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Strong Inside (Young Readers Edition): The True Story of How Perry Wallace Broke College Basketball's Color Line
The inspirational true story of the first African American to play college basketball in the deeply segregated Southeastern Conference--a powerful moment in Black history.
Perry Wallace was born at an historic crossroads in U.S. history. He entered kindergarten the year that the Brown v. Board of Education decision led to integrated schools, allowing blacks and whites to learn side by side. A week after Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, Wallace enrolled in high school and his sensational jumping, dunking, and rebounding abilities quickly earned him the attention of college basketball recruiters from top schools across the nation. In his senior year his Pearl High School basketball team won Tennessee's first racially-integrated state tournament.
The world seemed to be opening up at just the right time, and when Vanderbilt University recruited Wallace to play basketball, he courageously accepted the assignment to desegregate the Southeastern Conference. The hateful experiences he would endure on campus and in the hostile gymnasiums of the Deep South turned out to be the stuff of nightmares. Yet Wallace persisted, endured, and met this unthinkable challenge head on. This insightful biography digs deep beneath the surface to reveal a complicated, profound, and inspiring story of an athlete turned civil rights trailblazer.
Praise for Strong Inside
★ "This moving biography is thought-provoking, riveting and heart-wrenching, though it remains hopeful as it takes readers into the midst of the basketball and civil rights action."— Booklist , STARRED review
"This portrait of the fortitude of a young athlete will make a huge impact on teens and is guaranteed to spark serious discussion."— School Library Journal
“Even if you’re not a history buff, this important story is worth your time.”— Sports Illustrated Kids
"A fascinating, very personal account of the effect that the civil rights movement had on one individual. . . a must purchase for any middle school or high school library."—Miss Yingling Reads
Perry Wallace was born at an historic crossroads in U.S. history. He entered kindergarten the year that the Brown v. Board of Education decision led to integrated schools, allowing blacks and whites to learn side by side. A week after Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, Wallace enrolled in high school and his sensational jumping, dunking, and rebounding abilities quickly earned him the attention of college basketball recruiters from top schools across the nation. In his senior year his Pearl High School basketball team won Tennessee's first racially-integrated state tournament.
The world seemed to be opening up at just the right time, and when Vanderbilt University recruited Wallace to play basketball, he courageously accepted the assignment to desegregate the Southeastern Conference. The hateful experiences he would endure on campus and in the hostile gymnasiums of the Deep South turned out to be the stuff of nightmares. Yet Wallace persisted, endured, and met this unthinkable challenge head on. This insightful biography digs deep beneath the surface to reveal a complicated, profound, and inspiring story of an athlete turned civil rights trailblazer.
Praise for Strong Inside
★ "This moving biography is thought-provoking, riveting and heart-wrenching, though it remains hopeful as it takes readers into the midst of the basketball and civil rights action."— Booklist , STARRED review
"This portrait of the fortitude of a young athlete will make a huge impact on teens and is guaranteed to spark serious discussion."— School Library Journal
“Even if you’re not a history buff, this important story is worth your time.”— Sports Illustrated Kids
"A fascinating, very personal account of the effect that the civil rights movement had on one individual. . . a must purchase for any middle school or high school library."—Miss Yingling Reads
272 pages, Hardcover
Published December 20, 2016
23 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Maraniss
22 books54 followersAndrew Maraniss is the New York Times bestselling author of STRONG INSIDE, a biography of Perry Wallace, the first African American basketball player in the SEC. The original, adult edition of the book received the Lillian Smith Book Award and the RFK Book Awards' Special Recognition Prize, while the Middle Grade adaptation was named one of the Top Biographies and Top Sports Books for Youth by the American Library Association. Andrew's next book (Nov. 2019) GAMES OF DECEPTION, is the true story of the first U.S. Olympic basketball team, at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany. Andrew is a contributor to ESPN's race and sports website, TheUndefeated.com, and is a Visiting Author at Vanderbilt University Athletics. He lives in Brentwood, Tenn., with his wife and two young children. Follow him on Twitter @trublu24.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 28, 2017
Mr. Wallace is a true hero and an inspiration. Truly a terrific read!
