Ten on Sunday: The Secret Life of Men

by Alan Eisenstock

Book Overview

A moving, lyrical, eye-opening look at the true nature of intimacy among men.
The L.A. riots had an indelible effect upon the city of Los Angeles, upon the wider debate in this country about race, and especially -- in the pages of this wonderful memoir -- on ten weekend basketball players. After the riots, and once he'd fled his mid-city home for the relative safety of suburban Santa Monica, Alan Eisenstock at last found himself with a driveway...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743442148
• ISBN13: 9780743442145
• Release Date: May 2003
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

A definite 3 pointer

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was very fast paced, funny and seemed to pick up momentum as it went along. Although there was not a suspenseful climax I still raced to the end to see how the book would achieve closure. The weekly basketball game served the book well. It was very interesting to read about how these guys would all gather weekly and how gradually they were able to reveal things about their lives. I admired how they truly came to care about each other and support each other.The characters were well delineated. I felt a little cheated because the author had to change their names to protect their privacy but their personalities shone through on the pages of this very enjoyable book.

Great book about male bonding

This book is an easy and quick read. It is a great book about more than just a weekly basketball game, but about male bonding in general.I found myself laughing out loud several times during this book. Its humorous anecdotes added so much to the story. At the same time, you can relate to these men as they undergo financial hardships, marital trouble, and tragedies.I think men and women will both enjoy this book. Men will relate to the characters and understand the draw of the basketball game. And women will learn a little about how men communicate and how their friendships grow.You don't even have to enjoy sports to love this book... the basketball game, though told well for those who love basketball, is simply a means to an end. Good for anyone, especially people who are considering major changes in their lives.

Get In This Game

Ten on Sunday is extremely well written. The author is a master at dialogue. His descriptions of a weekly backyard pick-up game made me wish, longingly, that I could have been one of those players. The game felt special, almost sacred. For me, it was not so much the "secret" life of men or the fact that they never really talked much. It was, instead, a man's version of dancing -- sensing a rhythm and allowing it to govern movements to silence thought and to release fantasies. The fact that the rhythm returned just as powerfully the following Sunday, made the game seem irresistible.

He's Got Game

This book really captured the feel of everyman's weekly basketball game. It felt like the author must have played in mine!Weekly basketball games seem to be a part of the structure of many men's lives. They bring us back to the simpler times of our childhood, allow us to play out our professional athletic fantasies, and give us the opportunity to spend time with people who don't demand that we be sensitive and emote.Eisenstock develops each character thoroughly, and makes us feel like we're participants in the game. While it's "just a game", the story detailing the changes in his life and the lives of his characters is touching and all too familiar. Anyone who's played in a regular game, as well as their significant others and wives should enjoy this story of personal growth and friendship.