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How Far?: A Tale of Determination, DNA, and Drama
Bob Wilber wrapped up his lengthy professional sports and marketing career in 2016, and immediately wrote and published his autobiography "Bats, Balls, & Burnouts" to great acclaim. For "How Far?" he stretched his writing muscles into an entirely new genre. "How Far?" is historical fiction, and the story surrounds two disparate characters. Wilber wrote "How Far?" as those two characters, in their distinct voices. One is a gifted baseball player from Southern California and the son of artist hippies. The other an undersized hockey player from Roseau, Minnesota, a hotbed of high school hockey in a state where hockey is king. Roseau is a small community just south of the Canadian border and has produced numerous NHL and international hockey stars.
Both characters progress through the challenges they face. Each come from vastly different upbringings. Both reach levels of greatness. And, thanks to one spontaneous moment, they met, became friends, and achieved their individual paths to the pinnacle of their sports. It is an unlikely story, but a very possible one brought to life by Bob Wilber's technique and attention to detail.
There is drama, heartbreak, elation, and more. Life lessons learned. Moments of brilliant brightness as well as the darkness of personal lows. There are also deep dives into the world of amateur and professional sports, down to the tiniest important details. It is a tale of life, told through the lens of elite athletes playing different games while they impact each other's lives.
Both characters progress through the challenges they face. Each come from vastly different upbringings. Both reach levels of greatness. And, thanks to one spontaneous moment, they met, became friends, and achieved their individual paths to the pinnacle of their sports. It is an unlikely story, but a very possible one brought to life by Bob Wilber's technique and attention to detail.
There is drama, heartbreak, elation, and more. Life lessons learned. Moments of brilliant brightness as well as the darkness of personal lows. There are also deep dives into the world of amateur and professional sports, down to the tiniest important details. It is a tale of life, told through the lens of elite athletes playing different games while they impact each other's lives.
960 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 30, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 23, 2023
How Far? A Tale of Determination, DNA, & Drama is an intriguing fictional book written by Bob Wilber. Life is filled with ups and downs, but only those who are dogged and persistent will make it in the end. Brooks Bennett and Eric Olson portrayed this fact in the book. From a young age, Brooks loved baseball, while Eric loved to play hockey. All they yearned for was to get to the peak of their careers. However, several hurdles tried to stop them. What challenges did they face, and did they scale through them? Above all, their story will definitely inspire you. In addition, the writer took the reader on the journey of the characters' coaching sessions and how their beautiful friendship blossomed. The twists, suspense, emotional highs and lows, and motivating aspects of this story will amaze you.
The presentation of the introductory part of the story thrilled me. The characters were described in a way that resonated with me. This made me feel eager to delve quickly into the rest of the story to ascertain how their lives turned out to be. I also love how their elementary, high school and college experiences were detailed. It made me understand the reasons behind their struggles. Notably, great friendships can only be termed "great" when they have stood the test of time. Brooks and Eric's friendship depicted what a true friendship should look like, considering that they both had moments of disagreement, fights, and love. Brooks' father's character fascinated me as well; he was an adventurer who loved surfing, athletics, bicycling, playing guitar, and the baseball game. Eric's father, on the other hand, loved hockey a lot. I was fascinated by the fact that this story showed the interrelatedness between the characters and their parents.
The book served as an eye-opener to some things that happen in real life. The fact remains that in life, things might not always go as planned, but what matters is for one to keep hope alive and be optimistic for better days. Brooks' life was going as planned when, all of a sudden, a huge challenge befell his family. He couldn't decipher what his life would look like. However, his father's optimism kept them going until they finally overcame the hurdle. On the other hand, Eric had moments of failure in his hockey journey. However, he remained optimistic. Did his optimism pave the way for him in the end? Get a copy of this book to find out.
This book deserves a perfect rating of five out of five stars because almost all aspects greatly appealed to me. On the downside, I found the story to be too lengthy. Splitting the story into two series would have made it more clear and concise. Asides from that, the story was emotional, soul-lifting, and informative. It had flawless editing, taking into consideration that I didn't stumble upon any major errors. The love lives of Brooks and Eric and those of their parents were incorporated into the story, and this made the story come alive.
Are you a sports lover? Does inspiring fiction appeal to you? Are you desirous of success but weighed down by obstacles in life? Do you aspire as an individual to get to the peak of your career? If any of these categories resonate with you, then I strongly recommend this book because its content will benefit you.
The presentation of the introductory part of the story thrilled me. The characters were described in a way that resonated with me. This made me feel eager to delve quickly into the rest of the story to ascertain how their lives turned out to be. I also love how their elementary, high school and college experiences were detailed. It made me understand the reasons behind their struggles. Notably, great friendships can only be termed "great" when they have stood the test of time. Brooks and Eric's friendship depicted what a true friendship should look like, considering that they both had moments of disagreement, fights, and love. Brooks' father's character fascinated me as well; he was an adventurer who loved surfing, athletics, bicycling, playing guitar, and the baseball game. Eric's father, on the other hand, loved hockey a lot. I was fascinated by the fact that this story showed the interrelatedness between the characters and their parents.
The book served as an eye-opener to some things that happen in real life. The fact remains that in life, things might not always go as planned, but what matters is for one to keep hope alive and be optimistic for better days. Brooks' life was going as planned when, all of a sudden, a huge challenge befell his family. He couldn't decipher what his life would look like. However, his father's optimism kept them going until they finally overcame the hurdle. On the other hand, Eric had moments of failure in his hockey journey. However, he remained optimistic. Did his optimism pave the way for him in the end? Get a copy of this book to find out.
This book deserves a perfect rating of five out of five stars because almost all aspects greatly appealed to me. On the downside, I found the story to be too lengthy. Splitting the story into two series would have made it more clear and concise. Asides from that, the story was emotional, soul-lifting, and informative. It had flawless editing, taking into consideration that I didn't stumble upon any major errors. The love lives of Brooks and Eric and those of their parents were incorporated into the story, and this made the story come alive.
Are you a sports lover? Does inspiring fiction appeal to you? Are you desirous of success but weighed down by obstacles in life? Do you aspire as an individual to get to the peak of your career? If any of these categories resonate with you, then I strongly recommend this book because its content will benefit you.
April 9, 2024
An enjoyable story about two athletes in different sports who become friends on their journey to making professional teams. A little bit of a let down at the end but still a worthwhile read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews