Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher

The title of this book is funny because of its double meaning. The book contains six short stories about athletes, and sports are mentioned, but the stories are really about the people. I think young athletes would enjoy it because the stories are about people like them, and they could probably relate to the descriptions of the sports. This is a great book for anyone, because the stories are about the relationships between the main characters who are athletes and their families and friends.
It was a good book for me to read, because I am not an athlete, but I think I am better able now to respect people who are athletes, because they have lives besides their sports. The characters have to learn how to be respected and to respect others who are different from them. I could relate in a way to the white kid who went to a school with mostly black kids. I was really touched by the last story about learning to be a friend to someone with AIDS. Some of the characters in the stories come from novels that Chris Crutcher had written, so when I have get a chance I want to read his other books now!

Review by David Dunkerton