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Blind Your Ponies
Willow Creek, Montana. With bold strokes on a large canvas, Stanley West has drawn an entire village of curious and outlandish characters who have been cast so vividly that one can see them, hear them, laugh with them, feel with them - people as real as relatives.
When Sam Pickett comes to the quiet little village to hide from the violence and madness that have shattered his life, he discovers buried and shadowed stories fraught with aching regret, human wreckage, and heartrending bravery - people silently bearing their broken dreams and unbearable sorrows. Can they be aroused by the most unexpected and least likely source in their midst? encouraged and uplifted to embrace life for all its worth? Out of these utterly ordinary lives, West brings forth a startling glimpse into the hidden places of the human heart and characters who will stay with you like old friends long after you've turned the last page.
When Sam Pickett comes to the quiet little village to hide from the violence and madness that have shattered his life, he discovers buried and shadowed stories fraught with aching regret, human wreckage, and heartrending bravery - people silently bearing their broken dreams and unbearable sorrows. Can they be aroused by the most unexpected and least likely source in their midst? encouraged and uplifted to embrace life for all its worth? Out of these utterly ordinary lives, West brings forth a startling glimpse into the hidden places of the human heart and characters who will stay with you like old friends long after you've turned the last page.
574 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2001
455 people are currently reading
4092 people want to read
About the author
Stanley Gordon West
7 books123 followersStanley Gordon West was born in 1932 and attended St. Paul Central High School in Minnesota. He lived in Bozeman, Montana for several years, and now resides in Shakopee, MN. All of his novels are popular book club selections: Blind Your Ponies, two other novels set in the same time and place as Until They Bring the Streetcars Back - Finding Laura Buggs and Growing an Inch - and his most recent, Sweet, Shattered Dreams. His novel Amos was made into a CBS Movie of the Week starring Kirk Douglas that stirred national controversy over abuse of the aged in America. When Kirk Douglas testified before Congress and wrote in the New York Times on the issue, he pointed out that animals had been protected by law for one hundred years before children or the aged. While Amos focused on elder abuse, Until They Bring the Streetcars Back explores the other vulnerable end of the age spectrum.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 958 reviews
December 22, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
It was recommended by a library patron, who was adamant that I read it. I delayed and delayed as I am not a huge sports fan. Upon his insistence, I gave it a try.
I listened to the audiobook. I enjoyed the reader so much. This isn't the type of book I normally read but I am so glad I did. It was such a delight!
The book is about a teacher in a small town in Montana and a losing high school basketball team. But it is so much more. The supporting cast of townspeople adds so much. The writer did a great job with character development as they are all so unique!
For me, this was more than just a "feel good" root-for-the-underdog story. These characters all have grit and perseverance. We learn about the triumphs and struggles in their lives, which vary widely. Their lives definitely aren't all rainbows and sunshine. I appreciate this portrayal of real life struggle along with hope for better days.
This would make a great book club read. Lots of discussion opportunities throughout the book.
Hope others will give it a read!
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
It was recommended by a library patron, who was adamant that I read it. I delayed and delayed as I am not a huge sports fan. Upon his insistence, I gave it a try.
I listened to the audiobook. I enjoyed the reader so much. This isn't the type of book I normally read but I am so glad I did. It was such a delight!
The book is about a teacher in a small town in Montana and a losing high school basketball team. But it is so much more. The supporting cast of townspeople adds so much. The writer did a great job with character development as they are all so unique!
For me, this was more than just a "feel good" root-for-the-underdog story. These characters all have grit and perseverance. We learn about the triumphs and struggles in their lives, which vary widely. Their lives definitely aren't all rainbows and sunshine. I appreciate this portrayal of real life struggle along with hope for better days.
This would make a great book club read. Lots of discussion opportunities throughout the book.
Hope others will give it a read!
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
March 17, 2018
Blind Your Ponies is a remarkable book, a wonderful feat of storytelling which is becoming a lost art today it seems. Never would I have believed four days ago, even years ago, that I would love, much less read, a book about a small town basketball team. I have to admit it was a fluke that I picked this book up. There is something to be said about the free shelf at a small town library and being so sick one can't peruse shelves looking for something to read in bed. But the book Gods smiled upon me and guided me to Blind Your Ponies. I just saw the name and didn't even read the blurb on the back, had I done so I probably would not be writing this review. Thank you book Gods!
Blind Your Ponies is about a man named Sam Pickett whose life was just beginning. Newly married to the love of his life Sam is full of hope for the future. That is until fate changed everything with one gunshot blast. Years later we find Sam teaching in the small town of Willow Creek, Montana. A small high school with only a handful of students, 19 to be exact, and a basketball team that has a loosing streak of 0 and 98.
Willow Creek is filled with people who in one way or another, have had life kick them in the teeth. A town of misfit toys so to speak. We find a biology teacher who has also suffered a catastrophic loss, a boy whose father is abusive and hiding a secret, a mysterious man who sleeps in his cowboy hat, a couple who run the local Willow Creek Inn that is failing, an overweight girl who ate herself into obesity to keep her stepfather away from her, a Grandmother who sat with her husband while he died of a self inflicted overdose, and of a lonely bicycle built for two that sits chained outside the diner, awaiting the return of the couple who left it there.
But this is not just a tale of extreme loss and tragedy. It is a tale of the unquenchable human spirit. Of love and hope. I found myself crying, laughing, and literally jumping out of my sickbed cheering while reading this incredibly moving story. We have all suffered in one way or another through this thing called life, but how we choose to deal with the hand given us is what makes it a wonderful life. And the people in this book are no different. Based on a real town and a real basketball team Gordon West paints a vivid picture of what it means to take back your life and turn it into something they write books about. Again, this is one of the best examples of storytelling perfected. Storytelling that can turn a lonely bicycle built for two into an unlikely hero and turn a small town basketball team into a fire in your heart that will warm your soul forever.
If you are looking for a book that will grab you from the first page and take you on a remarkable journey then please, find this book and read it. If you are dealing with a tragedy in your own life and need a spark of hope, then find this book and read it. I promise you you will not regret reading one page of Blind Your Ponies.
Blind Your Ponies is about a man named Sam Pickett whose life was just beginning. Newly married to the love of his life Sam is full of hope for the future. That is until fate changed everything with one gunshot blast. Years later we find Sam teaching in the small town of Willow Creek, Montana. A small high school with only a handful of students, 19 to be exact, and a basketball team that has a loosing streak of 0 and 98.
Willow Creek is filled with people who in one way or another, have had life kick them in the teeth. A town of misfit toys so to speak. We find a biology teacher who has also suffered a catastrophic loss, a boy whose father is abusive and hiding a secret, a mysterious man who sleeps in his cowboy hat, a couple who run the local Willow Creek Inn that is failing, an overweight girl who ate herself into obesity to keep her stepfather away from her, a Grandmother who sat with her husband while he died of a self inflicted overdose, and of a lonely bicycle built for two that sits chained outside the diner, awaiting the return of the couple who left it there.
