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IN THE LAND OF GIANTS

HUNTING MONSTERS IN THE HINDU KUSH

In this self-described “non-fiction novel,” Martínez weaves an interesting tale, but he takes too many creative risks to...

A story about a yeti-seeking adventurer in the Hindu Kush becomes much more.

In his first book to be translated into English, Martínez, a renowned Spanish journalist and author, brings readers the mysterious tale of adventurer Jordi Magraner (1967-2002). Spanish by blood but raised in France, Magraner had been in love with the wilderness since childhood, and he became particularly entranced by humanoid creatures. This led him to the Hindu Kush in the borderlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan to hunt for the legendary “barmanu," the local term for the yeti. Magraner became enamored with the Kalash culture, a dying society of just a few thousand mostly impoverished people. Eventually, he ran into trouble, particularly after 9/11. The story of Magraner’s life—and his murder—is unquestionably intriguing, but the author’s choices in style and organization leave something to be desired. Intermittent, pagelong chapters focus on the history of hunting “monsters,” but these feel random and unrelated. There’s also a strange focus on Magraner’s sexuality, including an entire chapter devoted to speculations by various people in his circle. Furthermore, most of the photos included in the text lack captions or descriptions; readers may glean the subjects from context, but it’s a frustrating omission. However, in terms of pure storytelling, the author does an impressive job of turning Magraner into one of the “giants” of the title. As his subject’s behavior becomes increasingly enigmatic, the narrative becomes far less about yeti hunting than about not only solving his murder, but also understanding his charismatic and manic personality. As one friend noted, “Jordi was manifold—nobody truly knew him.” Martínez sets out to do just that, and he is clearly passionate about his subject, dangerously traveling in Magraner’s footsteps—but never arriving at the truth.

In this self-described “non-fiction novel,” Martínez weaves an interesting tale, but he takes too many creative risks to satisfy all but the most fervent fans of Middle Eastern and/or Asian culture.

Pub Date: July 10, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-947534-10-0

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Scribe

Review Posted Online: May 5, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2018

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WHEN THE GAME WAS OURS

Doesn’t dig as deep as it could, but offers a captivating look at the NBA’s greatest era.

NBA legends Bird and Johnson, fierce rivals during their playing days, team up on a mutual career retrospective.

With megastars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant and international superstars like China’s Yao Ming pushing it to ever-greater heights of popularity today, it’s difficult to imagine the NBA in 1979, when financial problems, drug scandals and racial issues threatened to destroy the fledgling league. Fortunately, that year marked the coming of two young saviors—one a flashy, charismatic African-American and the other a cocky, blond, self-described “hick.” Arriving fresh off a showdown in the NCAA championship game in which Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans defeated Bird’s Indiana State Sycamores—still the highest-rated college basketball game ever—the duo changed the course of history not just for the league, but the sport itself. While the pair’s on-court accomplishments have been exhaustively chronicled, the narrative hook here is unprecedented insight and commentary from the stars themselves on their unique relationship, a compelling mixture of bitter rivalry and mutual admiration. This snapshot of their respective careers delves with varying degrees of depth into the lives of each man and their on- and off-court achievements, including the historic championship games between Johnson’s Lakers and Bird’s Celtics, their trailblazing endorsement deals and Johnson’s stunning announcement in 1991 that he had tested positive for HIV. Ironically, this nostalgic chronicle about the two men who, along with Michael Jordan, turned more fans onto NBA basketball than any other players, will likely appeal primarily to a narrow cross-section of readers: Bird/Magic fans and hardcore hoop-heads.

Doesn’t dig as deep as it could, but offers a captivating look at the NBA’s greatest era.

Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-547-22547-0

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2009

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BACK FROM THE DEAD

One of the NBA’s 50 greatest players scores another basket—a deeply personal one.

A basketball legend reflects on his life in the game and a life lived in the “nightmare of endlessly repetitive and constant pain, agony, and guilt.”

Walton (Nothing but Net, 1994, etc.) begins this memoir on the floor—literally: “I have been living on the floor for most of the last two and a half years, unable to move.” In 2008, he suffered a catastrophic spinal collapse. “My spine will no longer hold me,” he writes. Thirty-seven orthopedic injuries, stemming from the fact that he had malformed feet, led to an endless string of stress fractures. As he notes, Walton is “the most injured athlete in the history of sports.” Over the years, he had ground his lower extremities “down to dust.” Walton’s memoir is two interwoven stories. The first is about his lifelong love of basketball, the second, his lifelong battle with injuries and pain. He had his first operation when he was 14, for a knee hurt in a basketball game. As he chronicles his distinguished career in the game, from high school to college to the NBA, he punctuates that story with a parallel one that chronicles at each juncture the injuries he suffered and overcame until he could no longer play, eventually turning to a successful broadcasting career (which helped his stuttering problem). Thanks to successful experimental spinal fusion surgery, he’s now pain-free. And then there’s the music he loves, especially the Grateful Dead’s; it accompanies both stories like a soundtrack playing off in the distance. Walton tends to get long-winded at times, but that won’t be news to anyone who watches his broadcasts, and those who have been afflicted with lifelong injuries will find the book uplifting and inspirational. Basketball fans will relish Walton’s acumen and insights into the game as well as his stories about players, coaches (especially John Wooden), and games, all told in Walton’s fervent, witty style.

One of the NBA’s 50 greatest players scores another basket—a deeply personal one.

Pub Date: March 8, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4767-1686-2

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Dec. 18, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016

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