A Sense of Where You Are_ Bill Bradley at Princeton by John McPhee Review

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ASenseofWhereYouAre:BillBradleyatPrinceton

byJohnMcPhee

WhenJohnMcPheemetBillBradley,bothwereatthebeginningoftheircareers.ASenseofWhereYouAre,McPheesfirstbook,isaboutBradleywhenhewasthebestbasketballplayerPrincetonhadeverseen.McPheedelineatesforthereaderthetrainingandtechniquesthatmadeBradleytheextraordinaryathletehewas,andthispartofthebookisablueprintofsuperlativ...more

Paperback,240pagesPublishedJune30th1999byFarrar,StrausandGiroux(firstpublished1965)

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JohnMcPheewasborninPrinceton,NewJersey,andwaseducatedatPrincetonUniversityandCambridgeUniversity.HiswritingcareerbeganatTimemagazineandledtohislongassociationwiththeNewYorker,wherehehasbeenastaffwritersince1965.Thesameyearhepublishedhisfirstbook,ASenseofWhereYouAre,withFSG,andsoonfollowedwithTheHeadmaster(1966),Oranges(1967),TheP...more

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StevenPetersonratedit

Ijustfoundmyoldpaperbackcopyofthisbook.Whileinhighschool,IadmiredBillBradley'sbasketballplayingatPrincetonagreatdeal.Asaresult,Iboughtthisbooksoonafteritcameabout.ThisisagoodluckatthecareerofBradleyatPrincetonUniversity.Literatelywrittenandafascinatingcharacterstudy....

3likesLikeseereview

DavidQuinnrateditShelves:fawning

Disappointinglyfawning,IhalfexpectedtoseeBillBradleysmotherandfatherascowriters.

BillBradleysPrincetonyearswereundoubtedlyfilledwithsupremebasketballandacademicsuccesssoIwasntexpectinganytypeofexposbutthesuperlativeswereheapedontooheavilyformyliking.

ThisisbettersuitedforYAreaders.

2likesLikeseereview

Lynnemarieratedit

ThisjustremindedmeofhowmuchIloveMcPhee'sstyleandalsoremindedmewhatitwaslikeinthe1960'stobelivinginahomewhereCazzieRussellwassuchahouseholdnamethatitreverberatestodaywithgreatclangorstilltoday.

ThisisessentiallybiographicalsketchofayoungBillBradleyjustafterheleftPrinceton.Totallybasketball,butaglimpseintotheworkingsofthemindnevertheless.Inasense,itisacompaniontoapieceMcPheewrotewithinthelastyearfor"TheNewYor...more

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CoreyThibodeauxratedit

Greatportraitofaplayerthroughhisowneyes.BillBradleywasauniqueplayerandmanandJohnMcPheecapturingsomeofthosemomentsinactionmadethisbookrelevant.IthinkIlearnedmoreaboutthegameofbasketballfromthisbookthananyothersource.

1likeLikeseereview

Kennyoratedit

ThisiswhereIbeganmystronginterestinandrespectforJohnMcPhee'swriting.HepaintsalyricalportraitofyoungBillBradleythatpiquedmyinterestinmoreofhiswriting.

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AlexStrickvanLinschotenratedit reviewofanotheredition

Ihavenointerestinbasketballwhatsoever,butthisbookkeptmehooked.I'mtryingtoreadallofJohnMcPhee'sbooksthisyear,andthiswasawonderfulstart.

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Notriviaorquizzesyet.Addsomenow