December 19, 2020
I bought this book because I'm boning up on sports books that I can introduce my students to. In addition, we cover Civil Rights in our curriculum so I thought this could be a new book for the Civil Rights classroom library.
This year was the first year where my students admitted to bullying in elementary. Naturally, they didn't think they were bullying: it was just a "class joke" where they all pretended that certain students were "made invisible" for a week. In other words, they shunned other students for no reason which is a form of social isolation and really tough to endure.
Perry Wallace endured this for four years. When he wasn't ignored, he was outright bullied. It's distressing to realize this would happen at any college because I hold people who are more educated to a higher standard. It also goes to show how deep the racism goes, especially into the American psyche of our well-educated liberals who think they're color-blind.
I would have liked more perspective on the scholastic side of his college career. How was he treated by the professors (only a couple of incidents were reported in the book)? How about students and study partners? Did he have any study partners? What part did racism play in the academics? Will reading the adult version give me the answers?
This year was the first year where my students admitted to bullying in elementary. Naturally, they didn't think they were bullying: it was just a "class joke" where they all pretended that certain students were "made invisible" for a week. In other words, they shunned other students for no reason which is a form of social isolation and really tough to endure.
Perry Wallace endured this for four years. When he wasn't ignored, he was outright bullied. It's distressing to realize this would happen at any college because I hold people who are more educated to a higher standard. It also goes to show how deep the racism goes, especially into the American psyche of our well-educated liberals who think they're color-blind.
I would have liked more perspective on the scholastic side of his college career. How was he treated by the professors (only a couple of incidents were reported in the book)? How about students and study partners? Did he have any study partners? What part did racism play in the academics? Will reading the adult version give me the answers?
November 19, 2017
Purchased for my 11 year old basketball mad son. He was really affected by Perry's story, and despite the fact my son had related the story to me in great depth I thought I would give it a go... What an amazing story. I felt so angry and sad reading about what Perry and others went through. I can't even imagine having the strength of character to survive and succeed in such an environment. Can't wait to buy this book for school- I think A lot of students will find it an interesting read and useful for when the study civil rights.
May 29, 2018
I am not a fan of basketball but this was still an interesting read with a lot of history and events from the civil rights movement. Sports was a big theme but not the main one. I felt for all that Perry Wallace went through. There are some insults used that may make some people uncomfortable to read but they are historically accurate and are still used today. The story did go slow at times so my interest waned. I would recommend it for kids or teens who like to read about people who overcome obstacles and show determination. 6th grade and up.
April 27, 2021
Fascinating story of Perry Wallace who became the first Black college basketball player at Vanderbilt. The time is the 1960's when Martin Luther King is speaking and Vanderbilt is integrating by recruiting Perry Wallace. The horrific indignities Perry suffered while playing would crush a lesser soul but Perry always took the high road in a measured manner. It is eye-opening to read that Vanderbilt thought that by just opening its doors to Black students they would consider themselves integrated, "but that didn't mean the problems were solved."
November 7, 2022
This book was good. I liked how the book talks about how hard it was to play basketball as a black person. Perry Wallace was the only black person who played basketball because he went to college he also played with an all white team. The NCAA was not going to let Perry to play but his college fought for him and helped him play more basketball games. The only black person who played in the NCAA was Perry Wallace.
February 1, 2018
The book is about a guy named Perry Wallace. He is a black kid growing up in the 1900's, he also likes to play basketball. Perry and I both share a interest in basketball. Somebody taught him the fundamentals of basketball. Somebody taught me the fundamentals of basketball. In the book the character is made fun of and yelled at. I was also yelled at.
September 16, 2019
This true account of the experience of Perry Wallace as a student at Vanderbilt University in the 60s was unsettling and sad, but a necessary reminder of man's inhumanity to man. We're planning to discuss the book at my school and have Andrew Maraniss as our visiting author this year, and I plan to read the original version next.
January 28, 2018
This is a powerful and inspiring read. The narration is gripping and flows at a great pace. There's plenty of sports action, mixed with a good dose of history. I'm really glad I picked up this title.