But this is not just a tale of extreme loss and tragedy. It is a tale of the unquenchable human spirit. Of love and hope. I found myself crying, laughing, and literally jumping out of my sickbed cheering while reading this incredibly moving story. We have all suffered in one way or another through this thing called life, but how we choose to deal with the hand given us is what makes it a wonderful life. And the people in this book are no different. Based on a real town and a real basketball team Gordon West paints a vivid picture of what it means to take back your life and turn it into something they write books about. Again, this is one of the best examples of storytelling perfected. Storytelling that can turn a lonely bicycle built for two into an unlikely hero and turn a small town basketball team into a fire in your heart that will warm your soul forever.
If you are looking for a book that will grab you from the first page and take you on a remarkable journey then please, find this book and read it. If you are dealing with a tragedy in your own life and need a spark of hope, then find this book and read it. I promise you you will not regret reading one page of Blind Your Ponies.
March 12, 2021
Wow, so none of the other reviewers noticed how appallingly badly written this book is? No one noticed the flat-out misspellings and at least six homonym errors? No one else was off-put by his laughable similes and purple prose? No one else smirked at how cardboard and overly melodramatic the characters are? No one else thought, "Jeez, this book is about 100 pages too long!"?
That said, I have to admit that, like everyone else, I WAS kinda drawn into the sappy plot--even though I was tempted to just put the damn thing down early on. The Cinderella plot was entirely predictable, but I persevered.
That said, I have to admit that, like everyone else, I WAS kinda drawn into the sappy plot--even though I was tempted to just put the damn thing down early on. The Cinderella plot was entirely predictable, but I persevered.
August 29, 2018
There are a lot of places like Willow Creek in the Western USA… small places, hardly meriting the word “town” kept going by any success that their farmers and ranchers can share with the “townspeople” who provide the dry goods, gasoline, schools and other essentials.
Willow Creek isn’t much of a place and we learn that its only notoriety is that its basketball team hasn’t won a game in over five years. It has been hard enough for Sam Pickett, teacher and coach, to get enough boys interested in playing for the team. That’s right. Hard to get five boys willing to practice and play basketball. It’s also hard to get more than a dozen town folk to watch a game after losing 90-something straight.
This is a story about that; about Sam; about Willow Creek; and, what happens when hope is rekindled. In many ways, it is a conventional story with an undercurrent about knowing yourself and not being a victim to the expectations of others. It could have been written almost any time in the last half century.
Blind Your Ponies is a giddy book. It’s fraught with emotions and situations that make the characters (and thus the reader) a bit uncomfortable. Not the kind of book I usually read, but I promised my GR friend Em that I would, and a promise is a promise. It is also chock full of “ruralisms” and wisdom. Here is something that I would consider typical:
“Grandma, do you ever get lonesome?”
“Lonesome? Well, I’ll tell you. Lonesome is a sly bugger. It crouches behind every memory, it lies in ambush in every drawer, it hangs in the closet like old clothes, ready to waylay you when you’re least expectin’ it. But one thing I’ve found, it’s slow, it’s sure slow. It can only grab you if your giving in to life, sittin’ around thinkin’ too much. I just keep moving so fast it can never get its stinking hands on me...”
“Grandma…how come you hardly ever go to church?”
“There are churches and there are churches. There’s the church that wouldn’t bury your grandfather because he committed suicide. And there’s the church who’s always talking about a God of love on one hand who will incinerate you like barbecued chicken if you don’t live up to his expectations on the other.”
She turned her crinkled face to regard him. “I guess I work undercover, and I suspect God works mostly undercover, too.”
Okay, I’ll just state that I enjoyed this story more (a lot more) than I expected.
Willow Creek isn’t much of a place and we learn that its only notoriety is that its basketball team hasn’t won a game in over five years. It has been hard enough for Sam Pickett, teacher and coach, to get enough boys interested in playing for the team. That’s right. Hard to get five boys willing to practice and play basketball. It’s also hard to get more than a dozen town folk to watch a game after losing 90-something straight.
This is a story about that; about Sam; about Willow Creek; and, what happens when hope is rekindled. In many ways, it is a conventional story with an undercurrent about knowing yourself and not being a victim to the expectations of others. It could have been written almost any time in the last half century.
Blind Your Ponies is a giddy book. It’s fraught with emotions and situations that make the characters (and thus the reader) a bit uncomfortable. Not the kind of book I usually read, but I promised my GR friend Em that I would, and a promise is a promise. It is also chock full of “ruralisms” and wisdom. Here is something that I would consider typical:
“Grandma, do you ever get lonesome?”
“Lonesome? Well, I’ll tell you. Lonesome is a sly bugger. It crouches behind every memory, it lies in ambush in every drawer, it hangs in the closet like old clothes, ready to waylay you when you’re least expectin’ it. But one thing I’ve found, it’s slow, it’s sure slow. It can only grab you if your giving in to life, sittin’ around thinkin’ too much. I just keep moving so fast it can never get its stinking hands on me...”
“Grandma…how come you hardly ever go to church?”
“There are churches and there are churches. There’s the church that wouldn’t bury your grandfather because he committed suicide. And there’s the church who’s always talking about a God of love on one hand who will incinerate you like barbecued chicken if you don’t live up to his expectations on the other.”
She turned her crinkled face to regard him. “I guess I work undercover, and I suspect God works mostly undercover, too.”
Okay, I’ll just state that I enjoyed this story more (a lot more) than I expected.
December 5, 2020
This one was a favorite of the library staff. For me a multiple read. Rural Montana characters centered around high school basketball.
If you don't know the title's background, I suggest reading the books opening. (There is a Goodreads review that tells the title's origin.)
((Melissa wrote:
"Blind your ponies" is a phrase taken from a Crow Indian Legend where a last act of desperate bravery sent men to where they wanted to go, to be with who they most wanted to be with. This is just one of many stories and messages that fill this deeply moving novel set in Willow Creek, Montana. "
***
Looking for non-Goodreads' reviews of West's Amos, I came across this article from the Twin Cities Pioneer Press:
"Stanley Gordon West, who put tiny Willow Creek on the literary map, died Wednesday in Minnesota.
The 82-year-old author best known for "Blind Your Ponies" died from complications of Parkinson's disease, the Pioneer Press reported.
For years, West followed the Willow Creek basketball team around the region. He told the Tribune that he was inspired by the courage of the boys as they battled a five-year losing streak.
"For a long time while I was following them, they still hadn't won a game, and what kept them going was something special," he said.