Bradleyisoneofthefewbasketballplayerswhohaveeverbeenappreciativelycheeredbyadisinterestedawayfromhomecrowdwhilewarmingup.ThiscuriouseventoccurredlastMarch,justbeforePrincetoneliminatedtheVirginiaMilitaryInstitute,theyear'sSouthernConferencechampion,fromtheNCAAchampionships.ThegamewasplayedinPhiladelphiaandwasthelastofatripleheader.Thepeopletherewerewornout,becausemostofthemwereemotionallycommittedtoeitherVillanovaorTempletwolocalteamsthathadjustbeeninvolvedinenervatingbattleswithProvidenceandConnecticut,respectively,scramblingforachanceattherestofthecountry.AgroupofPrincetonplayersshootingbasketballsmiscellaneouslyinpreparationforstillanothergamehardlypromisedtobeahighpointoftheevening,butBradley,whoseroutineinthewarmuptimeisagradualcrescendoofactivity,ismoreinterestingtowatchbeforeagamethanmostplayersareinplay.InPhiladelphiathatnight,whathedidwas,forhim,anythingbutunusual.Ashedoesbeforeallgames,hebeganbyshootingsetshotsclosetothebasket,graduallymovingbackuntilhewasshootinglongsetsfrom20feetout,andnearlyallofthemdroppedintothenetwithanalmostmechanicalrhythmofaccuracy.Thenhebeganaseriesofexpandinglydifficultjumpshots,andonejumperafteranotherwentcleanlythroughthebasketwithsofewexceptionsthatthecrowdbegantomurmur.Thenhestartedtoperformwhirlingreversemovesbeforeanothercadenceofalmoststeadilyaccuratejumpshots,andthemurmurincreased.Thenhebegantosweephookshotsintotheair.Hemovedinasemicirclearoundthecourt.Firstwithhisrighthand,thenwithhisleft,hetriedsevenoftheselong,gracefulshotsthemostdifficultonesintheorthodoxyofbasketballandambidextrouslymadethemall.Thegamehadnotevenbegun,butthepresumablyunimpressiblePhiladelphianswereapplaudinglikeanaudienceatanopera.6likes

IfbasketballwasgoingtoenableBradleytomakefriends,toprovethatabanker'ssonisasgoodasthenextfellow,toprovethathecoulddowithoutbeingthegreatestendeveratMissouri,toprovethathewasnotchicken,andtoliveuptohismother'schampionshipstandards,andifhewasgoingtohavesomemomentsleftovertosavorhisdelightinthegame,heobviouslyneededconsiderablepractice,soheborrowedkeystothegymandsetascheduleforhimselfthatheadherededtoforfourfullyearsintheschoolyear,threeandahalfhourseverydayafterschool,ninetofiveonSaturday,onethirtytofiveonSunday,and,inthesummer,about

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Carolineratedit reviewofanothereditionShelves:dadrecommended,own

ASenseofWhereYouAredetailstheearlylifeandcollegebasketballcareerofBillBradley.ThoughattimesMcPheecomesacrossabitstarryeyedwhendescribingBradley,Iadmitthathisbasketballandacademicaccomplishmentsarequiteimpressive.ReadingthisbookafterBeerandCircus(whichisaboutmoderncollegiateathleticsandhowtheyareunderminingundergraduateeducation),Ifounditparticularlystrikinghowmuchemphasisthe"student"partofstudentathletewasgiveninthe19...more

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Darrylratedit

BillBradleywasborninasmallMissouritown,thesonofthetown'sbanker,whotaughthimdiscipline,hardwork,andaloveoflearning,andhiswife,afiercelycompetitivebutlovingformerathlete.TheirsonwasoneofthemostcelebratedschoolboyathletesinMissourihistory,andwasofferedscholarshipstoover70collegestoplaybasketball.However,hechosetoattendPrincetonUniversity,whichdidnotprovideathleticscholarshipsandwasnotknownforitsbasketballteam,ashehad...more

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JamesEntwistleratedit

Everynowandthen,I'llreadabook,watchamovie,orseeayoutubeclipofTimTebowtakingahandicappedgirlashisdatetoaformaleventthatlegitimatelymakesmewanttobeabetterman.Thisbookhadthateffectonme.BillBradley'sdrive,willpower,andmoralfortitudearetrulyinspirational.Bradley'ssuccessinbasketballandinhiscareerthereafterspeaktothevalueofhardworkandperseverance.Itwasalsorefreshingandinterestingtoreadabiographyaboutsomeonethatwas...more

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LisarateditShelves:nonfictionsports

IfinishedASenseofWhereYouArelastnight.Itwasafantasticbookandanoutstandingstory.BillBradleylivedoutastorythateveryathletehopesupon,especiallytogooutonsuchapositivenote.IfinishedthebookandimmediatelywatchedYoutubevideosofBradley.