May 16, 2018
Loved this! Even if you aren't a fan of Basketball, this is just a great book. The historical value is great. Takes place during the Civil Rights movement in America. Ties to the movie Glory Road!
January 28, 2020
4.5 stars
This is a great read that with high appeal for readers interests in sports and/or history. Written on a level closer to middle grade, but still appropriate for high school. I want to read the adult version now.
This is a great read that with high appeal for readers interests in sports and/or history. Written on a level closer to middle grade, but still appropriate for high school. I want to read the adult version now.
November 19, 2022
This is a well written story of highs and lows experienced by Perry Wallace in his days at Vandy. As a resident of Nashville it also provided a very nice history of one aspect of the civil rights movement in the 60s
June 14, 2017
So many, many stories left to tell. I can't wait to hand this to students this fall.
July 16, 2017
The true story of Perry Wallace's college years when he played basketball for Vanderbilt University and was the first African-American in the Southeastern Conference.
May 25, 2018
Love how it not a throughly sugar-down version of 1960’s- 70’s civil rights. What an amazing story of the human spirit in surpassing the indignities humans can commit on each other.
August 9, 2019
A good story on a little-known person who endured a lot of hardships and had a big impact both on and off the court.
February 11, 2020
Would love to compare to the adult version. Pales in comparison to the others for our unit that we are using this for. It’s a weird mix of interview and narration. Hopefully my Ss enjoy!
February 10, 2021
Exceedingly interesting story about Perry Wallace's struggle to pioneer as the first black basketball player in the SEC.
April 2, 2022
Fortitude.
December 21, 2022
“It’s not my job to get up and leave injustice in a country that claims to have justice. I have a right to be here like anybody else, and I’m not going to leave Vanderbilt”~ Perry Wallace
February 25, 2017
Everyone knows the story of Jackie Robinson, the black man who integrated Major League Baseball in the 1940s. However, there were obviously other black pioneers who did the same in other sports, and that is exactly what “Strong inside” focuses on, in this case telling the story of Perry Wallace, the first black man to play college basketball (Vanderbilt) in the Southeastern Conference.
The book is laid out in basic biography format, with Wallace’s time spent at Pearl HS (in segregated Nashville) first chronicled, then moving on to discuss his four years at Vanderbilt University. While at Vanderbilt, Wallace became the first black basketball player in the conference, a distinction that granted him both an honorable distinction and his share of abuse. During an era in U.S. history where lynchings in the Deep South were still occurring, Wallace traveled to hostile environments like Ole Miss and Alabama, absorbing reams of physical and mental abuse in the process. The book also spends a good deal of time revealing how these experiences affected Wallace and how he tried to initiate reform (with differing degrees of success) at Vanderbilt.
This is indeed a “Young Adult” version of the more lengthy original title, but I never felt as if it was “dumbed down” or simplistic. It could have been released without the “YA” distinction and been just fine. The hallmark of the experience is probably that author Andrew Maraniss doesn’t preach or espouse his own personal opinions in the text. He tells the story via a strong, exciting writing style, but then “gets out of the way” and lets the facts speak for themselves. Were there times where I disagreed with what some of the book’s figures were doing/saying? Sure. In the context of reading, that is a good thing! Fortunately, however, Maraniss doesn’t feel the need to justify or add any additional commentary.
Overall, “Strong Inside” is a great title because it tells an important, captivating story that many people may not have heard. Throughout history (especially during the Civil Rights-era 1960s), many figures (black or otherwise) have been pioneers and have an interesting, instructive story to be told. Perry Wallace got his told, and I’m better for reading it.
The book is laid out in basic biography format, with Wallace’s time spent at Pearl HS (in segregated Nashville) first chronicled, then moving on to discuss his four years at Vanderbilt University. While at Vanderbilt, Wallace became the first black basketball player in the conference, a distinction that granted him both an honorable distinction and his share of abuse. During an era in U.S. history where lynchings in the Deep South were still occurring, Wallace traveled to hostile environments like Ole Miss and Alabama, absorbing reams of physical and mental abuse in the process. The book also spends a good deal of time revealing how these experiences affected Wallace and how he tried to initiate reform (with differing degrees of success) at Vanderbilt.
