The Road to Blue Heaven: An Insider's Diary of North Carolina's 2007 Basketball Season (Hardcover)

by Wes Miller (Author), Adam Lucas (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Wes Miller grew up in the shadow of the Atlantic Coast Conference, college basketball's most powerful league. But as a high school senior, none of those elite programs offered him a scholarship-they thought he was too small and too slow.

After a year at a mid-major program, he chose to attend North Carolina without a basketball scholarship. Over the next four years, Miller's hard work resulted in a major role on the Carolina team. He earned a starting spot as a junior, displacing more highly touted players.

He began his senior year with a mission-to chronicle all aspects of his final season in Chapel Hill. Off the court, it is a glimpse of a life few will ever enjoy. At a basketball-crazy school like the University of North Carolina, basketball players are the Beatles. On the court, Miller had to find his place in one of the most talented Carolina teams in history. This is the story of his senior year in his own words, as he takes you inside the locker room, on the court, and behind the scenes in the most unique book ever written about one of the most famous college sports dynasties of all time-Carolina basketball.

Wes Miller is a senior on the men's basketball team at North Carolina, one of the nation's most elite programs.

Adam Lucas is the author of three books on North Carolina basketball: Going Home Again, Led By Their Dreams, and The Best Game Ever. He lives in Chapel Hill.

About the Author
Wes Miller grew up in the shadow of the ACC, colleage basketball's most elite league. But as a high school senior, none of those elite programs offered him a scholarship-they thought he was too small and too slow. However, he chose to walk-on at North Carolina, where his sharpshooting and dedication eventually won him a starting spot.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Pegasus Books (October 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933648570
• ISBN-13: 978-1933648576
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #61,933 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #6 in	Books > Sports > Basketball > College & University
  #9 in	Books > History > United States > State & Local > North Carolina
  #52 in	Books > Sports > Miscellaneous > History of Sports

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very well written book by a first time author., November 27, 2007

By	T. Jordan (Stuart, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Who better to tell the story of the 2006-2007 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team than someone who was actually on the team. There were many interesting points made about different games, players, and more insight into Wes Miller himself. The one thing I wasn't too fond of, but didn't change my liking for the book, was Miller constantly bringing up the fact that he wasn't too thrilled about his limited role on the team. That seemed to be too common a theme. However, this is a great read for any North Carolina fan out there looking for some insight on the team, coach Roy Williams, and Wes Miller.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must for Carolina Fans, December 2, 2007

By	M. Flohr (Billings, MT United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"The Road to Blue Heaven" provides a great insider's look at the ins and outs of North Carolina men's basketball. Wes Miller does a great job of covering all aspects of being on the team and Adam Lucas' articles provide a good complement to Miller's thoughts. While Miller does mention his limited playing time, it is refreshing to see his constantly positive attitude and willingness to play whatever part he can and, also, his determination to be a leader for his younger teammates. If you're a fan, this book is a fascinating read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting for college basketball or UNC fans, July 7, 2008

By	Milo Sharp (Mebane, NC, USA) - See all my reviews

Wes Miller, formerly of the UNC Tar Heels and now an assistant coach at Elon University, is a gym rat and a student of the game. His account of the 2006-2007 season is well written and contains plenty of trivia tidbits about himself and the rest of the team. Each chapter is written chronologically, documenting a few weeks or games of the season, and is bookended by articles written by Adam Lucas, a local columnist and sportswriter.

The season doesn't live up to Miller's expectations, but his book is a delight for anyone who cheers for the Heels or wants a get an insider's perspective on a Division 1 college basketball team.