John Feinstein, march madness, new york times book review

Remind Us Not to Anger Jay Jennings

If you're a fan of John Feinstein, or college basketball, or hate one or both, be sure not to miss Sunday's New York Times Book Review. On the hot seat is Feinstein's latest, Last Dance, an examination of college basketball's Final Four. A tipster provided us with a sneak peek of the review, which me must say, we're kind of looking forward to now more than the actual book.

"Thought you'd be interested to know that this sunday's NYTBR has a highly enjoyable takedown of John Feinstein by Jay Jennings - a review of his new book LAST DANCE that contains such choice lines as:

"full of lazy banalities... and sloppy factual mistakes (...despite the rampant Dukist slant, he misidentifies the University's president...)"

"But most inexcusable is his self-plagiarism, recycling between new covers tired stories he's told us before."

"Feinstein is not just a woeful writer; he's a woeful writer who repeats himself."

"Feinstein's latest and lamest shows a disdain for intelligent sports-minded readers..."

and, playing off his earlier note that this is Feinstein's third book with "Last" in the title: "Is it too much to hope that 'Last Dance' might be not just Feinstein's last 'Last' book but his last book?"

Nice."

1:15 PM on Fri Feb 17 2006
By Rick
115 views
8 comments

Comments

Mmole at 01:51 PM on 02/17/06
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He's the Bob Woodward of sportswriting. From the ultimate outsider ("All the President's Men" "Season on the Brink") to the ultimate insider kissing the butts of the powerful (GW Bush; Coach "I consider myself a leader who happens to coach basketall" friggin'K.). I'm 58 years old. Life is too short for me to read this nonsense anymore.
Bassett at 01:53 PM on 02/17/06
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Ba-zing!
dippity sauce at 02:10 PM on 02/17/06
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"Feinstein is not just a woeful writer; he's a woeful writer who repeats himself." That is the perfect description of Feinstein. I've never read a book of his (and I've read three) where I couldn't have cut 60 pages from it and still had the same experience. Why aren't his editors more dilligent?
The Alchemist at 02:41 PM on 02/17/06
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I once saw Feinstein eating at a Steak'n'Shake with Rick Majerus. They were in there for about 2 hours before Feinstein finally left, leaving Majerus to finish a full baker's dozen of strawberry shakes.
That Bootleg Guy at 02:52 PM on 02/17/06
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Feinstein's editors fear that craggy, jowly mug of his. Would you wanna piss off someone that looks like a Caucasian Craig Mack?
Montecore at 03:08 PM on 02/17/06
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Good for him. Feinstein is horrible. Shame on anyone who wastes his time or money on this book.
Zembla at 05:00 PM on 02/17/06
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I'm excited that "New York Times Book Review" has a Deadspin category page now.
Mike Diesel at 05:11 PM on 02/17/06
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Ditto, reading Feinstein makes me want to punch infants.