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The Triple Threat #2
The Sixth Man
New York Times bestselling author John Feinstein delivers a hard-hitting account of prejudice and perseverance on the basketball court. It’s basketball season. And for once, triple threat Alex Myers is not the one in the spotlight. There’s a new new guy in town, and Max Bellotti promises to turn the Lions’ losing streak around and lead the team to a conference title. Alex is psyched, but some of the older guys on the team resent being benched in favor of an upstart freshman. Team morale is rocky at best. And when Max comes out as gay, not everyone takes the news in stride. Snide comments and cold shoulders escalate into heated protests and an out-and-out war with the school board. While controversy swirls around them, the Lions have to Will personal issues sink their season, or can they find a way to stand together as a team? John Feinstein has been praised as “the best writer of sports books in America today” (The Boston Globe). This second installment in his Triple Threat series delivers action and intensity, and a look beyond the headlines of a hot-button topic in sports today.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2015
131 people are currently reading
410 people want to read
About the author
John Feinstein
75 books591 followersJohn Feinstein was an American sportswriter, author, and sports commentator.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
December 11, 2021
Superb
John Feinstein has written another fantastic sports book full of life lessons for all readers.
The students are faced with obstacles and pull together to face them. I would love to be more specific bit that would be a spoiler.
A good book.
John Feinstein has written another fantastic sports book full of life lessons for all readers.
The students are faced with obstacles and pull together to face them. I would love to be more specific bit that would be a spoiler.
A good book.
November 3, 2015
Overall good book. It was an easy read for me even though I am normally reluctant to read because the book described the basketball games to where I could envision them in my head. I think this book is also realistic from a character aspect because I could make inferences about the characters easily, like Zane Wakefield for example. From the start, I could tell he was a mean kid. (He turned out to be nice in the end, though.) 5/5 Stars for anyone interested in the game of basketball.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2018
great book
December 8, 2017
I like this book because most books are the superstar number one player. but Alex has to work for his spot and still does not play a lot but he still comes in the clutch.
October 14, 2022
One main goal of authors is to make the reader feel a certain way about a topic using creative diction and syntax. "The Sixth Man," by John Feinstein is a bildungsroman that exemplifies this as it follows the youth of Alex Meyers, a freshman in high school. Despite his obvious star talent, Meyers always finds himself being doubted by many people surrounding him. Along his path to success, Alex learns many valuable lessons, many of which can be applied to reality. John Feinstein, the author, cleverly weaves a plot in which the reader can absorb many lessons and advice for going forth in adolescence.
A recurring concept in the novel is that working as a team can overcome immense obstacles. In the climax of the plot, Alex’s teammate confides in Alex about something that carried a heavy weight, something so scandalous at the time that it threatened the team’s safety. However, Alex and the team come together as a group and persevere through the perilous period of time. I agree with the author because when one is going through a very mentally taxing time, more people can help the sufferer by sharing the weight.
The writer's main characteristic in Alex’s character is his work ethic. No matter how painfully obvious it may have been that Alex deserved the starting spot, he always had to work harder than everyone else. Reading this makes me realize that maybe I don’t work hard enough. Although the story is exaggerated a little, there is an obvious reward for being conscientious. After reading the book, thinking critically about cause and effect led me to realize this.
In the plot, the author demonstrates that although many people have different beliefs than you, or they simply aggravate you, violence is not a good solution. Furthermore, violence is always a tantalizing solution because of how easy it is to just let out one’s emotions. However, as demonstrated in the novel, violence can backfire very easily. Alex was in a predicament, in which he was faced with an unfair situation. Although taking the easy way out and fighting was very tantalizing, it would’ve faced major consequences down the road.
One eye-opening feature of the book was how real hate and prejudice are in the world today. In school, we have always learned about prejudice throughout history, and we were also taught that it still exists today because it is an enduring issue. However, to see it to the extent that it was shown in the novel is heartbreaking. Nonetheless, Alex and his team still persevered through and strengthened each other.
This book made me believe that hard work eventually does pay off. Alex Meyers proved time and time again that no matter how hard the odds stacked against him were, he worked as hard as he could to crush the odds. One of the main problems in his life is that many people doubted his ability to play because of how young he is, let alone start on the team. Nonetheless, he endured and taught many lessons about endurance and teamwork.
