Brian Dascenzo, Domer Sports Report
Notre Dame Football
Book Review
Resurrection is the latest book by Jim Dent, author of Junction Boys and Twelve Mighty Orphans. The book revolves around the 1964 Notre Dame football season and Ara Parseghian's first year as head coach. It is more than a book about a football season. It is the story of a college football Goliath recovering from the slingshot attack.
Jim Dent did hours and hours of interviews with the main characters of the book and it shows in the depth of the stories. Dent's storytelling goes into Tom Coughlin playing a part in Tony Carey getting kicked out of school, why Nick Rassas spent the summer before '64 at a Wyoming farm and how a Heisman Trophy winner didn't have a letter jacket to wear to the dinner in New York. Dent brings up the fact that most of the Notre Dame stories have to do with big-time winning and how this isn't his style. He had been searching for a Notre Dame story to write when he was asked to speak at Notre Dame during the summer of 2008 and he says that "the story found him."
He uses the '64 season as a way to explore the history of Notre Dame football. Discussion of Leahy's Notre Dame career and how that led to Father Hesburgh becoming sick of his school being referred to as a Football Factory. The rantings and ravings of the players about Joe Kuharich not knowing to do with all the talent on his roster. It also shows how Ara was doing more with less at Northwestern then should be asked of anyone.
This book tells the story of one of the few times that Notre Dame was a true underdog story. I recommend this book to anyone interested in college football not just specific to Notre Dame fans. Enjoy.
Jim Dent did hours and hours of interviews with the main characters of the book and it shows in the depth of the stories. Dent's storytelling goes into Tom Coughlin playing a part in Tony Carey getting kicked out of school, why Nick Rassas spent the summer before '64 at a Wyoming farm and how a Heisman Trophy winner didn't have a letter jacket to wear to the dinner in New York. Dent brings up the fact that most of the Notre Dame stories have to do with big-time winning and how this isn't his style. He had been searching for a Notre Dame story to write when he was asked to speak at Notre Dame during the summer of 2008 and he says that "the story found him."
He uses the '64 season as a way to explore the history of Notre Dame football. Discussion of Leahy's Notre Dame career and how that led to Father Hesburgh becoming sick of his school being referred to as a Football Factory. The rantings and ravings of the players about Joe Kuharich not knowing to do with all the talent on his roster. It also shows how Ara was doing more with less at Northwestern then should be asked of anyone.
This book tells the story of one of the few times that Notre Dame was a true underdog story. I recommend this book to anyone interested in college football not just specific to Notre Dame fans. Enjoy.
To purchase this book at a discount, click on the image title below.
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