This is indeed a “Young Adult” version of the more lengthy original title, but I never felt as if it was “dumbed down” or simplistic. It could have been released without the “YA” distinction and been just fine. The hallmark of the experience is probably that author Andrew Maraniss doesn’t preach or espouse his own personal opinions in the text. He tells the story via a strong, exciting writing style, but then “gets out of the way” and lets the facts speak for themselves. Were there times where I disagreed with what some of the book’s figures were doing/saying? Sure. In the context of reading, that is a good thing! Fortunately, however, Maraniss doesn’t feel the need to justify or add any additional commentary.
Overall, “Strong Inside” is a great title because it tells an important, captivating story that many people may not have heard. Throughout history (especially during the Civil Rights-era 1960s), many figures (black or otherwise) have been pioneers and have an interesting, instructive story to be told. Perry Wallace got his told, and I’m better for reading it.
February 9, 2017
For Perry Wallace, civil rights was no easy lay-up
Journalist Andrew Maraniss brings to light a lesser-known but no less compelling chapter from basketball’s civil rights history.
by Brianna Westervelt
In sports lore, the 1966 men’s NCAA championship game between the Texas Western Miners and the Kentucky Wildcats is well-known — black versus white on the basketball court. (See the 2006 Disney movie, Glory Road, now on Netflix.) Less well-known is the story of Perry Wallace, who, along with teammate Godfrey Dillard, broke through the white wall of the Southeastern Conference when he joined the Vanderbilt University basketball team in 1967.
It was one thing to have an all-black team playing an all-white team (coached by an ardent segregationist, no less). But Perry Wallace dared to grace the mostly lily-white campus of a Southern school and integrate its most famous institution in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement.
Author Maraniss, like his dad, Pulitzer Prize winner David Maraniss, knows a good talker when he finds one, and Wallace provides a wealth of exquisite quotes that his biographer uses to drive the narrative. These five stood out for me:
1.) Perry Wallace did not want to be the first black basketball player in the SEC. So why’d he do it? “I didn’t sign [at Vanderbilt] to show or prove anything. It just happened that the school I wanted to go to was in the SEC.”
2.) On SEC fans in the Deep South: “These (fans) claimed to be good Americans, yet they were viciously attacking a fellow American’s right to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ They also claimed to be good Christians, yet one couldn’t call their reactions to me acts of ‘Christian love.’ Finally, people like these believed they were racially ‘superior,’ yet their behavior wouldn’t have qualified as even minimally ‘civilized.’ So, they failed at all of their most fundamental claims about themselves, while I embodied quite well the first two—which after all are the only valid ones.”
3.) On being named the male student who had “made the most significant contributions to the university”: “It was ironic … because I have been a very lonely person at Vanderbilt. I can’t say it any other way. I have been there by myself. Things have gotten a lot better over the years, but it has been a lonesome thing…. Over the years, many people knew my name, but they were not interested in knowing me.”
4.) On leaving Vanderbilt: “People were about to wrap this thing up, this whole experience, into a nice, neat little package, just a quick civil rights success, like a pretty picture, and then put it away so they can forget about it and let it be like a trophy, as opposed to a work in progress where there is a tremendous amount of work that still remains.”
5.) At the retirement of his jersey in February 2004: “Many years ago, Vanderbilt and I set out on a great and ambitious journey. A journey about progress and about justice. And tonight we celebrate that journey’s great success.”
By the end of Wallace’s senior year at Vanderbilt, Henry Harris had integrated the Auburn varsity, a handful of other SEC schools had added African-American players to their freshman squads, and the crowds had become less rabid in their taunting.
Andrew Maraniss has found a story that does what few civil rights books for young readers do: It shows that the struggle for black dignity and equality was a human, messy struggle, as opposed to the sanitized, cheery narratives that drift onto the book market every winter.
(Originally appeared in Quindaro Press' Q Review: https://quindaropress.com/perry-walla...)
