Basketball (and Other Things)

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

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.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

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.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

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.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

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.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Hilarious Book, Hilariously bad Narrator

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

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

great

it is funny. i like the moment before the moment. i hope there is a follow up

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needs shea narrated

some of the tangents were a bit too wild, but I think they could have carried if Shea Serrano narrated himself.

Very enjoyable book to listen to

The content was great. I liked the style in which it was written, I found myself talking back to it a couple times. Very engaging, entertaining, and the questions asked were fun. My only complaint (if you could call it that) is that the narrator mispronounced the names of a handful of players names. There were a couple times I had to back it up and figure out who he was talking about (Suns F Dan “Majorly”). That said, there were many more instances the narrator totally nailed the tone and tenor of different bits the author was portraying.

Aside from that, and it’s just a pet peeve, I very much recommend this book.

For lovers of basketball (and other things)

An amazing book for anyone who truly loves basketball and the NBA. Serrano covers so much of what fans have discussed and argued about for decades and in a way that is more entertaining than just about any other book I have ever come across. Also, Sean Crisden’s performance is the best I have ever heard on an audio book. His tone and delivery makes this a must listen. Love this audiobook!

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

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.