By the Grace of the Game, Dan Grunfeld
By the Grace of the Game, Dan Grunfeld
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By the Grace of the Game
The Holocaust, A Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream

Author: Dan Grunfeld

Narrator: Chris Lutkin

Unabridged: 8 hr 51 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/16/2021


Synopsis

When Lily and Alex entered a packed gymnasium in Queens, New York, in 1972, they barely recognized their son. The boy who escaped to America with them, who was bullied as he struggled to learn English and cope with family tragedy, was now a young man who had discovered and secretly honed his basketball talent on the outdoor courts of New York City. That young man was Ernie Grunfeld, who would go on to win an Olympic gold medal and reach previously unimaginable heights as an NBA player and executive. In By the Grace of the Game, Dan Grunfeld, once a basketball standout himself at Stanford University, shares the remarkable story of his family, a delicately interwoven narrative that doesn't lack in heartbreak yet remains as deeply nourishing as his grandmother's Hungarian cooking, so lovingly described. The true improbability of the saga lies in the discovery of a game that unknowingly held the power to heal wounds, build bridges, and tie together a fractured Jewish family. If the magnitude of an American dream is measured by the intensity of the nightmare that came before and the heights of the triumph achieved after, then By the Grace of the Game recounts an American dream story of unprecedented scale. From the grips of the Nazis to the top of the Olympic podium, from the cheap seats to center stage at Madison Square Garden, from yellow stars to silver spoons, this complex tale traverses the spectrum of the human experience to detail how perseverance, love, and legacy can survive through generations.

About Dan Grunfeld

Dan Grunfeld was a two-time Academic All-American as a member of Stanford University's men's basketball team. He played eight professional seasons in top leagues around the world, including a year in Germany, three in Spain, and four in Israel, with a brief stint in the NBA for the New York Knicks. He received his MBA from Stanford, and his writing has appeared in outlets including Sports Illustrated, Huffington Post, Jerusalem Post, and SBNation.

About Chris Lutkin

Chris Lutkin has been an actor, a director, a writer, and a teacher for over thirty years. He has narrated several audiobooks including The Early Stories of Philip K. Dick, 12 Stories by Edgar Allan Poe, and The Red Badge of Courage. He currently resides in Detroit with his wife, Heather, and their rescue dog, Buckaroo.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Dahlia

I’m definitely not a fan of basketball or any sport for that matter, but you don’t have to be to truly enjoy this book. The sign of a great book is that you can’t put it down. I finished reading it in three days. I read it during every free moment I had. This is the story of three generations Dan Gru......more

Goodreads review by Perry

I don't post reviews on this site, but I must make an exception here. This is an absolutely fantastic book. Growing up in Tennessee, Ernie Grunfeld was one of my heroes. I thought I knew his "story," but that was far from the case.... His son, Dan, is a tremendous writer - and this is a tremendous boo......more

Goodreads review by Budd

The author touched my heart, made me cry and smile in pride and should be honoured for producing such fine work. We are taken along a journey of such horrific sadness, so much fear and hatred and then the realisation of the American dream and their pursuit of security and happiness. The dream was no......more