Journalist Andrew Maraniss brings to light a lesser-known but no less compelling chapter from basketball’s civil rights history.
by Brianna Westervelt
In sports lore, the 1966 men’s NCAA championship game between the Texas Western Miners and the Kentucky Wildcats is well-known — black versus white on the basketball court. (See the 2006 Disney movie, Glory Road, now on Netflix.) Less well-known is the story of Perry Wallace, who, along with teammate Godfrey Dillard, broke through the white wall of the Southeastern Conference when he joined the Vanderbilt University basketball team in 1967.
It was one thing to have an all-black team playing an all-white team (coached by an ardent segregationist, no less). But Perry Wallace dared to grace the mostly lily-white campus of a Southern school and integrate its most famous institution in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement.
Author Maraniss, like his dad, Pulitzer Prize winner David Maraniss, knows a good talker when he finds one, and Wallace provides a wealth of exquisite quotes that his biographer uses to drive the narrative. These five stood out for me:
1.) Perry Wallace did not want to be the first black basketball player in the SEC. So why’d he do it? “I didn’t sign [at Vanderbilt] to show or prove anything. It just happened that the school I wanted to go to was in the SEC.”
2.) On SEC fans in the Deep South: “These (fans) claimed to be good Americans, yet they were viciously attacking a fellow American’s right to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ They also claimed to be good Christians, yet one couldn’t call their reactions to me acts of ‘Christian love.’ Finally, people like these believed they were racially ‘superior,’ yet their behavior wouldn’t have qualified as even minimally ‘civilized.’ So, they failed at all of their most fundamental claims about themselves, while I embodied quite well the first two—which after all are the only valid ones.”
3.) On being named the male student who had “made the most significant contributions to the university”: “It was ironic … because I have been a very lonely person at Vanderbilt. I can’t say it any other way. I have been there by myself. Things have gotten a lot better over the years, but it has been a lonesome thing…. Over the years, many people knew my name, but they were not interested in knowing me.”
4.) On leaving Vanderbilt: “People were about to wrap this thing up, this whole experience, into a nice, neat little package, just a quick civil rights success, like a pretty picture, and then put it away so they can forget about it and let it be like a trophy, as opposed to a work in progress where there is a tremendous amount of work that still remains.”
5.) At the retirement of his jersey in February 2004: “Many years ago, Vanderbilt and I set out on a great and ambitious journey. A journey about progress and about justice. And tonight we celebrate that journey’s great success.”
By the end of Wallace’s senior year at Vanderbilt, Henry Harris had integrated the Auburn varsity, a handful of other SEC schools had added African-American players to their freshman squads, and the crowds had become less rabid in their taunting.
Andrew Maraniss has found a story that does what few civil rights books for young readers do: It shows that the struggle for black dignity and equality was a human, messy struggle, as opposed to the sanitized, cheery narratives that drift onto the book market every winter.
(Originally appeared in Quindaro Press' Q Review: https://quindaropress.com/perry-walla...)
February 15, 2017
Inspiring story of Perry Wallace, the first black to integrate the all white NCAA Southeastern Conference when he played varsity basketball for Vanderbilt in the mid 1960s. While there were blacks on other college basketball teams in the U.S. as well as the NBA, college hoops in the deep south was still all white. As such, Wallace endured terrible treatment and faced all the hardships with grace and courage. This is a well written tale, told biography style, by the author of the adult version of this book. There is rough language and a large dose of Jim Crow brutal reality but nothing about this book feels “dumbed down.” I’d recommend it equally for the adult reader.
July 2, 2017
Reviewing for a professional magazine, see review there.
Want to read
September 29, 2017Top 10 Biographies for Youth 2017 (Booklist)
Top 10 Sports Books for Youth 2017 (Booklist)
Top 10 Sports Books for Youth 2017 (Booklist)
April 4, 2017
Perry Wallace became the first black varsity basketball player in the SEC when he opened his sophomore season at Vanderbilt University. His trailblazing journey was never an easy one, however, as detailed in this serious biography.