His most famous story: Readers of 'Blind Your Ponies' seek true heart of famous small town
West said one day on a whim he drove down the narrow road that heads south from Three Forks toward Hollowtop Mountain and the Tobacco Root Range, and he stumbled upon the town.
"I wasn't going there because I had heard about the place or knew what was there. I probably ate there and then started returning to that area, where the river goes through and just all the wonderful things there," he said. "If you start looking around and get out of your car, it's a pretty wonderful place."
West's family estimated he sold about 100,000 books in his career, mostly without a publicist or agent, according to the Pioneer Press.
A decade after West self-published "Blind Your Ponies," the book hit the big time when Algonquin Books published the novel after a six-way bidding war. West had already managed to sell 40,000 copies, largely by word-of-mouth and special orders, before the publishing house picked up his novel.
Billings author Craig Lancaster said "Blind Your Ponies" was an "absolute sensation."
"He connected with book clubs, occasional readers, everybody. That it was self published before anyone was really talking about that makes it all the more remarkable," he said. "He inspired me more in the way of thinking outside the traditional means of publishing. that he said, essentially, 'I'm going to do this my own way' was empowering at a time when I was trying to find my own path."
Lancaster said his favorite West book is "Sweet Shattered Dreams." West had an evocative writing style.
"When I was reading as a reader, I easily slipped into the narrative," he said. "If I read him with an editorial mind, I sometimes would find things that I might've left out if it had been my book. But it wasn't. It was his book. And he did it his way. And I respect the hell out of that."
If you don't know the title's background, I suggest reading the books opening. (There is a Goodreads review that tells the title's origin.)
((Melissa wrote:
"Blind your ponies" is a phrase taken from a Crow Indian Legend where a last act of desperate bravery sent men to where they wanted to go, to be with who they most wanted to be with. This is just one of many stories and messages that fill this deeply moving novel set in Willow Creek, Montana. "
***
Looking for non-Goodreads' reviews of West's Amos, I came across this article from the Twin Cities Pioneer Press:
"Stanley Gordon West, who put tiny Willow Creek on the literary map, died Wednesday in Minnesota.
The 82-year-old author best known for "Blind Your Ponies" died from complications of Parkinson's disease, the Pioneer Press reported.
For years, West followed the Willow Creek basketball team around the region. He told the Tribune that he was inspired by the courage of the boys as they battled a five-year losing streak.
"For a long time while I was following them, they still hadn't won a game, and what kept them going was something special," he said.
His most famous story: Readers of 'Blind Your Ponies' seek true heart of famous small town
West said one day on a whim he drove down the narrow road that heads south from Three Forks toward Hollowtop Mountain and the Tobacco Root Range, and he stumbled upon the town.
"I wasn't going there because I had heard about the place or knew what was there. I probably ate there and then started returning to that area, where the river goes through and just all the wonderful things there," he said. "If you start looking around and get out of your car, it's a pretty wonderful place."
West's family estimated he sold about 100,000 books in his career, mostly without a publicist or agent, according to the Pioneer Press.
A decade after West self-published "Blind Your Ponies," the book hit the big time when Algonquin Books published the novel after a six-way bidding war. West had already managed to sell 40,000 copies, largely by word-of-mouth and special orders, before the publishing house picked up his novel.
Billings author Craig Lancaster said "Blind Your Ponies" was an "absolute sensation."
"He connected with book clubs, occasional readers, everybody. That it was self published before anyone was really talking about that makes it all the more remarkable," he said. "He inspired me more in the way of thinking outside the traditional means of publishing. that he said, essentially, 'I'm going to do this my own way' was empowering at a time when I was trying to find my own path."
Lancaster said his favorite West book is "Sweet Shattered Dreams." West had an evocative writing style.
"When I was reading as a reader, I easily slipped into the narrative," he said. "If I read him with an editorial mind, I sometimes would find things that I might've left out if it had been my book. But it wasn't. It was his book. And he did it his way. And I respect the hell out of that."
January 16, 2015
1/12/15 - 162 pages in.
This book is not well written; the author is overly fond of similes and metaphors and likes to stack them one atop another until the sentence is as long as a menacing freight train, bearing down threateningly, like a beady-eyed crow watching the meekest of mice, which scuttles and scrabbles in its attempts at brevity. (See, I can do it too! Barf.)
And why does the Norwegian kid talk like Yoda? ALL of his speech is that way. Has the author never heard a non-native English speaker? They do tend to get word order right at least SOME of the time. And as time passes, his speech should be improving.
Also, I'm really fussy about inaccuracies.
1. Cottonwood leaves are not orange in autumn. They are yellow. Always. I rake dozens of bags of them every year.
2. If you are sitting across the dinner table from someone, you cannot see the nape of her neck. The nape is the back of the neck.
p. 127, the author refers to Diana's breasts as "her sumptuous orchard". PWAH? REALLY?!
1/14/2015 - The writing hasn't improved (why are "coffee" and "afternoon" always written as "Coffee" and "After-noon"?). I find main characters Sam and Diana annoying but he did write some likable characters in Pete Strong, Grandma Chapman, Dean Forgot-his-last-name and Tom Stonebreaker, perhaps because they are actively overcoming their challenges, whereas Sam and Diana are struggling in a way that doesn't elicit much sympathy from me. (I may just be a bitch, though.)
1/15/2015 - finished it. The writing remained terrible but I gave it 2 stars because the author did create a few interesting and likable characters and the story was sweetly uplifting for the most part (if a little too sweet).
This book is not well written; the author is overly fond of similes and metaphors and likes to stack them one atop another until the sentence is as long as a menacing freight train, bearing down threateningly, like a beady-eyed crow watching the meekest of mice, which scuttles and scrabbles in its attempts at brevity. (See, I can do it too! Barf.)
And why does the Norwegian kid talk like Yoda? ALL of his speech is that way. Has the author never heard a non-native English speaker? They do tend to get word order right at least SOME of the time. And as time passes, his speech should be improving.
Also, I'm really fussy about inaccuracies.
1. Cottonwood leaves are not orange in autumn. They are yellow. Always. I rake dozens of bags of them every year.
2. If you are sitting across the dinner table from someone, you cannot see the nape of her neck. The nape is the back of the neck.
p. 127, the author refers to Diana's breasts as "her sumptuous orchard". PWAH? REALLY?!
1/14/2015 - The writing hasn't improved (why are "coffee" and "afternoon" always written as "Coffee" and "After-noon"?). I find main characters Sam and Diana annoying but he did write some likable characters in Pete Strong, Grandma Chapman, Dean Forgot-his-last-name and Tom Stonebreaker, perhaps because they are actively overcoming their challenges, whereas Sam and Diana are struggling in a way that doesn't elicit much sympathy from me. (I may just be a bitch, though.)
