle school. This was Mike’s second year on the wrestling team and he is considerably improving. Mike starts out in the book taking a pre-algebra test he did not study for and feels so much pressure to pass the test that he cheats on the test and is riddled with guilt. If he does not pass the test it is a strong possibility he will fail pre-algebra and not be allowed to wrestle. Mike really likes wrestling and he feels he's getting much better now and wants to continue with the sport. Mike only took pre-algebra because there were a couple cute girls in the class and his buddy Dan Morgan enrolled, who is always good for a laugh. Mr. Rhenkin is his pre-algebra teacher and Billy Johnson is the class brain. Billy is a classic dork. soft and pudgy with jet black hair put neatly into a perfect bowl cut, wears coke bottle glasses and has more than his fair share of pimples. Billy also had a fascination with Greek mythology gods and goddesses and stuff like that. Mike had always tried to steer clear of Billy for fear of his uncool stigma might rub off on him. Dan's parents were divorced and Dan is the best wrestler on the team. Dan’s mother remarried, moved out of state, and has a new family now. Dan rarely ever saw his mother anymore. Dan's dad had become a mean drunk after the divorce and would beat Dan for little to no reason.
Matt’s dad had been out of work for 6 months and the book builds a strong character surrounding his efforts to gain a new job and his ultimate success in doing so as well has his mother’s support and strength in the household. This book seems to be about two brothers, one in grade school and the other in middle school facing the normal day to day challenges of growing up. They are each facing new challenges they have never encountered before as they are introduced in the book. The interaction between the two brothers seems so close to reality and exactly how you would envision it should be that the book takes on a very realistic and somewhat personal affiliation as you read it. The same goes with their interaction with their parents and friends. Nothing seems sugar coated or over the top, but rather nitty-gritty enough that it resembles school and life as how I believe most people experience it. I could go on telling how Matt joins the wrestling team and gets help from his brother to gain strength and stand up to TJ again and how Mike befriends Billy to trade help for pre-algebra and teaching him how to wrestle also. It should be mentioned that the book demonstrates how the sport of wrestling builds tremendous strength in Billy and Matt, not to mention Mike and Dan. How also the wrestling team respects and looks after its own teammates on the street and in school demonstrating the auxiliary benefits of taking the hard knocks on the matt. The hard work of wrestling ultimate repays itself and comes back to the team members in social settings, mental strength, and confidence in one self to face any challenges that present themselves.
by Joe Reasbeck
This book is about Matthew or Matt Dean and his brother Mike. Matt is in the 4th grade and his teacher is Mrs. Wilson. He likes a girl by the name of Kimberly Johnson. A big 5th grader named TJ also likes Kimberly. Mr. Merrill is the Elementary School Principal who intervenes between TJ and Matt at one point but Matt later man’s up and fights TJ on the handball court during recess. TJ tells Matt to stay away from Kimberly when he leaves him bleeding on the ground with a black eye, split lip, and a tooth knocked out. Luckily it was a baby teeth. The only concern Matt has is what he is going to his brother Mike.
Mike is a couple years older than Matt and now in middle school. This was Mike’s second year on the wrestling team and he is considerably improving. Mike starts out in the book taking a pre-algebra test he did not study for and feels so much pressure to pass the test that he cheats on the test and is riddled with guilt. If he does not pass the test it is a strong possibility he will fail pre-algebra and not be allowed to wrestle. Mike really likes wrestling and he feels he's getting much better now and wants to continue with the sport. Mike only took pre-algebra because there were a couple cute girls in the class and his buddy Dan Morgan enrolled, who is always good for a laugh. Mr. Rhenkin is his pre-algebra teacher and Billy Johnson is the class brain. Billy is a classic dork. soft and pudgy with jet black hair put neatly into a perfect bowl cut, wears coke bottle glasses and has more than his fair share of pimples. Billy also had a fascination with Greek mythology gods and goddesses and stuff like that. Mike had always tried to steer clear of Billy for fear of his uncool stigma might rub off on him. Dan's parents were divorced and Dan is the best wrestler on the team. Dan’s mother remarried, moved out of state, and has a new family now. Dan rarely ever saw his mother anymore. Dan's dad had become a mean drunk after the divorce and would beat Dan for little to no reason.