This book made me feel angry and frustrated when Alex was faced with the enduring issue known as nepotism. Nepotism is a bias toward giving jobs or positions in power to friends or family rather than those with more merit. In the novel, the antagonist doesn’t let Alex start on the squad because he is younger than his competitor. However, Alex is much more talented than him and can save his team if given the chance. This was very disappointing to see because the one thing his coach values more than seniority is winning.
This book made me hope that if I also work hard enough I can also achieve my dreams, no matter what obstacles are in my way. Sometimes, it can be very easy to just believe that wonderful things will always happen if you do good and work hard, but unfortunately, that is not the case in many real-life scenarios. Alex followed this mentality and it seemed everything went right for him. This inspires me to follow in his footsteps.
Overall, the "Sixth Man" was a great novel that I would recommend a young adult to read because it tackles enduring issues such as prejudice, and is very easy to relate to and connect with.
A recurring concept in the novel is that working as a team can overcome immense obstacles. In the climax of the plot, Alex’s teammate confides in Alex about something that carried a heavy weight, something so scandalous at the time that it threatened the team’s safety. However, Alex and the team come together as a group and persevere through the perilous period of time. I agree with the author because when one is going through a very mentally taxing time, more people can help the sufferer by sharing the weight.
The writer's main characteristic in Alex’s character is his work ethic. No matter how painfully obvious it may have been that Alex deserved the starting spot, he always had to work harder than everyone else. Reading this makes me realize that maybe I don’t work hard enough. Although the story is exaggerated a little, there is an obvious reward for being conscientious. After reading the book, thinking critically about cause and effect led me to realize this.
In the plot, the author demonstrates that although many people have different beliefs than you, or they simply aggravate you, violence is not a good solution. Furthermore, violence is always a tantalizing solution because of how easy it is to just let out one’s emotions. However, as demonstrated in the novel, violence can backfire very easily. Alex was in a predicament, in which he was faced with an unfair situation. Although taking the easy way out and fighting was very tantalizing, it would’ve faced major consequences down the road.
One eye-opening feature of the book was how real hate and prejudice are in the world today. In school, we have always learned about prejudice throughout history, and we were also taught that it still exists today because it is an enduring issue. However, to see it to the extent that it was shown in the novel is heartbreaking. Nonetheless, Alex and his team still persevered through and strengthened each other.
This book made me believe that hard work eventually does pay off. Alex Meyers proved time and time again that no matter how hard the odds stacked against him were, he worked as hard as he could to crush the odds. One of the main problems in his life is that many people doubted his ability to play because of how young he is, let alone start on the team. Nonetheless, he endured and taught many lessons about endurance and teamwork.
This book made me feel angry and frustrated when Alex was faced with the enduring issue known as nepotism. Nepotism is a bias toward giving jobs or positions in power to friends or family rather than those with more merit. In the novel, the antagonist doesn’t let Alex start on the squad because he is younger than his competitor. However, Alex is much more talented than him and can save his team if given the chance. This was very disappointing to see because the one thing his coach values more than seniority is winning.
This book made me hope that if I also work hard enough I can also achieve my dreams, no matter what obstacles are in my way. Sometimes, it can be very easy to just believe that wonderful things will always happen if you do good and work hard, but unfortunately, that is not the case in many real-life scenarios. Alex followed this mentality and it seemed everything went right for him. This inspires me to follow in his footsteps.
Overall, the "Sixth Man" was a great novel that I would recommend a young adult to read because it tackles enduring issues such as prejudice, and is very easy to relate to and connect with.
October 11, 2019
Alex moves to a new town and finds himself in a situation. When another new guy moves also, Alex and him become friends. But Max is gay, and he doesn't know whether he should tell people because he is afraid it will ruin their basketball season. Two of the guys don't like Alex, Jonas, Alex's best friend, and Max. What will Max do? Will he come out before the season is over, especially when they are playing so good.
October 17, 2016
In the end the person that broke Alex's wrist, had trouble being Max's teammate, and was a jerk to the whole team made the winning shot to win the state championship. I thought that that was kind of cool because earlier Zane was turning into a better person. Then, he wins the state Championship. I thought that the author did a great job with making the story seem real. All the stuff about Max being gay, teams taking sides, and then having them all come together at the end. The only negative thing about this book is that sometimes he added useless information. For example he would say what they liked at that place and never talk about it again. It was all sounding like a real team and not just a fake story. I really like that kind of writing and loved this book.
October 14, 2016
This was a great sports book, second in the series by John Feinstein. I am not a sports person but thoroughly enjoyed the story. Exciting plot line, lots of action, (and I learned a lot about basketball).