1/15/2015 - finished it. The writing remained terrible but I gave it 2 stars because the author did create a few interesting and likable characters and the story was sweetly uplifting for the most part (if a little too sweet).
May 6, 2011
Blind Your Ponies by Stanley Gordon West
I don’t gush much in my writing. This is one of the best books I have ever read. How’s that for gushing? I am well read, several books a week for 60 years or so. That doesn’t make me an expert or a critic, I just “calls them the way I see them”. This book isn’t about ponies, or Montana and it isn’t just a “feel good” book that was disparagingly ascribed to it in one review. It is a book about the indomitable, unquenchable human spirit and revolves around a tiny, down on it’s luck, in the middle of nowhere small town and it’s basketball team.
The author has successfully captured the feelings and motivations of a small town. I grew up in a small town and it was way bigger than Willow Creek, the town in the book. I taught school in a small, impoverished coal town, similar in size to Willow Creek. Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, I saw the impact that sports had on out of work steel workers and their often frustrating lives. I suspect my own history has honed the poiguient aspects of this books impact.
People need to have faith and hope, sometimes athletics can provide both. The characters in this book all had their own very personal pain and showed how depending on others can free one to be strong and independent as a result.
I highly recommend the book and strongly suggest that if you have any feelings for the underdog you DO NOT want to miss reading this book.
Body of work of Stanley Gordon West
Web Site: http://www.americanwaymag.com/stanley...
I don’t gush much in my writing. This is one of the best books I have ever read. How’s that for gushing? I am well read, several books a week for 60 years or so. That doesn’t make me an expert or a critic, I just “calls them the way I see them”. This book isn’t about ponies, or Montana and it isn’t just a “feel good” book that was disparagingly ascribed to it in one review. It is a book about the indomitable, unquenchable human spirit and revolves around a tiny, down on it’s luck, in the middle of nowhere small town and it’s basketball team.
The author has successfully captured the feelings and motivations of a small town. I grew up in a small town and it was way bigger than Willow Creek, the town in the book. I taught school in a small, impoverished coal town, similar in size to Willow Creek. Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, I saw the impact that sports had on out of work steel workers and their often frustrating lives. I suspect my own history has honed the poiguient aspects of this books impact.
People need to have faith and hope, sometimes athletics can provide both. The characters in this book all had their own very personal pain and showed how depending on others can free one to be strong and independent as a result.
I highly recommend the book and strongly suggest that if you have any feelings for the underdog you DO NOT want to miss reading this book.
Body of work of Stanley Gordon West
Web Site: http://www.americanwaymag.com/stanley...
April 3, 2012
For a story that moves along relatively slowly much of the time, "Blind Your Ponies" really pulled me into the lives of the people of Willow Creek, MT. I found myself crying at the end.
Two underlying themes stood out: first, everyone has demons/burdens to deal with that few others are aware of; second, everyone is desperate to believe that there is hope for something better and that he/she is important and can make a difference in this life. I believe I will look differently at the people around me because of this book.
Two underlying themes stood out: first, everyone has demons/burdens to deal with that few others are aware of; second, everyone is desperate to believe that there is hope for something better and that he/she is important and can make a difference in this life. I believe I will look differently at the people around me because of this book.
December 8, 2012
Oh my goodness! This was a book club selection for a newly formed book club, and I was absolutely stunned by the reviews and ratings after starting the book. Maybe it was just my personal sensibility but even though the story line was uplifting, the prose was awkward and the effort was so apparent and was distracting to the degree that I nearly gave up on this book. I trudged on, as did the author, to the improbable ending. Mr. West's use of often bizarre metaphor and simile was so unfortunate. The story's only somewhat redeeming value is it is highly descriptive of a small town in Montana. Even that failed to hit the mark and I speak from intimate knowledge as I live in a small Montana town and work in the town library. I also found strange and unlikely so many of the characters created for this tale. All in all, it was amateurish, and I found it very hard to get past the excessive and verbose style. A good editor may have saved this book for me, but obviously I am in the minority of the reading public. If you are easily distracted by poor writing, unlikely feel good tales with neatly wrapped happy endings, then this is not worth your time, book club or not.
December 22, 2015
'Blind Your Ponies,' by Stanley Gorden West is a story about an underdog basketball team in a small town in Montana called Willow Creek. It is a story about besting the demons that live inside most of us and fighting on regardless of the odds. I'm not a sports fan but West drew me into the story, making me care about each member of the team, the coach, and the townspeople who supported their team. Using basketball as an analogy for the battles we face in life, I was able to make the leap in thinking that if we just hang in there, we just might win. Sometimes, it becomes easy to believe the losing streak may last forever. West shows how fighting on with hard work and good friends may change the tide of all that darkness. While this is a feel good story, It is entirely credible and realistic with such excellent characterization that I cannot believe these people don't actually exist. How can these characters exist only inside this story? I hope a part of them will stick with me.
June 20, 2014
I am on page 257, and I am done with this awful book. Apart from being a dead-ringer for a Hallmark Channel miniseries, this baby crawls along at a glacial rate making the reader literally BEG for some kind of plot resolution. Even Tolstoy couldn't (and didn't) hold out on plot advancement as tenaciously as did this book, which couldn't for the life of it decide which metaphor it wanted to adopt--The Crow Indian reference to "blinding your ponies" in an attempt to display hopelessness, or the Don Quixote thread promising that "to dream the impossible dream" is to win. The characters are interchangeable (if you read this hefty tribute to---basketball? True love? Survival?) then you know I'm not exaggerating. Physical characteristics notwithstanding, Olaf could have been Peter, who could have been Dean, who could have been Tom, etc. And after reading a particularly horrific account of someone's horse being dragged through town behind the truck of his drunken and abusive father (what's the point of all these ridiculous details, anyway?), I threw the book against the wall and decided to end my involvement right there. Want a "Cinderella Sports Story Showcasing Damaged Misfit Players?" I'll direct you to The Bad News Bears, The Mighty Ducks, Hoosiers, The Sandlot before I'd steer you in the direction of this tedious & smarmy, overblown specimen of prose (hint: try finding a REAL adjective instead of inventing one by slapping "like" on the end of a noun. That's really a craplike technique.) Blind Your Ponies? I wanted to Throat-Punch Your Ponies.
One star, but only for the generous use of The Three-Forks area of Montana.
One star, but only for the generous use of The Three-Forks area of Montana.
February 2, 2022
Willow Creek, MT a small town with a basketball team that needed a miracle. They had tried for years to beat the towns in their surrounding area High schools
Sam Pickett, the new coach in town; came there for a new start to fine peace from his troubled memories. He with the boys on the basketball team set out for new changes.
The book is full of stories about the people of Willow Creek, their joys, sorrows and passion for a confident future.
Sam Pickett, the new coach in town; came there for a new start to fine peace from his troubled memories. He with the boys on the basketball team set out for new changes.
