Basketball (and Other Things)

A Collection of Questions Asked, Answered, Illustrated

By: Shea Serrano, Reggie Miller

Narrated by: Sean Crisden

Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

This book is made up of 33 chapters. Each chapter is a different basketball question that needs to be answered. Some of them are obviously crucial (example: what's the most important NBA championship?) and some of them are secretly crucial (example: was Kobe Bryant a dork?).

But all of them are approached in ways that (I hope you think) are smart and fun and nuanced. Also, you should know ahead of time that some of the pieces go a bit sideways sometimes, like the chapter that ends up just being the script of an action movie, or the other chapter that's actually just a bunch of lists and nothing else. Basketball is fun. - Shea

©2017 Shea Serrano (P)2017 Tantor

Terrible Narration, Good Book

It’s as if they don’t proofread these narrations. Dude called Dan Majerle “Dan Majorly!” He called Christian Laettner “Christian Lott-ner” and kept referring to Bryon Russell as “Byron Russell.” These are glaring and annoying mistakes in an otherwise good basketball book.

The worst narration on Audible.

What didn’t you like about Sean Crisden’s performance?

You know things are going to be awful when the narrator clearly doesn’t know the subject matter at all to the point where he’s butchering words like a dyslexic. He butchers the names to a crazy bad level. Majerle = Majorly and so on. Clearly no one edits these. It was as bad as if I narrated a book in Spanish.

In the sample he mentioned sideways tangents...take it seriously

I was really looking forward to this book but I actually didn’t like it.

He has some nonsense like comparing a scenario on who would fare better, Karl Malone in the woods or a bear on the Utah Jazz. Or the movie character fantasy draft with only fictional characters from movies. Or the frankenplayer where he takes some of the weirdest characteristics of each player and makes almost no sense.

Not a book I’d recommend if you intently listen to audiobooks.

Meh

For me, this book was an incredible waste of time. There will be no new information about the NBA for most who are already fans. The author seemed like the type of fan who goes completely nuts in celebration after someone gets crossed over, even if the guy misses the jumper immediately after.

This book is meant for print, not as an audiobook.

Waste of a credit as an audiobook. I think it would be a good book in print though (I love everything about the NBA - except for player mobility ruining parity in the NBA - I'm ready for that trash to be done). It got very tiring listening to the narrator read stat-lines.

Bottom line, some books should never be made into audiobooks. I get the appeal to the author ($$$), but this book as an audiobook pretty much sucks, and I feel duped after wasting a credit on it.

Hilarious Book, Hilariously bad Narrator

Never good when your Narrator mispronounces real people's names. Adds to the comedic effect though.

Annoying and meaningless

The premise of the book was solid, but the idiotic writing and topics and commentary make it unlistenable.

incredible

Not a book fan but the images really drew me into the book so I decided to give it a shot. What a great decision that was, this book was awesome. Hilarious and unique, genuinely a good time. Buying his other book very soon for my upcoming trip, can't wait to listen.

A love letter to Basketball

Lots of fun. Listening was fun too! This was so much fun. Will probably listen again.

Fun collection of essays

This is a fun collection of essays about the NBA...hilarious hypotheticals with great narration

If you love basketball, you'll love this book!

just want to say, I love this book. narrator is funny, it's well written.

Laugh out loud funny at times

As an avid follower of the Ringer and a latecomer to Basketball, I only discovered it in 2008 (in the UK Basketball has only recently become available) I found his insight comical at times and insightful at others. Love how partizan it is re: The Spurs and have watched so much historical Youtube videos to reference what is talked about.

Agree some chapters are a little silly but this gives the levity to the book and makes it different.

I loved this book and would read another Shea book in a heartbeat.