Knute Rockne: A Portrait of a Notre Dame Legend (Hardcover)

by Michael R. Steele (Author) "It started as a story that America has seen countless times ... a family halfway across the world seeking to improve its lot..." (more)
Key Phrases: starting eleven, return yards, total yards, Notre Dame, Knute Rockne, South Bend (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Knute Rockne: A Portrait of a Notre Dame Legend presents the fruits of Steele's interest in and research about the life and times of Knute Rockne. Based on research and writing conducted over the last twenty years, the book includes: game by game accounts of Rockne's playing and coaching careers, interviews with former players, family and professional photographs--including new material found in Norway, photos of artifacts and memorabilia, team and season records, player personnel, and a full consideration of the relationship of Rockne with George Gipp--one of the most fascinating stories in the annals of American sports. For readers who love sports, college football, and Notre Dame, this book will provide keen insights into the man and the myth, and detail a pictorial history unsurpasses by any other book.

About the Author
Michael R Steele

Product Details

• Hardcover: 145 pages
• Publisher: Sagamore Publishing (December 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571672559
• ISBN-13: 978-1571672551
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,414,250 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A PLEASANT JOURNEY THROUGH ROCKNE'S LIFE, September 12, 1999

By A Customer

Michael Steele has been doing books on Notre Dame football for many years. Some, like Rockne: A Bio-Bibliography (1983) are very detailed, but most, especially this book, are more in the coffee table genre. But that's o.k. because Steele is modest about his books, and makes no special claims for them.

The photos in this book are excellent and not only include many of Rockne at various stages of his life, but also of his famous players. Steele also includes pictures of many important sites in Rockne's life, and even some diagrams of plays.

The text moves swiftly through the famous coach's life and career. On occasion, Steele repeats an old and questionable chestnut, but for the most part, he gives straight-forward game-by-game details. The final section of the book contains long interviews with a number of men who played for Rockne and/or were students at Notre Dame in the 1920s. Since all of these men have since died, the interviews are often poignant, even if they are more nostalgic than truly informative.

If you are looking for a deeply researched and footnoted biography of Knute Rockne, this is not the book for you. However, if you want a pleasant journey through the coach's life, take this trip with Michael Steele.

Professor Murray Sperber, Author of Shake Down the Thunder (1993), and Onward to Victory (1998).