I Remember Jim Valvano: Personal Memories of and Anecdotes to Basketball's Most Exuberant Final Four Coach, as Told by the People and Players Who Knew Him [Hardcover]

Mike Towle (Author)

Book Description

Series: I Remember | Publication Date: October 19, 2001

College basketball and its annual March Madness extravaganza have emerged over the last three decades as one of the most popular sporting phenomena in America. Perhaps no one personifies the excitement of this tournament better than Jim Valvano, whose heavily underdog North Carolina State Wolfpack achieved the pinnacle of success in college basketball in 1983 with an unlikely run through the NCAA tournament, culminating an incredible one-point victory over Houston's heavily favored Phi Slamma Jamma squad in the championship game.

While that Cinderella story was Valvano's only national championship, he quicky came to symbolize the exuberance and excellence of the exciting world of college basketball. Valvano transcended his sport, touching millions as he emerged as one of the most charismatic and, ultimately, courageous figures in American life who touched millions.

Diagnosed with bone cancer, he joined ESPN to comment on college basketball games. Later he received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at ESPN's first ESPY awards, where he announced that he was starting the V Foundation for cancer research. Shortly after receiving the award, he died at the age of forty-seven. In I Remember Jim Valvano, he is remembered by former players, coaches, a variety of other basketball experts, close associates, and many others as one of college basketball's great movers and shakers, a man with a heart as big as his popularity. Valvano's life is the classic story of courage and determination as borne out in his memorable line: "Don't give up. Don't ever give up."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mike Towle is the author of several books in the I Remember Series, with Ben Hogan, Augusta, and the Masters, Walter Payton, Pete Maravich, Arthur Ashe, and Bobby Jones among his other subjects. A former sportswriter with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The National, Towle is president of TowleHouse Publishing and lives in Nashville with his wife, Holley, and son, Andrew.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing (October 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581822197
• ISBN-13: 978-1581822199
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,729,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Jimmy V fans, December 17, 2007

By 

S. Nagel (Phila., PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I Remember Jim Valvano: Personal Memories of and Anecdotes to Basketball's Most Exuberant Final Four Coach, as Told by the People and Players Who Knew Him (Hardcover)

I am a big Jimmy V fan from over twenty years ago when he was one of the greatest personalities in college basketball. It was nice to read about his everyday relationships with those who were so lucky to have known him.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Wonderful, December 14, 2001

By 

Jonathan Thompson - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Remember Jim Valvano: Personal Memories of and Anecdotes to Basketball's Most Exuberant Final Four Coach, as Told by the People and Players Who Knew Him (Hardcover)

This book written by Jim' brother, Bob Valvano of ESPN, shows a very positive and very accurate look into the life of one of, if not, the best personality in college basketball history. We all miss Jimmy V very much and this book makes all the memories of Jimmy V so very special.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very happy., January 23, 2010

By 

Bob Garcia - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Remember Jim Valvano: Personal Memories of and Anecdotes to Basketball's Most Exuberant Final Four Coach, as Told by the People and Players Who Knew Him (Hardcover)

I enjoyed reading this book. There are some very funny stories and also some not so funny stories in this book. Some of the not so funny stories bring a lump to your throat. This book leaves you smiling.