Hoop Tales Offer a Short History of Maryland Terrapins Basketball

Hoop Tales: Maryland Terrapins Men's Basketball (Hoop Tales Series) by Johnny Holiday with Stephen Moore

Review by C. Douglas Baker
 
This very short, very readable history of the University of Maryland's men's basketball program is enjoyable, especially for Maryland basketball fans.

That said, it also has some drawbacks.

There really are not a lot of details here. I didn't really learn anything I didn't already know about the program, except maybe some of the items in the first chapter about the program's origins and early years.

For example, the chapter on Len Bias is short and non-analytical. I know much, much more about that sad chapter in Maryland's history than is presented in this book—which basically is, "It's a sad story. Len Bias was a great player. It hurt the program."

Ditto for the run to their first Final Four and subsequent NCAA Championship Season.

This book is probably about what it's supposed to be, a short synopsis of the team's history. It is probably better suited for pre-teens and teens who may be unfamiliar with the program rather than adults who have followed Maryland for years.

Overall, I can't say I was disappointed, but I didn't really get anything out of reading this book.

Hoop Tales: Maryland Terrapins Men's Basketball (Hoop Tales Series)