Robert loved it too.
Robert loved it too.
September 18, 2019
“1 second on the clock,
one second for the championship,
one second to prove people wrong.”
Is it possible that a team with so many problems can have a successful season?
John Feinstein is again a genius in the second book of the Triple Threat Series “The Sixth Man.” Alex Myers, the main character had just moved from Boston to Philadelphia and is now a Freshman at Chester Heights school.
Alex after becoming the star varsity quarterback, has to deal with a P.E.D scandal, and a loss in the State championship game at the end of the football season. He just wants to just wants to focus on the basketball season. As Alex soon realizes it's not that simple.
Then Feinstein introduces a new character Max Belloti. Max quickly makes a difference on the court, and is a heart throb off the court. He is just what the team needs, but when he come out as gay everything changes.
At away games anti-gay groups torment him. Fellow teammates don’t trust him in the locker room, and the principle in his own school can’t even decide what to do. When the schools own principle doesn’t let Max play in the conference championship game because of his own “safety” Alex and the team have to decide to play on, or stick up for their teammate even if LGBTQ rights counter against there own beliefs.
Feinstein a New York Times best selling author had me reeling for more as each chapter ended. I loved Feinstein’s ability to weave in problem is society today like gay rights, but not even making me really noticing it until the book ended. Most people would look at the cover of this book and say this is a sports book where an underdog team comes a long and has a miracle season, and wins the State championship. It is so much more than that. It is a book about a team that that has to stand up for a teammate that is dealing with a lot. It is a locker room first basketball second attitude among the players. I would also say that yes it is a basketball book, but the teams basketball season is kind of non important as the book ends. As Alex says “Basketball wasn’t even that important anymore.”
This book is a long one, so if you are a person that likes quicker reads this may not be the book for you. The only thing I would change is to have the book move and flow a little bit more, but besides that I wouldn’t change anything else. This book personally make me think a little bit more about the world today, and how we can be so much better, and I think that is what Feinstein is trying to get across to the reader.
I think that basketball player obviously would like this book, but I don’t play basketball and I really really enjoyed it. For me, a person who has read a lot of books this book is like nothing I have ever read before, so if you are someone looking for something new then I would highly suggest giving this book a try.
one second for the championship,
one second to prove people wrong.”
Is it possible that a team with so many problems can have a successful season?
John Feinstein is again a genius in the second book of the Triple Threat Series “The Sixth Man.” Alex Myers, the main character had just moved from Boston to Philadelphia and is now a Freshman at Chester Heights school.
Alex after becoming the star varsity quarterback, has to deal with a P.E.D scandal, and a loss in the State championship game at the end of the football season. He just wants to just wants to focus on the basketball season. As Alex soon realizes it's not that simple.
Then Feinstein introduces a new character Max Belloti. Max quickly makes a difference on the court, and is a heart throb off the court. He is just what the team needs, but when he come out as gay everything changes.
At away games anti-gay groups torment him. Fellow teammates don’t trust him in the locker room, and the principle in his own school can’t even decide what to do. When the schools own principle doesn’t let Max play in the conference championship game because of his own “safety” Alex and the team have to decide to play on, or stick up for their teammate even if LGBTQ rights counter against there own beliefs.
Feinstein a New York Times best selling author had me reeling for more as each chapter ended. I loved Feinstein’s ability to weave in problem is society today like gay rights, but not even making me really noticing it until the book ended. Most people would look at the cover of this book and say this is a sports book where an underdog team comes a long and has a miracle season, and wins the State championship. It is so much more than that. It is a book about a team that that has to stand up for a teammate that is dealing with a lot. It is a locker room first basketball second attitude among the players. I would also say that yes it is a basketball book, but the teams basketball season is kind of non important as the book ends. As Alex says “Basketball wasn’t even that important anymore.”
This book is a long one, so if you are a person that likes quicker reads this may not be the book for you. The only thing I would change is to have the book move and flow a little bit more, but besides that I wouldn’t change anything else. This book personally make me think a little bit more about the world today, and how we can be so much better, and I think that is what Feinstein is trying to get across to the reader.
I think that basketball player obviously would like this book, but I don’t play basketball and I really really enjoyed it. For me, a person who has read a lot of books this book is like nothing I have ever read before, so if you are someone looking for something new then I would highly suggest giving this book a try.
