Product Details
Top of the World: The Inside Story of the Boston Celtics' Amazing One-Year Turnaround to Become NBA Champions

Top of the World: The Inside Story of the Boston Celtics' Amazing One-Year Turnaround to Become NBA Champions
By Peter May

List Price: $25.00
Price: $19.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com

66 new or used available from $0.55

Average customer review:

Product Description

“I’m on top of the world,” shouted NBA Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett after the Boston Celtics clinched their 17th NBA championship over their arch rival, the Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers. Indeed he was on top as were his teammates as the most illustrious franchise in NBA history won their first championship in over twenty years. Peter May, who has covered the Boston Celtics for nearly 25 years for the Boston Globe and the Hartford Courant and the author of the bestselling The Last Banner- an account of the Celtic’s last championship season-chronicles the remarkable 2008 championship run of the team in green. Tracing the biggest single-season turnaround in NBA history of this storied franchise, who went from having the second-worst record in the NBA last year to the best record this year, May charts, both the highs and lows of the season. From losing out on the Number 1 and Number 2 pick in last year's draft lottery to swinging trades for future Hall of Famers, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, from compiling the best record in the NBA and winning Game 4 in the Finals with the greatest come-from-behind victory in NBA Finals history to capping off their remarkable season with the league-leading 17th championship, it’s all here. Drawing on interviews with Defensive Player of the Year, Kevin Garnett, Captain and NBA Finals MVP and captain, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Coach Doc Rivers, among others, May serves up an behind-the-scenes account of the Celtics spectacular return to glory. Finally, May will also profile one opposing player from each playoff series, including LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #393177 in Books
  • Published on: 2008-10-27
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 256 pages

Features

Editorial Reviews

Review

Boston Metro, 10/31
“Must-read for all Celtics fans…highly recommended.”


Dan Shaughnessy, 11/08
"Does a nice job telling the story of the 2007-08 Celtics.”


Bob Ryan, 11/08
“If you’re a dedicated Celtics fan, or if you now a dedicated Celtics fan who’s on your Christmas Bar Mitzvah or birthday list, have I got the book for you…Peter May’s the man for the job….It’s all here: everything you want to know…If you’re interested in this topic get this book. I don’t know how I can be clearer than that.”


Providence Journal, 11/2/08
“An excellent account of last season’s Celtics journey.”

About the Author

Peter May covered the Boston Celtics for nearly 25 years for the Boston Globe and the Hartford Courant and is the author of the bestselling The Last Banner, an account of the Boston Celtics last championship season. He lives in Massachusetts.

Customer Reviews

1986 Is No Longer "The Last Banner"4
Peter May's "Top of the World" relives the Celtics' drive to their first NBA championship in 22 years and their seventeenth overall. May tells the story of how the 2008 Celtics were assembled and paints a brief background sketch of coach Doc Rivers and of each of the key members of the title squad. The author takes the reader through the highlights of the team's 66-16 regular season and describes Boston's playoff conquests of the Hawks, Cavaliers, Pistons, and Lakers.

The book's only drawback was the fact that it contained a half-dozen or so factual errors concerning scores or years, and it also falsely asserted on page 219 that the Lakers were playing in the L.A. Sports Arena, not the Forum, in 1969. While the book was good overall, it seemed that no one proofread it. Still, it will be eagerly devoured by any Celtic fan, and May himself must be as pleased as anyone that the title of one of his earlier books, The Last Banner, is now obsolete.

Top of the World5
Top of the World provides a great insight into the 2008 Celtics' championship season. You get to know the players and their backgrounds better. The book is well written, easy to read, sustains interest, and hits the important issues. It is a great companion to the DVDs of the playoffs and the team. Highly recommended for true Celtic fans.

Celtics story offers obvious parallels for life5
Rather than simply retell the details of specific games of the season, Peter May offers rare insight into the on and off-court orchestration of a championship season. From ownership to management to coaches to the players themselves - a near complete change from major loser to NBA champion - and here's how it was done in only one season !! It also is a great story of how maximum effort and selfless team play in basketball can produce a champion with obvious parallels for life. Any true sports fan - not only Boston fans - will find this a memorable and rewarding read and one that celebrates teamwork over the ever so prevalent "me-first" attitude in sports today.