Jayhawker: On History, Home, and Basketball

by Andrew Malan Milward

Wars ravage Iraq and Afghanistan. An earthquake devastates Haiti. The economy is in crisis and America is in the death grip of partisan politics. But what really, really gets you down? Your college basketball team loses a key game. It kind of makes a person wonder—first, of course, about his priorities, but then, inevitably, about the nature of such an obsession, one clearly shared with millions of sports fans spanning the United States. In a book that begins with one fan’s passion for a game, Andrew Malan Milward takes a deep dive into sports culture, team loyalty, and a shared sense of belonging—and what these have to do with character, home, and history.At the University of Kansas—where the inventor of the sport coached its first team—basketball is a religion, and Milward is a devoted follower with a faith that has grown despite time and distance. Jayhawker , his first venture into nonfiction, bears the marks of the accomplished storyteller. Sharply observed, deftly written, and often as dramatic as its subject, the book pairs personal memoir with cultural history to conduct us from the world of the athlete to the literary life, from competition to camaraderie, from the history of the game to the game as a reflection of American history at its darkest hour and in its shining moments. A journey through one man’s obsession with basketball, On History, Home, and Basketball tells a quintessential American story.

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 21, 2019

About the author

Andrew Malan Milward was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and raised in Lawrence, Kansas. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, he is the author of two short story collections, The Agriculture Hall of Fame and I Was a Revolutionary. His fiction has appeared in many venues, including Zoetrope, American Short Fiction, Virginia Quarterly Review, The Southern Review, Guernica, and Best New American Voices and has been a finalist for the National Magazine Award. He is an assistant professor of English at the University of Kentucky. -- https://kansaspress.ku.edu/978-0-7006...

Reviews

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the NCAA in 2020 canceled their basketball tournaments, I felt a deep sense of loss. I’m a dedicated Kansas Jayhawk fan —tightly bonded to Lawrence Kansas and Kansas history. In order to overcome my depression over the tournament cancellation, I spent time with my collection of autographed KU team basketballs, watched on TV the CBS rewind of KU’s 2008 championship game against Memphis, and read Andrew (Drew) Malan Milward’s autographed 2019 book entitled “Jayhawker: On History, Home, and Basketball” (appropriately published by University Press of Kansas). Drew’s book captures the mystical power of my devotion to the team I love and to the heritage of living in a State and town that enlivens my spirit. The book is a wonderful read —especially during the time of COVID-19 stress and lockdown. Thank you Drew for your book’s candor and insights. While reading your writing, I took many notes and respectfully folded them into the back pages of the book. I will refer to these notes and to your text often. Today, the book is nestled in a place of honor next to my KU team autographed 2019-20 basketball. (P)

[Frodo · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Jayhawk fan I found Milward's account of his love for KU basketball and his ties to Kansas very enjoyable and many of his emotional swings mirrored mine during the years of KU wins and losses he chronicled. Wonderful look back through the history of Kansas, a history that I hadn't explored as deeply as he has. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

One needs to really love Kansas and basketball, preferably Kansas basketball, to enjoy this book. I am a devoted Jayhawk fan and remembered watching most of the games recounted but still found the recaps a little tedious. There is much to love about Kansas, even beyond the small NE corner which is the authors focus. It is well researched and well written, thus three stars for a very niche book.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best and most thoughtful books I've ever read in my life.