"Serious" is the best word I can think of when describing this book. Wallace's journey is never easy, and as his college years (and the book) were concluding, all I could think about was how very unhappy he seemed. This bio is well-written, and Maraniss does a really excellent job stressing Wallace's even-tempered, patient nature by reflecting this in the narrative's pacing. I like that Wallace's story itself shows how difficult the Civil Rights movement was for people who weren't political, as so many stories of the age are prone to reflect that aspect. Wallace's experience, while being uncommon as that of a standout student athlete, is nonetheless widely relatable.
"Serious" is the best word I can think of when describing this book. Wallace's journey is never easy, and as his college years (and the book) were concluding, all I could think about was how very unhappy he seemed. This bio is well-written, and Maraniss does a really excellent job stressing Wallace's even-tempered, patient nature by reflecting this in the narrative's pacing. I like that Wallace's story itself shows how difficult the Civil Rights movement was for people who weren't political, as so many stories of the age are prone to reflect that aspect. Wallace's experience, while being uncommon as that of a standout student athlete, is nonetheless widely relatable.
April 12, 2017
First published: https://zackbarnes1.wordpress.com/201...
Strong Inside: Young Readers Edition by Andrew Maraniss tells the compelling story of Perry Wallace, a Nashville native who went on to become the first Black SEC basketball player as a Vanderbilt student.
The book is not for the faint of heart, with graphic language and explicit examples of the racism and abuse that took place in our country. Those explicit experiences make this a perfect book for young people to read. This young readers edition was adapted from the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name.
I was in the process of reading the book as one of the classes I co-teach was working through speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. The students had to write a compare/contrast essay about the two difference speeches, and views, of these civil rights leaders.
A great example of a similar activity takes place in Chapter 16. Martin Luther King, Jr and Stokely Carmichael were speaking at the same conference on Vanderbilt’s campus in April of 1967. King spoke on a Friday and Carmichael spoke the next day. One called for nonviolence while the other one called for something more direct.
That saturday night would see the start of the Nashville riots. Many in Nashville blamed Carmichael for leading the riots even though he was not even in the area.
Learning about the early life of Perry Wallace was really fascinating as a Nashville native. I loved learning about the history of Nashville, and how life was like in Nashville for a young Black man. I think students would enjoy reading about life as a young Black man in the south and compare it to now. What are the differences? What are the similarities? How far have we actually come since then.
There is a lot of basketball in this book, but it’s so much more than just basketball. It’s about Wallace playing on a basically all White team. It’s about how Wallace felt on Vanderbilt’s campus as a young Black man. The experience of Perry Wallace should be shared with as many people as possible, especially our youth.
Maraniss writes in a way that would draw in reluctant readers. His writing is smooth and vivid. The smoothness makes the book fly by, while the vividness make the encounters Wallace face that much more damning.
Teachers, I know you will want to use this in your classroom once you have read this. It needs to be in your classroom, and students across the United States should be reading this book. But specifically, the students of Nashville need to read this book. They need to know Nashville’s history. We shouldn’t hide it. We should learn from it.
Strong Inside: Young Readers Edition by Andrew Maraniss tells the compelling story of Perry Wallace, a Nashville native who went on to become the first Black SEC basketball player as a Vanderbilt student.
The book is not for the faint of heart, with graphic language and explicit examples of the racism and abuse that took place in our country. Those explicit experiences make this a perfect book for young people to read. This young readers edition was adapted from the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name.
I was in the process of reading the book as one of the classes I co-teach was working through speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. The students had to write a compare/contrast essay about the two difference speeches, and views, of these civil rights leaders.
A great example of a similar activity takes place in Chapter 16. Martin Luther King, Jr and Stokely Carmichael were speaking at the same conference on Vanderbilt’s campus in April of 1967. King spoke on a Friday and Carmichael spoke the next day. One called for nonviolence while the other one called for something more direct.
That saturday night would see the start of the Nashville riots. Many in Nashville blamed Carmichael for leading the riots even though he was not even in the area.
