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 enlarge | Author: Mark Kriegel
Publisher: Free Press
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy New: $2.98
You Save: $12.02 (80%)
New (50) Used (28) from $2.59
Rating:  53 reviews
Sales Rank: 18172
Media: Paperback
Pages: 416
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.4 x 1
ISBN: 0743284984
Dewey Decimal Number: 796
EAN: 9780743284981
ASIN: 0743284984
Publication Date: February 5, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 53
 Well researched, very readable July 10, 2008
Dennis L. Morgan
Mr. Kriegel provides an insightful, interesting, serious study of the background to the life of Pete Maravich. I recommend the book, not only to sports' fans, but to anyone who enjoys well-written biography. For thoses readers who wish to understand Maravich's conversion to Christianity and the course of his post-conversion life, the book disappoints as Kriegel seems to understand the conversion as a retreat into religion rather than a confrontation with reality.
 great, not-so-great April 20, 2008
Jay Stein (New York, NY)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I admire the fact that Mark Kriegal had the guts to devote about a third of the book to Press Maravich, Pete's father. But it got tedious to hear the endless details about who scored what during which game, and so on. Perhaps that's common to most sports books, I don't know. I understand why the author wrote this book: Pete Maravich's life is a fascinating story. Unfortunately, I had mixed feelings about Pistol overall. Yes, I got bored with the first third of the book about Press Maravich, although it did give you a nice overview of the origins of pro basketball, if you can call it that. I also felt that the last 30 pages devoted to Pete's sons was overkill. Just my opinion. The middle part of the book about Pete was superb, though. There were so many touchstones that were handled exceptionally well----on race, the marketing and growing popularity of basketball (college and professional), the complexity of Pete's relationship to Press, Pete's various obsessions with UFOs, vegetarianism, martial arts, etc., plus his alcohol abuse. Pistol, for all its stylistic virtuosity, was a little too sentimental sometimes. Nonetheless, I'm glad I read it.
 A sad, sad tale April 11, 2008
John W. Jackson (Iraq)
As others have stated, this is an extremely well-written book. But it is also the first book I ever remember reading that had a dark cloud hang over every page. The quotation by Magic Johnson to Pete's children at the All-Star game naming the Pistol as one of the top 50 in NBA history is memorable. "Your father was Showtime before there was a showtime." You always hope sports heroes have happy endings. I wish Pete could have experienced more of it.
It is a must read.
PISTOL PETE, A GREAT AMERICAN ATHLETE. April 6, 2008
M. Holland (JAVA LAKE, NY USA)
I BOUGHT THIS BOOK TO INCLUDE IN MY GRANDSON'S PACKAGE THAT WAS HEADED FOR IRAQ. HE LOVED THE BOOK BECAUSE HE GREW UP IN THE PITTSBURG AREA AND PLAYED SPORTS AT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE BOOK.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, HE ENJOYED IT FROM COVER TO COVER AND I AM A HAPPY GRANDMA. ACTUALLY, I'LL BE HAPPIER WHEN HE GETS BACK TO THE USA.
Not a Cure for the Blues March 9, 2008
Larry Rochelle
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I read PISTOL during the last week when my brain was in gear, my emotions high and my persona not cracked. Good thing, too. If I had been depressed, I might have eaten more junk food than my diet allows.
Yes, PISTOL deserves five stars. The lives of Press Maravich and his son, Peter Press Maravich, are, however, Pittsburgh bleak, covered with soot and anchored by the angst of control and chaos.
Basketball should a fine, fun game, but this book proves it doesn't have to be any fun at all. It can merely be twisted.
The sun is shining now, and the temperature is crisp. I think I can forget all Pete's "showtime" moves, the suicide of his mom, the manic control of his dad and the up-all-night drinking bouts.
What I can't forget, yet, are all the tortures his sons went through when they tried to honor their dad by playing basketball, too. One coach in particular at LSU needs to be put down for his cruelty.
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