Matt’s dad had been out of work for 6 months and the book builds a strong character surrounding his efforts to gain a new job and his ultimate success in doing so as well has his mother’s support and strength in the household. This book seems to be about two brothers, one in grade school and the other in middle school facing the normal day to day challenges of growing up. They are each facing new challenges they have never encountered before as they are introduced in the book. The interaction between the two brothers seems so close to reality and exactly how you would envision it should be that the book takes on a very realistic and somewhat personal affiliation as you read it. The same goes with their interaction with their parents and friends. Nothing seems sugar coated or over the top, but rather nitty-gritty enough that it resembles school and life as how I believe most people experience it. I could go on telling how Matt joins the wrestling team and gets help from his brother to gain strength and stand up to TJ again and how Mike befriends Billy to trade help for pre-algebra and teaching him how to wrestle also. It should be mentioned that the book demonstrates how the sport of wrestling builds tremendous strength in Billy and Matt, not to mention Mike and Dan. How also the wrestling team respects and looks after its own teammates on the street and in school demonstrating the auxiliary benefits of taking the hard knocks on the matt. The hard work of wrestling ultimate repays itself and comes back to the team members in social settings, mental strength, and confidence in one self to face any challenges that present themselves.
January 10, 2020
I really liked this book. I was engaged with the lives of the family from beginning to end. The characters were well developed.
February 6, 2015
This was definitely one of the best books I have read so far. I really like this book because it relates wrestling to life. This book explains wrestling and how hard it is. It explains how brutal the sport can be but you are proud that you make it through it. Also it's not a specific type of people that wrestle you have a combination of people. You have poor people, rich people, any body you can think of. Since I wrestle I can relate to some situations in this book and it's almost on point. If you wrestle or have ever wrestled I would recommend you read this book.
The book consist of two brother Mike and Matt. Mike is a couple years older than Matt. Mike has been wrestling for a couple years and he's starting to get the hang of it. One day Matt gets beat up by a bully named TJ and he asks Mike to teach him to wrestle. Mike agrees to do so. Also Mike gets pulled into being friends with a kid named Billy because Mike made a mistake. Mike gets Billy into wrestling and they become friends. If you want to know if Billy makes it through the season and if Matt gets his revenge you'll have to read the book.
The book consist of two brother Mike and Matt. Mike is a couple years older than Matt. Mike has been wrestling for a couple years and he's starting to get the hang of it. One day Matt gets beat up by a bully named TJ and he asks Mike to teach him to wrestle. Mike agrees to do so. Also Mike gets pulled into being friends with a kid named Billy because Mike made a mistake. Mike gets Billy into wrestling and they become friends. If you want to know if Billy makes it through the season and if Matt gets his revenge you'll have to read the book.
April 30, 2010
This book is about two brother Mike and Matt. who go through a lot of stuff in there life but wrestling is always there for them. Mikes best freind Dan is one of the best wrestlers in town. When Matt getsbeat up at school he joins wrestling so he can defeand himself.
I think this book is for ages 8-16 it has some content but not much. Also i recommend it to wrestlers or anyone who wants to wrestle. this is a very well writen book by a young and new author. Who knows what it is like to wrestle
I think this book is for ages 8-16 it has some content but not much. Also i recommend it to wrestlers or anyone who wants to wrestle. this is a very well writen book by a young and new author. Who knows what it is like to wrestle
February 22, 2011
Good novel for any wrestler to read. The life experiences of Mike and Matt (main characters) can be relatable to most teen athletes.
May 25, 2011
I love wrestling!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews