Sports

Chris Crutcher has that gift of making books about sports into books not really about sports, but for those who love sports, it has that way of making them insta-likeable.  That is probably the case for Loser's Bracket.  I just didn't like Annie enough to LOVE the book.  But I still gave it 5 stars, I actually changed it from 4 to 5 because I realized that Annie is such a real and well-written character, you know? I will recommend it to guys and gals and lovers of basketball and lovers of just really good, coming of age, self-discovery realistic fiction.  What makes a family?  What does forgiveness look like?  What does acceptance look like?  What does love look like?  Love comes in so many forms.  We have love people as individuals, you know?  People require different kinds of love.  This book would be a great book discussion book, I think. 

Super Good

Chris Crutcher is a fantastic writer.  Sports books, but more than sports books.  Real-life books.  Hard topic books.  In the case of Deadline, death.  But more than death.  How to live when you are dying.  Tell or not tell?  Grace. Forgiveness.  Racism.  Small towns.  Small minds.  First love.  Incest. Everything.  Wow.  Just a LOT in Deadline.  A LOT.  Highly recommended. Highly.

Thoughtful and Thought-Provoking

are two words to describe Chris Crutcher, I think, after reading King of the Mild Frontier:  an Ill-Advised Autobiography.
Crutcher's website describes him as an author and a loud-mouth.  After reading some of Crutcher's experiences and his reflections upon his time as a therapist and child advocate, Crutcher can't help but be a loud mouth and it benefits the world when he is.  He is man of incredible wisdom and compassion, two things that we need more of in this life.
He grew up in the small town of Cascade, Idaho, in a family where kids called their parents by their first names (something to which Crutcher calls attention and, this is neither here nor there, drives me crazy) and he often had to fight against his own terrible temper.
I loved Crutcher's honesty.  I was disappointed that he is not a Christian, just because I know the love and peace that comes from being a Christian.  And I want everyone to experience that.  And I also worry about people who were Christians and aren't now have given up on Christianity because of the way in which it is defined in some (most) circles.  But again, that is neither here nor there.
I have read books by Crutcher in the past and now want to read more.  This is a very entertaining and insightful biography.  It didn't just provide insight into Crutcher the author and the man, but into human nature itself.  I especially appreciated his opinion on the word "perfect."  Good stuff.