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June 15, 2020Have you ever had a challenge that you had to overcome, but things weren’t looking promising? Alex Meyers is just coming off a hard loss in the state finals for his football team when he has to start basketball season right away. He really starts to get to know his friends and in the future his girlfriend really well. Coach Archer doesn’t like football players very much so the fact that Alex and Jonas are a couple weeks late to practice don’t make it easy on them at all. They have to start with the J.V team even though they are two of the best players there. Alex is pretty much happy a lot of the time, but he worries a lot and tends to get angry. Alex is still trying to get used to the new school and just trying to get to know his friends even better than he already does. This book is about the struggles of being a new kid and the struggles of coming out as gay. Even though this book has a lot to do with basketball it also has to deal with real life events that people have to deal with. Max Belloti the new kid in town is an amazing basketball player but has a secret only Alex and Jonas know. When he hits a game winning shot someone throws a baseball and hits him in the head. The principal and school board decide that Max cannot play as it is a risk to him, but the players decide that if Max doesn’t play they don’t either. This is a realistic fiction story. This book is the second book in the Triple Threat Series. I was very pleased with how the book was written and the ending with the book. I was very surprised though with a lot of things and just happy with events that took place. I read the book with a little bit of a background on the characters from the first one, but I had an open mind about it when I read it. This book is happy, sad, but also very realistic in the sense of what happens in the real world. I would recommend this to people who love basketball but also who like a little bit of a drama. I think this book is perfect for the age of 12-15. John Feinstein does a perfect job of keeping you on your seat, and making you wanna keep reading. I can really see the comparison from this book to the first one in the series with how it’s written and just the problems and emotions that Alex Meyers faces. I really would recommend this book to a lot of people. This book and this series is one of my all time favorites and I think a lot of people would enjoy it.
April 9, 2024
Imagine you had to make the choice between Fame and fame, they are the same words but different results. Fame you get it all to yourself because you just get the best thing for the school because of you, or You could choose fame which IS getting the best thing as a team which is best for everyone. The sixth Man is about making the right choice for the right moment because you know the game is on the line. The Sixth Man By John Feinstein, Sports fiction, will be able to make others realize the importance of teamwork rather than fame.
The Sixth Man: Alex Myers starts his high school career With losing an important Football Playoff game and Now gets to start the Basketball season as a Freshman. Alex and his friend Make Varsity and get to play like real champs. Then with a new kid on the block they get one chance to be the best. They fight hard going into the season And get to making the playoffs. Then they got to the championship which was better than the football team and Alex had to make a smart and quick decision of his life to win or lose the game. Alex decided Overcoming things together is better then trying to do them on your own so he passed the ball to Max Bellotti. An example of this in the book is the game in the championship game and Alex has to decide to pass the ball or take the shot quickly enough to try and win the game. Alex decided to pass the ball to Max Bellotti and he made the shot that won them the game.
Because this book makes people feel like they should be the ones out there playing sports, I think this book Is a great read for people who are willing to prove they are the best because they weren't just given a shot, They were given a chance to prove that they were the best player out there. So if one was willing to push themselves to their limits. If you like to see the moments that you wish for, this book is the one. You also may like to read The walk on or The DH which are another adventure in the sports world for Alex Myers which is the story of how he gets to be on the varsity football team. I Rate this Book a 5 out of 5 stars because it really brings the depth of importance remembering that you are not alone and everything has another way.
The Sixth Man: Alex Myers starts his high school career With losing an important Football Playoff game and Now gets to start the Basketball season as a Freshman. Alex and his friend Make Varsity and get to play like real champs. Then with a new kid on the block they get one chance to be the best. They fight hard going into the season And get to making the playoffs. Then they got to the championship which was better than the football team and Alex had to make a smart and quick decision of his life to win or lose the game. Alex decided Overcoming things together is better then trying to do them on your own so he passed the ball to Max Bellotti. An example of this in the book is the game in the championship game and Alex has to decide to pass the ball or take the shot quickly enough to try and win the game. Alex decided to pass the ball to Max Bellotti and he made the shot that won them the game.
Because this book makes people feel like they should be the ones out there playing sports, I think this book Is a great read for people who are willing to prove they are the best because they weren't just given a shot, They were given a chance to prove that they were the best player out there. So if one was willing to push themselves to their limits. If you like to see the moments that you wish for, this book is the one. You also may like to read The walk on or The DH which are another adventure in the sports world for Alex Myers which is the story of how he gets to be on the varsity football team. I Rate this Book a 5 out of 5 stars because it really brings the depth of importance remembering that you are not alone and everything has another way.