IenjoyedMcPheeswritingstyle.Hesstraightforward,light,metered.Theresaneasyrhythmtohiswords.

Irecommenditforsportsfans,butalsofansofcreativenonfictionforthebeautifulwriting.

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RyanHolidayratedit

Ican'texactlysayhowIcametohearthetwoofthemrecommendthisbook,butwhenRobertGreeneandPaulGrahambothsaysomethingisgood,Idon'tneedtobetoldathirdtime.ThetitlecomesfromaBillBradleyquoteabouthishookshot,abouthowafterenoughofthemhisfeelforthegamewassogoodthathedidn'tneedtolooktoseewherehewasonthecourt.Hejustknew.Iguessit'sprobablyabitoftheselectionbias,butit'sfascinatingtometoreadabiographyofsomeonebefore...more

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Tomratedit

Averyquickread.Finisheditinoneafternoon.McPheecanreallywrite.Inmanyways,thisreadslikeaeulogyforidealizedimageofthe"studentathlete."Simplyput,BillBradleywaseverythingthatmajorathleticuniversitieswouldlovetothinkthattheirathletesare.Heck,Bradleywaswhatanyuniversitypresidentwouldlovetopointtoastheidealstudent.GuyslikeBradleywererareinthe1960sandtheyarerarenow.McPheedoesanelegantjobofdetailingBradley'suniquededicatio...more

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threehoursaday.3likesJan04,2015

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LeerateditShelves:recentlyread

agreataccountofbillbradleyinwhatmaybeperhapshisbestforum,thoughpossiblytheoneforwhichheisleastknown.mcphee'sfirstworkfollowsbradley'ssenioryear/seasonatprinceton.duringthisyearhewouldwinthenationalplayeroftheyearaward,takeprincetontothefinalfour,andbeselectedasarhodesscholar.bradleymustbethegreateststudentathleteofalltimeandthisbookaccountstheincrediblededication,resolve,andworkthatmadeitpossible.theonlycomplai...more

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Benratedit

IpickedthisupusedbecauseI'mgoingtobereadingmoreofJohnMcPhee'sworkthissummer.Iwascurioustoseehisgeneralwritingstyle.It'sveryclear.Itflowsandishardlynoticeable(thuslettingyoufocuscompletelyonthetopic).Istilldon'tlikebasketball,though.

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TrinarateditShelves:creativenonfiction,sportswriting

SuredidlikethisbookaboutBillBradleywhoplayedatPrincetonwhileIwasgrowingupthere.Ineversawhimplay,andIdidn'tevenreadthistilmuchlater,butit'sanoutstandingprofileofayoungbasketballplayeratthestartofhiscareerbyayoungwriteralsostartingoffhiswritingcareer.Throughdetaileddescription,McPheecapturesnotjustthetrainingandtechniquesthatmadeBradleysuchanextraordinaryathlete,butalsotheselfdisciplineandstrongsenseofwherehewas...more

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MichaelGreenratedit reviewofanotheredition

Lovedthisbook.Itprovidesawonderfulportraitofatalentedman,andthetellingofthestoryiscompelling,clear,andengaging.Highlyrecommend.

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Nedjoyceratedit

Asolidbook.Biographyofagreatman.Amanslifethroughhisapproachtoasport.Verywellwritten.MakesyouappreciatethemanthatisBillBradley.

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RonaldWiseratedit reviewofanotheredition

AdetailedhistoryofBillBradley'sbasketballcareeratPrincetonUniversityintheearly1960s.Thoughsuspiciouslylaudatory,itprovidedsomeusefultechnicalinsightsonthegamefromaplayersperspective.Themainpartofthebookwasfirstpublishedin1965,butthiseditionhasaddendafrom1978and1999withphotographsofBradley'sNBAcareerwiththeNewYorkKnickerbockersandhispoliticalcareerasaUnitedStatesSenatorfromNewJersey.Ilearnedofthisbookthroughatribute...more

