Geno

December 5, 2005
If nothing else, Auriemma, coach of the UConn women's basketball team since 1985, explains how little girls in Connecticut inherited the dreams of little boys in Indiana. The rise of a program with a leaky gym and roll-away bleachers to become a powerhouse with five national championships is a Hoosier-like tale. But Auriemma's book is merely the bones of the story, a slapdash chronicle of seasons. In his talky style, he is unable to flesh out the characters, and his anecdotes are stiff. One exception is his depiction of star Diana Taurasi cracking during a challenging season: "sitting on a bench, swaying back and forth and banging her elbows against the wall.... She is in withdrawal, like some kind of drug addict." On Auriemma's team, breakdowns are a good sign because they mean hunger. He prods individuals by saying things like "You suck" and "You are never going to make it." Auriemma's caustic style has earned him many critics, and his autobiography is more about self-defense than reflection. Nonetheless, it gives readers a chance to eavesdrop on the strategy of a hall-of-famer who chased perfection to the top. Auriemma's book will leave readers wishing he had told his story better—written his heart out, even.

January 1, 2006
Auriemma is one of the most successful college basketball coaches in the history of the sport, yet he is never mentioned in the same sentence as Dean Smith or Mike Krzyzewski. The reason? Auriemma coaches women's basketball at the University of Connecticut. In this revealing autobiography, written with the help of " Boston Globe" reporter MacMullan, Auriemma tells a version of the classic immigrant's journey. His parents immigrated to the U.S. from Italy when he was seven. He was the new kid, the kid who talked funny, and the poor kid. He has been catching up ever since. Like all successful coaches, he drives his players very hard, but unlike many--see Delsohn and Heisler's " Bob Knight," reviewed on this page--he seems to be universally admired by his former players. He manages to convey his investment in his players' growth as human beings, not just as basketball players. In addition to telling his own story, Auriemma reflects insightfully on the growth of women's basketball.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)