October 21, 2018
Choice book#1 Quarter 1
The Sixth Man by John Feinstein is a realistic fiction/ sports book that tacks place in Philadelphia.
The main characters in the book are Alex, Coach Archer, and Max. Alex is the main character of the story. Alex is a pretty good athlete. He is also the star quarterback of his high school, but he is now trying out for basketball. Coach Archer is Alex's basketball coach and his mom's boy friend. Max is a transfer student from Detroit and is the best basketball player in the school. He is also gay.
One problem in the story is that Alex and his team are divided. One half of the team gets more playing time and is better. The other half is not as good and gets less playing time. Another problem in the book is that lots of people don't like that Max is gay. They think that being gay is wrong and they protest against him. One time in the book they are playing a game and this huge section of people come and yell at Max. They chant about how being gay is wrong. At the end of the game, Alex and Max's team wins at the last second. When they are celebrating one of the protesters chucks a baseball and it hits Max square in face. He falls to the ground and has to go to the hospital.
The book follows high school athlete Alex Myers as he joins the basketball team.
I wouldn't have done anything different if I was John Feinstein. I thought it was a good book because there was a lot of stuff happening in it. I also liked the book because there was a lot of crazy and happy endings to the games. I like how John Feinstein made the book easy to read and easy to understand the message that being gay is OK.
The Sixth Man by John Feinstein is a realistic fiction/ sports book that tacks place in Philadelphia.
The main characters in the book are Alex, Coach Archer, and Max. Alex is the main character of the story. Alex is a pretty good athlete. He is also the star quarterback of his high school, but he is now trying out for basketball. Coach Archer is Alex's basketball coach and his mom's boy friend. Max is a transfer student from Detroit and is the best basketball player in the school. He is also gay.
One problem in the story is that Alex and his team are divided. One half of the team gets more playing time and is better. The other half is not as good and gets less playing time. Another problem in the book is that lots of people don't like that Max is gay. They think that being gay is wrong and they protest against him. One time in the book they are playing a game and this huge section of people come and yell at Max. They chant about how being gay is wrong. At the end of the game, Alex and Max's team wins at the last second. When they are celebrating one of the protesters chucks a baseball and it hits Max square in face. He falls to the ground and has to go to the hospital.
The book follows high school athlete Alex Myers as he joins the basketball team.
I wouldn't have done anything different if I was John Feinstein. I thought it was a good book because there was a lot of stuff happening in it. I also liked the book because there was a lot of crazy and happy endings to the games. I like how John Feinstein made the book easy to read and easy to understand the message that being gay is OK.
May 25, 2019
This is an amazing second book to John Feinstein's series triple threat. In the second book, The Sixth Man, the book is about basketball and how Alex and his friends have to overcome challenges to have a chance to win the championships. There are many challenges, physically and mentally. “See, the thing is…”—Max took a deep breath—“I’m gay.” This is one of the mental and physical challenges that Max has to face while players and fans of the game heckle and demean him. I think that the strength of this book is how the author brings to light the LGBT community and portrays Max as a gay basketball star that has to overcome these challenges. I think that the weakness of this book was that Alex was not portrayed in a better light. I think that Alex's game could have been described better and more frequently. I think that this writing is both beautiful and effective because it has an important moral to the story of how you should accept everyone for who they are. I think that another strength of this book is how the author shows that even though Alex and Jonas made it to the championships in football, the teh coach makes it extra hard for them to make it on to the varsity team and to be able to gain respect from both the players and coaches. I think another weakness of this book is how little Matt Gordon was talked about in this book. I would recommend this book to a classmate if they are interested in sports, drama and a little bit of romance. If this book is part of a series, I would definitely continue reading it because this book so far has been really good.
July 10, 2021
While this story adheres to the “winning the big game at the end in dramatic fashion” form of the YA sports fiction genre, it is very modern in the context. First off, it has females other than mothers in lead roles. So many of the classics of adolescent sports fiction have limited to no female characters. The main female character here is a strong personality named Christine and she is a no-nonsense reporter for the high school newspaper.
Alex is a multi-sport star at his high school and the story opens with the start of the basketball season right after the end of the football season. Alex was almost able to lead his football team to the state title. In this case, there is dissension on the team, for at the first few practices, it is clear that Alex and his friend Jonas are much more skilled than their counterpart senior starters.