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Alexratedit

McPheedoesn'tsentimentalizeBradley'sstandingorlayitonthicklikeothersportswriters.Hesimplygivesustheopportunitytowatchahardwoodfolklegendinthemaking.NonbasketballfanswillmarvelatthemonkishdedicationandcunningselfexperimentationthatwouldimpelBradleythroughNCAAandNBAchampionshipsrightthroughtotheU.S.Senate.Andforfansofthegame,theintimatelookintoBradley'sworkethic,behindthescenespreparation,andproprioceptivewizardryonthec...more

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Algerratedit

NotexactlytopdrawerMcPhee,butasuresignofthedirectionhiswritingwouldtake.Moreofaperiodpiecethanwritingfortheages.

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davidratedit

WonderfulyarnaboutBradleyandhisamazingcollegehoopscareeratPrinceton.Can'tgowrongwithsports,educationandhumor.

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BradaddeditreviewofanothereditionShelves:nonfiction,sports

AreallygoodprofileofBillBradleyincollege,beforehe'dgoonbecomeaNBAplayerandpolitician.McPheedoesagreatjobcapturinghowthoughtful,diligent,smart,andexceptionalBradleywascomparedtohiscollegepeersatPrincetonandotherschools.Myonlyrealcriticismwiththebookisthatmuchofthewritingonbasketballfeelshorriblydated.McPheewrotethisbookbeforemuchgoodwritingonbasketballexisted,sohisexplanationofplaysandshotsfeelsclunky.Iwishhewould'...more

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Nealratedit

bestbookaboutgrowingupasagiftedathletewhohasskillsandambitionsloftierthanthoseofmosttopathletes.mcphee'sdescriptionofgamesequencesisunrivalled,andhecaptureshischaracter'smostemblematicfeaturesinmundanemoments.oneunforgettablescene.bradleyispracticingjumpshotsinthegymasmcpheeobserves.he'smissingshotaftershot.hetellsmcpheethattheheightofthebasketisahalfinchoffofregulation.bradleyadjusts,andsinksshotaftershot.later,mc...more

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Maddedit

BeenalongtimesinceIwasinmyJohnMcPheephasebutIdorememberlikingthisoneprettywell.

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Timratedit

Thisbookreallyfocusesontheathleteandthefactualaccountofstatistics,scores,etc.andcolorsitwithsomebiographicalnarratives.It'saneasyread.

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DavidBarneyratedit

Quickread.AgoodreviewofBillBradley'scollegecareer.

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RonThunmanaddedit

PrincetontotheFinal4.BillBradley

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matthiahratedit

Agreatbookforthosewhoappreciatethelittlethings,thefundamentalsinsports(specificallybasketball).Goodsportswritingistoughtofindthesedays,butMcphee'sattentiontothedetailssetshimapart.Plus,itsareallymagnificentprofileofapreNBA,preSenateBillBradleyduringhisseniorseasonatPrincetonwhenhewasboththeNationalPlayeroftheYearandaRhodesScholar...trulyepitomizingthestudentathletemodelwhileleadingPrincetontotheFinalFour.Bradleywa...more

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DaverateditShelves:owned,sportnotsportsyousot

ThebookconsistslargelyofMcPhee's1965profileofBradleyforTheNewYorker,whichissufficienttodiscoverwhereBradley'sdriveanddesirecamefrom.Well,theprofileplussomebiographicalsetupservesasaniceleadintoBradley'slifeinbasketballandpolitics.IfeltlikethecaponBradley'ssenioryearatPrincetonservedtocompletethecirclewell,Mr.McPhee,don'tleavemehanging!ExcellentprofilebyamasterofthegenreinMcPhee.

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Bruggeratedit

Itisfuntoreadabookwrittenaboutapersonbeforethatpersongoesontoachieve&evenexceedwhateveryonethinksheiscapableof.Youoftenreadstorieslikethisaboutyoungmenorwomenwhothenendupburningoutandnotreachingtheirpotential.ThisisobviouslynotthecasewithBillBradley.AnotherfunaspectofthisbookistheauthorJohnMcPheewasayoungauthoratthetimeandalsowentontofulfillhispotential.

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