The book is full of stories about the people of Willow Creek, their joys, sorrows and passion for a confident future.
July 20, 2015
I loved this book. I listened to the audio version. I heard the written version is full of misspellings and horrific grammar, which would have bugged me more than I would probably like to admit. This was a feel-good, Cinderella type, root-for-the-underdogs book. I love it when a book is so much more than just a story. But really could there not have been a better title for this book. I mean really?!!!!
It plugged along quietly but vividly. I felt the author nailed human nature, both the good and the bad. I am not at all a sports buff, even at the end with all the huddle play-by-play stuff did not sway me because I really came to love the characters. This was one of those books where I was so sad when it ended.
I was torn between 4 and 5 stars, but ended up giving it 4 stars. I would recommend this to everyone.
It plugged along quietly but vividly. I felt the author nailed human nature, both the good and the bad. I am not at all a sports buff, even at the end with all the huddle play-by-play stuff did not sway me because I really came to love the characters. This was one of those books where I was so sad when it ended.
I was torn between 4 and 5 stars, but ended up giving it 4 stars. I would recommend this to everyone.
June 6, 2011
I don't remember how I heard about this book, but I suspect if it hadn't been Kindle-lending enabled, I probably wouldn't have read it. I'm glad I did; this is a solid novel that at times you'll struggle to characterize as a sports novel, a romance, a character study of the American West. Well, I skimmed through some of the sports writing, and I found some of the romance overwrought, but the characters were compelling enough to keep me reading. Although everything ends predictably neat and tidy, you won't be able to help rooting for Willow Creek.
May 19, 2019
A Cinderella story about a high school basketball team in a small town called Willow Creek, Montana. Very lengthy at 539 pages, but I didn’t want it to end. I loved it!
August 13, 2015
Thanks to a friend's recommendation, I picked this book up. What a wonderful underdog story. Small town Willow Creek- not much to root for or to be excited about it seems, till this year. With 2 new additions to their basketball team, they are giving the townspeople a purpose and a new outlook. We meet all these people and learn about them and how they came to Willow Creek. We become invested in these boys, who teach us to work hard and never give up. Their team has not won a game in 5 years- must be hard to remain hopeful, but hopeful they are. Such an uplifting story! I do think you have to like stories with sports as a theme since it is a major part of this book. If you do, read this book. It will have you cheering for these boys and this town!
January 9, 2011
My take: This one was a sleeper. Never saw it coming.
I was surprised this book was about a small town basketball team. Only it's really not. That's only the cover story. It's kind of like Hoosiers. Only it's not. It's really about heartbreak and heartache, pride and redemption, regret, humor, and most of all relationships and hope.
The characters and the town are completely believable and realistic. If you don't believe there's a school small enough to barely scare up a basketball team, you've never been to Enterprise, Utah or Hilldale, Wyoming. Please, just trust me. Oh, yes they do occasionally ride their horse to school or church. They also wear those leather string ties and leather vests with their colored Wranglers for church, regular denim for other days. Cowboy boots are a staple. Although fashion is not foremost in this book. I'm just clarifying.
The book takes place in Willow Creek, Montana in 1990. The town is barely going and the school sports organization is tired and nearly out of steam. The school boasts all of 18 students and Sam, one of the protagonists chooses to coach the basketball team for one more year if he can find 5 students to play. Here's what he comes up with:
Rob: All American small town boy. He's a senior and has played every year. He plays well. He's peripheral to the story.
Tom: Just wants to rodeo. He plays a good game but he's tired of getting beat down; not only on the basketball court but at home. His dad is a cruel alcoholic who berates the boy constantly. He forbids Tom from playing basketball and reminds him on a daily basis what a loser he is.
Curtis: Plays guard, shy, not a great player.
Dean: Mostly he is a place holder. Not bright, by any stretch. Little spoiler - struggles to stay eligible due to his grades. But he's fast on his feet.
Pete: Parents are divorcing in Minnesota so he gets shipped off to his grandmother's house in Willow Creek. This significantly shifts the balance of basketball power. Pines for his girlfriend, Kathy in Minnesota.
Olaf: Surprise! Foreign Exchange student from Sweden. He's 6'11". Never played basketball.
They win. They lose. They play ball. But that's not all. Each of the characters in the book carries a painful past. As they glom onto the team's hope for success, They become a part of something bigger and better than they are. Discovering that the whole is much bigger than the sum of its parts. The story twists and turns in subtle ways, wending its way through each home, finding the secret so painfully locked in each of the closets.
I could go on and on about the book and the characters because the characters are so individualized and realistic. Along with the team, there is Sam, the coach, Diana, a teacher and assistant coach (love interest for Sam), Andrew Wainwright, Mervin Payne (another spoiler: Author used Mervin to illustrate choosing pride over love and then allows the reader into the moment when he understand what he did. Very powerful), Hazel, Amos, etc. Each of the residents bring something interesting, sad, triumphant to the story and I'd love to pontificate about them all. Instead I will just mention Pete's grandma, my favorite character.
The author provides Grandma with a completely unique persona, weaving her mischief throughout the book. The book starts out with Pete arriving at Willow Creek, greeted by his one handed grandma. Grandma takes him to her house where she introduces him to Tripod, the three legged cat and Parrot, the Parrot who swears like a sailor. Grandma and Pete enjoy a wonderful relationship that includes humor and honesty. In fact, the interactions between Grandma and grandson left me laughing out loud most of the time and occasionally my heart ached. Eventually, Grandma, showing her grit, admits to Pete how she lost her hand. We also learn when and why she wears a fedora.
As the reader gets to know the characters throughout the book, the reader also begins to understand them and maybe even recognizes pieces of themselves within the pages. All of the residents in the town share commonalities; a past regret and deep sadness. They also share hope. Those who choose to, join in the excitement of the sport. There is camaraderie, hope and wholeness.
Sam:
Did I mention the team hasn't won a game in 5 years? How very discouraging.
I was surprised this book was about a small town basketball team. Only it's really not. That's only the cover story. It's kind of like Hoosiers. Only it's not. It's really about heartbreak and heartache, pride and redemption, regret, humor, and most of all relationships and hope.
The characters and the town are completely believable and realistic. If you don't believe there's a school small enough to barely scare up a basketball team, you've never been to Enterprise, Utah or Hilldale, Wyoming. Please, just trust me. Oh, yes they do occasionally ride their horse to school or church. They also wear those leather string ties and leather vests with their colored Wranglers for church, regular denim for other days. Cowboy boots are a staple. Although fashion is not foremost in this book. I'm just clarifying.
The book takes place in Willow Creek, Montana in 1990. The town is barely going and the school sports organization is tired and nearly out of steam. The school boasts all of 18 students and Sam, one of the protagonists chooses to coach the basketball team for one more year if he can find 5 students to play. Here's what he comes up with:
Rob: All American small town boy. He's a senior and has played every year. He plays well. He's peripheral to the story.