The team does well, but really takes off when the golden boy Max arrives as a transfer. Like Alex, Max’s parents are separated/divorced and he lives with his mother. Both boys have strained to non-existent relationships with their fathers. This is also one aspect of the story that makes it very modern. Finally, it is not long after he arrives that Max reveals that he is gay. This sets off a dual confrontation, where the basketball team must stick together when they are to play for the championship and have to deal with anti-gay violence and smears.
This is a great story, there is a lot of tension built up to the dramatic finish, Feinstein packs a lot of subtle and explicit action and social commentary into a sports story.
Alex is a multi-sport star at his high school and the story opens with the start of the basketball season right after the end of the football season. Alex was almost able to lead his football team to the state title. In this case, there is dissension on the team, for at the first few practices, it is clear that Alex and his friend Jonas are much more skilled than their counterpart senior starters.
The team does well, but really takes off when the golden boy Max arrives as a transfer. Like Alex, Max’s parents are separated/divorced and he lives with his mother. Both boys have strained to non-existent relationships with their fathers. This is also one aspect of the story that makes it very modern. Finally, it is not long after he arrives that Max reveals that he is gay. This sets off a dual confrontation, where the basketball team must stick together when they are to play for the championship and have to deal with anti-gay violence and smears.
This is a great story, there is a lot of tension built up to the dramatic finish, Feinstein packs a lot of subtle and explicit action and social commentary into a sports story.
June 6, 2017
1.My novel was about a basketball player Alex who is a freshman and is trying to make the varsity team. After earning his spot on the team, a kid named Max who is the best player on the team moves into town. But Alex and the whole team have to deal with adversity when Max comes out as being gay. This makes it hard for the team to play against good teams while trying to get a championship. So the team has to work hard and focus or they won't win a chamionship.
2.I gave it a five because the plot was the best part about the book. It had so many emotional twists that I didn't know what was gonna happen on the next page. Some books that I have read in the past are very predictable but this one wasn't, and I like that. Also the different character personalities are awesome because most people don't feel the same all the time. Lastly there were no flaws in the novel that made me want to stop reading.
3. Mostly teens who enjoy sports because this book deals with a bunch of teenagers. Mostly men but this book does deal with relationships so girls could like this too. Mostly realistic fiction because people today are coming out as gay and it is an emotional topic for people. Lastly, you would have to like the other books in John Feinstein's Triple Threat series.
2.I gave it a five because the plot was the best part about the book. It had so many emotional twists that I didn't know what was gonna happen on the next page. Some books that I have read in the past are very predictable but this one wasn't, and I like that. Also the different character personalities are awesome because most people don't feel the same all the time. Lastly there were no flaws in the novel that made me want to stop reading.
3. Mostly teens who enjoy sports because this book deals with a bunch of teenagers. Mostly men but this book does deal with relationships so girls could like this too. Mostly realistic fiction because people today are coming out as gay and it is an emotional topic for people. Lastly, you would have to like the other books in John Feinstein's Triple Threat series.
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November 16, 2018The Sixth Man by John Feinstein is a realistic fiction book. The theme is to never give up, no matter what happens, because the protagonist, Alex is pushed my his nemesis teammate, Zane Wakefield. He injures his hand, and gets a cast for about 2-3 weeks. The book is in present time, with smartphones, new era tactics, and new era language. The protagonist is Alex, he just came from losing in the championship game in football. He was first put on the JV team, but pushed his way to Varsity. Zane Wakefield is the antagonist. He is very mean to everyone at the start and middle, but at the end he helps his team, which results in the basketball team winning it all. He tells his dad to keep Max playing in the game. Max and Jonas are supporting characters, they are Alex’s best friends, and they all work together to lead the basketball team to a championship. I like the book because it is very realistic and it may help with people's’ lives. If you love sports, and may be struggling with certain things, this is for you.People that like sports are going to love this book, but before you read this book, read the walk on first, because this is the second book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 13, 2020John Feinstein's book "The Sixth Man" was a really nice book if you like basketball or want your life changed. I really enjoyed this book and it was one of my best books. There is a lot of drama in the story starting with his coach not liking Alex because his coach doesn't like football players. I love Alex's loss of the football championship and instead of sitting at home crying he got back up straight and began a new basketball sport. My favorite part was on page 288 when they actually came together again as a team, treating everyone kindly, and making a suspended player play in the championship game, play for no reason. “They were all on their feet screaming. Half the guys were pounding Max, the other half Wakefield. Over the din, Alex finally heard Coach Archer’s voice. They turned to him “Fellas”, he said a huge smile on his face. “We need to save some energy. We have a game to play”(Feinstein 288). I recommend this book to fans of basketball and other people who play different sports as it illustrates what a team would look like. In my view, it was a really nice book and it had given me a lot of life lessons.