Learning about the early life of Perry Wallace was really fascinating as a Nashville native. I loved learning about the history of Nashville, and how life was like in Nashville for a young Black man. I think students would enjoy reading about life as a young Black man in the south and compare it to now. What are the differences? What are the similarities? How far have we actually come since then.
There is a lot of basketball in this book, but it’s so much more than just basketball. It’s about Wallace playing on a basically all White team. It’s about how Wallace felt on Vanderbilt’s campus as a young Black man. The experience of Perry Wallace should be shared with as many people as possible, especially our youth.
Maraniss writes in a way that would draw in reluctant readers. His writing is smooth and vivid. The smoothness makes the book fly by, while the vividness make the encounters Wallace face that much more damning.
Teachers, I know you will want to use this in your classroom once you have read this. It needs to be in your classroom, and students across the United States should be reading this book. But specifically, the students of Nashville need to read this book. They need to know Nashville’s history. We shouldn’t hide it. We should learn from it.
April 25, 2017
See the full review and more at www.lilbooklovers.wordpress.com!
Disclaimer: I received a free signed physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This will not affect my review in anyway. All thoughts are mine and mine alone, and they are my honest thoughts.
Overall Thoughts: My whole review can be summarized in this one sentence: Strong Inside is by far the best biography I have ever read. At the beginning of 2016, I was in a what I call a “memoir fad” when all I read were memoirs and nonfiction… thankfully it lasted for only two months. Yes, I found Martin Short’s, Tina Fey’s, and Amy Poehler’s memoirs hilariously funny (redundant, I know!) but Strong Inside tops them. I’m being serious. This book was so amazing that I’ve page flagged like 15-20 different quotes and excerpts. I mean, I devoured this book. I read half of it in a day (I know it’s for younger readers but still…) and finished it in three days!
The Life of Perry Wallace: Perry Wallace isn’t a big household name, but after reading his story, he’s like a celebrity to me. His story is very interesting and heart-wrenching. As a Tennessean, a Southerner, and an Asian in the 21st century, it’s hard to imagine what is was like living in the South in the mid-1900s. To see all this hatred and racism that happened to Wallace whenever he visited places in Mississippi, Alabama, or even in his hometown Nashville definitely makes you stop and think. I’m so surprised events like the Fisk University riots occurred in my state’s capital. It’s shocking! Wallace is also super relatable, yet his life is very interesting. No wonder why the adult version of Strong Inside is one of the required reading for all freshmen at Vanderbilt University! It definitely will change your viewpoint on the world and how racism exists in so many ways, whether it is violent or more subtle. Knowing what people like Perry Wallace had to go through definitely inspires me to treat everyone more equally.
[...]
Just Perfect! and Concluding Thoughts: I have nothing against this book. And I mean nothing. This book is one of the best books I have read this year, no doubt. I’m not the biggest nonfiction fan, but this certainly has defied that. I would give this to younger readers if I had the opportunity to get a crate because it’s something I believe should be read everywhere. Teachers, go get this book for your classroom! You will not be disappointed. You don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy Perry Wallace’s conquest for “equalizing” and integrating the college sports industry. Reading Strong Inside will change your perception about the world and the racism that is unfolding everywhere, and it will inspire you to never give up in the face of oppression.
Disclaimer: I received a free signed physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This will not affect my review in anyway. All thoughts are mine and mine alone, and they are my honest thoughts.
Overall Thoughts: My whole review can be summarized in this one sentence: Strong Inside is by far the best biography I have ever read. At the beginning of 2016, I was in a what I call a “memoir fad” when all I read were memoirs and nonfiction… thankfully it lasted for only two months. Yes, I found Martin Short’s, Tina Fey’s, and Amy Poehler’s memoirs hilariously funny (redundant, I know!) but Strong Inside tops them. I’m being serious. This book was so amazing that I’ve page flagged like 15-20 different quotes and excerpts. I mean, I devoured this book. I read half of it in a day (I know it’s for younger readers but still…) and finished it in three days!
