NILE

by T. Lidd

NILE is a story about a young man who played football in the late 1930s. But it is more than a sports story. The nation was still recovering from the Great Depression and on the cusp of the greatest war in the history of mankind. One athlete, in particular, understood the historical significance of the moment. Many people who knew Nile Kinnick sincerely believed he would have been one of our nation's greatest leaders. Unfortunately, the country never had the opportunity to witness what this promising young man may have achieved. The story tells of Kinnick's life from high school to his ill-fated flight near Trinidad during WWII. But it's also a story that touches on the lives of his Iowa Hawkeye teammates. They became known as the "Ironmen" because there were very few players on the 1939 team. After two losing seasons in 1937 and 1938, the University of Iowa hired Dr. Eddie Anderson to coach the football team. He was relentless in his pursuit to have the players in the best physical condition of any team in the nation. Many quit. But those that remained made history.

Genres: Sports, Football

452 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Rex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about University of Iowa football player Nile Kinnick who won the Heisman Trophy in 1939. This book provides a great look at what life was like for a college student/athlete in the late 1930s. If you have spent significant time on the University of Iowa campus, you will especially enjoy this book as you will get a good feel for what the campus was like in the 1930s versus your own experience.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I am a part of the 1930's University of Iowa student body. The author paints a clear picture of student life at this time is history. Whether you're really into football or not, this is an interesting story of a remarkable person -would recommend!