October 19, 2019
This is book 2 in the Triple Threat series. Football season ended on a disappointing note with a loss in the championship game. Alex is ready to move on to basketball. Since he missed the first two weeks of practice, Coach Archer puts him on the JV team to prove he deserves varsity. It's clear his abilities are not only better than all the JV players, but also the senior varsity players. Coach moves him up, but a bitter battle ensues over who gets the starting position. So-so senior or stellar freshman. The inner conflict is affecting the team's morale and wins. Then a new kid with great basketball skills moves to town. He has a secret he wants to unload, but is worried the team won't take it well. It builds into a publicity nightmare, resulting in a showdown between the coach and the principal.
Feinstein's books are packed with game plays, but are best for grades 7 and up. Characters go to dances, parties and date. Feinstein is good at keeping things clean, but this story with a gay theme may not go over well with parents and teachers of students younger than 7th grade.
Feinstein's books are packed with game plays, but are best for grades 7 and up. Characters go to dances, parties and date. Feinstein is good at keeping things clean, but this story with a gay theme may not go over well with parents and teachers of students younger than 7th grade.
March 13, 2020
Alex is the main character of the story. Alex is a pretty good athlete. He is also the star quarterback of his high school, but he is now trying out for basketball. Coach Archer is Alex's basketball coach and his mom's boyfriend. Max is a transfer student from Detroit and is the best basketball player in the school plus a fact later in the story that he is gay. Although one of my favorite overall quotes was from page 51 in the book that says, “ You’re going to play because he wants to win games. But he’d rather have twelve guys who just play basketball and love the game like he does. ”( Feinstein 51 ) This quote shows that your heart must be in the game and not just your determination to always win since the sport is also about having fun. John Feinstein’s writing style expresses many sorts of problems that can relate even to this century since the gift of acceptance is still hard for many people. So, my overall rating for this book is for kids and adults of all ages since this can help everyone be more understanding of kids and their personal problems.
November 27, 2017
The book "The Sixth Man" by John Feinstein was a very good book if you like basketball or you want to be motivated in some way. This book had a lot of good parts where the main character Alex and his teammates had started to bond right before there championship game where they had went on to win the game after the team had nearly divided and had split up. I really liked this book and it was one of my favorite books this year. My favorite part was on page 288 when they had finally came together as a team again and had treated everyone nicely and they had also let a played who was being suspended for no reason play in the championship game. I definitely recommend this book to basketball fans and other people that play different sports because it shows what a team should look like. I would like to give this book five stars since it was a very good book in my opinion and it had showed me a lot of life lessons.
December 14, 2018
The book "The Sixth Man" by John Feinstein was a very good book if you like basketball or you want change in your life . I really liked this book and it was one of my favorite books I have read in a long time. There is a lot of drama in the story starting with Alex not being liked by his coach because his coach doesn't like football players. I love how Alex lost football championship and instead of sitting at home thinking about he got right back up and started a new sport which was basketball. My favorite part was on page 288 when they had finally came together as a team again and had treated everyone nicely and they had also let a player who was being suspended for no reason play in the championship game. I recommend this book to basketball fans and other people that play different sports because it shows what a team should look like. It was a very good book in my opinion and it had showed me a lot of life lessons.
November 6, 2017
I loved the book the Sixth Man. There is a lot of twists in the plot starting with Alex not being liked by his coach because his coach doesn't like football players. Coach Archer gets over the football player part and then Alex breaks his hand because Zane Wakefield doesn't handle the fact very well that Alex is better than him. The team is lousy even though Alex and Jonas play well. Then a kid named Max Bellotti comes and he's great and averages 20 a game. The team is winning, but the seniors don't like that Alex, Jonas and Max are playing more even though are winning. Max turns out as gay, however, and some people do not like him because of that. Alex and his teammates help him get through it and win the championship. I love the plot and how the story goes along as drama keeps coming up.
Want to read
November 30, 2021The sixth man by John Feinstein is a fun book about basketball and friendship.Its the perfect book for athletes young and old. It includes lots of twists and turns, a good plot and a lot of basketball.