The Life of Perry Wallace: Perry Wallace isn’t a big household name, but after reading his story, he’s like a celebrity to me. His story is very interesting and heart-wrenching. As a Tennessean, a Southerner, and an Asian in the 21st century, it’s hard to imagine what is was like living in the South in the mid-1900s. To see all this hatred and racism that happened to Wallace whenever he visited places in Mississippi, Alabama, or even in his hometown Nashville definitely makes you stop and think. I’m so surprised events like the Fisk University riots occurred in my state’s capital. It’s shocking! Wallace is also super relatable, yet his life is very interesting. No wonder why the adult version of Strong Inside is one of the required reading for all freshmen at Vanderbilt University! It definitely will change your viewpoint on the world and how racism exists in so many ways, whether it is violent or more subtle. Knowing what people like Perry Wallace had to go through definitely inspires me to treat everyone more equally.
[...]
Just Perfect! and Concluding Thoughts: I have nothing against this book. And I mean nothing. This book is one of the best books I have read this year, no doubt. I’m not the biggest nonfiction fan, but this certainly has defied that. I would give this to younger readers if I had the opportunity to get a crate because it’s something I believe should be read everywhere. Teachers, go get this book for your classroom! You will not be disappointed. You don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy Perry Wallace’s conquest for “equalizing” and integrating the college sports industry. Reading Strong Inside will change your perception about the world and the racism that is unfolding everywhere, and it will inspire you to never give up in the face of oppression.
April 20, 2017
This is a fantastic book to add to your classroom collection. Sometimes boys can be a little difficult when trying to find a book that peaks their interests and this is one that will do it. All sports lovers can learn from this book and it is a great way to blur the lines and bring curriculum together.
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November 16, 2018Basketball and History by Lincoln Mehlert ★★★★
Strong Inside
Andrew Maraniss
Nonfiction/Sports
262 pages
Andrew Maraniss novel Strong Inside is a book that puts you in the shoes of a black basketball player in the 1960s. Perry wallace has just learned that college basketball in the south is not pleasant for being African American. He is getting harassed a lot in all of his games. He is also the first ever African American to play basketball in college.
Perry lives in Nashville Tennessee, he plays basketball and he also plays college ball at University of Vanderbilt. He has a Mom and Dad who are both full time workers. They all love basketball which makes it easy for Perry to be very good at basketball. Perry always been good at basketball but since he is black and in the 60s he was not appreciated very well as whites.
The readers can learn about that anyone that is in a struggle can learn that he forgot everything people thought about him. He also would never give up on what he was trying to go after and that was to be able to have blacks play with whites.
I would recommend this book because it is a great book about a basketball player who goes through a lot more than just basketball and if you like history too about basketball and about racism. The writer is very detailed about this book because it is a nonfiction so if u dont like nonfiction then that's too bad but give it a try you will like it. Basketball is a very complex sport that takes a lot of talent. Even though that i'm not a basketball player I liked the book because it just wasn't about basketball it is about racism and history.
Strong Inside
Andrew Maraniss
Nonfiction/Sports
262 pages
Andrew Maraniss novel Strong Inside is a book that puts you in the shoes of a black basketball player in the 1960s. Perry wallace has just learned that college basketball in the south is not pleasant for being African American. He is getting harassed a lot in all of his games. He is also the first ever African American to play basketball in college.
Perry lives in Nashville Tennessee, he plays basketball and he also plays college ball at University of Vanderbilt. He has a Mom and Dad who are both full time workers. They all love basketball which makes it easy for Perry to be very good at basketball. Perry always been good at basketball but since he is black and in the 60s he was not appreciated very well as whites.
The readers can learn about that anyone that is in a struggle can learn that he forgot everything people thought about him. He also would never give up on what he was trying to go after and that was to be able to have blacks play with whites.
I would recommend this book because it is a great book about a basketball player who goes through a lot more than just basketball and if you like history too about basketball and about racism. The writer is very detailed about this book because it is a nonfiction so if u dont like nonfiction then that's too bad but give it a try you will like it. Basketball is a very complex sport that takes a lot of talent. Even though that i'm not a basketball player I liked the book because it just wasn't about basketball it is about racism and history.
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