Ray's Reviews: Go Spartans by Darla Hall

        If you’re getting ready for the big football game on New Year’s Eve, the
phrase “Go Spartans” is likely to be on your mind.

        It’s also the title of a colorful new 48-page oversize paperback, selling
for $14.99. Attractively designed as an activity book, it can provide fun
for the whole family.

        This is an ideal choice for the die-hard Spartan fan, particularly if you
have 6-to-12 year-old children.

        This book was created by Darla Hall, from Birmingham AL. and her
business, In the Sports Zone. She developed it initially as a gift for a
young boy she knew who was hit by a car and broke both of his legs.

        A portion of the profit is donated as activity books for children
in local hospitals.

         It is part of a nation-wide series of over 100 books promoting
collegiate sports as well as professional baseball and football teams.
It’s organized to be useful this season or actually any season – since no
sports stars are mentioned by name.

        The book opens with a few pages for drawing, allowing you to describe
your winning football or basketball play. There’s also a page where you
can draw yourself, family, friends or favorite player.

        Other highly-creative sections offer games, mazes, connect the dots,
trivia, word searches, cut-outs, a crossword puzzle, MSU facts and song
information.

        A dozen pages are devoted to “Dream Teams”, where you can design your own
MSU Dream Team, with spaces for names, positions and personal data.
Included are areas where you can create your own card front or back
designs.

        There are four pages at the end of the book designated as writing
sections, where you can become creative, noting what you would do if you
were selected as the team coach, what you love about Spartan football
and more.

        An attractive page of MSU related decals are tipped in at the rear of the
book. Information is also provided on how to download your free app at
the ITunes Store.

        Adults with considerable time on their hands may find it challenging to
count how many times the Sparty symbol, Block S or Spartan logo appear
throughout the book. I gave up when I counted almost 200 of them!

        Ray Walsh is the owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has reviewed
Michigan books and crime novels regularly since 1987.

Find this book and other great titles

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

This review was originally published by the Lansing State Journal on December 27, 2015.

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Ray's Reviews: Michigan Agricultural College - Campus Life 1900 - 1925 by Stephen Terry

“Michigan Agricultural College – Campus Life 1900-1925” by Stephen Terry

(Thunder Bay Press, $19.95) is a wonderful look at an important part of

the history of Michigan State University.

        It focuses on the postcard history of the campus in the era before it

became Michigan State College and later MSU.

        Subtitled “A Postcard Tour”, the well-designed, oblong book provides

hundreds of postcard images of a multitude of campus buildings and

events.

        Terry uses an excellent variety of views, often including the messages

from the individual who initially sent the postcard, such as “This is

sure some great place” or “am having a fine time.”

        The book explores the campus as it existed in the early twentieth

century, when the main entrance to the campus was from Grand River at

Evergreen Street. This was also where the trolley cars from Lansing

entered.

        Many postcard images are provided for numerous buildings, including the

U.S. Weather Bureau, the Dairy Building, Wells Hall, the Gymnasium and

the Armory.

        Images of buildings that no longer exist also appear, such as the old

Greenhouse, College Hall (which collapsed), the Engineering Buildings

(which burned in 1916) and the Woman’s Building (later renamed Morrill

Hall, which was recently demolished.)

        Terry provides fascinating graphics from commercially sold postcards as

well as the much scarcer real photo postcards, which were produced in

significantly smaller quantities.

        While much emphasis is given to the architecture of M.A.C., images are

included of the Red Cedar River, the Campus Gardens, the Arboretum and

Lovers Lane.

        There are also panoramic and “bird’s eye” views of the campus and events,

offering a general view of Laboratory Row and the Agricultural

Department.

        The last section of the book is devoted to the Smokestacks, Steam

Tunnels, Off Campus Housing and the 1907 Semi-Centennial celebration,

which drew 20,000 people to campus to hear President Theodore Roosevelt

deliver a speech.

        The postcards presented in this book come from the collections of the

author as well as Dennis Hansen and Jeffrey Kacos.

        Terry is a 1960 MSU graduate who worked on campus for 32 years. He served

as the University’s Senior Financial Officer before retiring in 1998.

        This is a great book for historians, libraries and dedicated MSU fans.

        Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, has reviewed

Michigan books and crime novels regularly since 1987.

Find this book and other great titles

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

We have a limited number of SIGNED copies available.

This would make for a lovely gift! 

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

This review was originally published by the Lansing State Journal on November 16, 2014.

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Ray's Reviews: MSU Trivia Book by Michael Emmerich "100 Things that Michigan State Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die"

Dedicated sports fans are going to love Michael Emmerich's new paperback book "100 Things That Michigan State Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die" (Triumph Books, $14.95).

Focusing primarily on football and basketball, Emmerich's enthusiasm is clearly evident as he offers an amazing cornucopia of Spartan sports history.

It's presented in a smooth and entertaining manner, starting with an opening chapter on Magic Johnson and closing with insights from Duffy Daugherty.

In between, Emmerich glides through Spartan sports history, highlighting the successes of numerous coaches, stars, and heroes.

He deftly probes the past, emphasizing the winning sports teams and why they were successful, analyzing the facts, foibles, and attitudes of players and coaches.

The 336-page book features photos and is divided into 100 brief sections, varying in length, ranging from easily recognizable to somewhat obscure.

Historic, memorable events include the famous 1966 MSU-Notre Dame 10-10 "Game of the Century", earlier Rose Bowl appearances, basketball playoffs and championships.

Many football players are profiled, including Kirk Gibson, Bubba Smith, Sherman Lewis, Earl Morrall, Plaxico Burress, Brad Van Pelt, George Webster, Dan Coleman, Lorenzo White and Kirk Cousins.

Numerous basketball players receive recognition, especially Mateen Cleaves, Greg Kelser, "Jumpin'" Johnny Green, Steve Smith, Jay Vincent and Scott Skiles.

Other chapters explore team rivalries, with special focus given to games between MSU and University of Michigan as well as Ohio State University.

Details are offered on the history and careers of the college's football coaches, including Charlie Bachman, Biggie Munn, Darryl Rogers, Nick Saban, Bobby Williams, George Perles and of course Mark Dantonio.

Basketball coaches and their varying degrees of success are also showcased, with close-ups of the strategies and careers of Pete Newell, Jud Heathcote, Forddy Anderson, and Tom Izzo.  

There's also a quick look at the many different awards that the MAC/MSC/MSU teams have won over the years.

Emmerich is an MSU graduate who's spent 25 years in the sports publication business; he's gathered facts from a variety of sources, utilizing numerous books, newspaper articles and the internet.

Since the Michigan State Spartan football team won the Rose Bowl and the basketball team is having a great season, Emmerich may soon have to put out a new, revised edition!

Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop, 

has reviewed Michigan books and crime novels regularly since 1987.

Find this book and other MSU books, game programs,

ticket stubs and Spartan memorabilia

at the Curious Book Shop, an independent 

book shop in East Lansing, founded in 1969.

GO GREEN!

Curious Book Shop

307 East Grand River Avenue

East Lansing, Michigan

517.332.0112

A print version of this review was published by the Lansing State Journal on Sunday, January 26, 2014.

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