The sixth man by John Feinstein tells the story of a young boy who plays basketball. Some of the plot points are when he joins the basketball team and when he suffers an injury.
I think this book would appeal to kids 12-16 that play sports. The strengths of this book is that it can inspire young athletes to try their best and get better. I think some of the weaknesses of this book is it does not go into a lot of detail on the characters' backgrounds
Overall i think this book is pretty good and enjoyable for an young adult book. I would definitely recommend it.
The sixth man by John Feinstein tells the story of a young boy who plays basketball. Some of the plot points are when he joins the basketball team and when he suffers an injury.
I think this book would appeal to kids 12-16 that play sports. The strengths of this book is that it can inspire young athletes to try their best and get better. I think some of the weaknesses of this book is it does not go into a lot of detail on the characters' backgrounds
Overall i think this book is pretty good and enjoyable for an young adult book. I would definitely recommend it.
May 25, 2017
After Alex finishes his football season, Ales starts his basketball season. Tons of drama start with the basketball team. Older kids on the team arent happy that Alex is taking their spots, the coach doesn't like football players, and their team isn't very good. Alex learns to like his coach and his coach likes him back. Next their team starts wining becuase Alex is playing. But then a new kid comes in who is super good names Max. MAx comes out that he is gay and all heck brake sloose with the media. People at games call them bad things and throw stuuf at them. Even through this Alex and his team blaock out all the bad stuff and win the league championship.
October 7, 2019
The Sixth Man, By John Feinstien is the second novel in a Trilogy, The novel explores the Chester Heights Basketball Team and how they were a divided team ever since the beginning of the season due to Freshman Jonas and Alex taking over two of the team’s starting positions. The team would stay divided until a gay kid named Max ultimately brings the team together. Which is not expected and something that I believed would divide the team even more. I really enjoyed this novel because of the Basketball aspect because I am a big basketball fan. I also felt a connection to the novel because I have been a part of a team that was divided so that really resonated in me.
Currently reading
February 19, 2020My book is about a kid who lost his team the football championship. Now he is on the basketball team. The first practice that he had a kid ran in to him on purpose and now he is out for half of the season. Will he still have the spot on the team or will he become the Sixth Man. I really enjoyed the book because it shows how if you lose in one sport you can always win in the next. I would give this book a 4 out of 5 because it is not a five because it just shows about how he overcame a problem. I think the theme of the book is to never give up on what you love.
December 14, 2016
This book was about a boy name alex who was in the football team in highschool last season. Now he is in basketball team for this season. His dad and mom are fixing thier files on deforcing. But his mom went to a date with alexis coach archer. I think this book is good because its interesting in every chapter. For example he broke his arm on the practice. id like to recommend it to teens because it has some romance stuff in it.
July 7, 2017
Alex is a prodigy on the court/field. In this second story in The Triple Threat trilogy, it's the court and his sport is basketball. Feinstein combines good sports action with high drama both on and off the court. Alex has to contend with a new family situation and a new home. He has to deal with injuries, and juggling basketball, school, friends and family. And his team has to deal with elite competition under a new coach, new teammates, and dissension among some of those teammates. Feinstein brings melodrama to the court, thanks in part to -- SPOILER ALERT -- the new teammate being gay. Alex and his friends seem too good to be true and often too mature for their ages. Game settings (thousands of spectators at a public high school regular season basketball game?) and details (video replay? guys being recruited but not yet committed to D1 schools late in their senior seasons?) make for a good story, but are not realistic. There is certainly an audience for this book, but it may not be actual athletes, more likely the wannabes and dreamers. Grades 5-9
January 19, 2018
The sixth man is all around a good book that goes along with a well rounded series.Alex Mayer a 9th grade boy who just moved to a new town from Boston and became an immediate football star leading his team to the state championship but now he had a much harder challenge.The basketball team was horrible and everybody knew it.Alex and his friend Jonas were stuck on JV and had to earn there way to Varsity.When they get there many problems break out and they have to come together as one to win.
June 6, 2018
Enjoyable read. I read this after reading "The Walk On", which I liked a little bit better as I tend to be more of a Football fan. But this book still held my attention. I will say that the media coverage at this high school seems crazy as there is always hordes of national media reporting everything their sports team does. Some local media, I can totally see...a few reporters...but this book makes it sound like the high school gets more press than an NBA team.
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