Tom: Just wants to rodeo. He plays a good game but he's tired of getting beat down; not only on the basketball court but at home. His dad is a cruel alcoholic who berates the boy constantly. He forbids Tom from playing basketball and reminds him on a daily basis what a loser he is.
Curtis: Plays guard, shy, not a great player.
Dean: Mostly he is a place holder. Not bright, by any stretch. Little spoiler - struggles to stay eligible due to his grades. But he's fast on his feet.
Pete: Parents are divorcing in Minnesota so he gets shipped off to his grandmother's house in Willow Creek. This significantly shifts the balance of basketball power. Pines for his girlfriend, Kathy in Minnesota.
Olaf: Surprise! Foreign Exchange student from Sweden. He's 6'11". Never played basketball.
They win. They lose. They play ball. But that's not all. Each of the characters in the book carries a painful past. As they glom onto the team's hope for success, They become a part of something bigger and better than they are. Discovering that the whole is much bigger than the sum of its parts. The story twists and turns in subtle ways, wending its way through each home, finding the secret so painfully locked in each of the closets.
I could go on and on about the book and the characters because the characters are so individualized and realistic. Along with the team, there is Sam, the coach, Diana, a teacher and assistant coach (love interest for Sam), Andrew Wainwright, Mervin Payne (another spoiler: Author used Mervin to illustrate choosing pride over love and then allows the reader into the moment when he understand what he did. Very powerful), Hazel, Amos, etc. Each of the residents bring something interesting, sad, triumphant to the story and I'd love to pontificate about them all. Instead I will just mention Pete's grandma, my favorite character.
The author provides Grandma with a completely unique persona, weaving her mischief throughout the book. The book starts out with Pete arriving at Willow Creek, greeted by his one handed grandma. Grandma takes him to her house where she introduces him to Tripod, the three legged cat and Parrot, the Parrot who swears like a sailor. Grandma and Pete enjoy a wonderful relationship that includes humor and honesty. In fact, the interactions between Grandma and grandson left me laughing out loud most of the time and occasionally my heart ached. Eventually, Grandma, showing her grit, admits to Pete how she lost her hand. We also learn when and why she wears a fedora.
As the reader gets to know the characters throughout the book, the reader also begins to understand them and maybe even recognizes pieces of themselves within the pages. All of the residents in the town share commonalities; a past regret and deep sadness. They also share hope. Those who choose to, join in the excitement of the sport. There is camaraderie, hope and wholeness.
Sam:
Did I mention the team hasn't won a game in 5 years? How very discouraging.
Read
December 14, 2025Okay, I did not finish this book. Want to know why? Because I knew what was going to happen. A quarter through it I could have told you every major plot event (which I verified with others who did finish it). I did get through half. Cute story about small town Montana and an underdog basketball team. The predictability could have been overlooked if 1) the characters and townspeople weren’t entirely stereotyped and 2) the writing was not SO BAD.
Example: available male teacher accidentally sees available female teacher naked. Described the image as “like a grass stain he couldn’t wash out.”
Example: same male teacher and female teacher (predictably) making out in car. “They searched through winter coats and clothing like bargain hunters at a garage sale.”
Example: Very tall Norwegian exchange student disappoints at first on the hardwood. “Without the Scandinavian hammer, his impossible dream turned into lutefisk.” Seriously?
And the stereotypes... You’ve got the annoying, overweight lunch lady. The grandma who wears men’s clothes and doesn’t give a rip what people think. The (all male and wealthy) school board members. The mean drunk dad. Both protagonists with tragedies in their past, both trying to forget...but find each other...ugh.
I could go on, and on, and on...but I quit the book and now you can quit this review.
Example: available male teacher accidentally sees available female teacher naked. Described the image as “like a grass stain he couldn’t wash out.”
Example: same male teacher and female teacher (predictably) making out in car. “They searched through winter coats and clothing like bargain hunters at a garage sale.”
Example: Very tall Norwegian exchange student disappoints at first on the hardwood. “Without the Scandinavian hammer, his impossible dream turned into lutefisk.” Seriously?
And the stereotypes... You’ve got the annoying, overweight lunch lady. The grandma who wears men’s clothes and doesn’t give a rip what people think. The (all male and wealthy) school board members. The mean drunk dad. Both protagonists with tragedies in their past, both trying to forget...but find each other...ugh.
I could go on, and on, and on...but I quit the book and now you can quit this review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2017
Couldn't finish - surprised at all the good reviews. Corny (think Hallmark movie) -not well written, in my opinion, with so many horrible metaphors and similes and just dragged on and on...... a weird obsession with describing peoples bodies over and over again too. Ugh.
July 7, 2011
I was particularly interested in reading this story because my grandsons play basketball in Ennis, Montana and compete against a team that is now Harrison/Willow Creek who are still 20 years afer the time of this amazing story, a very aggressive and competitive team and awesome opponent. I wanted to see what drives these six boys to succeed.
Stanley West did a beautiful job of developing the character of each of the basketball players and the coach, but went much further to develop the character of the small town. Each inhabitant seemed to have thier own ghost from some tragic event who brought them to this small Montana town. Many took great comfort in the slight chance that their boys, against all odds might overcome the insurmountable odds , to succeed and in some way give them all hope to carry on. It seems that everyone in Small Town Monatana live and die by the success of their athletic teams. I will forever share a bleacher with hopeful fans and wonder at their stories and thier ghosts. Go, team, Go!
One of my favorite quotes from this book read someting like; "Courage is not getting up when you are knocked down; courage is getting up when you are certain of being knocked down again."
Stanley West did a beautiful job of developing the character of each of the basketball players and the coach, but went much further to develop the character of the small town. Each inhabitant seemed to have thier own ghost from some tragic event who brought them to this small Montana town. Many took great comfort in the slight chance that their boys, against all odds might overcome the insurmountable odds , to succeed and in some way give them all hope to carry on. It seems that everyone in Small Town Monatana live and die by the success of their athletic teams. I will forever share a bleacher with hopeful fans and wonder at their stories and thier ghosts. Go, team, Go!
One of my favorite quotes from this book read someting like; "Courage is not getting up when you are knocked down; courage is getting up when you are certain of being knocked down again."
