I know Jim wrote or co-wrote a few books and many have been written about him. My question is which one is the best. The book will be a gift for an avid sports fan, but also a coworker I just met. Thanks in advance.

3/10/2010 1:15:21 PM

The Life and Death isn't bad

Has a nice story of the origin of the now famous "Don't quit...don't even quit" line that has become his signature

3/10/2010 1:17:49 PM

"When March went Mad" is a really good one about him and the '83 Championship team. It gives a little bit of his background and what he went on to do after coaching at NCSU, but its main focus is the '83 championship year. Not sure if that's what you're looking for, but it's a good read regardless.

3/10/2010 1:19:42 PM

^^Emmitt Smith, is that you?

3/10/2010 1:53:47 PM

"V & Me: Everybody's Favorite Jim Valvano Story"

Collection of really short stories (like a page or two each) from anyone and everyone that will have you laughing and in tears. Incredibly easy to read and shows you the impact V had on people and his infectious personality. Great for someone to learn about V without it being a biography. Plus seeing comments from well known coaches, players, entertainers, reporters, etc. changes up the read.

[Edited on March 10, 2010 at 1:59 PM. Reason : .]

3/10/2010 1:57:55 PM

Quote :

""V & Me: Everybody's Favorite Jim Valvano Story" "

I checked this out from the library my senior year and read the whole thing in one weekend. Some great, great stuff in there.

3/10/2010 2:03:42 PM

books like that should be on the required reading list for incoming Freshman

3/10/2010 2:22:58 PM

^ No way. I'd much rather read about some dude that builds shit for terrorists in Pakistan.

3/10/2010 2:27:28 PM

When March Went Mad was pretty good (not a biography, but a good insight into V and that tourney run), as was V's autobiography "They gave me a lifetime contract, then they declared me dead" or something similar.

3/10/2010 2:48:51 PM

http://www.amazon.com/Valvano-They-Lifetime-Contract-Declared/dp/0671732544/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268250696&sr=8-1

Good one.

3/10/2010 2:52:04 PM

Quote :

"http://www.amazon.com/Valvano-They-Lifetime-Contract-Declared/dp/0671732544/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268250696&sr=8-1"

agreed. If you can find the audiobook, it is Jim himself reading it. I was able to find a copy on ebay a few years ago. It is out of print, so finding it can be hard.

[Edited on March 10, 2010 at 2:59 PM. Reason : ]

3/10/2010 2:58:22 PM

i just picked up "they gave me a lifetime contract, then declared me dead" from half.com for 0.75+shipping

3/10/2010 4:31:13 PM

Does anyone know where in the hell to find the video of that speech he gave at Reynolds before the ESPY one? It used to be on Youtube, but it didn't have audio and now it is gone altogether.

3/10/2010 4:52:48 PM

Thanks for the audio book idea. These guys ride in their cars all the time so that would be way better than a book.

3/10/2010 5:55:35 PM

The LIFETIME CONTRACT one is the best. I read it in 2 days.

3/10/2010 5:59:53 PM

Quote :

"^ No way. I'd much rather read about some dude that builds shit for terrorists in Pakistan."

HAHAHAHAHA

Someone is a freshmen in engineering

Shit, even the professors who taught E101 didn't give a shit about that book.

3/10/2010 6:29:59 PM

http://www.amazon.com/Personal-Fouls-Promises-Shattered-Basketball/dp/0881845264/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268263927&sr=8-1

3/10/2010 6:32:48 PM

^Fuck that. Golenback himself basically admitted he's sorry he wrote that book (and that it's full of lies)

3/10/2010 7:56:08 PM

"Stay persistent...always stay persistent"

3/10/2010 8:09:16 PM

[quoteagreed. If you can find the audiobook, it is Jim himself reading it. I was able to find a copy on ebay a few years ago. It is out of print, so finding it can be hard.[/quote]
Sounds like something someone should rip to MP3 maybe?

3/10/2010 9:08:57 PM

Personal Fouls is pretty scathing... dude doesn't hold back

3/10/2010 11:36:48 PM

Personal Fouls is a book full of lies. If there is one asshole in my life that I could meet and punch directly in the nose it would be Peter Golenbock.

And I'm not in Engineering. I'm in Business and we had to write a one page paper on that book, my friends in engineering said their professors never did shit with it though.

3/10/2010 11:54:18 PM

if anyone has the audiobooks they should make digital versions and share

3/11/2010 12:58:54 PM

^ +1.

I'd love to get a copy of this audiobook.

3/11/2010 8:18:45 PM

growing up i remember there was this book about the history of nc state basketball at my local library. it stopped at about the 100th anniversary of the university, i think. Good pictures of the team in the 80s, but it's best parts were the parts showing games at Thompson Gym, and the bball setup at Memorial Auditorium (!) back when they played there sometimes.

3/11/2010 9:18:54 PM

I think I have that book. I'm gonna try reading it on the way to the beach this weekend. I think it's called Legends of NC State Basketball or something like that. Forward is by Herb Sendek I think.

3/11/2010 9:32:18 PM