October 20, 2013
"Blind your ponies" is a phrase taken from a Crow Indian Legend where a last act of desperate bravery sent men to where they wanted to go, to be with who they most wanted to be with. This is just one of many stories and messages that fill this deeply moving novel set in Willow Creek, Montana. You may have heard it's a story about basketball. It is. And it isn't at all. What you have is a microscope on the people of this extraordinary small town. At its focus is Sam Pickett, a high school English teacher and basketball coach to a team that's lost every single game in the last 5 years. But this year has the potential to be a winning year for them. This book is their story, but their story wouldn't be without the support of many exceptional people who have their own embedded stories within this one. There are reasons (stories) as to why someone drinks, is missing a hand, married someone else, or refuses to drive unless alone. The people in this town have been broken, but they have heart, which leads to inspiration. This book has an abundance of inspiration-enough to last a decade, maybe even a lifetime.
I'm just wondering why the movie rights to this book haven't been sold yet!
I'm just wondering why the movie rights to this book haven't been sold yet!
August 19, 2013
The author was clearly in love with the sound of his own voice and this book needed a serious edit. It's a 530+ page book that could have been 200, easily. The language is overblown, the similes are forced and I don't know any young kids who speak the way these characters do. The only characters that cursed were those who were negatively portrayed (aka "bad people"). I mean, come on. And the dialogue between Sam and Diana was WAY too flowery and stiff.
The book takes place in 1990-91, yet the characters feel right out of Leave It To Beaver. Not worth your time. I don't know how people enjoyed this book, as it didn't have much going for it.
The book takes place in 1990-91, yet the characters feel right out of Leave It To Beaver. Not worth your time. I don't know how people enjoyed this book, as it didn't have much going for it.
June 3, 2009
If you have ever wanted a picture into life in southwestern Montana, this book captures our diverse county pretty accurately. It follows one rural high school's basketball team to the state finals. As a community, we are reading this book as we get ready to have our own Class C high school open next year. Five member basketball teams. Eight person football. The rules are different but everyone gets to play.
June 6, 2023
I loved this book so much. This was an absolute fluke that I picked up thinking it was something else. I never thought I would like this book. I laughed out loud, I smiled a lot, I got choked up several times and might have even shed some tears. This was such a heart warming story. I loved every single character. Just a feel
Good, make you want to shoot for the stars book.
Good, make you want to shoot for the stars book.
August 17, 2019
High school basketball in Montana. Meet the players and townsfolk in this story about a small town basketball team with only six players that can't give up. True basketball fans will love this book that gives play be play descriptions of games.
January 28, 2018
An unforgettable story! I appreciated it on many levels, especially the messages on overcoming loss and hardship, on living life like Grandma, and believing that good things do happen.
I agree with some that the book is long and maybe the writing wasn't always the best. But then again, the writing was, more-often-than-not, perfect. The metaphors felt true to the region and its people. The sports writing may not be for everyone, but having sat in a gym in similar circumstances, the writing had me at the edge of my seat feeling the intensity, action, and emotion.
What a great bunch of beautifully flawed characters, and a beautifully crafted story / compilation of their stories.
I'm a fan of literature referencing other literature. The symbolism and nods to Don Quixote are fantastic. The whole book is a wealth of symbolism, valuable themes and lessons.
I was moved deeply by Grandma's explanation of "As long as she swims, I will cook." By the story behind the title, of a legend of the Crow Indian warriors blinding their ponies. By the wildebeest cow, outnumbered by wild African dogs, holding her ground to protect her calf. And by the hurt some of these characters carried. There were plenty of surprises as they were revealed, many poignant moments throughout.
The only real drawback I found was the adult physical romance scenes.. because I think this would be an outstanding read for high school students without that content.
This story has a lot of basketball in it, which hit close to home several times. My oldest sons played high school basketball for the district with the 2nd smallest high school enrollment in the state of Minnesota. (The only school with a smaller enrollment at the time had already combined with another school for sports for as long as we could remember.)
It was sometimes brutal watching them play much bigger schools but always made us proud of the two of them for giving their all. Many coaches from other teams approached us as parents to share kind respect. One of our boys actually played 3 on 5 in a varsity game. We had never seen that before, nor had I heard of it again until reading this book. The game went into OT and he was the only remaining varsity player, all others had fouled out. The coach put in the only eligible JV player and the last kid from the bench, who had never before played an organized game of basketball in his life. And with these two, he continued to keep the game competitive, playing his heart and soul out. Granted, it was not a state championship game, but it was real life and it was a an impressive display of perseverance and dedication we'll never forget.
His twin brother played his entire senior season on two badly sprained ankles, taped to the max for each game. Basketball season does not allow time for healing. We saw the swelling and colors when the tape came off and I winced watching him play. I could see Tom's pain, just as I felt it watching our son. Maybe these experience made me root harder for the boys from Willow Creek, who knows. Maybe, as the story often told, there's a bit of the underdog in most all of us.
The Willow Creek Broncs had something extremely special in this season. Some, like old Rip, and Sam and Diane knew it. What an extraordinary thing to have 5-6 kids each with their own particular strength to offer, willing to give their all for each other. I wish my sons had had teammates like that, and a coach like Sam Pickett who loved them and knew how to foster dedication and friendship and the true spirit of being a team, and never gave up on them.
This should be a must read for coaches.
A hopeful read for all.
4.5 stars if I could.
"What courage, what faith. They believed!" -Sam Pickett
"I'm cookin', sweetheart, I'm cookin.'" -Grandma Chapman
I agree with some that the book is long and maybe the writing wasn't always the best. But then again, the writing was, more-often-than-not, perfect. The metaphors felt true to the region and its people. The sports writing may not be for everyone, but having sat in a gym in similar circumstances, the writing had me at the edge of my seat feeling the intensity, action, and emotion.
What a great bunch of beautifully flawed characters, and a beautifully crafted story / compilation of their stories.
I'm a fan of literature referencing other literature. The symbolism and nods to Don Quixote are fantastic. The whole book is a wealth of symbolism, valuable themes and lessons.
I was moved deeply by Grandma's explanation of "As long as she swims, I will cook." By the story behind the title, of a legend of the Crow Indian warriors blinding their ponies. By the wildebeest cow, outnumbered by wild African dogs, holding her ground to protect her calf. And by the hurt some of these characters carried. There were plenty of surprises as they were revealed, many poignant moments throughout.
The only real drawback I found was the adult physical romance scenes.. because I think this would be an outstanding read for high school students without that content.
This story has a lot of basketball in it, which hit close to home several times. My oldest sons played high school basketball for the district with the 2nd smallest high school enrollment in the state of Minnesota. (The only school with a smaller enrollment at the time had already combined with another school for sports for as long as we could remember.)
It was sometimes brutal watching them play much bigger schools but always made us proud of the two of them for giving their all. Many coaches from other teams approached us as parents to share kind respect. One of our boys actually played 3 on 5 in a varsity game. We had never seen that before, nor had I heard of it again until reading this book. The game went into OT and he was the only remaining varsity player, all others had fouled out. The coach put in the only eligible JV player and the last kid from the bench, who had never before played an organized game of basketball in his life. And with these two, he continued to keep the game competitive, playing his heart and soul out. Granted, it was not a state championship game, but it was real life and it was a an impressive display of perseverance and dedication we'll never forget.
His twin brother played his entire senior season on two badly sprained ankles, taped to the max for each game. Basketball season does not allow time for healing. We saw the swelling and colors when the tape came off and I winced watching him play. I could see Tom's pain, just as I felt it watching our son. Maybe these experience made me root harder for the boys from Willow Creek, who knows. Maybe, as the story often told, there's a bit of the underdog in most all of us.
The Willow Creek Broncs had something extremely special in this season. Some, like old Rip, and Sam and Diane knew it. What an extraordinary thing to have 5-6 kids each with their own particular strength to offer, willing to give their all for each other. I wish my sons had had teammates like that, and a coach like Sam Pickett who loved them and knew how to foster dedication and friendship and the true spirit of being a team, and never gave up on them.
This should be a must read for coaches.
A hopeful read for all.
4.5 stars if I could.
"What courage, what faith. They believed!" -Sam Pickett
"I'm cookin', sweetheart, I'm cookin.'" -Grandma Chapman
December 9, 2024
This book gave "old time" feels. Set during the 1990-91 school year (and primarily during the high school basketball season), this story weaves a beautiful story of an underdog hoops team -- and its small 18-student school in western Montana. The school's sad little basketball team had lost 98 games in a row and were outmatched in every game until a transfer student came to live with his grandma and an exchange student from Norway who was 6'8" helped to form the ragtag team. For me, it's a classic and there were many poignant moments while reading this that I still think about even after finishing.
What I liked:
1. The characters were like old friends and the author did a tremendous job in showing their humanity, flaws and all. As much as the story was a plot-forward book, the characters were every bit as multidimensional. There's something for everyone's interest: family relationships (good and bad), comedy, romance, and inspiration, as well.
2. I didn't have to be a basketball zealot to follow the story and understand what was going on. Yes, of course it's a basketball book, but I never felt lost while reading about the games or anything related to the sport. For me, that is quality writing: the author "tricked" me into reading about basketball, caring about it and liking it!
3. Even though I felt like I knew where the story was heading, I really never felt like the outcome was already a cinch. Plus, the conclusion of the story itself provided for dramatics in many ways. That's quality storytelling!
What I didn't like:
1. The book was lengthy. The Audible version seemed to last as long as a basketball season itself does. Still, it never felt like a chore to get through and there were so many enduring moments that I was glad (in the end) that it was as long as it was.
2. I'm not sure that any romance was needed in this book, but I respect that it was in there and that it wasn't the main focus of the story. Minor spoiler: There was a couple of cringy "romantic" scenes that I was glad ended very fast.
3. The ending didn't really resolve some of the issues of the plotline. There was an unresolved health-scare and unresolved issues with jobs and moving, as well (among others).
Hats off to narrator Traber Burns who did an outstanding job reading this book. Reading about a heated basketball game probably wasn't an easy task, but he did an outstanding job from beginning to end. This was the feel-good, 5* book I needed at just the right time. Plus, I read this during the start of the basketball season!
What I liked:
1. The characters were like old friends and the author did a tremendous job in showing their humanity, flaws and all. As much as the story was a plot-forward book, the characters were every bit as multidimensional. There's something for everyone's interest: family relationships (good and bad), comedy, romance, and inspiration, as well.
2. I didn't have to be a basketball zealot to follow the story and understand what was going on. Yes, of course it's a basketball book, but I never felt lost while reading about the games or anything related to the sport. For me, that is quality writing: the author "tricked" me into reading about basketball, caring about it and liking it!
3. Even though I felt like I knew where the story was heading, I really never felt like the outcome was already a cinch. Plus, the conclusion of the story itself provided for dramatics in many ways. That's quality storytelling!
What I didn't like:
1. The book was lengthy. The Audible version seemed to last as long as a basketball season itself does. Still, it never felt like a chore to get through and there were so many enduring moments that I was glad (in the end) that it was as long as it was.
2. I'm not sure that any romance was needed in this book, but I respect that it was in there and that it wasn't the main focus of the story. Minor spoiler: There was a couple of cringy "romantic" scenes that I was glad ended very fast.
3. The ending didn't really resolve some of the issues of the plotline. There was an unresolved health-scare and unresolved issues with jobs and moving, as well (among others).
Hats off to narrator Traber Burns who did an outstanding job reading this book. Reading about a heated basketball game probably wasn't an easy task, but he did an outstanding job from beginning to end. This was the feel-good, 5* book I needed at just the right time. Plus, I read this during the start of the basketball season!
February 10, 2011
I loved this book. It is a Hoosier basketball type story which I thought I wouldn't really "get into" but after reading the critiques from 2 of my friends, I relented. It is about a scruffy little team from Montana that hadn't won a game in years. The relationships between the coach, the players and the town's people were heart warming. I really thought the characters were very well defined and I found myself caring about them...all of them, which I usually don't do. It was a book that I didn't want to put down. Maybe I could relate because I came from a tiny Wyoming town with an enrollment of only 50 students in our high school, and basketball was a big deal there too. I also lived in Montana for years so could relate to all the towns and scenery described. I would have given it a 5 star rating except the author threw in a few little episodes of the unmarried coach's sex life which I did not care for. Although the author's descriptions of each game were very vivid, I did find myself skipping a few of the wordy play by play's. Not all of them however, because they built up excitement and I felt as if I was sitting at the games and watching them each time. There are many stories built into the main story so it's not just about basketball, but about a little town that could.
June 24, 2011
I am currently reading this. I teach in a small (very) Montana town and was once offered a job in Willow Creek. Having been there, done that, I can appreciate the book. Some of the characters are a little cliche, but I think/hope that is intentional (like in Glee). There is a lot of basketball in the book because the book about a basketball team (among other subjects). This is a story of starting over and leaving history behind. This theme is present in nearly every character--Grandma, Peter, Sam, Andrew, Mervin--look for it in all of them as you read or think over it. The setting is real; the team is real. The school is still open! The students play basketball with Harrison now (co-op team). Here is a little ditty on Willow Creek. http://www.willowcreek.k12.mt.us/
What I do think is unfair about the picture West paints is the repeated refrain of despair about the town. Most people live in the small towns of central and western Montana because they enjoy it. Farmers/ranchers are the only ones locked into the community, and they leave if they don't like it, too (my farmer brother did). I chose to move back to my tiny town after 15 years in Bozeman.
What I do think is unfair about the picture West paints is the repeated refrain of despair about the town. Most people live in the small towns of central and western Montana because they enjoy it. Farmers/ranchers are the only ones locked into the community, and they leave if they don't like it, too (my farmer brother did). I chose to move back to my tiny town after 15 years in Bozeman.
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